Dooley’s Dozen: 12 best offenses in Florida football history
There was a time when you won with defense.
Especially in this conference.
And then a guy named Steve Spurrier came along and changed everything. Stubborn coaches eventually gave in and started throwing the ball all over the place.
Today, it is pretty clear how you win games.
With everything.
Analysts, nutritionists, bells, whistles, portal experts, NIL experts and even some guys who coach the players.
The players are still the key, of course, and you had better have them on both sides of the ball.
This is a long-winded way of getting you our next Dooley’s Dozen, the 12 best offenses in Florida history.
Totally subjective and we only include the modern era again which is 1962 Auburn and beyond (because that was my first game).
2001 (10-2)
Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Man, I loved watching these guys play. [autotag]Rex Grossman[/autotag] throwing to new Hall of Famer [autotag]Jabar Gaffney[/autotag] and the two great running backs. I’ll always wonder what would have happened if [autotag]Earnest Graham[/autotag] wasn’t injured for Florida’s two losses. These guys averaged 527.5 yards a game in Spurrier’s final year at UF.
1995 (12-1)
AP Photo/Steve Coleman
This team seemed unstoppable until Nebraska came along. But what a run it was. [autotag]Danny Wuerffel[/autotag] took over in the middle of the ’94 campaign and went on an incredible role as Florida racked up the most yards per game (534.4) of any team in UF history. The ’95 team also had the most first downs in school history.
2020 (8-4)
Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody liked the way this season ended and it was the year when nobody played defense, but Florida’s offense was ridiculous with the two Kyles – Trask and Pitts. There were so many weapons including the three running backs catching wheel routes out of the backfield.
2007 (9-4)
James Lang-USA TODAY Sports
This offense had to be good because the defense was so young it struggled. But [autotag]Tim Tebow[/autotag] won the Heisman because he put together a historic season. He had plenty of help, too, with great receivers like [autotag]Percy Harvin[/autotag].
1996 (12-1)
AP Photo/Dave Martin
The first national champs averaged 46.6 points a game, the most ever at UF. Wuerffel won the Heisman and the only reason it was close was because people labeled him “a product of the system.” But the way they bludgeoned opposing defenses into submission was incredible.
2008 (13-1)
Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Another national championship team that Tebow was directing scored 42 touchdowns, the most ever at Florida. This was the year that tight end [autotag]Aaron Hernandez[/autotag] made a huge impact and Florida had nine different players with double-digit catches. They also started handing the ball to Harvin, which was a good idea.
1976 (8-4)
AP Photo/CG
OK, this offense should have been able to convert a fourth-and-1 against Georgia. But it still put up some incredible numbers with a speedy backfield that included Earl Carr, Tony Green and Larry Brinson. Jimmy Fisher ran the wishbone as the quarterback who was directing this offense that averaged 6.9 yards per play.
1984 (9-1-1)
Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
[autotag]Kerwin Bell[/autotag] came out of nowhere to lead this team to an amazing season even though [autotag]Charley Pell[/autotag] was fired after three games. The Gators averaged 244.8 yards per running play and the trio of [autotag]Neal Anderson[/autotag], [autotag]Lorenzo Hampton[/autotag] and [autotag]John L. Williams[/autotag] each had more than 600 yards rushing (and were all first-round draft picks).
1969 (9-1-1)
AP Photo
The numbers aren’t as overwhelming as they are for some of the teams on this list, but no Florida team had ever averaged 30 points a game until this one. [autotag]John Reaves[/autotag]-to-[autotag]Carlos Alvarez[/autotag] is all you may remember, but Tommy Durrance had more than 1,000 total yards at tailback.
1994 (10-2-1)
RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports
This team could come at you in so many different ways with Jack Jackson leading the receivers and Wuerffel and [autotag]Terry Dean[/autotag] sharing duties at quarterback. They could run it with [autotag]Fred Taylor[/autotag] and [autotag]Eli Williams[/autotag], but they liked to throw it because it was a team loaded with receivers.
2018 (10-3)
Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Yes, a team with [autotag]Feleipe Franks[/autotag] at quarterback makes this list. It was the best of times for Franks under [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] as Florida was able to run and pass for more than 200 yards a game. The receiving corps was loaded, and [autotag]Lamical Perine[/autotag] and [autotag]Jordan Scarlett[/autotag] combined for more than 1,600 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.
1990 (9-2)
Scott Halleran /Allsport
Spurrier’s first team let us know that things were going to be different. [autotag]Shane Matthews[/autotag]’ team was the first to average more than 290 passing yards and more than 35 points a game.
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