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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Maybe UF had gotten tired of listening to all the critics. Maybe it was something in the Fayetteville, Ark., air.

Whatever the case, the No. 5 Gators' offense has finally hit the level many predicted before the season.

And it all started against Arkansas.

UF has scored 135 points during its last nine quarters, dating back to the fourth quarter in Fayetteville on Oct. 4 and continuing through the LSU and Kentucky games. The stretch has propelled the Gators to the top of the Southeastern Conference in many statistical categories.

No. 1 in scoring offense. No. 1 in passing efficiency. No. 1 in red zone efficiency. No. 2 rushing offense. And UF is the only SEC school to not miss a field goal this season.

"The world is starting to see it," junior receiver Percy Harvin said. "These last two weeks we seem to put it together really good. So we are going into (the Georgia game) on all cylinders."

Yet players and coaches claim nothing big has changed.

Offensive coordinator Dan Mullen points to the play of his offensive line as one possible answer. Quarterback Tim Tebow has been sacked only three times in those nine quarters.

Mullen also pointed out that the offense would not look as strong if not for the consistent play from the defense and special teams units.

The Gators have scored 18 touchdowns in the past nine quarters, two of which came from interception returns and another two of which came Saturday after blocked punts led to one-play drives from inside the Kentucky 5-yard line. UF has started 17 drives in opponent territory this season and has scored on 13 of those.

"Guys are making plays," Mullen said. "Every time I seem to get the ball, we're at midfield."

Something has changed, though.

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In the first four games, UF tallied more than 400 offensive yards only once, and that came in the season opener against Hawaii. Now the Gators have done it three straight weeks and have averaged 478 yards against the Razorbacks, Tigers and Wildcats, the last two of which were expected to slow down UF's vaunted attack.

There are also some interesting statistical breakdowns, although they can be misleading considering that all three games ended up in UF blowouts.

In the nine quarters, Harvin, widely considered one of college football's best players, has had only 13 touches. Compare that to 23 and 25 for running backs Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps, respectively.

For wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales, the challenge becomes keeping everyone happy and productive even when they don't have a lot of catches or carries.

Senior Louis Murphy, for example, had just two catches for 21 yards Saturday against Kentucky. And while junior Riley Cooper did not have a single reception, Gonzales raved about two key blocks. He's also quick to point out Harvin scored on two of his three touches against the Wildcats, a prime example of his biggest philosophy: when you get the ball, be sure to make a play.

"Everybody wants the ball. Everybody wants a piece of success," Gonzales said. "Ultimately, the success comes when our team wins, and that's the first and foremost. We have an agreement to play as a unit and buy into the team concept. If you do that, you'll be successful."

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