Florida’s offensive struggles have not come down to one problem. Penalties, negative plays and turnovers have all contributed to an offense that has struggled to find consistency as the Gators enter the second half of their season.
Through eight games, Florida has committed 63 penalties for 600 yards, an average of 75 yards per game, tying them for second most penalties in the SEC with Vanderbilt at No. 1. The Gators will look to clean up those mistakes Saturday when Oklahoma makes its first trip to The Swamp.
Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner said the focus this week has been on doing the simple things better, emphasizing that mistakes across multiple position groups have prevented Florida from sustaining drives.
Against Georgia, the Gators committed eight penalties for 78 yards and finished with 252 total yards in a 27-8 loss. Faulkner said procedural errors, missed assignments and breakdowns in execution have repeatedly put the offense behind schedule.
“We’re not giving ourselves a chance,” Faulkner said.
The running game has been another source of inconsistency. Florida is averaging 176.8 rushing yards per game, but its production has varied significantly throughout the season. The Gators rushed for 302 yards against Ole Miss on Sept. 26, but managed just 54 against Georgia on Saturday.
Faulkner said negative plays have made it difficult for the offense to find a rhythm, placing responsibility on the entire unit to improve. That includes the offensive line creating opportunities, running backs hitting the right gaps and tight ends executing their blocks.
Tight end Lacota Dippre echoed that message, pointing to the importance of all 11 players doing their jobs rather than relying on individual efforts to make up for mistakes.
“Offense is hard, you need everyone to do a good job,” Dippre said.
Florida’s quarterback situation has also drawn attention after the team rotated Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr. against Georgia. Philo has thrown for 1,367 yards and nine touchdowns this season, while Jones has added 579 passing yards and four touchdowns.
Jones completed 18 of 25 passes for 172 yards against Georgia after entering the game, but Florida’s offense still struggled to generate points. Faulkner said the decision to turn to Jones was intended to provide a spark, and both quarterbacks will continue to receive opportunities as the staff evaluates the position.
Dippre said the offense has confidence in both players, but acknowledged that the unit needs to do more to make the quarterback’s job easier.
While Florida’s offense works to correct its mistakes, the defense is looking to build on signs of progress over its last two games.
The Gators held Texas to 24 points and 272 total yards before allowing Georgia to finish with 318, including 217 on the ground. Georgia’s rushing production showed there is still room for improvement, but Florida limited the Bulldogs to 101 passing yards.
Defensive coordinator Brad White said the recent improvement has come from players communicating better and playing for one another. He also pointed to the number of defenders pursuing the football as a sign of the unit’s increased effort.
Linebacker Aaron Chiles said the coaching staff has emphasized that approach by showing players film from earlier in the season alongside more recent performances.
“When you guys have fun out there, chase the ball, good things happen,” Chiles said.
Maintaining that discipline will be important against an Oklahoma offense that presents challenges both through the air and on the ground. White said the Sooners have playmakers who can extend plays and create opportunities when the initial look isn’t there. He emphasized the importance of Florida’s defenders staying disciplined in their assignments rather than allowing plays to break down when the quarterback escapes the pocket.
Oklahoma is also adjusting to a change in offensive play-calling, with Jason Witten taking over those responsibilities. White said the change could affect the Sooners’ tendencies and play sequencing, even if the overall structure of the offense remains similar.
The Sooners enter the matchup averaging 336.9 total yards per game, including 230.1 through the air. Their offense has struggled to establish the run, averaging 106.8 rushing yards per game.
For Florida, Saturday presents another opportunity to show that the adjustments made over the past couple weeks are translating.
“It’s all of us, and we got to get it corrected,” Faulkner said.
