College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Florida Gators season with what you need to know.
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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
– Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
– What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
– Schedule Analysis
– Florida Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015
2019 Record: 11-2 overall, 6-2 in SEC
Head Coach: Dan Mullen, 3rd year, 21-5
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 5
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 20
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 4
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Florida Gators Offense 3 Things To Know
– The offense still got the yards. The 2019 attack wasn’t as balanced as the 2018 version, but it was close to 2,000 yards better than the 2017 offense.
Over the last two seasons under Dan Mullen and offensive coordinators Billy Gonzales and John Hevesy, the Gators were scored over 400 points in back-to-back seasons. Before Mullen, the last time the program pushed past the 400-point mark was at the end of the Tim Tebow era in 2009.
There might not be any college football household names, but it’s going to be another good season with a whole lot of good parts in place. Now – even though it’ll take a little reworking – it’s time to be stronger than the fourth-best O in the SEC.
CFN in 60 Video: Florida Gators Preview
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– Kyle Trask wasn’t supposed to be the starting quarterback once Florida football became good again. Feleipe Franks – now at Arkansas – had all the tools and the talent, and Emory Jones was the star recruit who was supposed to take the program by storm. Trask was just a guy – he was a two-star recruit coming in at the same time as Franks in 2016.
Once Franks went down last year with a leg injury, Trask stepped up and looked the part of a next-level star, hitting 67% of his throw for almost 3,000 yards with 25 touchdowns and just seven picks with four rushing touchdowns. Now he’s the unquestioned No. 1 guy, but Jones is still a great-looking prospect who’s more than just a nice No. 2.
Leading receiver Van Jefferson is gone, but Kyle Pitts will be one of the nation’s best pass-catching tight ends – he led the team with 54 grabs with five scores – along with third-leading wide receiver Trevon Grimes and veterans Jacob Copeland and Kadarius Toney.
There’s promise in the receiving corps, but it’ll be more about Trask spreading the ball around – eight different Gators caught 20 passes or more. On the way are Penn State transfer Justin Shorter and Texas transfer Jordan Pouncey, but they have to be ruled eligible. True freshman Xzavier Henderson has the talent to someday be the No. 1 target.
– The backfield lost leading rusher Lamical Perine to the New York Jets, but it has a shot at being more dangerous. Junior Dameon Pierce was second on the team with just 305 yards and four scores, but he’s got the home run-hitting ability to do more. Ready to roll is former Miami superstar recruit Lorenzo Lingard, who was declared eligible by the NCAA for this year.
Up front is a line that had its down moments, but improved as last year went on. It’s not a deep line – at least going into the season – but it will get the job done.
It wasn’t great in pass protection, but it could hammer away when needed – for the most part. Nick Buchanan is gone at center, but everyone else is expected back. There aren’t any big-time stars here – it would be nice if a true killer could emerge – but there aren’t any massive concerns.