Former UF offensive lineman Phil Trautwein returned as offensive line coach and has been tasked with molding a unit in transition in Year 1 under head coach Jon Sumrall. (Photo: Shandice Gourdet/UAA Communications)
Gators Position Preview: Offensive Line
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 | Football
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By: Ryan Roddy, FloridaGators.com Student Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — First-year Florida head coach Jon Sumrall has been blunt when talking about UF's offensive line.
He challenged the group publicly following the spring game in April and has continued to push them to improve, both on the field and in the weight room.
Protecting the quarterback and creating running lanes are two of the most important ingredients in building an effective offense. Whether Florida's revamped offensive line can do both consistently will be one of the biggest questions entering the season.
So far, Sumrall likes the progress.
"They embraced the challenge and worked hard," he said at SEC media days. "I think we got great leadership in that room."
When the Gators line up against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 5, expect to see some familiar faces, some new ones and, perhaps most importantly, plenty of movement.
Florida has a history of producing gritty All-American, All-SEC and NFL offensive linemen. Sumrall seeks to continue that tradition – and win big along the way.
The 2026 Gators offensive line is a mix of new and old. The unit has 10 returners and 10 newcomers. Of the 10 returners, four got snaps in 2025 and accounted for just over 41% of the position group's work a season ago. The trio of Knijeah Harris, Caden Jones and Bryce Lovett is the foundation of this line. That doesn't mean they will all be Week 1 starters, but they will undoubtedly contribute in their own unique ways. All three came in together as members of Billy Napier's 2023 recruiting class. Harris was a rare case of not having to wait a year to play; instead of redshirting, he contributed immediately, appearing in all 12 games in 2023, starting one. He's also started every game (25) at left guard in the last two seasons. Harris is projected to continue in that role in Sumrall's first season. Jones started 10 games at right tackle last season, while Lovett started the other two. The towering 6-foot-8 Jones is in line to hold it down at right tackle, while Lovett has a different path. The former Freshman All-SEC (2024) and AP All-Bowl Team (2024) selection is seemingly battling for a start; he started three games at right guard in 2024. In addition to making the two starts at tackle, Lovett was utilized on special teams. Together, fittingly, they were tabbed to Shriners Children's East-West Bowl 1000 List (2026).
Knijeah Harris has started 25 games the past two seasons for the Gators. (Photo: Victoria Riccobono/UAA Communications)
Roderick Kearney was the fourth player who saw snaps in 2025, and he was also a member of that 2023 class and is slotted to be a depth piece. As for the new, it starts at the top. As a part of the almost entirely revamped coaching staff, Sumrall hired Phil Trautwein as the new offensive line coach and, of course, Buster Faulkner as the offensive coordinator. Trautwein was a Gator and returned to campus with much hoopla. He played for the Orange & Blue from 2004-2008, was a two-time team captain, two-time All-SEC selection and a two-time national champion. When the opportunity to return to UF presented itself, Trautwein was stoked. He comes from Penn State and two former Nittany Lions tagged along: TJ Shanahan Jr. and Eagan Boyer. For Shanahan, Florida is his third stop. He started his collegiate career at Texas A&M, where he got to see SEC trenches firsthand, appearing in 13 games, making five starts in his two years as an Aggie. Last season with Penn State, the Orlando native played in all 13 games and made five starts at guard. In fall camp, Sumrall said he likes the physicality Shanahan brings at the line. As of right now, the right guard looks to be Shanahan's to lose. Boyer played 120 snaps for Trautwein and Penn State last year, making his first career start in the Pinstripe Bowl at left tackle. Another big guy, listed at 6-foot-8, 308 pounds, Boyer has the physicals to make a difference on Florida's line, and with Sumrall not totally impressed with the tackle position, he could challenge for a starting spot.
Faulkner had multiple offensive players follow him from Georgia Tech to Gainesville, including Harrison Moore. Moore is in line to fill the void left by All-American Jake Slaughter at center, but has the experience to do so. He played in 11 games for the Yellow Jackets last season, making eight starts at center. Playing an important position as the anchor of the offensive line, Moore has received credit across the board in his short time as a Gator. Emeka Ugorji is a transfer who has no previous link to Trautwein or Faulkner. As a true freshman last season, he played in 10 games, making eight starts. He played both right tackle and right guard. His two committed penalties were the fewest on Stanford's offensive line for players who played over half the offensive snaps. Although he played mostly guard in 2025, fans are most likely going to see him at left tackle for UF. Trautwein, Faulkner and Sumrall all coached offensive/offensive lines that helped their respective teams rush for more than 2,200 yards in 2025 (Georgia Tech: 2,567, Tulane: 2,328, Penn State: 2,267). Trautwein and Faulkner have both coached NFL first-round, All-Conference and All-American linemen.
If season started today: The Gators would have a solid core of players ready to start, with experience in Power Four games as well as plug-and-play depth at every position. The starting line is not set in stone, but there is a good idea of the 10 players who will be seeing the most action. The depth chart on the line could also be fluid with multiple guys able to play different positions.
Speculation: Like mentioned at the beginning, Sumrall expressed his own speculation about the line, but progress has been made. Specifically, the tackles, who may have to work to earn his nod week in and week out. Sumrall is a tell-it-like-it-is coach who won't hesitate to challenge the line when it's struggling, and praise it when the Gators answer the bell up front.
Quote of Note: "I think both guys will handle that, and it won't be a problem. We're going to work a bunch of different combinations up front and make sure we find the five guys that we need to go play to win football games. It's like I tell every position: 'You worry about doing your job, okay?' It's our job as coaches to make sure we get the best guys on the field, and that's what we'll do." — Faulkner on the importance of the quarterbacks adjusting on different offensive-line combinations.
