Looking Back On, and Forward To, Florida's OL Group

Photo: Austin Barber; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The Gators are entering a crucial offseason, the second of head coach Billy Napier's tenure, looking to turn things around after Florida posted its second consecutive 6-7 record to conclude the 2022 campaign.

After nearly two dozen scholarship players entered the transfer portal and another ten declared for the NFL Draft, the roster will undoubtedly look a lot different in Napier's second year at the helm.

Therefore, All Gators is breaking down every position on Florida's roster as the offseason gets underway, looking back on every contributor's 2022 season and looking forward to each unit's 2023.

We've examined the past and future of the offensive skill positions with quarterback, running back and wide receiver and tight end breakdowns. Now, we shift our focus to the trenches to analyze a drastically changing offensive line for Florida.

Looking back

Napier put a heavy emphasis on the offensive line when he took over as head coach in December 2021.

Hiring two offensive line coaches, Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton, with three assistants whose sole purpose is to strengthen the front, Florida looked to bolster the inconsistent unit it inherited. Doing so would be imperative as the scheme’s staple rested within the rushing game.

Luckily for the group, the Gators returned a bevy of experienced players up front to serve as an adequate bridge for Napier and Co.

Richard Gouraige, a multi-year starter for Florida, exemplified that experience as a grizzled veteran. He appeared in 50 games during his five-year Gators career, starting in 41 of those games, primarily at left tackle with time at left guard as well.

Michael Tarquin commanded the tackle spot opposite Gouraige, living up to his potential after positive buzz during the offseason regimen.

Swing tackle Austin Barber also saw time rotating between the two tackle positions, spending more time at right than left but showing promise at both. Toward the end of the year, Barber found himself taking considerable snaps despite his constant movement between the two spots and the second-in-command label on the weekly depth chart.

That helped build depth and experience for his future role as a starter.

On the inside, Ethan White flanked Gouraige as the left guard. White performed well for Florida to sport arguably the best guard duo in the SEC, if not the country, according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics.

Florida’s best offensive lineman, a transfer from Louisiana-Lafayette, was unanimous All-American O’Cyrus Torrence at right guard. He created substantial push on rushing downs and was statistically the nation’s best pass protector.

Totaling 1,327 snaps in pass protection across his four-year, 46-start career at Louisiana and Florida, Torrence didn't allow a sack once across those reps, per PFF, and only gave up 20 quarterback pressures. He was also PFF’s highest-graded run-blocking guard in 2022.

Center Kingsley Eguakun rounded out the unit in his second season as the starter.

The group as a whole performed at a high level, opening holes for Montrell Johnson and Trevor Etienne. They boosted Florida to hold the No. 24 rushing offense in the country, averaging just over 200 yards on the ground per game. In addition, the unit ranked No. 7 in yards per rush at 5.51.

Each player took drastic steps forward from the year’s past, a testament to Sale and Stapleton's impact on the group.

However, Florida’s Las Vegas Bowl game saw a drastically different front five as injuries and bowl opt-outs forced tackle Kamryn Waites to assume Torrence’s right guard spot for the time being.

He also filled in for Richie Leonard IV — an occasional feature at RG when Torrence was off the field.

Torrence’s absence was noticeable, though, as Florida failed to find any success against Oregon State’s front seven. One of the nation’s top rushing attacks — albeit operating under vastly different circumstances — compiled just 39 yards on 33 carries.

As a result, the offensive line is again the focal point during the offseason.

However, the early returns from the immediate prioritization of the offensive trenches paid dividends in the success — albeit limited from a win-loss standpoint — the Gators saw in 2022.

Looking forward

After the impressive year in which the line produced at its highest rate since 2018, Florida is tasked with replacing the four starters it lost heading into 2023. 

Torrence and Gouraige are NFL Draft-bound while Tarquin and White are headed to USC to continue their collegiate playing careers.

As a result, Florida hit the market this offseason searching for four new additions alongside the lone incumbent starter Eguakun. Luckily for the Gators, their former swing tackle in Barber will fill in as a starting tackle, likely on the left, after seeing substantial time in rotation in 2022.

Most of his experience comes from the right side of the line, but he started to rotate in with Gouraige down the season's closing stretch. He excelled in both spots to give the Gators a potential bookend left tackle talent with multiple years of eligibility remaining.

The rest of the starters will be new faces. Some return from depth spots on the roster in 2022, while others make up a winter portal class that Napier is proud of assembling.

"It's probably one of the areas where I think we did the best work," he said on Wednesday. "When you think about, you know, the traits there. We've got some experienced players, but I also think some of the young players that we added have significant height, length, functional movement, bright futures." 

Next to Barber will likely be the highlighting entity in the Gators portal activity this offseason, concerning talent and expected usage.

When Napier, Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton hit the portal searching for a replacement for their unanimous All-American right guard, Baylor's Micah Mazzccua stood atop the pack as the piece they needed to maintain the success up front.

In 898 snaps throughout his career, Mazzccua manned a starting role for 10 games as a third-year sophomore in 2022. He allowed just one sack and 14 quarterback pressures in that stretch and earned a run-blocking grade of 76.9 out of 100 as a first-teamer, according to Pro Football Focus.

Those metrics, albeit incomparable to the dominance Torrence displayed, are amongst the best in college football.

While he won't directly align in Torrence's spot, having spent the majority of his time at the opposite guard position throughout his career with Dave Aranda's Bears, he'll maintain the interior talent that allowed Florida to boast one of the strongest rushing games in the nation and keep former quarterback Anthony Richardson's jersey clean in pass protection.

Mazzcua's presence at LG next to Barber is expected to make the left side of the offensive front a strength for UF.

The other side of the line, however, remains in flux.

At right guard, returning members of the Gators roster, Richie Leonard IV and Jalen Farmer, will compete for the potential elevation throughout the spring and likely into fall camp.

Leonard saw time toward the end of the season, similarly to Barber but in smaller volume, in relief of Torrence as he worked through injury. He performed well during his time there to build his in-game resume to take over this spot this season. 

However, Farmer's continued to shine during the Florida practice setting, showcasing the talents that made Kentucky and Alabama make late pushes for his services to close the 2022 class. It's led to a solidified spot on UF’s two-deep depth chart as a true freshman and lofty expectations when his time to step into a starting role comes.

Equipped with a mean streak and relative youth to Leonard, Farmer has a legitimate shot at winning the position battle. He'll have to make up ground there to overtake the more experienced candidate, but it's not a foregone conclusion that the spot is Leonard's. At least as it currently stands.

Alabama transfer Dameion George — traditionally a tackle — is a dark horse for starting RG if he doesn't win the vacant right tackle spot. His flexibility is a positive for Florida given the relative lack of depth (still) on the o-line.

George will be competing with Kentucky transfer Kiyaunta Goodwin and Jordan Herman.

However, each carries baggage relating to necessary development that makes the race for starting right tackle even more interesting. 

George comes to Gainesville after a disappointing stint in Tuscaloosa, where he failed to see the field substantially and was beaten out to assume starting duties by a freshman in 2022.

The other viable transfer to assume the role, Goodwin, enters in the process of a drastic transformation to present a game-ready build for the SEC competition and slate.

But, the structure UF provides could be uber-beneficial for the talented tackle from a frame standpoint, though. If he can reshape himself, the former five-star prospect is likely the frontrunner to assume the position.

Herman, one of the new staff's first additions from Hutchinson Community College, is still in the development process after entering the fold as a massive but technically raw prospect in June 2020.

As a result, with each player with a claim for the spot having a hurdle to overcome, right tackle is most likely the last position solidified on the offensive line this offseason.

Ultimately, the expected production of this patchwork offensive line is unknown, although considerable optimism exists within the Florida football building. Despite the potential it boasts, replicating and even elevating the offense will define its success.