Florida Football: An Early Look at the Offensive Depth Chart for Spring Practice

With spring practices less than two weeks away, the Gators are ready to put 2011 behind them and begin preparing for the 2012 campaign. 

While the Gators have finished their 2011 recruiting effort, only six freshmen have enrolled early and will be available to participate in spring practices. The other freshmen will enroll in the summer and begin team activities at that time. 

The Gators will begin spring practice on March 14th, with all their practices being closed except for two on the 16th and 17th. With that being said, here is an early look at what the offensive depth chart will look like when the Gators take the field on March 14th. 

Quarterback

Jacoby Brissett

Jeff Driskel

Tyler Murphy

Jeff Driskel was an early enrollee in 2011, which gave him an advantage to get into the playbook and become familiar with the offense. This head start allowed Driskel to earn the backup position behind John Brantley. That lasted until Driskel went down with an ankle injury against Alabama. Brissett played out the rest of that game and started the next two games against LSU and Auburn. 

While neither quarterback did much to separate themselves from the other, Brissett has to be the favorite to start as QB on the first day of spring practice.

The starting job is wide open and could be won by anyone not named Tyler Murphy. I expect Skyler Mornhinweg to take the third-string role when he enrolls in the summer.  

Running Back

Mike Gillislee 

Trey Burton

Mack Brown

For much of last season, Mike Gillislee was avoided like the plague. For whatever reason, the 5'11'' 200-pound running back was looked over time and time again as the coaching staff complained about not having a power running attack. Gillislee can be the kind of runner who can carry the ball between the tackles and he will be atop the depth chart until summer. 

Freshmen Matt Jones will enroll in the summer and all signs point to the starting tail back position being his job to lose. The 6'3'' 225-pound running back has the size and running style that Muschamp coveted last season.

Jones will not enroll until the summer, so spring practice will be Mike Gillislee's time to show the coaches he can start and be an impact player this season. 

Fullback

Hunter Joyer 

Trey Burton

Hunter Joyer had a solid freshman campaign. He provided solid running lanes and was also adequate carrying the ball down in the red zone. Joyer will be used as more of a power back and run blocking fullback, whereas Trey Burton will find himself playing a lot as a receiving threat out of the backfield. 

Expect to see Burton on the field as much as Joyer, but both being used in very different ways. 

Wide Receiver (X)

Andre Debose

Quinton Dunbar

Ja'Juan Story

Solomon Patton 

Andre Debose was electrifying last season. Debose hauled in only 16 passes for 432 yards and four touchdowns. However, all four of his touchdowns were for at least 64 yards. Debose's problem is that he is inconsistent in practice and in games.

While he can be electrifying at times, the Gators need Debose to become more of a consistent threat in the passing game. 

Quinton Dunbar is a player who we could not have heard more about last spring. After ranting and raving about the then redshirt freshman, Dunbar would only catch 14 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns all season.

Dunbar played in every game but was struggling to make an impact. 

Ja'Juan Story is a project. The 6'3'' 206-pound Story took a redshirt last season while he transitioned from quarterback to wide receiver. Story is a player who could develop into a big time receiving threat for the Gators if he can acclimate to his new position.

He earned scout team player of the week leading into the Furman game. 

Tight End

Jordan Reed 

Trey Burton

The tight end position is a spot that will be getting a lot of turnover in the summer. The depth chart will add both Colin Thompson and Kent Taylor in the summer and remove Trey Burton. 

Reed will be a redshirt junior next season and will get the chance to earn the starting position coming out of spring practice. His production has been sporadic and he missed some time last season due to injury. Reed was supposed to be the next Aaron Hernandez but has yet to live up to the billing. 

A.C. Leonard may or may not be with the team for spring practice after he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor simple battery. Leonard entered a written plea of not guilty but was suspended indefinitely. Assuming that the legal system does not run its course before practice begins on the 14th, Leonard will not be with the team at that time. 

Burton is listed here simply for depth reasons. The jack of all trades, master of none player will be able to fill in wherever he is needed and that is his biggest asset to this team. 

Left Tackle

Matt Patchan

D.J. Humphries 

Matt Alajajian

Matt Patchan has had a roller coaster of a career with the Gators, filled with promise and marred by injury. As a redshirt junior, the starting tackle is Patchan's job to lose. If he can stay healthy he is Florida's best option at tackle on day one. 

D.J. Humphries was the consensus top rated lineman in this year's recruiting class and will be challenging Patchan and ready to fill in if need be. 

Alajajian stepped in for the injured Patchan in the Gator Bowl and struggled. The coaches have probably seen enough to know what will happen is Alajajian is forced to play as more than a backup this season.  

Left Guard

Jessamen Dunker

Kyle Koehne

Trip Thurman

Ian Silberman

Even more so than receiver,, the Gators are thin at left guard. Highly touted freshmen Jessamen Dunker enrolled early and is the favorite in my book to win the starting job from day one. Dunker is a big powerful lineman with good feet—something the Gators are looking for as they rebuild the offensive line. 

Koehne started just one game at guard for the Gators in 2011 and will be Dunker's biggest competition in spring practice. 

Trip Thurman had shoulder surgery in September and Ian Silberman spent the entire 2011 season watching from the sidelines. Silberman was highly touted coming out of high school but has struggled to get playing time. 

Center

Jonotthan Harrison 

Sam Robey

Harrison is the unquestioned starter at this position having played in every game in 2011. Sam Robey is his only competition, but Harrison shouldn't have a problem retaining his starting job. 

Right Guard

Jon Halapio

Nick Alajajian

Tommy Jordan

Halapio is the only returning linemen to play all of his snaps at the same position in 2011. Halapio is the most experienced lineman, recording 20 starts (14 in a row). He was the most consistent linemen on a very porous line a season ago. Barring injury, Halapio will start every game at right guard in 2012.  

Right Tackle

Chaz Green 

Xavier Nixon 

After a redshirt season, Green started the first seven games this year before being injured. Green was able to come back and finish out the season after missing four games, earning Freshmen All-SEC honors. Green will be the right tackle for the Gators this season and it would take Xavier Nixon literally throwing defensive linemen 15 feet up into the air for him to unseat Green. 

Speaking of Nixon, no player on the roster has been as disappointing as he has.

Nixon came onto the scene as a freshmen earning All-SEC freshmen honors and being named a freshmen All-American honorable mention. Nixon has steadily declined since his freshmen season and he was abysmal a season ago. Nixon had trouble keeping his defender in front of him racking up holding penalties and giving up sacks.

Nixon will likely spend his last season in Gainesville as a backup linemen.