Florida's offense should benefit from the addition of tight end Jake McGee. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
There was little doubt that the Florida Gators’ offense needed help.
Last season, in part to a series of serious injuries to key players, the Florida offense was dead last in the Southeastern Conference in scoring, 12th in passing offense, and 113th in total offense.
Florida needs help in 2014 if the Gators plan to improve on last season’s 4-8 record.
That help will come if quarterback Jeff Driskel stays healthy, but he needs help in the form of somebody to catch his passes. Driskel might have found it in an unusual place — the University of Virginia graduation ceremonies.
One of the Virginia graduates was Jake McGee, a former two-year starting tight end on the Virginia football team. McGee is a huge target at 6-foot-6, 245-pounds. He led the Cavaliers with 43 receptions for 395 yards last season. And while he still has one year of football eligibility left, he decided that he didn’t want to spend it at Virginia.
While trying to decide where he wanted to attend graduate school and finish his football career, McGee looked around and found what he liked in Gainesville.
“The priorities were finding a great school with a great athletic program to sort of fit in,” he told GatorZone.com. “Florida was the one I like most. There is a mix of both. A school I reached out to and it just seemed to be a pretty good fit. It was an offense I haven’t played in, but I was familiar with – what they do and how they use the tight ends all sorts of ways.”
Just as Florida fits McGee’s needs, he goes a long way toward fitting Florida’s needs this upcoming season.
“He’s a guy that has tremendous ball skills, a very good athlete at 6-5, 245 pounds and runs extremely well,” said Florida coach Will Muschamp at a recent Gator Club meeting. “I think he’s a good addition to our team, and he’ll certainly compete well.
“To be able to have a guy that defenses know they have to account for in terms of is he a receiver, is he a tight end, can he create a three-man blocking surface? That changes things in the run game. It changes things in protection and how people will attack you.”
McGee is acquainting himself with the Florida offense by getting to know his new quarterback.
“You are always in your quarterback’s ear,” McGee said. “If he needs a ride, I won’t know where I’m going but I’ll take him where he needs to go.”
McGee watched Florida coordinator Kurt Roper’s offense while the new OC was at Duke and liked what he saw. That only aided his decision to join the Gators and get acquainted with his new team quickly.
“It was a quick transition,’’ McGee said. “I got down here and started class right way. The guys have been great. Relationships are starting to build and I really couldn’t ask for anymore. At this point I’m just trying to get the offense down.”
McGee explored going pro after turning in his name to the NFL Draft Advisory Board. But he was told he would likely be a mid-round selection. McGee then decided to work toward a getting a graduate degree and improve his draft status as a player.
The Gators are glad he did. The Florida offense needs help and the Gators are hoping McGee will be a big part of the solution.
