Florida’s run game has been the story of the Gators revamped offense in 2021. Prior to the season, SDS wrote that due to a deep, diverse stable of running backs and Dan Mullen’s ability to scheme to his strengths, the Gators’ run game had a chance to be one of the best in the SEC. Entering Tennessee week, the Gators’ ground game has been even better than anticipated.

The Gators head into their annual rivalry tilt with the Vols ranked No. 2 in the country in rushing offense and rushing success rate. The Gators average 336 yards per game rushing and are coming off a 245-yard rushing performance against Alabama where Florida averaged 5.7 yards per carry. Florida’s success rate against Alabama for their top 3 rushers was 54%, and their team total of 47% was the highest ground game total surrendered by the Crimson Tide since the 2019 Iron Bowl.

Schematically, Florida is doing it any number of ways, from naked and zone option concepts to power to zone reads and even traditional isolation concepts, like this one where Richard Gouraige wins a 1-on-1, freeing Pierce to turn the corner.

The talent in the running back room, as well as Florida’s two dynamic running quarterbacks, has certainly helped. The Gators already have 3 runners with over 200 yards rushing, and each has multiple “chunk” runs of 24 yards or more. As he promised before the season, Mullen is spreading things out as well, with 5 Gators carrying the ball 15 times or more, and 5 Gators with 100 yards rushing or more on the young campaign. The result is a rushing offense off to Florida’s best 3-game start in school history and the first time since 1981 Florida has averaged 300 plus on the ground through 3 games.

It’s a remarkable turnaround for a ground game that sputtered and stalled over the past 2 seasons. Florida finished 83rd and 99th in rushing offense in 2019 and 2020, and did so despite having NFL talents like Lamical Perine to give the football. While Mullen certainly adapted the offense to suit the strengths of the pocket passing Kyle Trask, Florida’s run game woes weren’t just about scheme. The Gators were consistently outplayed up front, struggling to get much push. Even when Florida tried double teams and overloads or used extra motion as eye candy in run concepts, Florida rarely won enough individual battles to run with any consistency.

That’s changed this season, as Florida, playing with the largest pound-for-pound o-line in the country, has established itself as a force to be reckoned with up front. Not only are the Gators getting a push, they are dominating elite defensive fronts. On this Malik Davis touchdown run, Florida just overwhelms Alabama inside — something we just didn’t see the past 2 seasons.

https://twitter.com/Smooth189/status/1439585650999808008?s=20

Mullen credits experience with the changed success more than anything they’ve managed to do schematically.

“We have played much better up front,” Mullen acknowledged Saturday night. “We’re a little bit more veteran in our front sevens on both sides of the ball than we were last year. Last year, you know, you kinda — all the superstars were out on the perimeter, and taking the snap and throwing the ball down the field. In the interior part, we’re a little bit more veteran, a little bit more experienced this year.”

Long confident in his offensive concepts, Mullen should take a bit of the credit for yet again adapting to the strengths of his personnel. If he won’t take the credit, Florida’s players will give it to him, as Emory Jones did Saturday night.

“Since we started in January with this team, we knew the run game was going to be a big part of our offensive scheme,” Jones said. “We trust (coach Mullen) to put us in a good position to succeed on the ground. We just try to keep working at that and I try to do my part. So we just keep getting better and keep trying to improve.”

Alabama ganged up to stop the run and couldn’t slow Florida much this weekend. Now, Tim Banks gets his shot with a Tennessee defense that has looked terrific against the run. The Vols stuffed a Group of 5 offense in Bowling Green (32 yards) and an FCS opponent in Tennessee Tech (35 yards), allowing only 1.3 yards per carry in those contests. The Vols even stymied Pitt’s run game in their 41-34 loss, limiting the Panthers to 96 yards on 45 attempts (2.1 yards per attempt). It was Tennessee’s secondary that failed in that game, allowing Kenny Pickett to rip the Vols apart for 285 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Vols’ success against the run to date will give them confidence as they enter The Swamp on Saturday night. But the reality is if Florida can move Alabama off blocks and get running backs into the second level, they should be able to control the game against Tennessee as well. But facing one of the nation’s top-ranked rushing defenses a week after Alabama is a nice reminder of life in the SEC, and a good challenge for a run game that has punished opponents to date.

If Florida is going to earn the rematch with Alabama it wanted moments after Saturday night’s game, they’ll need to ride then run game through Jacksonville and into Atlanta. Tennessee, which features what at present is the top-ranked run defense in the SEC, will be the next of several tests to figure out how sustainable a path that is for the Gators to get back to Atlanta.