Where is the Florida Gators Pass Rush?

Change is needed on defense if the Florida Gators don't want a repeat performance of Cam Ward and the Miami Hurricanes.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier admitted he was surprised by the lack of pressure his team generated against Miami quarterback Cam Ward. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK

After Florida limped to the end of a 41-17 embarrassment of a loss to Miami, It was time for reflection. The pass rush or lack thereof, stood out. From the first Miami offensive snap to the last, the Gators not only lacked production but also the passion that the pass rush demonstrates.

Despite 11 more regular-season games to go, the anemic rush could portend a season-long problem that will continue to bite the Gators. Regardless of one meaningless sack, Florida still needs to look in the mirror and figure out what adjustments they need to make in the face of the problem. It may be darkest before dawn, but the skies over Gainesville look bleak.

Lack of Twitch

For the first time in recent memory, the Florida Gators lacked twitch on the edge. Now, we all understand that players like Jevon Kearse do not walk on campus every day. However, Florida, as a state, produces speed at every possible skill position. Where are the pass rushers that frighten tackles with athleticism? Currently, the Gators field similar types of rushers.

While they don't possess game-changing speed, they still try to use quick-twitch moves, despite not possessing the agility, or dexterity to execute them. Meanwhile, on the other side, you can see that Miami uses their pass rushers to their strengths, instead of forcing a round peg into a square slot. In rushing the passer, time remains of the essence, where seconds matter. As a result, trying to pull off rips and swims where the player looks heavy-armed and robotic does not work. 

Schematic Stubbornness

You could tell early that Florida could not generate substantive pressure. People will say that Miami quarterback Cam Ward looked hurried at times. Yet, he broke the pocket at will and no Gator stands within spitting distance of him, allowing for full range of motion. Why not substitute the slower rushers for lighter, faster ones? 

When the starters fail to get home with any semblance of competence, time to sub them out. Allow anyone with a burst to try. Commitment to a sound scheme matters during a game. At the same time, overcommitment to ineffective players will not work. The entire offseason featured hype surrounding what T.J. Searcy could possibly do. Granted, the sophomore's upside appears high. Production needs to figure in somehow. He finished the game with five tackles, no sacks, and no quarterback hurries.

Forward Thinking

If Florida hopes to move past this loss, and fare better on the perimeter, change things up. If they need to sell out and constantly blitz, so be it. If the Gators want to stay rather vanilla in their approach, change the rushers. On specific passing situations, wholesale changes in personnel will only help the situation. In a front six on passing downs, four of those players need to get up-field. 

Cautious approaches lead to Miami picking the defense apart all day. Save the excuses of playing a good team and quarterback. If Florida truly does not want to flush this season after Saturday's loss, they need to not just reassess the pass rush, but change everything about it.