Texas A&M’s eight sacks against Florida on Saturday did not faze offensive coordinator Brent Pease. He believes the Gators’ offensive line is the “strength of the team.”
“You look at the sacks; we go back and study them,” Pease said. “That’s what everybody on the outside always looks at — the sacks.
“Go back and look. Out of eight sacks, two of them were ones that we needed to have better protection. You can’t put that on the O-line.”
Two weeks into the 2012 campaign, UF ranks last in the Southeastern Conference with nine sacks surrendered.
Coach Will Muschamp and Pease both acknowledged that Jeff Driskel held onto the ball too long on several plays against Texas A&M. However, center Jonotthan Harrison, who Muschamp named Florida’s offensive player of the game in the SEC opener, did not hold Driskel accountable for the sacks.
“We still are going to take the blame, just because we want to be a solid unit,” Harrison said. “We don’t want to be considered the weakness of the team as a lot of people have been saying. We’re just going to keep working to ensure that Driskel’s protected and we keep him safe throughout the season.”
Under the direction of new offensive line coach Tim Davis, the Gators have shown improvement in their run blocking. Excluding the 55 yards lost on nine sacks this season, UF has 81 carries for 417 yards — an average of 5.1 yards per attempt.
“(I’m) very pleased with the run game,” Muschamp said.
After suffering a groin strain during Saturday’s win, Mike Gillislee may be limited this weekend against Tennessee. If the senior cannot handle a heavy load, the offensive line’s run blocking will face a significant test.
“Our job is crucial,” Harrison said. “It’s one of those positions — all work, no credit — and the more we work together, and the more we’re in these games, it’s just going to help us mesh as a unit even more.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
Offensive lineman Jonotthan Harrison (72) blocks for sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel (6) during UF's 20-17 victory on Saturday against Texas A&M University at Kyle Field.
