Report: Florida Right Guard Chris Bleich Enters Transfer Portal
Florida Gators starting right guard Chris Bleich has entered the transfer portal, Thomas Goldkamp of Swamp247.com reports.
Bleich, a redshirt freshman, was penciled in as the team's starting right guard in spring camp, and has held onto the position all season long, other than in Florida's 42-28 victory over South Carolina last month when Bleich was dealing with foot blisters. Bleich was held out of the game.
Head coach Dan Mullen told the media in the weekly SEC Teleconference that Bleich left the program to deal with "family issues".
Redshirt freshman Richard Gouraige started in place of Bleich against the Gamecocks, and saw an increased role against in this past weekend's loss to the Georgia Bulldogs, playing 42 of the team's 56 offensive snaps. Gouraige has focused on left guard, sliding starter Brett Heggie to Bleich's spot.
Gouraige has been a serviceable pass protector for the Gators over his 167 pass snaps this year (of 282 total). According to Pro Football Focus, the left guard has only allowed seven quarterback pressures, averaging one nearly every 24 dropbacks. That compares to Bleich's 12 allowed pressures on 209 pass snaps, equaling a pressure allowed every 17.4 dropbacks.
On Monday, head coach Dan Mullen told the media that Gouraige "did a pretty good job" against Georgia's defense this past Saturday. Mullen was also vocal on Bleich's development.
"We’re looking at those, I think you look the two, other than the two young guys on the O-line, the two freshmen on the O-line are growing, developing and they’re getting reps and they’re going to be good in the future. We try to not put too much on individually on either one of them. They’re both developing nicely. I think Richard’s doing a really nice job because we ask him to play multiple positions for depth purposes. I think it’s going to really help him out long term.”
Bleich was listed as the starting right guard on Monday's depth chart, ahead of redshirt sophomore T.J. Moore.
True freshman guard Ethan White is expected to step into the role of Florida's sixth offensive lineman as Gouraige enters the starting lineup. Offensive line coach John Hevesy stated his confidence in the freshman last night when speaking with the media.
"I told him today, I said 'opportunities come'," said Hevesy of White. "That’s what you came here for. You didn’t come here to sit next to me on the sidelines. So your opportunity is here, go play."
