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Jim McElwain says Gators aren’t content, still looking to improve in many areas
By John Hollis
Published:
It wasn’t pretty, but Florida coach Jim McElwain remained proud of Saturday’s 9-7 win over Vanderbilt because it took the Gators into “unchartered waters” by assuring the school’s first SEC Championship game appearance since 2009.
The experience will be a first for all of the current Gators.
“It’s really a discovery for a program that should be in this position every year,” McElwain said during Monday’s weekly press conference.”
The 11th-ranked Gators will wrap up their SEC slate at South Carolina on Saturday but needed a come-from-behind win over the lowly Commodores to clinch the SEC East crown and a berth in the conference championship game.
Florida won despite committing 4 turnovers and managing just 57 yards of total offense in the second half. An Austin Hardin 43-yard field goal with 2:22 was the difference as the Gators escaped with the victory.
“When we needed, we finished,” McElwain said.
However, McElwain was quick to say that the Gators have plenty of areas in which to improve, particularly along an offensive line that was manhandled by Vanderbilt.
The problems up front played a role in quarterback Treon Harris’ shaky performance that saw him go 12 of 24 for 158 yards and an interception. Harris was sacked 3 times and harassed for most of the afternoon.
McElwain expressed disappointment that some of his players didn’t “answer the bell” but sounded confident that he and his staff would right things in practice this week.
“We’ve got a ways to go,” he said. “We’ll get there.”
Out For a Half
Defensive end Jordan Sherit will miss the first half of Saturday’s game against South Carolina after being ejected from the Vanderbilt game for targeting. It will mark the second consecutive week that a Gators player has been similarly punished for targeting. Freshman tailback Jordan Cronkrite missed the first half of the Vanderbilt game after being called for the same penalty against Georgia.
Injury Update
• DT Joey Ivie (undisclosed injury) is out for Saturday’s game against South Carolina, McElwain said. DE Jonathan Bullard (arm) is doubtful, while OT David Sharpe (foot) and FS Keanu Neal (foot) are both questionable.
John Hollis is a contributing writer for Saturday Down South. He covers Georgia and Florida.
