Florida may possess some of the most under-appreciated groups of skill players in the SEC this season.

Depending on how much of a liability the offensive line turns out to be, and what performance the Gators get from the starting quarterback, that may remain the case throughout 2015.

But with coach Jim McElwain shaping the offense, things are exciting for players like Demarcus Robinson, Jake McGee, Ahmad Fullwood and Brandon Powell.

“Everybody keeps saying we only have one playmaker, Demarcus Robinson,” Powell said, according to ESPN.com. “We have a ton of athletes on offense. Last year, we just couldn’t show it with the play calls. With coach Mac coming in, it will show. You already see it in practice. People are making plays in practice that didn’t even touch the field last year.

“He knows how to use his players, and that will show this year.”

Robinson, one of the most overlooked talents in the conference, managed to surpass 800 receiving yards as a sophomore while catching passes from Jeff Driskel and Treon Harris within an ineffective offense.

McElwain just coached Biletnikoff Award finalist Rashard Higgins at Colorado State last year, and if he can get Robinson to improve his concentration and eliminate some drops. Robinson has yet to enjoy outstanding or consistent coaching at the position.

Florida has hired seven receivers coaches in the last seven years. Florida’s new coach called the 2015 group of receivers the Land of Misfit Toys, each of them recruited for a different system or purpose.

During the Will Muschamp era, the Gators generally favored a physical running game that made the program less attractive to touted in-state high school pass-catchers. To find the last 1,000-yard receiver in Gainesville requires an exploration of the Ron Zook era: Taylor Jacobs surpassed that number in 2002.

 

With McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, two former national championship coordinators at Alabama, UF is committed to changing that.

Fans hope to see some in-state receiving talent diverted back toward Gainesville starting in February. Meanwhile, if the line and the quarterback can uphold their part of the offense, this year’s group is good at the top.

McGee, a 6-foot-6 senior tight end, caught 43 passes at the University of Virginia in ’13. A forgotten man after breaking his leg early last season, he could lead the SEC in receiving production from the tight end position.

Fullwood and Latroy Pittman should be more expansive and consistent contributors in the ’15 offense, while Powell, who split time between running back and receiver last year, gives the team an athletic, versatile option. He’s a bit overlooked as well after missing the second half of spring practice due to a hamstring injury.

“Sometimes playing with a chip on your shoulder ain’t a bad thing,” McElwain told ESPN. “Yeah, we have some guys who aren’t household names, but it’s our responsibility to put them in a position through a shift, through a formation, through a motion to try and create a matchup to help them make an explosive play.”

In that same ESPN article, Powell credited McElwain with having “a good feel for getting the ball to his playmakers” and indicated the Gators have embraced the “nobody believes in us” mentality.

Florida may not finish 2015 among the national leaders in passing yards or blow anybody off the field like the Steve Spurrier Fun ‘n’ Gun offenses of old. But it’s not because the team lacks capable pass-catchers. Look close enough at receiver and tight end this season, avoid following the football, and you may see above-average SEC talent.