Gators Pull Out Pistol and Demps Fires Away in Career-Best Performance
Saturday, November 5, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – They call it the pistol and it wasn't firing blanks.
The Gators opened their first drive against Vanderbilt on Saturday with quarterback John Brantley lined up in the shotgun. Nothing unusual about that considering Brantley took all but one snap from the shotgun against Georgia.
The oddity was that tailback Jeff Demps lined up behind Brantley, who was flanked to the side by fullback Trey Burton. The new wrinkle in Charlie Weis' offense proved to make a difference in Florida's 26-21 win over the Commodores as the Gators' struggling running game was revived thanks to a career-best rushing performance by Demps.
The Gators installed the formation during practice last week to boost a rushing attack that was close to needing life support. The Gators averaged 259 yards rushing per game during their four-game win streak to open the season; they dropped off to 43.8 yards per game during their four-game losing streak, hitting bottom with minus-19 yards rushing against Georgia (Brantley was sacked six times to contribute to the negative total).
Demps was the primary beneficiary of the pistol Saturday, rushing 23 times – his most carries since he rushed 26 times at Tennessee last season and suffered a foot injury that plagued him the rest of the season. Demps finished with a career-high 158 yards and two touchdowns.
“You get the ball a little bit faster. I was able to see the holes develop and able to hit them a little faster,'' Demps said of the formation. “It was definitely a good feeling. The offensive line did a great job opening holes all day and the receivers did a good job on the perimeter of blocking.''
Demps' final score came on a third-and-one play with 2:22 remaining in the game and Florida nursing a 20-14 lead. Vanderbilt called a timeout to figure out a way to stop the Gators from getting a first down and running out the clock.
With Brantley on the sideline due to an injury, Brisset lined up under center. He faked a handoff to fullback Hunter Joyer on his right, and then pitched to Demps on a sweep toward the left. The only player with a chance to stop the senior speedster was Vanderbilt safety Kenny Ladler.
Ladler never had a chance.
“We load the box up and they get in a two-tight end, one-receiver set, load the backfield and you have got to stop the run,'' Vanderbilt coach James Franklin said. “That was a good call. They got their fastest player in space in a situation where they needed inches.''
Demps made a cut on Ladler, blew past him and breezed to the end zone to put Florida up 26-14 with 2:13 left.
“Jeff is an outstanding player,'' Florida coach Will Muschamp said. “He's been a guy that every time he's been healthy this year for us he has been very productive. He gives you everything he's got.''
On his game-clinching score, Demps said it was pretty simple once he got the ball.
“It was a short-yardage play,'' he said. “We went over it in practice all week. We got the opportunity to execute it and we did. The whole defense was packed in the box. I just made a move.”
The Gators quickly established the run with Demps on their first drive Saturday. Demps carried three times for 15 yards from the pistol formation before Brisset, who would come in when the Gators wanted to run plays under center, hit Omarius Hines for a 39-yard pass.
Hines was hit and fumbled at Vanderbilt's 1-yard line and Commodores safety Steven Clarke recovered in the end zone to thwart Florida's scoring bid. Still, the pistol formation seemed to help the Gators get their ground game back on track.
The Gators finished with 410 yards of total offense – 280 coming before halftime – with 197 of those yards coming on the ground. The total would have been well over 200 yards if not for an errant snap by starting center Jon Harrison in the shotgun that subtracted 21 yards from the Gators' rushing total.
“They brought a bunch of different looks at us,'' Brantley said. “Our offensive line and running backs did a great job of picking up their blitzes. That allowed us to throw the ball downfield. Anytime you can establish a downhill running game like we did today, it opens up things.''
The Gators managed to establish a running game despite the absence of Chris Rainey, the team's leading rusher. Rainey suffered an injured ankle against Georgia and did not play Saturday in a game-time decision.
With Rainey unavailable, Demps, Mike Gillislee (nine rushes, 39 yards), Burton (four carries, 11 yards) and Joyer (three carries, 17 yards) more than picked up the slack.
“I'm back to 100 percent,'' said Gillislee, who missed the Georgia game due to an ankle injury. “Chris Rainey was down. We are a very close group. Me and Demps said before the game we had to step up.''
Demps' performance surpassed his previous career high of 157 yards set against Kentucky on Sept. 24, the Gators' last win prior to Saturday. Demps now has seven career 100-yard games and three this season.
Demps' final run was his most important.
“The O-line did a great job of opening holes for him and allowing him to get into the open field and do what he does best, and that is run fast,'' Brantley said.
