GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- The Florida run game is a work in progress.

The Gators offensive line is a work in progress.

The UF run blocking is a work in progress.

This is not surprising. We knew that was going to be the case prior to the season starting.

While the OL group has done well in pass protection, the group has failed to push up enough to secure a good ground game. Florida has rushed for 421 yards, 4.6 yards per carry in the first three games. This is good enough for third to last in the SEC.

"Really just focusing on some small things," said offensive line Brett Heggie. "You know, looking back at film we’re one block away from a big play. It’s frustrating to see, but really just moving on and get it right for this game we’re playing against Tennessee and again just focusing on the small things. We’re close to breaking big plays and we just have to put it all together.”

“Nothing I can do as a running back," said Dameon Pierce. "Like I said, we all gotta stay within our system, stay within our play calls and just execute at a high level. It’s not the fact that they can’t do it, it’s the fact that we making little mistakes and we’d rather fix the little mistakes than the big mistakes so we go in to film every day, we coaching them guys up and we’re gonna get better.”

Jean Delance, who has been playing at right tackle, has seen his fair share of criticism on social media. However, to be fair to the redshirt junior, Delance was hurt prior to the Miami game and has yet to be 100 percent.

According to offensive coordinator John Hevesy, most of his men have an injury.

“I don’t think anybody’s fully healthy, everybody’s dinged danged and the other thing, but to me it’s part of the game and you’ve just got to keep playing,” Hevesy told reporters on Tuesday.

“You’re going to get nicked and bruised and I’ve always told him, if it’s anything wrong and you can’t go, get out. A. don’t get hurt and B. let’s not get anybody else hurt because you’re hurt. Get yourself out and get healthy and we’ll do what we got to do.”

Hevesy made the decision to bring in Richard Gouraige on Saturday against Kentucky. However, instead of simply moving Gouraige to right tackle, he moved Stone Forsythe to right and played Gouraige at left.

“I had said I wanted to do it earlier in the game with Richard, just to get Richard in the game," explained Hevesy. "Stone’s played at right and played at left so he’s more the movable guy and I wanted to get Richard into the game in the first quarter, but we didn’t have enough possessions and we lost possessions quickly... (Then it) was ‘ok, coming out into the third quarter, second possession you’re going in’, and I got to do it.

“Unfortunately you’re looking at it at that time, you’re realizing, you’re down 21-10, I don’t know if it’s the right point to do it but, like I told him, ‘look your number’s called, hell it could be any play, you’re one play there from going into the game."

Hevesy was pleased with how Gouraige handled the adjustments made at halftime, saying the tackle did "alright."

“He held his own in there for the drive, we got down to the 30-yard line, there’s things he did well and there’s things, again, live atmosphere, not the end of the UT-Martin game but a real situation," said Hevesy. "The good thing was to see the real adjustments made in the first quarter, first half of the game, to see him translate that over when he walks in the game in the third quarter.”

Now to be fair to the offensive line, it's not all on them. The running game is partially their fault, however, it is not entirely their fault either.

The Florida tight end room is very young. Gone is C'yontai Lewis, one of UF's best blockers from last season.

Lucas Krull admits he needs to do a better job blocking.

"It's just something I have to continue to get better at and continue to work," said the Gators tight end. "Coach is asking a lot from me, and I have to be able to produce and do what I can to help the team win.

"I think it's just every day coming out and having to keep my head low and not getting frustrated, and just continuing to work at it and keep striding every day."

Hevesy is hopeful the running game is coming.

"The biggest for us is just the game situations," he said. "Going back to the first half, the Miami game and the Kentucky game we didn’t have a whole lot of possessions in the first half. A, because of turnovers, which is killing us along the way is getting turnovers and getting possessions to be able to run the ball. Then last week being down 21-10, you’re going, how much time can we spend running the ball. But to me we got to be able to, A, hold onto the ball and be able to be effective early to put that part of the game.”

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