Film Study: Gators' run game in capable hands with Taylor and Scarlett

As much as supporters of the University of Florida hate to admit, the fastest way for the Gators to restore their program back to the respectability it rightfully deserves is to build from the inside out.

Meaning Florida must dominate both lines of scrimmage in an effort to not only set the tone in games, but most importantly establish that it won’t be bullied even in the most physical conference in existence.

Luckily, ousted head coach Will Muschamp left new head man Jim McElwain with a team capable of being as physical as it gets on defense, as witnessed by its 15th-ranked unit, while laying the groundwork for the offense to be able to continually dominate with its ground attack.

Now all that’s left for McElwain, and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, is to develop the passing concepts that will undoubtedly be set up by the rushing attack — much to the chagrin of those longing for the Fun ‘n’ Gun days of Steve Spurrier past.

While rising junior running back Kelvin Taylor looks to be a breakout star for the Gators’ potential switch to a zone-blocking run scheme, his counterpart Matt Jones made the unfortunate decision to declare for the NFL draft after leading the Gators in rushing last season.

But in an unsuspected surprise, the Gators picked up a running back who looks to be every bit Jones’ equal and a potential better fit for an area-blocking scheme, former St. Thomas Aquinas standout Jordan Scarlett.

Now the two offensive coaches who are used to running back tandems have a one-two punch that looks like it has the ability to be as potent as we’ve seen in Gainesville in a while.

Let the games begin.

Mac & Nuss

It’s been well-chronicled my knowledge of both McElwain and Nussmeier’s schemes behind my time spent covering the University of Alabama — where the pair were subsequent OC’s from 2008-13.

Both had the benefit of having an NFL-caliber running back tandem: Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson for McElwain, while Nussmeier was blessed with Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon.

Coach Mac loved to operate out of a gap-based scheme designed at getting his punishing offensive line moving forward and creating havoc for his 220-pound backs. But as his scheme has evolved, he’s incorporated a ton of area blocking — deriving power and explosiveness from it, as well.

He’s a big believer in “12 personnel” as it allows him two versatile “Y” targets who create mismatches all over the field. His alignment of choice, lately, has been the pistol formation which creates downhill running lanes and allows the quarterback to execute back-to-the-defense play-action fakes.

Here’s a play I previously chronicled that most illustrates a staple in Coach Mac’s playbook: The zone-stretch from the Pistol.

Nussmeier is virtually a pure zone coach who has an eye for talent that can fit that particular scheme. While he lucked up with Lacy being able to fit the scheme — mostly due to his nimble feet, despite being a power runner — he identified Yeldon as someone who runs with the prerequisite patience and vision it takes to master the scheme.

But moreover, Bama’s current star, the 6’3″, 241-pound Derrick Henry, may be the best zone-stretch runner I’ve seen not named Arian Foster (Houston Texans). His ability to be be patient enough to let the organic cut-back lanes form is almost unparalleled.

Alabama’s current OC Lane Kiffin almost exclusively ran zone principles whenever Henry was in the game last season. The above play was a Nussmeier special with Henry the season prior; Henry does a fantastic job acting as if he’s going to press the play-side only to use a jump-stop move to cut it back against the grain.

For Mac and Nuss’ scheme to fully function it needs a back to be close to 210 pounds with some serious agility, patience and vision; UF has everything they need in Taylor and Scarlett.

Taylor

Color me impressed with everything I’ve seen from Taylor in his first two seasons as a Gator. Arriving with plenty of hype, in part because his father is one of the greatest running backs ever in Fred Taylor (former Gator and long-time Jacksonville Jaguar), the 5’10” 209-pound Kelvin had a lot to live up to following in his father’s footsteps.

Despite being in the aforementioned time share with Jones, Taylor has accumulated 1,073 yards on just 227 carries, averaging 4.7 yards per tote (10 touchdowns). Sharing the load with Jones, and the graduating Mack Brown, often left Taylor feeling frustrated.

And while he’s been productive, it always felt as though he had even more to offer. Skill-set wise, Taylor doesn’t possess that extra gear found in a player like Henry, but he may be an exact clone of Yeldon as both have some serious short-area agility.

Most of Taylor’s runs came within a gap-blocking scheme, but you can clearly see how his skill-set will transfer to area blocking.

This particular run stood out to me because it plainly illustrates Taylor’s vision and cut-back ability.

Breaking explosive plays may be the norm for Taylor operating out of a zone-blocking scheme due to his ability to both make people miss and run through them. Make no mistake about it; I expect the Gators to vary their blocking so Taylor’s exploits within a gap approach will still be on display.

Scarlett

Jordan Scarlett first caught my attention when he made the curious decision to originally commit to unheralded Florida Atlantic University as a highly touted prospect coming from the South Florida area. Since then, Scarlett was virtually linked to just about every school in the Sunshine State — most notably the University of Miami.

But in what was undoubtedly a shock to the system, Scarlett decided, last minute, to pledge his allegiance to the Gators in a move that was just what the doctor ordered for McElwain and Nussmeier’s scheme.

Listed at 5’11”, 207 pounds, with the frame to easily get up to 220 pounds in the Gators’ strength and conditioning program, Scarlett does appear to have that extra gear to hit home runs when he gets past second-level defenders.

Case in point: Scarlett showed that he has a very similar skill-set to Taylor, in the above sequence, as he broke two defender’s ankles in close quarters on his way to this explosive TD.

The Gators’ run game will be tough for the rest of the SEC to deal with as long as McElwain and Nussmeier are at the helm. Once the pair develop a QB, and a competent vertical attack, we can very much expect what we saw from them in Tuscaloosa.

Gators’ fans will come to enjoy the the “Mac-and-Nuss” offensive scheme, especially when those wins start piling up.

Note: The Gators’ staff pulled off an additional feat on National Signing Day with the wooing of former Auburn commit D’Afernee McGriff, a 6’1″, 230-pound freak with
 speed to burn. Now the running back corps may remind some of when McElwain had Ingram, Lacy and Richardson at the same time; Scary!