In a season that has been brutally tough for his side of the ball, Florida offensive coordinator Brent Pease got a break from the ongoing criticism last week.
Despite losing 19-14 at South Carolina, the Gators put up a strong fight behind a makeshift offensive line and with third-stringer Skyler Mornhinweg at quarterback. Pease also was handcuffed by needing to double team star defensive end Jadeveon Clowney all night. UF relied on a variety of run plays to reach 200 yards on the ground, and Pease considered it his most creative game plan of the year.
“I think we probably were a little more abstract than what we’ve done in the past,” he said. “Our schemes are still the same, but it’s just our appearance in what we did.”
The most successful new play produced two touchdown runs by true freshman Kelvin Taylor. Just prior to the snap, Mornhinweg ran wide left. UF center Jonotthan Harrison snapped the ball directly to Taylor, who ran right. He scored from 20 and 29 yards as the Gators built a 14-6 lead by halftime.
Pease minimized the responsibility on Mornhinweg by only having him throw five times in the first three quarters. He finished 10-of-13 for 107 yards with an interception late in the game.
Florida intends to give Mornhinweg more opportunities to pass in Saturday’s home game against Georgia Southern (2 p.m., pay-per-view). He is expected to make his second straight start while No. 2 quarterback Tyler Murphy recovers from a sprained acromioclavicular joint in his throwing shoulder. Jeff Driskel, the original starter, suffered a broken leg in Week 3.
The innovation and modest progress UF showed last week still produced the team’s second-lowest scoring total of the season. The Gators rank last in the SEC and 111th nationally at 19.9 points per game.
QB Provancha ready: If Murphy can't play, Florida will use walk-on Christian Provancha as the backup to Mornhinweg this week.
Provancha is a redshirt junior who has never appeared in a game. Most of his time at UF has been spent on the scout team and signaling in plays during games.
“Everyone hopes to be in this situation where you have the opportunity to contribute, but not like this,” he said. “You want to work your way up the ladder with skill; we’ve been plagued by injuries. But I was just really happy to be able to show that I’m there for the team. I’m just very appreciative of the coaches and the players and their trust.”
About the Author
