UF’s embattled O-line seeks improvement

GAINESVILLE – The Florida Gators’ feel-good, season-opening win had something for almost everyone.

Saturday night’s 53-6 rout of Charleston Southern featured a career night by quarterback Feleipe Franks, an impressive display of depth at receiver, and a showcase of speed and aggressiveness on defense. The Gators’ renewed emphasis on special teams under Dan Mullen even yielded two blocked kicks.

Left out of much of the fun was an offensive line entering the season on the spot. The unit was good, but not great on a night when it should have been dominant.

Outclassed Charleston Southern yielded more than 80 pounds per man at defensive end and more than 30 pounds each at defensive tackle. Yet the Gators rarely manhandled the Buccaneers defensive front to unleash a run game many people, including UF’s players, expect to be the backbone of Mullen’s spread attack.

“That’s for a fact,” senior left tackle Martez Ivey said. “I think we pride ourselves last year of running the ball well and I know we got to do a better job up front moving the ball. That’s not criticism, not being down, that’s being … thats correcting what we need to be better at. That’s all.”

Going forward, UF cannot rely on Franks to pick apart defenses to the tune of five first-half touchdown passes, just four fewer than his 2017 season total. A year after he was sacked 29 times, Franks faced little pressure from a Charleston Southern pass that generated just one quarterback hurry.

Beginning with Saturday night’s SEC-opening visit from Kentucky, the hammer of the Gators’ run game will be essential to keep better pass rushes at bay, avoid obvious passing situations and set up playaction opportunities for Franks. A season after scoring just 21 touchdowns in the red zone, 12th in the 14-team SEC, UF would like to be able to run the ball effectively inside its opponents 20-yard line.

The most damning sequence last weekend occurred with the Gators’ leading 7-0 and at the Buccaneers 7 following a 46-yard catch by Freddie Swain. On first down, the 6-foot-5, 306-pound Ivey was shoved aside by 6-foot-1, 225-pound Solomon Brown, who tackled Scarlett for a 3-yard gain. UF would settle three plays later for a field goal.

The Ivey play set off alarms on social media from Gator fans wondering whether the offensive line featuring many familiar faces would again be an issue. Center Nick Buchanan made his first career start last Saturday, but the other four members of the O-line combined for 130 appearances, including 89 starts.

“We just have to clean some stuff up in the run game,” senior left guard Tyler Jordan said. “I think nothing's going to be a real successful play unless all five guys are succeeding.”

Offensive line coach John Hevesy said a new offense and first-game jitters led to some indecision he plans to iron out as the Gators prepare for Kentucky.

“Just cleaning up things from the first game,” Hevesy said. “I think a little bit is hesitation to make sure they’re right doing things, which means get it corrected and get better this week.”