Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
New-look Gators look to end skid, salvage season at Mizzou
GAINESVILLE — Brandon Powell does not want his UF career to end like this — amid distraction, disappointment and defeat.
With just a four games left in the regular season, the frustrated senior receiver and Gators seek a fresh start.
“It’s my senior year … I got to go out with some wins,” Powell said. “I’m gonna do everything I can to motivate this team to finish out the season strong.”
Some key faces have changed and so have the goals. But Powell, interim coach Randy Shannon, new starting quarterback Malik Zaire and the Gators still have plenty at stake on Saturday at Missouri.
Losers of three consecutive games and less than a week since Jim McElwain’s sudden ouster, the Gators no longer can defend their SEC East title.
Yet another loss also would place the chances for a bowl bid in serious jeopardy. Due to its high Academic Progress Rate, UF (3-4, 3-3 SEC) may need just two wins during its final four games to reach the postseason.
But other than a Nov. 18 visit from UAB, the Gators might not be favored in November. In addition to the Missouri game, UF visits surging South Carolina next week and hosts rival Florida State on Thanksgiving weekend.
Winless in league play, Mizzou (3-5, 0-4) is a threepoint favorite and a bad matchup for UF. The Tigers’ high-scoring attack averages 35.5 points and could force the Gators into a track meet after the offense totaled just 42 points during the past three games.
Looking to reboot things offensively, Shannon replaced struggling redshirt freshman quarterback Feleipe Franks with Zaire, who will make his first start for the Gators.
If Zaire can spark a team with a scoring average of 21.3 points, ranking 110th of 129 teams nationally, it would raise questions about McElwain’s seeming resistance to play the Notre Dame graduate transfer.
A strong close to a disappointing season also might lead Zaire, 22, to apply for a sixth season because he missed most of the 2015 with a broken ankle.
“This is not a time for him to feel comfortable and feel like he’s made it,” Shannon said. “We want him to keep grinding and understand that competition is very good.”
Shannon returns to a head coaching role for the first time since Miami fired him after the 2010 season. His South Florida recruiting ties and defensive acumen are sure to garner interest at season’s end — maybe from UF’s next head coach. Yet the 51-year-old said the next four weeks are not an “audition” for him.
Of more immediate concern for Zaire and Shannon is Missouri.
The Tigers’ passing game and pass rush are among the SEC’s best.
Junior quarterback Drew Lock leads the league with 28 touchdown passes and looks to avenge his worst day at Missouri. During last season’s 40-14 loss at UF, he finished 4-of-18 passing for 39 yards, threw two picksixes and posted a rating of 18.2.
This time, though, Lock and receiver J’Mon Moore and tight end Albert Okwuegbunam — who have seven touchdowns catches apiece — will face a lessexperienced secondary and a run defense that was gashed for 292 yards last Saturday by Georgia and 216 yards Oct. 7 by LSU.
“They’ve got veterans,” Shannon said of Missouri’s passing game. “We’ve got one senior in our secondary, which is Duke Dawson. It’s going to be a big challenge for us.”
The Gators also must replace explosive freshman tailback Malik Davis, who sustained a season-ending knee injury against Georgia. Sophomore Lamical Perine and senior Mark Thompson are quality backups, but Davis’ runs of 72, 42 and 39 yards are the three longest this season by a Gators’ running back.
The list of challenges continues to grow UF.
In the the wake of McElwain’s departure, a quarterback change, Davis’ injury and the end of their slim SEC East title hopes, the Gators now travel 1,000 miles to play an 11 a.m. game.
But soon after he took the reins and began trying to salvage the season, Shannon sensed hope.
“They’ve been upbeat, very positive, a lot of enthusiasm,” he said. “We’re going up to Missouri to ... have a great day.”