The Florida Gators enter the 2019 season after a successful 2018. The Gators finished 2018 with a 41-15 thrashing of the Michigan Wolverines in the Peach Bowl and look to carry that success over to 2019. This season will be the second of the Dan Mullen era. The former Mississippi State coach led the Gators to a 10-3 record in 2018, but expectations are even higher this year for Florida. They have been a consistent face in the top 10 of the preseason top 25 lists. Here is what to watch for as the Gators’ 2019 season kicks off.
Which Felipe Franks will show up?
Franks, a redshirt junior, was a recruit of former coach Jim McElwain and has started for Florida football each of the last two seasons. However, there has been a stark difference in the play of Franks game in a game out. Through 2017 and parts of 2018, he struggled mightily and was not viewed as the answer at quarterback by most fans. He flipped some of the doubters to his side with a strong finish in 2018, a season in which he finished with 24 passing touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also adding a team-high seven rushing touchdowns. Franks continued his late fall success in spring game as well. If this good Felipe Franks shows up under center for the Gators, this team could as far as the SEC Championship, maybe even the playoff.
Can the offensive line stay strong?
For the first time in a long time, Florida boasted a strong line up front in 2018. The Gator offensive line was top 20 in sacks allowed last season, which was a big part of the reason the aforementioned Franks had such success. If a quarterback can stay upright, nine times out of 10, he is going to succeed. They also opened up running lanes for LaMichal Perine and company, as Florida was 21st in the country in yards per carry. The line lost Jawaan Taylor to the NFL this offseason, along with three other starters. Florida is going to have to have reserves from last season step up in order to maintain their success from 2018.
Were the last four games of 2018 a fluke?
Everything went right for the Gators over their last four games. Franks completed over 65% of his passes with no interceptions, Perine averaged over eight yards per carry, their top five receivers combined to average 13 catches and over 180 yards a game and they went 4-0, including a beatdown of rival Florida State. The 2019 Gators need to prove that those four games are the rule going forward, not the exception. They need to show the country that the Gators of early 2018 and much of the last decade are a thing of the past, and that they are a dominant force to be reckoned with in the SEC East.
Predictions:
While I may be a little biased on the subject, I think that the Gators have all the tools to be a serious contender in the SEC. The offense came together over the last month of 2018, and the defense has always been one of the best in the SEC. While Florida football did lose pieces on defense, their next man up approach should work just fine, as it has in years past. On the offensive side of the ball, they lost running back Jordan Scarlett and the already touched on pieces of the offensive line. The running game shouldn’t miss a beat though, as Perine is more than capable of taking on a bigger load. The receiving core is one of, if not the deepest in the conference, boasting talents such as Van Jefferson, Trevon Grimes and Tyrie Cleveland. If all the pieces fit together correctly, I believe the Florida Gators will be a top-three team in the SEC and their season will come down to their performance in Jacksonville against the Georgia Bulldogs. A win there and they will make the SEC Championship against the Crimson Tide of Alabama and possibly earn themselves a trip to the College Football Playoff. The Gators will be one of the most interesting and exciting teams to watch in 2019.
Written by Michael Hull
