The Fix: 5 questions facing Florida in 2014
The Fix is a look at major storylines following this year's top college contenders, and how teams will handle these challenges heading into the season.
The Florida Gators look to bounce back from a forgettable 2013 season with a healthier squad taking the field come the fall - one they hope remains healthy throughout the season.
The Gators have been tabbed as a favorite in the SEC East, and even a dark horse to claim one of the four spots in this year's playoff.
Here are five questions facing Florida entering the 2014 season:
Was 4-8 a fluke?
The Gators head into 2014 on a seven-game losing streak, including five losses in the SEC, and a shocking loss to Georgia Southern.
Injuries played a major factor in derailing their 2013 season, but that hasn't stopped pundits across the country from picking the Gators as a preseason favorite.
Staying healthy will certainly be atop the team's to-do list through the summer if they hope to achieve their lofty goals, and they will certainly need to stay healthy for the end of the regular season, as dates against South Carolina and Florida State are slated for two of their final three games.
What is Jeff Driskel?
All eyes will be on quarterback Jeff Driskel, who started only three games in 2013 before a leg injury cost him his season.
Driskel is 12-3 as a starter, though many question his pedigree and point to the fact he's accumulated more turnovers than passing touchdowns in his time in Gainesville.
Driskel will have a strong supporting cast around him. Big things are expected from Virginia transfer Jake McGee at tight end, senior offensive lineman Chaz Green is back to anchor the unit up front, and the team features plenty of depth at running back.
How quickly will the team take to Kurt Roper's new offense?
The Florida defense held strong in spite of the lengthy list of injuries the team suffered. The offense struggled mightily though.
The team brought in former Duke offensive coordinator Kurt Roper in hopes of turning things around. He's implementing a significant schematic change, which will see Driskel spend more time lining up in the shotgun, while spreading the field. Roper will be asking his quarterback to run the ball more often, as well, a quantum leap from the vanilla offense the team has employed in recent years.
Head coach Will Muschamp certainly believes his squad has the kind of talent needed to succeed in the new system:
“We are better at the skill positions than we have ever been, since I’ve been at Florida.”-Will Muschamp #ESPNSEC pic.twitter.com/P5EijxJMN5
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) July 22, 2014
How will Muschamp handle the hot seat?
It's a question he wasn't able to dodge at SEC Media Days, or while going through the "Car Wash" at ESPN, and it's a question that simply won't go away, particularly if the Gators get off to a shaky start.
Muschamp's job security in Gainesville is in question following the team's woeful conclusion to the 2013 season. Injuries played such a big part in that collapse that Muschamp was granted another year at the helm, but he's certainly on notice.
The Gators have a very real chance of winning the SEC East entering this season, and should they fail to do so, we could see the last of Muschamp in orange and blue.
Will they be ready for their trip to Tuscaloosa?
One would be hard-pressed to describe the opening three weeks of Florida's schedule as anything but soft. The team opens with home dates against Idaho and Eastern Michigan, then another home date, albeit inside the SEC, against Kentucky, prior to their trip to Tuscaloosa.
On the other side, Alabama will at least have the opportunity to cut its teeth in its opener against West Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome. They'll also have the luxury of playing at home in each of the two weeks prior to hosting Florida.
The Gators have been lucky to avoid the Crimson Tide the last two seasons, with the programs last meeting in 2011, when Alabama walked away with a 38-10 victory.
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