HOOVER, Ala. – University of Florida football coach Will Muschamp knows he’s on the hot seat.
But the Gators’ leader has made many changes since the dismal 2013 season, and he is confident they will pay off.
“There will be a lot of chatter about hot seat business — that’s part of it,” Muschamp said. “The way you combat that is having a good football team, which we’re going to have, and winning football games, which is what we are going to do.”
Muschamp and members of Florida’s team spoke Monday at the 2014 Southeastern Conference Media Days to preview their upcoming 2014 campaign. The Gators went 4-8 last season, marking the first time since 1990 the team failed to reach bowl eligibility.
Muschamp said last season falls on his shoulders and he has a lot of confidence in this season’s team, calling it the most complete team he’s had while at the school.
The biggest hole last season came in the passing game, with the Gators throwing for only 171.2 yards in their eight SEC games. Redshirt junior Jeff Driskel, Florida’s starting quarterback for 2014, struggled in three games last season before his year ended because of a leg fracture suffered against Tennessee.
The Gators responded in the off season by hiring new offensive coordinator Kurt Roper, an assistant at Duke who helped the Blue Devils reach the ACC Championship game last season. Driskel said the new offense is the polar opposite of what the team has been used to, with a stronger emphasis on scoring and having as many plays as possible.
The new scheme and guidance from Roper has helped mold Driskel as the 2014 season nears, and the improvement is obvious to his teammates.
“Once you get an injury, you are just ready and you’re hungry,” said junior defensive end Dante Fowler. “It helped [Driskel] better as a player. He looked better, he’s the best I’ve ever saw him, he’s a student of the game, a very smart player. In my opinion, I think he is the best quarterback in the SEC.”
On defense, the Gators will have to fill multiple holes in the secondary with the departures of defensive backs Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson. Muschamp said he has started young players in the secondary his whole career and is not concerned with it.
One of Florida’s returners is sophomore cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III, who led the team with 10 passes defended in SEC play. With the departures of Purifoy and Roberson, Hargreaves is ready to take a role of leadership within the backfield and defense.
But the Gators know people are still thinking about last season as the new one starts, and their mission is to change those thoughts.
“It was tough for the whole program, me included,” Driskel said. “I think there is a lot of people that are excited for this year. I don’t think we are motivated by the 4-8 season, I think we are a self-motivated group. But it’s in the back of our heads that we aren’t a 4-8 team, and we’re going to go show people that this year.”