Banged up Gators know LSU game will be decided in the trenches

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Gators are well aware that LSU ran for 418 yards against Missouri. Linebacker Alex Anzalone says that’s to be expected from the Bayou Bengals.

“I mean, their tradition is running the ball,” Anzalone said. “That’s one of the biggest things to prepare for going against them. It should be a good challenge for us and it should be fun.”

A good challenge is one way to look at it.

The Gators are second in the SEC in run defense — allowing a scant 90 yards per game. They haven’t allowed a 200-yard game yet. Last season, they allowed just four. But their roughest day came in Baton Rouge, when LSU averaged 5.39 yards per carry en route to 221 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

Saturday, all four of UF’s first-string defensive linemen – DE Jordan Sherit, DE Bryan Cox Jr., DT Joey Ivie and DT Caleb Brantley – have been hit by the injury bug. Ivie and Sherit are out Saturday, while Brantley and Cox are questionable. (Cece Jefferson technically isn’t a starter but obviously is a key part of the rotation.)

Anzalone knows the injuries will have an impact.

“I think it’s big,” he said. “Jordan Sherit is a big-time player for us and losing him definitely hurts. But we have a lot of young guys that can help out and step up. That’s why you come to Florida, is to play as a freshman. You don’t come here to redshirt and do whatever. I’m excited to see a lot of the young guys play and step up. It’s next man up, and that’s our mentality going into this week.”

The Gators could also be doing some shuffling on offense. Left tackle David Sharpe is dealing with a shoulder injury, and that could result in sliding left guard Martez Ivey outside and replacing him with Tyler Jordan.

Regardless of how they line up, the Gators will be looking to establish the ground game.

“We want to run the ball,” quarterback Austin Appleby said. “We’ve got all these backs. We’ve got a big offensive line. We want to pound the football. And from that, we want to get into our play-action pass kit and use our tight ends and throw the ball deep to our weapons on the outside. But it starts up front. We’ve got to be able to run the ball against any look. Whether they’re putting nine or 10 guys in the box or whether it’s middle of the field open, cover two.

“We’ve got to be able to run the ball against anybody. And from that, everything kind of branches off of that. We’ve got to be able to play that smash-mouth style football that we’re capable of. We do it at times, we’ve just got to bring it every single day.”

For the past six quarters, Florida’s offensive line hasn’t been able to open up consistent running lanes or pass protect. Coach Jim McElwain knows that LSU’s front seven will cause problems.

“When you talk about their defensive ends, we couldn’t block (No.) 92 last year let alone (No.) 49,” McElwain said of Lewis Neal and Arden Key, respectively. “That guy can change a game. We’ve got to make sure where they’re at at all times.”

Neal was the troublemaker a year ago, registering three sacks against the Gators. This season, Key leads the SEC and is second nationally with seven sacks.

Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Dynamic pass-rushers have been a problem for Florida lately. Sharpe was no match for Tennessee DE Derek Barnett, who notched two sacks and three tackles for loss in his second-half takeover of the game against UF. This past Saturday, Vanderbilt’s Adam Butler recorded two more sacks.

With rushing yard numbers down the past two weeks as well, all eyes will be on the Gators’ offensive line against LSU. There’s one excuse that McElwain won’t accept for Florida’s problems up front.

“You know what? This whole young offensive line thing, I’m over that,” he said. “These guys have played enough. I’m not one of these coaches who’s going to sit up here and pull the youth card. They’ve played enough.”