The Florida Gators did defend their SEC East Division title and while they got creamed by Alabama in the SEC Championship Game, they did rebound by pounding Iowa in the Outback Bowl. Coach Jim McElwain is trying to build back the Gators and enable them to regain the dominant ways of past years under Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer. What signs exist which indicate that Florida could return to power sooner than many experts think?
Quarterback
The Gators know that Luke Del Rio will be part of their quarterback picture after his injury-marred 2016 season. The idea that Del Rio could be a much better quarterback after a year of hard knocks and increased study is intriguing. However, the bigger reason for optimism in Gainesville is that Feleipe Franks could be the guy who takes the program to the next level. Spurrier is an authority on quarterbacks, and he’s also a Florida legend as both a player (a Heisman Trophy winner) and as a coach who developed another Heisman winner (Danny Wuerffel in 1996). Spurrier has recently said that Franks could become very good. That’s a high recommendation from someone who knows what it takes to be a winning quarterback at the University of Florida. If Franks pans out, watch out for the Gators. We know that Florida has boasted a strong defense over the last handful of years but their offense has struggled. Will Grier performed well for them before his suspension/transfer, so we know how good this team can be if the quarterback improves. Hopefully the Gators can get back to that level of production from that position in 2017.
Top 10 Recruiting Class
There are a lot of ways a program gets better, but it’s hard to deny that it can’t move up the ladder without recruiting well. There had been a lot of nervousness in Gainesville about McElwain’s inability to make a big statement on the recruiting trail. A comparative lack of talent at the skill positions when measured against other SEC schools was beginning to worry the Florida fan base. However, this 2017 class made a late close and snuck inside the top 10. Now Florida has fresh reason to think it is building a higher standard and won’t stagnate the way it did on offense the previous few seasons.
Strong Defense
While the Gators lose some of their 2016 starters on defense, it still remains that this program has been very solid on this side of the ball. The offense is what has kept the program from reaching a higher level in McElwain’s first two years on the job. The idea that Florida is sunk without last year’s core group of starters is foolish and does not mesh with an analysis of recent history. Florida can make adjustments, and defensive coordinator Randy Shannon – who has won big as a defensive coordinator in the past (at the University of Miami-Florida) – should be able to get the maximum level of output from his 2017 defense. This will continue to be a strength of the roster.
The Rest Of The SEC East Won’t Stand In Florida’s Way
The Gators won the SEC East last season with a backup at quarterback (Stuart Appleby for most games). They won at LSU. They handled Georgia and South Carolina, and the one team in the East they lost to, Tennessee, must turn around in 2017 and visit Gainesville. Tennessee also loses Josh Dobbs, the fleet-footed quarterback who was too much for the Gator defense in 2016. If Florida beats Tennessee at home, it should be able to go 6-0 against the East. The Bulldogs are a team on the rise but they’re not ready for the prime time yet. LSU is still a big question mark as they move into Ed Orgeron’s first full season on the job. South Carolina is in full on rebuilding mode. The Gators could be the team best primed to win the crown once again.
If the Gators do in fact beat Tennessee, tat means it just needs to go 5-1 against the rest of the schedule to enter the SEC Championship Game 11-1. That would mean a playoff berth if the Gators can then win the SEC title game in Atlanta.
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