SEC Football: Biggest offseason question for every team

Dec 3, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide players celebrate winning the trophy after the SEC Championship college football game against the Florida Gators at Georgia Dome. Alabama defeated Florida 54-16. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports /

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Apr 7, 2017; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks (13) throws a pass during the orange and blue debut at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /

Florida Gators, 9-4 (6-2)

Can Feleipe Franks give the Gators a boost?

LSU isn’t the only SEC football team that’s struggled to put up enough points to challenge Alabama for the conference title.

Despite winning back-to-back SEC East championships, the Florida Gators haven’t been very good offensively. A major reason has been lackluster play from a revolving door of quarterbacks, including Treon Harris and Will Grier (who actually played quite well in 2015 before he was suspended and transferred to West Virginia) and Luke Del Rio and Austin Appleby last year, who combined for 16 interceptions.

Last season, Florida had the league’s worst total offense, having averaged just 344.0 yards per game. The Gators finished next to last in the league with an average of 5.19 yards per play. Those figures ranked No. 116 and No. 105, respectively. Florida also ranked in the No. 103 in IsoPP (a measure of explosiveness), No. 112 in points per trip inside its opponents 40-yard line, and No. 123 in rushing IsoPPP. Simply put, the Gators struggled on first downs, which put the team in bad situations in passing situations, and they also had trouble finishing drives with touchdowns.

Del Rio started six games last year, but suffered through knee and shoulder injuries, and is still recovering from two shoulder operations. Florida’s struggles under his direction — mainly the 236 yards the Gators averaged in the two toughest tests he faced, against Georgia and Arkansas —have opened the door for exciting redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks.

Florida head coach Jim McElwain hasn’t made it official yet, but Franks is expected to be the starting quarterback for the Gators in 2017. Though he has yet to take an official snap in college, Franks has already displayed his development, specifically after turning in a fine performance in the Orange & Blue Debut spring game this year after struggling mightily last spring. The highly recruited prospect threw for 119 yards and a touchdown in one half of this year’s scrimmage.

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