Florida Gators Offense Must Find Killer Instinct Against Aggies

For the Florida Gators, the talk of the town has been the team's explosive offense over the first two weeks of the SEC's 10-game, conference-only schedule. Against South Carolina last week, however, it appeared the offense took their foot off the gas a little, and they won't be able to do the same this weekend as they take on the Texas A&M Aggies.

Finding a killer instinct on offense takes time, however, Florida, along with all the other SEC teams in the league, won't be able to take plays off and slide by due to the tough schedule. No, Florida isn't playing a team like Eastern Washington like it was originally scheduled to this year, they're playing more talented programs within its own conference.

Against the Gamecocks, Florida, up 38-17 near the end of the third quarter completely sputtered on offense, allowing South Carolina to battle back by way of an 11-play, 39-yard touchdown drive coming off the heels of an interception by Gators quarterback Kyle Trask. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson addressed the issue with the media earlier this week.

"We’ve gotta find a way to finish drives off and really just finish the game," said Johnson when asked about the team's inability to deliver the knockout-punch to South Carolina on Monday. "Really disappointing to come out and particularly in those fourth quarters, going three-and-out, turning the ball over, and just letting them hang around. We gotta finish the game and play better.”

While South Carolina wouldn't go on to score any more points - and Florida would ultimately win 38-24 - after a three-and-out by the Florida offense, the Gators simply gave a team they were heavily favored to defeat, the capacity to nearly bounce back due to general sloppiness by an offense that knows it can perform better. Simply put, they let their foot off the gas and it nearly cost them.

"We went back and dissected on how we can finish those drives and just understanding situational football," said Johnson. "At that point and time of the game, it’s all about first downs and not going three-and-out. The only thing that can mess up a game like that is to go three-and-out or continuously turn the football over."

Johnson explained that the coaches can do a better job in teaching the fundamentals of situational football, knowing what to do at the end of the game. Specifically, Johnson pointed to Trask as a player who can grow into understanding when to take a shot, when to check down, and, ultimately, get a first down that will enable a team to deliver a knockout-punch with better efficiency.

Against the Aggies, the Gators will have to be even more efficient. As Gators head coach Dan Mullen told the media on Monday, Texas A&M boasts the best defensive front they've seen thus far this season - a real test to the Florida offense, and specifically its offensive line.

"They're very, very talented players, got a veteran quarterback, they got a bunch of really good skill players offensively that can make plays in the pass game and in the run game," Mullen said on Monday when asked about the challenges the Aggies presents.

"You know, defensively, hands down the best defensive front we've seen. They've been more banged up in the secondary, but they got really athletic guys and veteran linebackers. Certainly a team, I know that preseason a lot of people expect them to go compete for the SEC West championship, and you can see why on film that they are a legit football team."

The Aggies have several veterans along its defensive front four, including two seniors and a red-shirt junior to boot. Florida must stay vigilant and it will start with Trask and the offensive line to get ahead and stay ahead against Texas A&M on Saturday at 12 p.m., ET.