Mullen Expresses Comfort With Left Side of Florida Gators Offensive Line

The groundwork for a critical position group has seemingly been set.

In Dan Mullen's first season as head coach, the offensive identity of the Gators squad rested in a dynamic rushing attack anchored by a veteran offensive line group that hoisted a 4-7 team the year prior to an 11-win record and a New Years Six Bowl bid.

Losing Jawaan Taylor, Martez Ivey, Tyler Jordan and Fred Johnson following that season, the Gators were forced to restructure the offensive line with a number of inexperienced players. Struggling to gain a similar success early on in 2019, mixed with a change at the quarterback position following the leg injury to Feleipe Franks, Florida has since abandoned the rushing game in favor of a more pass-oriented system in the past two seasons.

However, with pro-style passer Kyle Trask moving on to the professional ranks, and the dual-threat presence of Emory Jones stepping into the limelight for Florida, Mullen and company are looking to regain the success they found on the ground in 2018 in the upcoming season. A major piece of that puzzle will be the second reconstruction of the offensive line in Mullen's tenure due to notable departures — center Brett Heggie and left tackle Stone Forsythe — and lack of success recruiting the trenches.

With this reconfiguration, multiple players that previously saw starting time are being moved around to fill holes that have been created. Notably on the left side.

"The guys we're most comfortable with on the offensive line are definitely Richard Gouraige and Ethan White on the left side of the line, you know, left tackle, left guard," said Mullen when talking to media members on Monday. "Those guys playing those spots right now, [we] feel very comfortable with those two on that left side."

Gouriage, who saw the bulk of his time at left guard last season alongside a vastly improved tackle in Forsythe, was recruited out of high school to play the tackle position and provides the Gators with much-needed experience to a unit that will be a deciding factor in the success of the team next season.

Possessing the length and nimbleness it requires to occupy the exterior spot on the offensive line, the coaching staff is confident in Gouriage's ability to make a clean transition back to the tackle spot.

In fact, it is a possibility that even Gouriage emerges as the headlining act of the Gators offensive line next season.

White, on the other hand, is scheduled to finally makes his awaited debut in the Gators permanent starting lineup following an injury that derailed his chances of doing so last season. Bursting onto campus with the understanding that it would take some significant time before his body would be ready for SEC action, White has exceeded expectations to lose weight and undergo a complete frame makeover.

Equipped with a towering presence, an evident work ethic and a mean streak that the Gators offensive line has sorely been missing as of late, it makes sense for Mullen and offensive line coach John Hevesy to be content with their two best offensive linemen playing alongside each other on the left side.

Providing size and power to the left side of the line, Gouriage and White give the Gators a strength to lean upon while the right side of the line finds its groove into the early weeks of the fall.

With the focus being on the run game, Mullen emphasized his pleasure with the improvements the unit has been making but believes there is still room to grow from a consistency standpoint.

"I think it's been good. I think we've got to get a lot better. I think the biggest thing we're missing right now is our guys, the consistency of performance, little mental errors, not just on the offensive line but just everywhere," Mullen said.

However, Mullen believes those small mistakes are fixable with greater attention to detail. "That happens sometimes in spring because you're worried about, 'Am I making plays, am I competing for a position? I'm learning what we're doing.' That loses the attention to detail on some small things, so that was probably something that we've got to constantly focus on, is making sure we're on top of all the little details."

As a unit that is under the microscope, the center, right guard and right tackle positions are still yet to be occupied for what is the most critical position group of the 2021 season. With Stewart Reese, Joshua Braun, Jean Delance and others jockeying for the position, the competition aspect of offseason workouts are in full effect.

With the left side being solidified, a firm foundation for increased production from the rushing game containing Dameon Pierce, Demarkcus Bowman, Malik Davis and Lorenzo Lingard, as well as Jones, has been set.