2016 Opponent Previews

Florida hopes Del Rio fixes quarterback problem

Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio points out defenders during the Orange and Blue Debut Spring Game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Friday, April 8, 2016 in Gainesville, Fla. (Matt Stamey/The Gainesville Sun via AP)
Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio points out defenders during the Orange and Blue Debut Spring Game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Friday, April 8, 2016 in Gainesville, Fla. (Matt Stamey/The Gainesville Sun via AP)

This is the ninth piece of a 12-part series previewing Arkansas' 2016 football opponents.

Florida is coming off a 10-4 year capped by a 41-7 loss to Michigan in the Citrus Bowl. The Gators went 7-1 in SEC play to win the eastern division and earn a spot in the SEC Championship game, where they lost to Alabama 29-15.

They actually started the season 10-1 before losing their final three games to Florida State, Alabama and Michigan by an average margin of 24.3 points. Florida still finished ranked No. 25 in the final Associated Press poll.

2016 Football Previews

WholeHogSports will preview all 12 of Arkansas' 2016 football opponents in the following days. Here is a schedule of when each preview will be published:

-http://www.wholehog…">Louisiana Tech: Monday, June 13

-http://www.wholehog…">TCU: Tuesday, June 14

-http://www.wholehog…">Texas State: Wednesday, June 15

-http://www.wholehog…">Texas A&M: Thursday, June 16

-http://www.wholehog…">Alcorn State: Friday, June 17

-http://www.wholehog…">Alabama: Monday, June 20

-http://www.wholehog…">Ole Miss: Tuesday, June 21

-http://www.wholehog…">Auburn: Wednesday, June 22

-http://www.wholehog…">Florida: Thursday, June 23

-http://www.wholehog…">LSU: Friday, June 24

-http://www.wholehog…">Mississippi State: Monday, June 27

-http://www.wholehog…">Missouri: Tuesday, June 28

2016 outlook

Florida plays rival Georgia in Jacksonville, Fla., the week prior to traveling to Arkansas on Nov. 5. The following week, the Gators host South Carolina.

According to ESPN’s Football Power Index, Florida is projected to win 7.7 games. Offshore sportsbook 5Dimes has a nearly identical number, placing the Gators’ over/under at 8 when it released SEC win totals last month.

The FPI also has Florida at No. 18 in the country, which is eighth in the SEC and third in the eastern division.

Significant departures

With the eighth-best defense in the country, it isn’t surprising that five of Florida’s seven NFL draft picks came from that side of the ball.

The secondary was hit hardest, as cornerback Vernon Hargreaves (11th overall) – son of the Arkansas linebackers coach of the same name – and safety Keanu Neal (17th overall) went in the first round.

Hargreaves (33 tackles, 4 PBU, 4 INT) and Neal (96 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 INT) helped the Gators allow only 182.1 passing yards per game, which ranked 13th in the country.

Defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard (66 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 6 QBH) and linebacker Antonio Morrison (103 tackles, 12 TFL, 2.5 sacks) were third- and fourth-round picks, respectively, while defensive end Alex McCalister (26 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 7 QBH) went in the seventh round.

The other Gators drafted were wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (48 rec., 522 yds., 2 TD) in the fourth round and running back Kelvin Taylor (259 car., 1,035 yds., 13 TD) in the sixth round.

Quarterback Will Grier (65.8 percent, 1,204 yds., 10 TD, 3 INT) transferred to West Virginia during the offseason. After leading Florida to a 6-0 record as a starter, Grier was given a one-year suspension because he failed a drug test for a banned substance.

Tight end Jake McGee (41 rec., 381 yds., 4 TD) was a senior last year.

Key returners

When Grier was suspended, Treon Harris (50.6 percent, 1,676 yds., 9 TD, 6 INT) took over at quarterback. However, he was inconsistent and is reportedly converting to wide receiver.

While he remains on Florida’s roster, Harris has been suspended since January for violating the university’s code of conduct policy and his status is still up in the air.

Leading wide receiver Antonio Callaway (35 rec., 678 yds., 4 TD) was also suspended with Harris, but he has been allowed to enroll in classes and work out at team facilities.

A pair of Jordans – Jordan Scarlett (34 car., 181 yds., 1 TD) and Jordan Cronkite (44 car., 157 yds., 3 TD) – will try to replace Taylor at running back. Both players participated in the 2015 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.

Despite losing two first-round picks in the secondary, Florida appears ready to reload, with redshirt senior Marcus Maye (82 tackles, 6 PBU, 2 INT) at safety and Jalen Tabor (40 tackles, 14 PBU, 4 INT) and Quincy Wilson (29 tackles, 5 PBU, 2 INT) at cornerback.

Seniors Jarrad Davis (98 tackles, 11 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 7 QBH, 4 PBU, 1 INT) and Alex Anzalone (6 tackles in two starts before suffering season-ending shoulder injury) will lead the linebackers.

The Gators will also benefit from the return of punter Johnny Townsend, a finalist for the Ray Guy Award who averaged 45.4 yards per punt last season, which ranked third in the NCAA.

Notable additions

Florida’s 25-man signing class this year included 12 early enrollees and was ranked No. 14 in the country by Rivals.

Three of those players are wide receiver Dre Massey, running back Mark Thompson and kicker Eddy Pineiro, all of which come to Florida from junior college.

Massey and Thompson are among Athlon Sports’ top 25 JUCO transfers, while Pineiro originally committed to Alabama before flipping to Florida.

Pineiro is a former soccer standout, but made field goals from 52, 46 and 56 yards out in the Gators’ spring game. He is expected to help fill a hole so wide that Florida added a dental student – Neil MacInnes – to its roster mid-way through last season so it would have a backup kicker.

Massey is one of five four-star receivers Florida signed in 2016, with the others being Rick Wells, Josh Hammond, Freddie Swain and Tyrie Cleveland.

Thompson, the No. 1 JUCO running back, is joined by Lamical Perine as four-star running backs signed by the Gators.

The only five-star signee is defensive end Antonneous Clayton, who did not enroll early, but should still compete for early playing time.

Florida also brought in four quarterbacks. Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby transferred in from Oregon State and Purdue, respectfully, while the Gators signed four-star Feleipe Franks and two-star Kyle Trask. Del Rio sat out last season after transferring and Appleby is eligible immediately as a graduate transfer. All four players went through spring practice.

Coaching staff

The Jim McElwain era enters year two in 2016. He led the Gators to a 10-4 record and SEC East championship in his first season.

Including his three seasons at Colorado State, he is 32-20 all-time as a head coach. McElwain was also the offensive coordinator at Alabama for four years, helping the Crimson Tide win a pair of national titles.

The Gators’ coordinators are also going into their second season at Florida.

Offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier joined McElwain’s staff after one season in the same position at Michigan. He has been an offensive coordinator at Alabama, Washington and Fresno State, as well.

Geoff Collins is listed as Florida’s defensive coordinator, while Randy Shannon is listed as co-defensive coordinator on the Gators’ website. Collins spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Mississippi State prior to Florida. Shannon, who was the head coach at Miami for four years, was the linebackers coach at Arkansas before coming to Florida.

Series history

Arkansas won its first ever game against Florida 28-24 in the 1982 Bluebonnet Bowl, but has lost the nine matchups with the Gators since. The losing streak includes a pair of SEC Championship Game losses (1995 and 2006).

Arkansas ties

While Arkansas’ roster features 12 players who are either from Florida or played high school football in Florida, there are no Arkansans on the Gators’ roster.

However, Florida did sign a pair of players who were highly recruiting by the Razorbacks in their 2016 class. Cornerback Joseph Putu was committed to Arkansas before flipping to the Gators and wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland chose Florida over Arkansas (and Houston and TCU), both of which happened on signing day.

Florida defensive back Garrett Stephens and Arkansas defensive lineman Karl Roessler were teammates at Saint Xavier High in Louisville, Ky.

There is also a pair of Arkansas connections on Florida’s coaching staff.

Randy Shannon, the Gators’ co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, was the Razorbacks’ linebackers coach during Bret Bielema’s first two seasons.

Mike Summers, Florida’s offensive line coach, was Arkansas’ offensive line coach during Bobby Petrino’s first two seasons, from 2008-2009.

Thoughts from a beat writer

To get an even better idea of what Florida will look like in 2016, WholeHogSports reached out Matt Baker, who covers the Gators for the Tampa Bay Times. We asked him several questions about Florida. Here are his responses:

WHS: What would you consider reasonable expectations for Florida in Jim McElwain's second season?

MB: I think the most likely scenario is that Florida takes a step forward as a program...but takes a step backward with its record. You don't accidentally win 10 games, as the Gators did last year, but they needed some luck, smoke and mirrors. Florida probably wasn't as strong as it looked early (when it blew out Ole Miss by 28), nor was it as bad as it looked late (when it was blown out 41-7 by Michigan). The truth is somewhere in the middle, and that's what I expect this year. With an awful non-conference schedule (except for Florida State), 8-4 seems about right.

WHS: How is the quarterback battle going? Have the Gators settled on one guy yet?

MB: Officially, no. Unofficially, it's hard to see Luke Del Rio losing the job. He sat out last season after transferring from Oregon State, but he still got a year of experience in McElwain's system. The other three - Purdue transfer Austin Appleby and early enrollees Kyle Trask and Feleipe Franks - can't say that. Del Rio looked really strong in the spring game, too, for whatever that's worth. Not in the picture is Treon Harris, whose long-term status remains uncertain.

WHS: With the loss of several key players, who will Florida lean on to make plays on defense?

MB: Start with cornerback Jalen Tabor. He, not first-round pick Vernon Hargreaves, was the Gators' best defensive back last year. I expect he'll earn All-America consideration, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's a top-10 pick. Jarrad Davis should be one of the SEC's top linebackers after recording 98 tackles last season. Safety Marcus Maye is back. Maybe Caleb Brantley develops into the Jonathan Bullard-type defensive lineman, or maybe the defensive line relies on depth with Joey Ivie, Bryan Cox Jr. and others. I don't think the defense will be quite as strong, but it should still be the strength of the team.

WHS: Which newcomers will make an impact for the Gators in 2016?

MB: Florida's lack of offensive skill players over the last few years has been stunning, considering the talent in this state. The Gators' top receiver, Antonio Callaway, is still serving an indefinite suspension, and it's unclear when, or if, he'll return. That makes the need at receiver even more profound and opens opportunities for speedy juco transfer Dre Massey and true freshmen like Freddie Swain and Josh Hammond. Juco running back Mark Thompson is massive and will get the chance to replace Kelvin Taylor as the top back. And Eddy Pineiro might be the most popular kicker in America, after the Gators' recent struggles there. You should have heard the cheers he received during the spring game....

WHS: How do you think Florida will fair against Arkansas this November?

MB: I think they stack up pretty well. Arkansas is known for its running, but the Gators' run defense was just outside the top 10 nationally in yards per rush last year – despite giving up big performances against Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook and Derrick Henry. By November, Florida's offense will have had time to sort itself out, especially at quarterback and receiver. A lot can (and will) change between now and then, but for the purposes of preseason predictions, I pencil it in as a Gators win.

Upcoming Events