The Florida Gators were too inconsistent at quarterback, too young on the offensive line and too far behind Georgia to make a run at this season's Southeastern Conference Eastern Division title.
Things would take time under first-year coach Jim McElwain, so the Gators were at least a year away.
Scratch that, please, because Florida can win its first East championship since 2009 with a win this Saturday over visiting Vanderbilt. The Gators got on the doorstep of an unlikely title with a 27-3 thumping of the reeling Bulldogs last weekend in Jacksonville.
SEC logoSEC this week
Thursday9 p.m.: Miss. State at Missouri, ESPNSaturdayNoon: Vanderbilt at Florida, ESPNNoon: Kentucky at Georgia, SEC Network3:30: Arkansas at Ole Miss, CBS4: South Carolina at Tennessee, SEC Network7:30: Auburn at Texas A&M, SEC Network8: LSU at Alabama, CBS
"Coming in, that's always your goal," Gators senior defensive tackle Jonathan Bullard said Saturday night, "but with a new coaching staff, you're thinking it may be a little rocky. I just applaud Coach Mac and the way he came in and got things changed.
"Everybody just stepped in together and got the young guys right in, and it paid off."
Picked fifth in the East in July behind Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri and South Carolina, the Gators have arrived in November with a 7-1 record and a No. 11 national ranking. They have overcome adversity with the suspension of No. 1 quarterback Will Grier after six games, and their lone loss was a 35-28 thriller at No. 4 LSU.
All this for a program that had struggled to an 11-13 record in Will Muschamp's final two seasons at the helm.
"Finishing 4-8 and 7-5 is not the expectation, but we grew from it," said junior cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III. "It actually helped us a lot, and I'm actually glad we went through it, because it has helped turn around this year. We've got a lot more to finish, but I think ultimately it helped us."
Florida was never bad defensively in the Muschamp era, and McElwain was a welcomed hire given his offensive track record as Alabama's offensive coordinator for four seasons and his three-year stint as Colorado State's head coach, but he had work to do.
The Gators were routinely ranking outside the top 100 nationally in total offense and began this year with last season's primary starting quarterback, Jeff Driskel, having transferred to Louisiana Tech. The offensive line had been ravaged by injuries, with even touted freshman Martez Ivey having to miss the start of this season, but the Gators used a 63-yard touchdown pass from Grier to freshman Antonio Callaway on fourth-and-14 on Sept. 26 to stun Tennessee, 28-27, and produced 258 rushing yards last Saturday to pound the Bulldogs out of the race.
"Obviously we could barely score last year, and that's why we lost some games," senior right guard Trip Thurman said. "We just couldn't score in certain situations or move the ball in a four-minute offense, and when one side of the ball is not doing its job correctly, it kind of puts a burden on the other side."
Florida players often spoke freely about the gap in recent seasons between the offense and defense. McElwain would have none of that upon his arrival, instead instilling a desire to play up every contest and enjoy each Saturday.
McElwain has been asked several times recently whether he's surprised by this season's results, and he's yet to answer in the affirmative.
"I don't expect to lose, and I think we should never come into an event thinking we are going to come in second," he said. "One thing you learn real quick in this business is that there are no participation remedies. We slipped up a couple of weeks ago and gave up some big plays, but you learn from it and keep moving forward.
"So I'm not surprised. It's just how we're built. Every guy on our team is competitive."
Backup quarterback Treon Harris won his second game against Georgia, having led the Gators to a 38-20 upset last year. He threw for 155 yards and a touchdown despite completing just 8 of 19 passes, giving McElwain the right to say there is plenty of room for additional improvement.
The Gators wouldn't be so close to an East title had Grier and Callaway not connected against the Volunteers, but Florida certainly has seized nearly every moment that has come its way.
"Everybody here knows what it's like to lose more than you win," Hargreaves said. "Nobody wants to feel that way anymore. Our guys are motivated. Our guys want to be good."
Said McElwain: "These guys love to compete and are fun to be around, and they realize that every Saturday is a new opportunity."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.