So, Jim McElwain, is your offense ready for the mismatch it’s about to face in Saturday’s Southeastern Conference Championship Game against Alabama’s defense?
“I don’t look at it as a mismatch at all,” the second-year UF head coach said.
Are you sure? Let’s look at the numbers:
UF’s 104th-ranked scoring offense vs. Alabama’s top-ranked scoring defense.
Florida’s 114th-ranked offense vs. Alabama’s top-ranked defense.
The Gators’ 127th ranked red-zone offense against a Crimson Tide defense that has allowed opponents to make just 18 trips inside their 20-yard line.
It’s not a mismatch?
“I look at it as a great opportunity and, you know, that’s part of the chess match,” McElwain said. “I know this, we’re playing in this game and we’re going to give ourselves every opportunity to be successful.”
Regardless of how it’s phrased, success has been hard to come by for this Florida offense as of late.
The Gators have recorded less than 300 yards in four of their last five games, a stretch in which UF has gone 3-2. The team has eight touchdowns in that span, and two of them weren’t scored by the offense.
Against Florida State on Saturday, UF averaged a meager 3.23 yards per play, scored on only two of its 14 drives and went 0-for-12 on third-down conversions en route to a 31-13 defeat. The highlight scoring play for UF came on a Florida State punt return. Wide receiver Chris Thompson forced FSU’s return man to fumble a Johnny Townsend punt. UF safety Marcell Harris scooped the ball from the ground and ran 12 yards into the end zone for the easy — and only — Florida touchdown of the night.
Quarterback Austin Appleby was sacked a career-high six times in the loss, four of which came on third down and two of which resulted in lost fumbles.
“The key for us is going to be the consistency,” Appleby said. “We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot. We can’t have negative plays. We’ve got to stay on schedule and keep working.”
Alabama, on the other hand, has gone four weeks without allowing a touchdown and six-straight weeks without allowing an opponent to rack up 300 yards of offense.
“It’s definitely going to be a great challenge for our offense,” Appleby said. “With that said, our offense is going to be up for the challenge.”
Injury Update
Add Jordan Sherit to Florida’s ever-growing injury list. The redshirt junior defensive lineman is out Saturday and will have surgery after injuring his knee during UF’s 31-13 loss to Florida State. He’s one of eight players who McElwain said is out or “probably out” against Alabama. Four more players are going to be limited in practice this week, McElwain said.
“One of the things we talked about, whatever you can do to give to your team — even if it’s just one play, even if it’s the availability and energy to help the guys who are out there — that is what it’s going to take,” McElwain said.
“I know our guys are looking forward to that.”
Contact Jordan McPherson at jmcpherson@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @J_McPherson1126.
Coach Jim McElwain looks on during Florida's 24-10 win over Georgia on Oct. 29, 2016, in Jacksonville.
