Perceptions shift quickly during the college football offseason, and spring practice jolts momentum for programs in both positive and negative directions.
But those impressions don’t always translate into success during the season, especially in the SEC. With nine conference games now standard, strength of schedule and depth along the roster become the deciding factor between contenders.
CBS Sports examined several SEC “overreactions” following April football. College football writer Brad Crawford pushed back on narratives surrounding programs across the conference. He says offseason optimism must be balanced with the realities of how unforgiving the college football ecosystem can be.
And reality for the Gators is that they have one of the toughest schedules in the nation. Crawford reinforces the depth of the conference with programs like Texas, Georgia, LSU and Alabama remaining the standard that Florida is still striving towards.
The perception around Florida has swayed tremendously since the arrival of new head coach Jon Sumrall. New culture brought by the former Tulane skipper and an overturned roster have emerged as major themes for the Orange and Blue. Yet, Florida’s offseason hype still comes with lots of uncertainty. For Sumrall, stabilizing the program in year one is paramount if the Gators want to climb out of the conference cellar.
Stabilizing the program will likely mean finding security at the most important position on the field. The quarterback battle for Florida is “under a microscope,” as Crawford states and is the “biggest swing factor” for Sumrall’s first season. Build-up around Florida may not take into consideration the unsettled battle behind center.
Despite the undeniable collection of talent, next season could be sunk by an inconsistent pass game. While skilled, both the Gators’ options are inexperienced, which could be a sobering reality check for Florida this fall.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: QB woes may doom Florida says CBS Sports in post-spring overreactions
Reporting by Michael Long, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
