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Florida Football: Will the offense finally come through in 2017?

By Andrew Miller

JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 29: Brandon Powell #4 of the Florida Gators dives for the pylon after stepping out of bounds during the second half of the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Field on October 29, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
JACKSONVILLE, FL - OCTOBER 29: Brandon Powell #4 of the Florida Gators dives for the pylon after stepping out of bounds during the second half of the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at EverBank Field on October 29, 2016 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
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Florida Football has numerous options to work with at quarterback heading into 2017 to get themselves on the right track. Can the Gators fix the offense?

The Florida Gators have established themselves as the top team in the SEC East. They have won every division title since the Missouri Tigers last did in 2014. However, much of that success has come from their defensive skill, not their offensive prowess. Oregon State transfer quarterback Luke del Rio was supposed to be the steadying force for the Gators offense. Yet, injuries continued the plague del Rio’s career last season.

Freshman quarterback Feleipe Franks looks to right the ship for Florida in 2017. He takes the reigns for head coach Jim McElwain’s quest to win a third consecutive SEC East Championship. Fellow freshman quarterback Kyle Trask could also get a solid chance to make a name for himself in 2017 if Franks cannot prove himself early in the season.

Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire could ultimately be the favorite to start among Gator fans. He struggled with the Fighting Irish last season but is by far the most experienced QB on the roster for Florida.

Florida does not have it easy to start the 2017 campaign, facing the Jim Harbaugh coached Michigan Wolverines to kick off the season. They’ll likely be the favorite against Michigan but any mistakes in that game could cost them any chance of making a College Football Playoff run.

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Who else will step up?

Whichever quarterback takes control of the Florida offense has quite the array of skill players at their disposal. The wide receiving corps return Antonio Callaway, Tyrie Cleveland and Brandon Powell. Junior running back Jordan Scarlett is one of the most underrated rushers in the SEC. Scarlett rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and six touchdowns last season. And don’t forget about senior tight end DeAndre Goolsby that could be a difference maker for the Gators as well.

The second game on tap for the Gators in 2017 gives them a nice break to build some confidence against Northern Colorado out of the FCS after facing Michigan in Week 1. That could help Franks get in the grove he needs for three consecutive games that Florida needs to win. Florida will be favorites in each game against Tennessee, Kentucky, and Vanderbilt, as long as they can take care of business in the first two weeks.

The Florida offense nearly averaged as many touchdowns as turnovers in 2016. Florida scored only 2.2 touchdowns per game while averaging 1.7 turnovers per game. That’s largely due to the amount of interceptions thrown by del Rio and Austin Appleby last season. The run game needs to average better than the 3.7 yards per carry that they notched last year. Giving the ball to Scarlett more can fix that certain problem for the Gators.

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There’s a lot of talent on this Florida offense, they just need to find the right quarterback to lead them. If either Franks, Zaire, or Trask can be the answer for the Gators then the offense could be set for most of the near future.

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