GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- John Hevesy has been here before.

The Gators co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach took over a unit that underperformed in 2017. The UF coach is once again asked to turn the offensive line around. A group that lost four starters from last year's side.

It was not an overnight change for the offensive line in 2018.

It took time.

It took nine games.

Although many point to the Missouri loss as the big turning point to the 2018 season, Hevesy has other ideas.

"We ran the same play about six times in a row," said Hevesy about come back win over South Carolina last season. "We did. Played it right down the field. We did that, I think that was the biggest turning point in our season really last year. We were down, we came back and won that. That was just a matter of going and executing what we asked them to do, and we did that.

"I don't know what it was, but there were things in that second half that really helped us springboard the rest of the season," Hevesy said.

Prior to Florida's win over the Gamecocks averaged 4.95 yards per carry, after that win they averaged 5.83 yards per carry.

Florida will face South Carolina this weekend and will hope to see the unit blossom once again.

To be fair, Hevesy's men have already shown some progress this season. The group has done well in pass protection and last week helped the Gators run for the most yards against an FBS opponent this season.

"I think we're all coming together along the way," Hevesy said. "The tight ends and the running backs are starting to see things. I think it's a positive you're seeing some things in there that are key. There's things we've got to clean up still, too. We've got to be right on at crucial times, when it's third-and-1, third-and-2. We got better this week with that, but we've still got to be better than we were on that down and distance."

The group still has some work to do. They need to avoid key mistakes. Last week it was a mistake by Stone Frosythe, a hold that negated a 27-yard reception and first down in the third quarter. So instead of the Gators moving into LSU territory, Florida was forced to move back to its 15-yard line. UF punted at the end of the drive.

"I think the biggest thing that killed us was the penalty at the end of the third quarter," Hevesy said. "That got us behind the chains and you can't (do that) in the type of game that was, going back and forth scoring. It was, who's going to bluff? And we did. We did with the penalty. Then we just had not a good run, then we came back with a sack on third down. That was the one time I think the environment got to us a little bit."

The good news is Florida probably had its best offensive outing against the Tigers last weekend.

The offensive line included.

"They're getting there. I think the one thing is they're getting more experience," Hevesy said. "I can't influx experience into them, but they're getting the game atmosphere. I think we did a really good job last week of handling the atmosphere, which is a positive thing.

"We've got to go into (another) one this week. So to me, let's keep on the same track of that part of it -- handling the atmosphere, the cadence, all of those things. And do that again this week, but still clean up little things technically and fundamentally."