Chris Doering isn’t ratcheting the panic meter all the way up, but he does see some needed areas of improvement after Florida’a 24-11 at Utah in Week 1.

During an appearance on Pregaming The SEC, the former Florida Gator wide receiver and current SEC Now analyst has the panic level at 7 for his alma mater going into the home opener vs. McNeese.

However, Doering made it a point of emphasis to explain some positives.

“I would say 7 with the factors keeping it from being an 8 or a 9 or a 10 being that I saw more playmakers around the quarterback position than I did last year. I thought Graham Mertz did some nice things,” Doering said. “I’m hopeful that they can shore up the offensive line a little bit. I’m hopeful that they can run the ball a little bit better. I know the talent that they have back there with [Trevor] Etienne and [Montrell] Johnson. I was impressed with the defense.”

As for the negatives, Doering emphasized Utah’s 70-yard touchdown from Bryson Barnes to Money Parks on Utah’s first drive and a 3rd quarter interception on a drop from Florida’s Ricky Pearsall.

“But that was 1 player’s failure. That was the safety in [R.J.] Moten that’s typically playing down in the box if you go back and watch his career at Michigan..,” Doering said of the early defensive miscue. “He rotates back to the middle, gets caught looking at the over route instead of understanding that he’s got inside help on the post route.”

Doering is proud of the way Florida’s defense regrouped after halftime to limit Utah to 7 points after the break.

“Other than that, I thought the defense played pretty well and did a lot of what you asked at least in the 2nd half to keep you in the ballgame and wait for your offense to show up,” Doering said.

Florida vs. McNeese is set for Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m. EST and will be televised on ESPNU.