GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- It’s week seven and the Gators are preparing for another top ten matchup, this time against the LSU Tigers.
“Our ultimate goal is to get back to the national championship,” said center Nick Buchanan. “And to get to national championship, you have to beat top-10 teams. So, I guess beating this team right here would just put us one step closer to our goal.”
This week will be different.
No home field advantage, but instead a night game in Death Valley.
Florida’s offensive line will be challenged, both by LSU’s defense and the deafening crowd at Tiger Stadium. Only a few of Florida's linemen have ever played in an environment like LSU's stadium and even fewer of the guys have ever stepped foot into Death Valley.
“We played down there, it's a third-and-10, and you couldn't hear anything,” said co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach John Hevesy about his experience in Baton Rouge. “The quarterback is yelling in the tackles' ears -- I mean, right next to him, all five of them -- and still had trouble hearing.”
The Gators saw the impact the home crowd had on Auburn’s offense last week and are preparing to stay calm and collected despite the noise.
“We got the speakers up as loud as we can,” said Hevesy. “Big speakers, about 10 feet behind them so I don't know if they can hear anything, but they just have to start learning the cadence of everything we've got to be on top of.”
Hevesy is placing a lot of responsibility on the back of redshirt senior Nick Buchanan for this game. He traveled to LSU in 2016 and bore witness to the infamous goal-line stand.
“(Buchanan) has got to be the one watching the shot clock just to make sure, he's got to tell him, 'Hurry up, hurry up, let's get moving,’” said Hevesy.
This year, he’s got to be a leader and get the guys set as quickly as possible.
“We can't be sitting there, lollygagging around and watching that clock run down,” said Hevesy. “We got to get up, get set, shut up and listen.”
Timing will be everything.
The noise will be no excuse for unnecessary penalties. After the first few offensive plays, the Gators will have to find their rhythm and block everything else out.
“You're going to burn probably eight seconds off just trying to hear everything with the quarterback telling everyone the play compared to just yelling it across the board once,” said Hevesy.
Going into another game as the perceived underdogs, the Gators will have to adjust to the noise quickly and stay on task. The line’s primary goal will be protecting quarterback Kyle Trask and giving him enough time to get the ball out.
It’s likely the Gators will have to rely on their passing game again, since they managed nearly twice as many first downs passing the ball than rushing it this season.
It’s important the line stay on assignment and let Trask work his magic, if the they want to walk away with the 'W'.
LSU’s defense has racked up 13 sacks on the season - linebacker Damone Clark leads the pack with 1.5. Florida has allowed eight sacks this year, averaging 1.6 per game. If the line can keep that from happening and keep Trask on his feet, they stand a chance to stun LSU at home again this year.
“We won a big game last week,” said Buchanan. “But now, people are saying this is an even bigger game. So, it’s not about the respect or anything about that. It’s about going out every Saturday and doing what you’ve got to do to come home with a W.”
