The Search for Play-Makers Continues
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By Anthony Richards
SouthernPigskin.com
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The amount of time that it takes for the freshmen receivers to understand their role in offensive coordinator Brent Pease’s system and develop a familiarity with the game plan will determine how important of a role Purifoy will have in the game plan.
The Florida offense has yet to produce the offensive output that Will Muschamp is looking for during his first two seasons as head coach. However, it seems that the pieces he needs are beginning to fall into place.
The Gators have been in their current offensive funk since the departure of Tim Tebow after the 2009 season. Since then, Florida has not finished higher than tenth in the SEC in total offense.
One of the primary reasons for the streak of offensive struggles is the lack of a play-making threat at wide receiver. The Gators hope to change the output from the receiver position with an entirely new crop of freshmen from the 2013 recruiting class. The additions of Demarcus Robinson, Ahmad Fulwood and Alvin Bailey, all of which were highly-touted recruits coming out of high school.
Quinton Dunbar is the only returning Gators receiver with more than 20 catches a year ago, opening the door possible immediate impacts by the incoming freshmen.
“Andre Debose and Solomon Patton, heading into their senior years, Latroy Pitman and Raphael Andrades are two guys that continue to develop as offensive players,” Muschamp expressed.
Muschamp has explored the possibility of creating a set of offensive plays for junior cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy. The move to the offensive side of the ball is largely due to the continued search for an answer to the offensive concerns.
“He will have a role on offense, Muschamp said. He probably won’t take any snaps on the first 12 to 14 practices because we need to find out what those other guys can do and how we’ve progressed from spring.”
Starting quarterback Jeff Driskel knows that the addition of an athlete such as Purifoy can only help increase the offense’s production.
“I’d rather have him on my side of the ball,” Driskel said.
The amount of time that it takes for the freshmen receivers to understand their role in offensive coordinator Brent Pease’s system and develop a familiarity with the game plan will determine how important of a role Purifoy will have in the game plan.
“That will be really predicated on two situations, how well the five young guys and the guys we have on campus develop at the receiver position, how big a role he will have on offense,” said Muschamp regarding Purifoy’s focus on offense.
The quicker the freshmen pick up the offense, the less time Purifoy will spend away from his place as a key contributor on defense.
Florida’s growth as a receiving corps is important in not only changing the fortunes on the offensive side of the ball, but also continuing the trend of producing top-10 defenses.