SEC East: How the Florida Gators Can Return to Atlanta in 2011

With the 2010 season and Urban Meyer behind them, it's time for Will Muschamp and the Florida Gators to look ahead to next season.

The Gators have a lot of new faces coming in, and talented ones too.  To keep the fans content in Muschamp's first season, I believe Florida has to beat at least two of three rivals (Florida State, Georgia and Tennessee), maintain a top 10 recruiting class and, most importantly, make the trip back to Atlanta in December.

Here's what the Gators have to do to return to the Georgia Dome and national prominence.

Mix Up Scoring Types

I have no doubt Charlie Weis will run a more efficient offense than the putrid version Steve Addazio sold off as a threat. If Florida keeps going for quick-strike scores, defenses will play deep and eventually force a mistake.

Therefore, the Gators need to establish a mix of a two minute, quick-strike offense and a four minute, punishing drive offense.  Addazio always opted for the four minute offense, allowing opposing defenses to dial up blitzes and forcing Florida to pass the ball.

Establish Legitimate Threats in the Running Game

Obviously, I do not expect somebody to break off a 70-yard touchdown run on every drive, but the threat has to be there. In 2008, Percy Harvin, Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps all played dangerous roles in the run game.  Speedsters like Andre Debose need to emulate Harvin's role in 2011, which will allow a nice setup for the passing game.

Home runs hitters in the run game will absolutely deflate a defense, and is is vital that Florida find a few different players to do it.

The Option, in Some Form, Has to Stay

Addazio, if you are reading this, I am not talking about John Brantley running the Tebow triple option. Some form of it needs to stay though, so if a team blitzes, they will have to adjust to the risk of someone breaking a big one.

I repeat, I am not suggesting Brantley try to bowl over defenders with the Tebow option. The pitch is his only hope, and it will draw double coverage. I am also not saying it should be Florida's offensive type.

Brantley always dreamed of being a Florida quarterback, and he's very capable of doing a great job in the position. Florida owes him a chance to shine by fixing the offense to fit him, much like Urban Meyer said he would until Addazio talked him out of it. 

I would like to see Brantley in shotgun, a tailback next to him and another tailback to possibly receive the ball. Addazio had those two parts of the play right, but forgot a vital key to serve as a third potential option:  Brantley throwing the ball to a reciever and running a deep pattern on the same play. 

This setup is similar to to the spread triple option offense run by Georgia Tech and Navy, except for the quarterback option to throw it deep.

Jordan Reed is capable of running the Tebow option, which somewhat worked this past year.  With Trey Burton, the Gators have a choice: either officially end his days as a quarterback, or teach him how to throw the ball. He was effective as a tight end last year. Plus, with Jeff Driskel being added to the roster, there really is no room for Burton as a quarterback anymore.

Special Teams Need to Remain Special

Meyer once said that the team that blocks some form of kick wins more than 92 percent of the time.

If that's true, then by all means, keep going after kicks. Muschamp needs only to continue what Meyer has stapled to the team, by putting some of the fastest players on kick and punt blocks.

There's a lot of hype surrounding Kyle Christy, Florida's incoming kicker.  No pressure, but he better live up to it because the Gators need a dependable kicker.

Florida also desperately needs a punter. Chas Henry may have been the most underappreciated player ever at Florida, and the Gators will need someone just as reliable in this position to play the field position game, if needed. 

Red Zone Offense Has to Be Lights Out

There's no other way to say it.

Between turnovers, penalties and terrible play-calling, Florida's red zone offense was atrocious in 2010. Assuming Florida makes a minimum five red zone trips in a single game, 75 percent of those trips should result in touchdowns and 20 percent or more should result in field goals. 

Green zone Offense Has to Be Lights Out, Too

Unknown to some people, the green zone is the area between an opponent's 20 and 40-yard line. It is so named because in college ball, when a team doesn't have a lights out kicker, they usually go for it on fourth down.

There will be times where Florida enters the green zone and faces a fourth and short situation. When Charlie Weis decides to go for it in these situations, Florida must get the first down. They cannot afford to stall out here.

Physical, Blitzing, Turnover-forcing Defense

This shouldn't be a problem for Muschamp, but I'm listing it because it's what needs to happen if Florida wants to set up layup touchdowns. Force a turnover, and the offense gains momentum. Florida's defense needs to harass quarterbacks all day, especially against SEC West opponents, to not let them get too settled and comfortable.

If the Gators' defense can pressure opposing quarterbacks enough, they will force turnovers.  As great a job as Teryl Austin did this past season, his defense never really got to any quarterback. This did not exactly cost Florida any games though, since Addazio's offense was nothing short of a disgrace.  Florida's offense obviously has to get better, and as the stage grows, the defense will also have to improve.

Muschamp Has to Reestablish the Swamp

Perhaps the most embarrassing thing about 2010 was the fact that Florida lost three consecutive home night games against LSU, Mississippi State and South Carolina.

Respectable teams, sure, but the only type of team I can live with beating Florida in the Swamp at night—or any time of day, really—is a veteran, physical team with more talent that simply outplays Florida in a clean, mistake-free game.

That I can live with because at the end of the game I'll turn off my television or walk out of the stadium and say, "Hey, you know what? They were the better team. Nothing we can do."

What I cannot and will not live with is a less talented team (such as any team in 2010 except Alabama and maybe LSU) coming in at night and wiping the floor with a Gators team that was outplayed and outcoached.

If Florida is going to lose at home next year, it better only be to Alabama. Florida has to sweep its home games in 2011 though. Alabama will be tough, but I don't really think the Tide has more raw talent. If Gator coaches do their jobs and develop their own raw talent, Florida should not lose a game in Gainesville next season.

Muschamp Needs to Make His Mark at Florida

Charlie Pell came up with the idea of doing the Gator Chomp at opposing bands after a big win. Steve Spurrier coined the term "The Swamp."  Urban Meyer created the Gator Walk and the blue-out, which only failed once in 13 tries.

Muschamp needs to install some sort of tradition to make his mark.  So what will his trademark be? 

If you think this is corny and unnecessary, then you need to know this is huge for recruiting, not just for this year, but for the future. Remember the psychological effect this can potentially have on 16-18-year-old kids. It is essential to create something like this.

Muschamp Must Put Friendships and Relationships Aside

I seriously doubt this will be an issue, but it has happened before in college football.

Muschamp is a Georgia alumnus, and is a great friend of Kirby Smart, Alabama's defensive coordinator, and Florida State Head Coach Jimbo Fisher.

To quell any nausea though, remember that Muschamp's nicknames are Coach Boom and Coach Blood.

Don't you think the fieriest  guys are the ones most likely to put aside friendships to beat up on their buddies on Saturday?

Me too.

Again, this shouldn't be a problem, but it's happened before.

If Florida can manage to execute all these things, I'll meet you in Atlanta.