Florida Gators: 3 keys to fixing the slumping offense
By Mark Rogers
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Settle on a Kicker
Struggling offenses often produce points by just getting the ball past midfield. Great kickers take the pressure off an offense in the fourth quarter of a close game. Florida doesn’t have that guy.
The Gators’ kicking game is sometimes as painful as pulling teeth. That might be because walk-on dental student Neil MacInnes temporarily won the placekicking job.
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MacInnes beat out 216 others in a tryout camp, but when the lights went on he missed the extra point after Florida’s lone touchdown vs Vandy. The kid hadn’t kicked in a game since 2011 in high school.
Re-enter Austin Hardin who hit the game-winner from 43 yards with 2:22 to play. The junior hasn’t been the most consistent kicker in connecting on just 4 of 8 field goals this year and 15 of 30 career. Hardin has hit a number of clutch kicks and is the safest of the options.
Florida may own the second best defense in the conference. The Gators will be a mammoth underdog vs Alabama in the SEC Championship Game and substantial dog against LSU or Ole Miss. Finding a few more points would give the Gators a puncher’s chance.