Florida 2015 Preview: In Defense We Trust
Will Muschamp pissed off a lot of Florida Gators fans in 2014, as the team stumbled to 7-5 and 4-4 in the SEC. It wasn’t really about the defense- they were great – it was about the goddawful offense. The goddawful offense was — you’ve got it — goddawful.
The great defense simply couldn’t do anything about it.
And now Jim McElwain’s been hired away from Colorado State, and Florida Gators fans are already furious at McElwain for his failure to choose between Treon Harris and Will Grier as to who will be the starting QB on Saturday. His line: “Treon Harris will start but Will Grier will play some” didn’t exactly sit well with a Gator faithful destroyed by back-to-back Muschamp futility on the attacking side of the ball.
THE OFF-SEASON
We mentioned Muschamp had been ‘canned. We mentioned Jim McElwain had replaced him. OK.
Recruiting-wise, it was pretty successful. OT Martez Ivey and DE CeCe Jefferson came on board, as did four-star RB Jordan Scarlett and QB Jordan Cronkite.
BASICALLY, VERNON HARGREAVES IS GOD
There isn’t a college football player we love more than CB Vernon Hargreaves. The guy’s more shut down than Lehman Brothers. Combined with Jalen Tabor and Brian Poole, Joe Montana HIMSELF would struggle to throw on this unit. We love them, and they should be even better than before. You know, unless teams simply break themselves with their running game. Which would be annoying when the Gators play Tennessee, because Hargreaves vs Marquez North would be a jaw-dropper in its awesomeness.
Safety-wise, fall in love with Keanu “Matrix” Neal and Marcus Maye, because you’ll hear their names a lot if Hargreaves is being avoided….which may very well happen.
As for the running game, LBs Antonio Morrison and Jarrad Davis are back from serious knee injuries – a huge boost for the team. Alex Anzalone (don’t say that name wrongly), and Daniel McMillan are pretty useful too. On the defensive line, Gators must be thanking God than Jonathan Bullard’s back for his senior season, but CeCe Jefferson has apparently impressed coaches in training so much that he’ll definitely start, according to the Miami Herald.
SO WHAT’S HAPPENING AT QB?
Again, we don’t really know what McElwain’s saying. Has Will Grier REALLY impressed? Has Treon Harris REALLY impressed? What does impress coaches is Harris’ athletic ability. That’s going to help if the offensive line doesn’t do its job properly.
AND THE OFFENSIVE LINE…
And in big offensive line news, Ivey’s had arthoscopic surgery on his knee. What great news for Gators fans #sarcasm (And although McElwain’s not completely ruling out Ivey for Week 1’s game against New Mexico State, I would rest him because – and let’s face – New Mexico State was scheduled for a reason….they suck). Otherwise, McElwain’s going to have to scratch around for some good offensive linesman. Bill Connelly on his Gators preview remarked that the most experienced Gators offensive linesman “started at Fordham last year”. A lot will be hoped and prayed for for Trip Thurman.
KELVIN TAYLOR WE HOPE
As running backs go, Kelvin Taylor had one great game against Georgia but was pretty ordinary for the rest of the season after a good 2013, and Gators fans are suddenly expecting a lot from four-starrer Jordan Scarlett. If the love he had in his high school days is anything to go by, he’ll could be something special. If.
THE SCHEDULE
Sep. 5 – New Mexico State
Sep. 12 – East Carolina
Sep. 19 – at Kentucky
Sep. 26 – Tennessee
Oct. 3 – Ole Miss
Oct. 10 – at Missouri
Oct. 17 – at Louisiana State
Oct. 31 – Georgia @Jacksonville, FL
Nov. 7 – Vanderbilt
Nov. 14 – at South Carolina
Nov. 21 – Florida Atlantic
Nov. 28 – Florida State
This is going to be a step back for Florida. We can see them going 3-0 early against NMSU, ECU and Kentucky, but then going on a six-game losing streak to Tennessee, Ole Miss, Missouri, LSU and Georgia before recovering to beat Vanderbilt. They’ll also lose a close one to South Carolina before beating FAU and losing on Thanksgiving Weekend to Florida State.
PREDICTION: I LOVE the defense, but have no love for the offense. Gators finish 5-7.