Gators Notebook: McElwain emphasizes focus factor, Harris shows improvement, more tidbits
Thursday, November 19, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Atlantic is 2-8 and has lost five of its last six games. The eighth-ranked Gators are heavy favorites on Saturday, but Florida head coach Jim McElwain is urging his team to stay locked in.
He noticed a dip in focus at Wednesday's practice. Not enough to set off an alarm, but enough to grab his attention.
“I think our team-competition periods have been really, really good. And they were last week as well. I kind of like the way we're coming to work. With that being said, I thought we really fell off on the focus part today.
“This is a team, with what they do with the art of deception, what they do with a lot of the different things on special teams, and obviously on offense with the gadgets and the defense with a lot of different looks, it really creates discipline. You've got to be focused.”
The Owls are led by dual-threat quarterback Jaquez Johnson, who has thrown for 1,356 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. A fifth-year senior, the 6-foot-1, 240-pound Johnson has rushed for 227 yards and his 1,512 career rushing yards rank fourth on the school's all-time list.
Jason Driskel, the younger brother of former Gators quarterback Jeff Driskel, also has received significant time at quarterback. Driskel has played in eight games – started two – and passed for 854 yards.
FAU's offense is ranked 80th nationally (379.9 yards per game), slightly ahead of Florida's (87th/370.9 ypg). However, the Owls haven't faced a defense as stout as the Gators, ranked fifth in the county (280 ypg).
McElwain said the Gators must be aware of trick plays, a problem area for UF's defense this season. The Gators have allowed two touchdown passes to the opposing quarterback on trick plays, one against Tennessee and the other in last week's 24-14 win at South Carolina.
The Gators limited the Gamecocks to just 44 yards through three quarters but South Carolina's offense woke up in the fourth quarter when receiver Pharoh Cooper threw a 17-yard scoring pass to quarterback Perry Orth.
Meanwhile, Johnson hit receiver Jenson Stoshak for an apparent 70-yard touchdown on a flea-flicker in FAU's 24-17 loss to Middle Tennessee last week. Instead of tying the game late in the fourth quarter, Stoshak received a taunting penalty before crossing the goal line that negated the score. FAU failed to score on the drive.
With FAU's roster full of players from South Florida and many familiar faces to the UF roster, McElwain is focused on restoring the Gators' focus prior to kickoff Saturday.
“Now, it's Wednesday and we have a chance for a Perfect Thursday and a Focused Friday to get that corrected, and we will,” he said. “I will say this, our guys are practicing pretty darn hard and that's good to see.”
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INJURY UPDATES
The Gators will be without three defensive linemen against FAU: Alex McCalister (foot), Joey Ivie (knee) and Jordan Sherit (hamstring). McElwain is also concerned about the availability of starting offensive lineman David Sharpe, who reinjured his foot on Wednesday.
“I don't know if he'd go down to doubtful. Who knows there,'' McElwain said. “It's the same thing he had.”
A redshirt freshman, Sharpe has started nine of 10 games. Despite concerns about his foot two weeks ago against Vanderbilt, Sharpe was able to play.
McElwain added receivers C.J. Worton (ankle) and Raphael Andrades (strain), and defensive back Chris Williamson (undisclosed) are also on this week's injury list. Worton has not played since the Tennessee game, Williamson has missed the last five games, and Andrades did not play at South Carolina.
“We're gonna have to get some guys to step up obviously in a lot of those spots and give us some quality minutes.”
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HARRIS IMPROVING
Sophomore quarterback Treon Harris will make his fifth consecutive start on Saturday, the same number of consecutive starts made by Will Grier prior to his one-year suspension by the NCAA.
Harris has led the Gators to a 3-1 record over that span and continues to show signs of improvement in McElwain's view.
“He's made strides in a lot of areas,” McElwain said. “His development at the position, he just keeps getting a little bit better. I'm really liking his preparation. You can see the comfort in that in his weekly workload as we install the different situations. It's fun to see a quarterback kind of prepare the way he has.”
Dating to last season, Harris is 8-3 at Florida's starting quarterback. While he continues to work on his accuracy, Harris completed a career-high 19 passes on 33 attempts (also a career high) for 256 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in the win over South Carolina.
His most costly mistake was a red-zone interception that cost the Gators an opportunity at a field goal.
“I thought our efficiency in throwing the football was a little bit better," McElwain said. “There are things I think he's seeing. I think he moved up in the pocket much better in this game rather than just trying to bail out one way or the other. I think his pocket awareness, shuffling and finding throwing angles was a little better.”
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QUOTE OF NOTE I
“I hope it's a good thing. It's not a disease is it?” – McElwain quipped when asked his reaction to Gators cornerback Jalen Tabor's comment that McElwain has “swag”
QUOTE OF NOTE II
“He should be fine. In fact, he was one of our war daddies in the last game.” – McElwain on redshirt freshman defensive tackle Khairi Clark, who is expected to get more reps this week with the injuries on the defensive line
