Onus on offense to solve Florida football road woes at South Carolina

If the Florida Gators are to solve their road woes on Saturday at South Carolina, their fickle offense will need to build off momentum created last week against Vanderbilt.

There were no calls for Florida football head coach Billy Napier to give up play calling over the weekend after UF's best offensive performance of the season over an FBS opponent against the Commodores. Florida was balanced, with 280 yards passing and 215 yards rushing. UF didn't connect on any home run pass plays, but Gator fans are going to have to accept given quarterback Graham Mertz's limited arm strength and an offensive line better suited for run blocking than pass protection, deep shots will be few and far between.

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Instead, Florida will need to continue to rely on precision passing and the run game to move the chains going forward. South Carolina presents another opportunity to establish run-pass balance. While Vanderbilt had flaws defensively, ranking 12th in the SEC in total defense, South Carolina is even worse at 13th in the SEC, giving up 443.0 yards per game. The Gamecocks are also the worst pass defense in the league giving up 301.4 yards per game through the air.

South Carolina will come into the game rested off of a bye, with chances to make tweaks to its defense scheme. Still, the Gamecocks aren't going to bring back visions of the 1985 Chicago Bears, nor are they as stout defensively as UF's prior two road opponents, Utah and Kentucky.

UF needs to get off to better offensive start

In UF's last road game at Kentucky, the Gators went three-and-out on their first offensive series and didn't score their first points until a touchdown pass from Mertz to tight end Hayden Hansen with 34 seconds left in the first half.

At Utah, Florida went 2 of 4 in red zone scoring opportunities and didn't score its first TD until Mertz connected with wide receiver Caleb Douglas with 9:22 left in the fourth quarter.

Overall, Florida has scored just 25 points in two road games, an average of 12.5 points per contest.

The emphasis for UF's offense this week is to start faster, strike more quickly.

"Just continuing to emphasize that in practice each and every day," Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall said. "I think that's where it starts, first and foremost, is you practice how you play. So come to practice with great energy and encourage all the guys as a leader."

New faces emerged on offense during the Vanderbilt win, with wide receiver Eugene Wilson III scoring his first career TD and tight end Arlis Boardingham catching six passes for 99 yards and 2 TDs to earn SEC co-freshman of the week honors. Kam Waites, just 10 months removed from Achilles tendon surgery, filled in admirably on the offensive line at both tackle spots to help compensate for starting tackle Austin Barber being out with a lower body injury.

But on the road, it will likely come down to veterans like Mertz, Pearsall and running back Montrell Johnson Jr. to set the tone. Mertz's completion percentage remains the best in the SEC at 79.5 percent, with 1,474 yards and 9 TDs to 2 interceptions on the season.

Johnson rushed for 135 yards against Vanderbilt for his second 100-yard rushing game of the season and has rushed for 388 yards on 5.2 yards per carry.

"Montrell's a really good leader," Napier said. "He has the ability to affect other people. Fun to be around, too. And I think although he did drop the ball the other day, I think he catches it well. He's a good protector. I think he'll play at the next level."

Can the Florida Gators solve procedural issues on the road?

South Carolina is among the most loyal fanbases in the SEC. With Sandstorm blaring at kickoff, the expected crowd of 77,000 at Williams-Brice stadium will be engaged early.

"Williams-Brice is one of the tougher venues, better venues in the country, having played there many times in the past," said Napier, a former Clemson assistant coach.

Florida was whistled for several critical pre-snap penalties both at Utah and at Kentucky. So, communication will be important across the offensive line.

"We've done it really well on the road at times," Napier said. "We haven't had those issues. But it is definitely part of our past and we have to make sure that we're on top of our game, so it isn't in the future."

Napier is hopeful that the lessons learned from past road experiences will result in playing with more poise this Saturday.

"You've got to be mentally ready, physically ready, emotionally ready," Napier said. "You can't depend on some of that energy you benefit from being at home. You don't get that. You get the opposite.

"Any play that doesn't go your way on the road, there's a resiliency and a toughness that you have to overcome from the momentum that you feel ... on the road when they make a play, or you make a mistake it's magnified."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida Gators football needs offense to show up on the road at SC