Prior to Florida’s 27-3 win against Georgia on Saturday, coach Jim McElwain stressed the importance of getting the running game going during the bye week.
The Gators responded in a big way against the Bulldogs, rushing for a season-high 258 yards, with running back Kelvin Taylor's 121 yards leading the way.
But if UF wants to have a chance to win the Southeastern Conference title, it will have to improve the running game and be consistent through four quarters.
Even with the high output the Gators had against Georgia, they still rank 12th in the 14-team SEC with 143.13 yards per game and are 13th in yards per carry, averaging 3.8 yards per rush.
Here’s a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of Florida’s rushing offense and Taylor through eight games:
1st Quarter: Florida has struggled at times trying to get the running game off to a good start.
In the opening quarter, the Gators average 3.79 yards per carry, 10th in the SEC.
Meanwhile, Taylor is on the opposite end of the spectrum, as he’s gotten off to quick starts.
The junior running back is averaging 4.96 yards per carry, with seven rushes going for 10 or more yards — the most of any quarter for him.
2nd Quarter: The second quarter is where the running game is at its best. UF is averaging 4.68 yards per carry, which is seventh in the SEC.
And the team’s 323 yards in the second quarter is eighth in the conference.
Taylor’s production takes a slight dip as he averages 4.94 yards per carry, to go along with three touchdowns.
3rd Quarter: The second half is where the rushing offense really takes a hit, along with Taylor’s overall production.
Opposing defenses are making halftime adjustments to slow him down and put a halt to the Gators’ ground attack.
In the third quarter, Florida ranks dead last in the SEC in yards (213), yards per carry (3.28), longest rush (19 yards), first down runs (nine) and rushes of 10-plus yards (six).
Taylor has just 81 yards in the third quarter this season with his longest running play being 9 yards.
Out of all qualified players — including quarterbacks — Taylor’s 81 yards in the third quarter isn’t in the top 100 in the country.
4th Quarter: Florida is tied for fourth in the SEC in fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns with four.
However that’s where the good things come to an end for UF.
Florida’s 287 yards are tied for 11th in the conference.
The team’s yards per carry average is only marginally better, at 3.5 yards per carry, which is the second-lowest in the conference.
Florida also has the fewest first down runs of any team (14) and fewest runs of 10-plus yards (seven).
Taylor is downright anemic in the fourth quarter, carrying the ball 40 times for 87 yards.
He has only one carry that’s gone for 10 yards or more. And he only has five rushes that have gone for a first down.
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UF running back Kelvin Taylor rushes during Florida's 27-3 win against Georgia on Oct. 31, 2015, at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.
