McElwain Fishing Around for Solutions to Energy Crisis
Sunday, November 22, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Here in Jim McElwain's new place of residence, there is no Pike Place Market overlooking Elliott Bay like back in Washington where McElwain attended college and spent more than a decade as a coach.
But McElwain does have some options to illustrate his point.
He can take the Gators to visit Northwest Seafood. They have a couple of stores in town and a fine selection. Ward's Supermarket has been in business for more than 60 years and has plenty to pick from.
And of course, Winn-Dixie -- aka Your Neighborhood Grocery Store -- could be the place to go. As the Gators' official supermarket, McElwain might even get a discount if he decides to pick up some grouper for dinner.
After Florida's 20-14 overtime victory against heavy underdog Florida Atlantic on Saturday afternoon, McElwain was in a fishy mood.
The rain that poured down and soaked everyone in overtime probably helped put him there. But what inspired a very McElwain press conference, where dead fish served as the most interesting subject, was the play of Florida's offensive line.
"They beat us to every punch up front. They had more energy,'' McElwain said of FAU's defense. "That's just the way it was. I'm very disappointed in our effort."
The biggest positive for the Gators by far was their 10th victory of the season, earning McElwain a special place in Gators history. He became the first UF head coach to win 10 games in his first full season on the job.
Ray Graves didn't do it. Neither did Galen Hall, Steven Spurrier or Urban Meyer.
"That means our next one I get to count with toes,'' McElwain quipped.
McElwain was visibly disappointed in the way the Gators played Saturday. The game was scoreless at halftime as Florida's offense managed a measly 69 yards.
The second half was better as Treon Harris connected with Antonio Callaway for a 53-yard touchdown pass that gave the Gators a 14-0 lead. However, instead of running away with a win, the Gators kept slipping.
The Owls tied the game and forced overtime, where Harris threw across field on a misdirection pass to tight end Jake McGee that resulted in a game-winning 13-yard touchdown after McGee made a move to avoid two FAU defenders.
Finally, FAU had an opportunity to win the game with a touchdown and extra point -- Gators kicker Austin Hardin's PAT was blocked after McGee's score -- but Florida's defense clamped down and kept the Owls out of the end zone after they had a first-and-goal from the 9 in overtime.
Once again, reminiscent of two weeks ago when the Gators escaped with a 9-7 win over Vanderbilt when Hardin kicked a game-winning 43-yard field goal late, the Gators found a way to win.
"We've done a lot of things they've said we couldn't do,'' said Antonio Riles, who moved from the offensive line to defensive line due to depth issues Saturday.
Riles' statement is as true as Florida's orange and blue. One of the unexpected developments of Florida's surprising season is the play of the offensive line. As the Gators got off to a 6-0 start and climbed the rankings, the offensive line played better than most imagined.
The position group that finished spring camp with just six scholarship linemen held its own. However, in recent weeks Harris has been under increased pressure and the run game has been hit or miss.
The issue Saturday was a lack of energy.
"When something bad happens they mope around,'' McElwain said. "Here's the visual: when you guys go to the seafood market, or go to the grocery store, and you see all those dead fish on ice, that's the energy they are playing with right now.
"How excited are you to hang out with that dead fish?"
McElwain obviously isn't.
As he weaved through his press conference, the topic of dead fish rose to the surface more than once.
McElwain said a field trip to a fish market could be in store for the Gators to let them see the visual he described.
Florida finished regulation with 227 yards of offense and added 25 on the game-winning drive on the first possession of overtime.
McGee finished the winning play by racing into the end zone full-speed ahead. Still, he admitted the Gators came out with a low battery.
"We were kind of dead at the beginning,'' McGee said. "They came in to compete. I don't think we matched what they brought to the table."
In the end, the No. 8-ranked Gators improved to 10-1 heading into their annual rivalry game with Florida State.
McElwain said with the way the Gators played Saturday the Seminoles can probably go on vacation this week and beat them at The Swamp next week.
Junior running back Kelvin Taylor, who finished with 98 yards and a touchdown, understood McElwain's displeasure at the offense's performance Saturday.
"We just didn't play up to our standard,'' Taylor said. "As soon as you step on the field, you should be ready to ball."
The Gators were anything but Saturday. With Florida State, the SEC Championship Game and a bowl game on the horizon, if the Gators want to keep winning, it's time they thaw out.
"We don't need dead fish,'' he said. "We need energy. We've just got some guys on this team that just refuse to take off the governor."
