Doug Nussmeier has his hands full.
While Florida’s new offensive coordinator has seen success at previous coaching stops — most notably Alabama in the 2012 and 2013 seasons — he is now responsible for breeding success in a Gators offense that has been stagnant for four years running.
Every position is up for grabs.
"At every position on offense we want to create competition," Nussmeier said. "You want to have the best players you can."
One of those positions where competition is imminent heading into next season is quarterback.
The Gators are sporting a young signal-calling corps heading into the 2015 season, with freshmen Treon Harris and Will Grier the early leaders for the starting spot.
Harris took over the starting job following Florida’s 42-13 loss to Missouri on Oct. 18. He finished the year completing 49.5-percent of his passes, 1,019 passing yards, nine passing touchdowns and four interceptions.
Grier earned a redshirt during his first year with UF.
"Obviously, any time you have young quarterbacks, it’s difficult because it takes time," Nussmeier said. "Everybody wants instant results. But the good thing is you get to build them from phase one."
Skipper wants running backs to score: When Tim Skipper heard from coach Jim McElwain about becoming UF’s next running backs coach, he didn’t think twice about the decision.
"I was ready to walk here," Skipper said.
And now, the 36-year-old Skipper is ready to take over a Florida running back stable that contains a potential three-headed monster in Kelvin Taylor, Adam Lane and Brandon Powell.
"We’ve kind of got a little combination of thunder and lightning," he said.
But ultimately, for Skipper, the most important attribute in his running backs is the ability to score.
"It doesn’t matter if he has to go 99 or he has to go 1," Skipper said. "He just has that knack to get in the end zone."
Summers working with small numbers: Mike Summers, the only coach returning from last year’s staff, successfully restructured a weak Florida offensive line in 2014.
Now, he’s tasked with doing it again.
With the departure of four starters to the NFL Draft and three other linemen — Nolan Kelleher and Drew Sarvary seeing their careers end due to medical hardships — Summers has just eight scholarship linemen and two with starting experience.
"Certainly that’s an area that we’re going to have to address and we’re going to need to have some players come in and be ready to play," Summers said, "but wherever there are concerns there are also opportunities."
Summers praised the development of tackles Rod Johnson and David Sharpe and said their development is a key first step in developing the offensive line.
"That’s what motivates you as a coach," Summers said. "These guys have got talent and they’ve got energy and they’ve got a whole lot of football in front of them. I’ve been so encouraged with their development and really where they are right now looking forward, trying to work with them and know where they can get to."
Nord looking for a tight end: The Gators have not had a reliable pass-catching tight end since Jordan Reed left for the NFL Draft in 2013. Over the past two seasons, tight ends have been responsible for 30 receptions, 279 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Greg Nord plans to change that.
"We look for guys that can go make plays and the biggest thing about our offense is get the ball to the playmakers," Nord said. "We’ve got to have ‘get it to’ players in our offense."
Luckily for Nord, tight end Jake McGee — who broke his leg in Florida’s season-opener against Eastern Michigan and has applied to the NCAA for a sixth year of eligibility — could finally be Florida’s "get to it" guy at tight end.
"It adds a great deal," Nord said. "You get a guy who does have some age, does have some experience and is really, other than the football part of it, he’s the one guy that’s bigger than everybody else, just meeting them.
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Treon Harris drops back to pass during Florida's 28-20 win in the Birmingham Bowl against East Carolina on Jan. 3 at Legion Field.
