Florida Gators Football: 2015 Season Preview and Prediction

Apr 11, 2015; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Will Grier (7) throws the ball during the first half at the Orange and Blue Debut at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Offensive Outlook

McElwain’s main concern for the entirety of spring practice was his offensive line, or rather a distinct lack thereof. Back in March, McElwain gave a very honest summation of the state of his offense when he said, “The hand we were dealt is really insufficient.” He most likely got that feeling after seeing he only had eight offensive linemen on his roster who had scholarships.

Obviously, this will be Florida’s biggest area of concern going into this season and it will be scrutinized closely as the weeks progress. To his credit, McElwain has been proactive during the offseason in trying to fix the issue even if his fixes are temporary. He persuaded former Georgia Tech linebacker Anthony Harrell to transfer to Florida for his fifth year of eligibility. Five-star recruit and the nation’s No. 2 overall recruit, Martez Ivey was also convinced to sign with Florida. In all, McElwain signed six linemen trying to create depth in a place where Florida has none.

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The other obvious gray area on offense is at quarterback. So far Will Grier and Treon Harris are leading the race, with Grier now at a slight advantage after spring practice. While both quarterbacks performed pretty well during Florida’s spring game, Harris held on to the ball a little too long, a trait that could prove disastrous with a weaker offensive line. If for some reason both of them don’t pan out, another potential option is Vanderbilt-transfer Josh Grady.

Luckily, Florida’s running backs and wide receivers don’t need as much attention as the rest of the offense. Wide receiver Demarcus Robinson ended last season with 810 yards, and is poised to be even more productive. Running backs Brandon Powell and Kelvin Taylor will also be great offensive weapons.

In the end, Florida’s offensive line will set the tone for the rest of the offense. They will be integral to helping the quarterback feel confident, and in turn allow the quarterback to execute plays successfully. Hopefully, McElwain’s offseason problem solving pays off.

Next: Defensive Outlook