Quarterback Jeff Driskel was bigger and faster than almost any defender who lined up across from him on Friday nights. As a result, he could freelance and take chances on broken plays without much fear of getting in trouble.
But in Florida's 20-17 win over Texas A&M last week, Driskel was sacked eight times, often holding on to the ball well after the initial play was dead in the water:
"We'll be focusing on that lot,'' Driskel said Monday. "We know that Tennessee will definitely be coming after me, because we put on film that I'm susceptible to holding the ball too long or try to get outside and not throw it away. But I'll definitely work on that.
"Knowing that you don't have to make a play every time [is something I learned]. Don't be scared to throw the ball away and live another day."
As he develops more experience in the Gators' offense, he'll be allowed more freedom to improvise. But as a sophomore quarterback, more often than not freelancing will get him into more trouble than just throwing the ball away.
For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Tampa Bay. For more in-depth coverage, visit Gators blog Alligator Army. And for more news, notes and analysis from around NCAA football, check out SB Nation's college football hub.