When the Gators open their season against Florida International tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the O’Connell Center, they’ll have the opportunity to do something they haven’t done since 2007 — run a 5-1 offense.
“It’s something the fans will be excited about because it’s something we haven’t run here at Florida in a long time,” junior Chloe Mann said. “They’ll get to see the setter be really offensive, which I know is really exciting.”
Florida has had much success with its new offense in the past. Last time it ran a 5-1 was with three-time All-American Angie McGinnis, who led the team to a 29-3 record and a Southeastern Conference title with 1,485 assists in 2007.
However, after running a 6-2 offense for the last four years, there is going to be a lot of change for the outside hitters and the libero, according to senior Tangerine Wiggs.
“Taylor (Unroe), or whoever plays libero, has to work on defending a 5-1 behind the setter,” Wiggs said. “It’s a little different than defending behind a right side in the middle because we run a different defense behind a setter in the middle. It’s going to be harder for Taylor, but she’s a great passer, and I have no doubt that she’ll do just fine.”
Although Wiggs said they haven’t run a 6-2 at practice yet, she said there is a possibility the Gators will use that style of offense.
“Expect anything from us,” Wiggs said. “During preseason, I have no doubt that the coaches will try different lineups to make sure everyone gets playing time. Anything’s possible at this point, but we have been practicing a 5-1.”
Given the changes the Gators face, their main concern for this weekend’s Campus USA Credit Union Invite isn’t the competition, but working on their own problems.
“We’re a lot more focused on ourselves and making sure we’re doing all the things on our side of the net to execute and score points,” Wiggs said. “We’re less concerned about opponents. It’s more when we get into the SEC that we get really concerned about our opponents.”
Another change for the Gators will be the absence of sophomore Noami Santos-Lamb. The outside hitter, who was responsible for 14.5 points in 20 sets last year, tore her ACL during the Fan Day scrimmage on Saturday.
“I felt that we really lost a week and a half because we had to start over (from) square one when Noami got injured,” coach Mary Wise said. “Right now we’re just trying to figure it out.”
Even though the Gators have five other outside hitters to choose from, all of them are freshmen, and Wise only had six days to make a decision.
“When the lights come on and the first whistle blows, I know we’ll compete,” Wise said.
“Will we be as organized and seamless as I would have liked us to have been? No, but everything changed on Saturday.”
Contact Katie Agostin at kagostin@alligator.org.
Tangerine Wiggs spikes the ball over the Auburn Tigers on Nov. 20, 2011.
