2018 Florida football preview

The Florida Gators made the move they hope will finally end nearly a decade of quarterback ineptitude: bringing Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen back to Gainesville, where he was the offensive coordinator for national championship runs in 2006 and 2008.

Mullen was brought in primarily to rejuvenate a passing game that has wasted several talented rosters over the last few years.

Until Mullen is able to recruit his quarterback of the future, he will build the Gators’ attack around the ones he has.

“If I got a square peg in a round hole, you can sit there and slam all you want; it’s not going to work,” Mullen said at SEC Media Days in July. “What you need to do is go find a square peg, right? … What we’ll do is change (the) offense around the strength of the quarterbacks.”

The Gators return an SEC-high 19 starters on offense and defense, which leaves the players optimistic that a turnaround is in short order.

“You know, (the experience) adds chemistry, and they all have played for a while and all have experience,” senior offensive lineman Martez Ivey said. “A lot of the defense is very much ready for the season, and I’m excited and can’t wait.”

Florida opens the season at home against Charleston Southern on Sept. 1.

2018 schedule
Sept. 1 – Charleston Southern
Sept. 8 – Kentucky
Sept. 15 – Colorado State
Sept. 22 – at Tennessee
Sept. 29 – at Mississippi State
Oct. 6 – LSU
Oct. 13 – at Vanderbilt
Oct. 27 – Georgia (Jacksonville)
Nov. 3 – Missouri
Nov. 10 – South Carolina
Nov. 17 – Idaho
Nov. 24 – at Florida State

2017 record: 4-7 (3-5 conf./5th in SEC East)
All-time SEC championships: 8
All-time bowl appearances: 43 (22-21)

2017 results
Sept. 2 – Michigan* – L 33-17
Sept. 16 – Tennessee – W 26-20
Sept. 23 – at Kentucky – W 28-27
Sept. 30 – Vanderbilt – W 38-24
Oct. 7 – LSU – L 17-16
Oct. 14 – Texas A&M – L 19-17
Oct. 28 – Georgia^ – L 42-7
Nov. 4 – at Missouri – L 45-16
Nov. 11 – at South Carolina – L 28-20
Nov. 18 – UAB – W 36-7
Nov. 25 – Florida State – L 38-22
*Arlington, Texas
^ Jacksonville, Florida

Returning statistical leaders

Rushing – Att – Yards – Avg – TD
Lamical Perine – 136 562 – 4.1 – 8
Passing – Comp-Att – INT – TD – Yards
Feleipe Franks – 125-229 – 8 – 9 – 1438
Receiving – Rec – Yards – Avg – TD
Tyrie Cleveland – 22 – 410 – 18.6 – 2
Tackles – Total – INT – Sacks – TFL
David Reese – 102 – 1 – 1.5 – 10

Starters returning: 20
Offense: 10
Defense: 9
Specialty: 1

Starters lost: 6
Offense: 1
Defense: 2
Specialty: 3

Returning offensive starters: Martez Ivey (OL, Sr.), Brett Heggie (OL, R-So.), T.J. McCoy (OL, R-Jr.), Fred Johnson (OL, Sr.), Jawaan Taylor (OL, Jr.), Feleipe Franks (QB, R-So.), Lamical Perine (RB, Jr.), Malik Davis (RB, So.) C’yontai Lewis (TE, R-Sr.), Josh Hammond (WR, Jr.), Freddie Swain (WR, Jr.), Kadarius Toney (ATH, So.), Tyrie Cleveland (WR, Jr.)
Returning defensive starters: Jabari Zuniga (DL, R-Jr.), Jacahi Polite (DL, Jr.), Cece Jefferson (DL, Sr.), Khairi Clark (DL, R-Sr.), Vosean Joseph (LB, Jr.), David Reese (LB, Sr.), Marco Wilson (DB, So.), CJ Henderson (DB, So.), Chauncey Gardner-Johnson (DB, So.), Jeawon Taylor (DB, Jr.)