Do the Gators Have an Advantage in the SEC Without Spring Camp?

While the Gators absolutely need the ability to host spring practices, their competition could be much worse off.

Earlier this month, the NCAA, SEC, and practically the entire sporting world closed their doors due to Covid-19.

With that, all spring activities, including any workout for football, have been suspended. For Florida, any public spring events and organized games have been canceled as well - including the Orange and Blue Spring Game.

The Gators will have several disadvantages from a team standpoint. They'll be without valuable chemistry-building time, offensive installation, and several positional battles. But they do have one constant - the quarterback position.

Both redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Trask and redshirt sophomore quarterback Emory Jones have been in Gators head coach Dan Mullen's offense for two years now. While Jones lacks some experience in playing time, Trask stepped in for Florida last season after Feleipe Franks went down due to injury, leading the team to a New Year's Six bowl game victory in the Orange Bowl. 

The quarterback is the most important position on the team, at nearly every level in football, and especially for a Mullen-designed offense to function. Two of their top competitors next season, however, will be without their previous-season starting quarterbacks - Georgia and LSU.

In 2020, Florida will need to be able to do what they haven't done since 2016 in order to contend for the College Football Playoffs, which is to beat both LSU and Georgia in the same season. 

With a lack of spring practices and trainings, the Gators could hold a competitive advantage over both teams entering this season.

For Georgia, quarterback Jake Fromm declared for the 2020 NFL Draft earlier this year, And of course, LSU's Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Joe Burrow is headed for the draft as well after posting record-breaking numbers. Burrow is currently slated to become the number one overall pick come April.

Both quarterback situations remain in limbo as spring sessions cease to exist. Any on-field workouts or team-building exercises are non-starters.

While redshirt junior quarterback, LSU's Myles Brennan, has been at the university for a few years, he has yet to start a game at the University. Trask, on the other hand, has benefited from plenty of playing time just last season. Over three seasons, Brennan has completed 40 out of 70 of his passes for 600 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions - hardly enough to offer high expectations.

The Tigers are also due to replace several key offensive pieces such as running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, wide receiver Justin Jefferson, tight end Thaddeus Moss, left tackle Saahdiq Charles, and center Lloyd Cushenberry III. All forwent their final years of eligibility to enter the NFL Draft. 

Of course, Brennan will benefit from Biletnikoff Award-winner Ja'Marr Chase, but that LSU offense has been gutted with the loss of its QB and several counterparts.

For Georgia, they're left under even more strenuous circumstances, while LSU has to replace several key contributors, including the quarterback, the Bulldogs are completely revamping their offense - with quarterbacks who have never stepped foot in the SEC and following a down year from their pass catchers.

The current projected starter for the Bulldogs in 2020 is graduate-transfer quarterback Jamie Newman. While Newman has some experience (19 games played), he is still unproven in the SEC.

Their other quarterback is incoming-freshman Carson Beck. According to a source, Beck has a previous relationship with the new Georgia offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Beck, a Jacksonville native, knew Monken while the offensive coordinator was a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars' coaching staff. If Newman falters, perhaps Monken would roll with the guy he knows as he gets back into the college game.

Georgia will also be replacing four starting offensive linemen next season in left tackle Andrew Thomas (draft), right guard Cade Mays (transfer), right guard Solomon Kindley (draft), and right tackle Isaiah Wilson (draft). 

While head coach Kirby Smart has been an elite recruiter for Georgia and has put loads of talent in the trenches, that's a lot to replace. Just ask Gators offensive line coach John Hevesy, who dealt with the same situation entering 2019. He'll tell you the same thing.

Now, taking a look at Florida, the Gators will lose a good amount of talent too - but perhaps not as drastically as either Georgia or LSU, and the consistency at quarterback should elevate the offense. 

Ironically the opposite of both Georgia this offseason, and UF's blocking unit this time last year, Florida returns four starters on the offensive line and has young talent looking to snatch the veteran's spots as well. And while four receivers - Van Jefferson, Freddie Swain, Tyrie Cleveland, and Josh Hammond - are out of eligibility, Florida still has the likes of tight end Kyle Pitts, and receivers Trevon Grimes, Kadarius Toney, and Jacob Copeland on the roster.

Though there are not many positives to gather from the ongoing pandemic facing the nation currently, from a football standpoint, the lack of spring training will appear to benefit Florida in the long-term as their competitors look to play catch up.