Forget about Feleipe Franks’ game-winning pass against Tennessee. Leave behind Luke Del Rio’s game-winning drive in Kentucky. Sure, those moments were exciting, but they were also stressful, unnecessary and downright draining.
Florida’s win over Vanderbilt on Saturday proved that the Gators need to stop letting the flightpath a little leather egg decide their season. It’s time to ground and pound. Rush and crush. Run and get it done.
Florida’s 38-24 win against the Commodores was the first time the Gators broke the 200-yard mark on the ground. It was also UF’s first win that didn’t induce a few heart attacks. That’s no coincidence.
The Gators should become a run-first, pass-last team. I know that sounds crazy after all we’ve heard about the quarterback battle, and even crazier when you consider the Gators’ best running back is being investigated for credit card fraud. But it’s so crazy that it just might work.
With Jordan Scarlett suspended, the Gators are riding a three-headed monster in the backfield in freshman Malik Davis, sophomore Lamical Perine and redshirt senior Mark Thompson.
Davis gives group next-level, breakaway speed. You saw it in his 39-yard touchdown run to close out the game on Saturday. Perine brings consistency and a nose for the end zone, as evidenced by his three-touchdown day. Mark Thompson is supposed to be the Gators’ big, bruising back — and he is. But recently, he’s also emerged as the Gators’ best back in the passing game, pulling in a team-high five receptions against the Commodores.
So give these guys the ball. Gators fans: You want a good team, don’t you? Running the ball well is what good teams do. Michigan proved that when they ran for more than 200 yards against Florida in early September. And Alabama has become the best team in the country with an offense that almost exclusively relies on the running game.
Thompson said a few weeks ago that, while receivers might not agree with him, the Gators need to run the ball more. After UF’s win on Saturday, Perine correctly assessed that efficiency on the ground leads to a powerful attack in the air.
“Opening up the run game is going to open up the pass game as well,” Perine said. “We're going to be real dominant when we start doing that."
While Perine stopped short of saying that the Gators should become a run-first team, he didn’t need to say it. The proof was on the scoreboard. The Gators had their biggest pass-run discrepancy of the year on Saturday, running the ball 49 times compared to just 26 passing attempts. And you know what? It worked. The Gators have an opportunity to put the theory into action next Saturday when they host LSU. So, to coach Jim McElwain, I’d say this: Stop with the dropbacks, the shotguns, the deep balls and just run the Tigers right out of The Swamp.
You can follow Matt on Twitter @MattB_727, and contact him at mbrannon@alligator.org.
Malik Davis runs with the ball during Florida's 38-24 win against Vanderbilt Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
