Spring game information for Jim McElwain and his Florida football team as the Gators look to repeat as champions of the SEC East.
The Florida Gators decision to hire Jim McElwain as the replacement for Will Muschamp as the team’s head coach proved to be a brilliant one. The former Alabama assistant and Colorado State head coach made an immediate impact and breathed life into a lifeless offense in the first half of the year with quarterback Will Grier looking like a future All-SEC performer.
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Grier won’t be that after he was suspended midseason for a calendar year after testing positive for a banned substance and the Gators offense returned to the lifeless unit it was during the Muschamp era.
But McElwain still managed to lead the Gators to the SEC Championship Game, even if it was a down year for the division, it was still a successful first year in The Swamp for McElwain.
A successful second year for McElwain at Florida hinges on the quarterback position, as it usually does, but with the lack of development shown by Treon Harris, the Gators are hoping two-time transfer Luke Del Rio can handle the reins of the offense.
The former Alabama walk-on and Oregon State transfer is the best option for now, but keep an eye on true freshman Feleipe Franks who could make his case for early playing time should Del Rio struggle in the spring game or in the fall.
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Defensively, the Gators must replace Vernon Hargreaves III in the secondary but Jalen Tabor should be more than capable of filling the shoes of the All-American and locking up the opposition’s best receiver. He’s got a chance to be an All-American like Hargreaves.
Replacing Antonio Morrison at linebacker and Jonathan Bullard on the line will be big storylines for Florida but I think CeCe Jefferson can make a huge impact in the middle of the Gators defensive line.
The Florida spring game is scheduled for April 8.