O'Hara will be calling plays from the booth; new role for Spurrier Jr.

(Photo by Chris Spears)

The first order of business for interim head coach Billy Gonzales was to delegate authority for the Florida offense. Billy Napier served as his own play caller and offensive coordinator but with Napier gone, Gonzales has had to shuffle responsibilities starting with who will be calling the plays and who will be chiefly responsible for the game plan.

Ryan O’Hara, who has been the quarterbacks coach, will be in the booth calling the plays when the Gators take the field against Georgia a week from Saturday. Tight ends coach Russ Callaway will be the offensive coordinator and the chief architect of the game plan.

Both O’Hara and Callaway will be in the booth during games.

“They’ll be sitting up there,” Gonzales said. “They’ll have a chance to converse in between series … Coach Russ Callaway will continue to oversee the offense as offensive coordinator, as he has all season long, while Ryan O’Hara will call the plays from the booth, allowing him to be next to coach Callaway.”

On the SEC Coaches Teleconference Wednesday, Gonzales also indicated that support staffer Steve Spurrier Jr. will take an active role in the offense, particularly working with O’Hara and the quarterbacks. Spurrier coached O’Hara at Arizona back in 2004. He served as the wide receivers coach for Bob Stoops when Oklahoma won the national championship in 2000 and was the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Tulsa prior to coming to Florida.

“Coach Steve Spurrier Jr. will take more of an active role working on the field with the quarterbacks, and will also be involved with gameday management,” Gonzales said. “That allows us to move Coach O’Hara upstairs and then have somebody that’s been communicating, been in the locker room, been on the video iPad with DJ (Lagway) throughout the season anyways. They’ve got that relationship. When you start talking about communication with the quarterback, it’s all about, in my opinion, having that same voice over and over. 

“And it’s going to be the same voice that Coach Spurrier is going to be relaying, and it’s going to be the same voice that he’s heard in the meetings with Coach O’Hara. It should be very fluid, and I think it’s going to help us. Coach Spurrier has got a wealth of knowledge. So, he’ll be on the ground, and in between series, he’ll be the voice that gets to talk and sit down with DJ and the quarterbacks and review the film. … Adding Coach Spurrier down below just gives us another opportunity to do that. So, I think it’s a win-win situation for us.”

Offensive line coach Rob Sale and running backs coach Jabar Juluke will work together to help game plan the running game. With Gonzales taking on head coach responsibility, Chad Lucas, David Doeker and Eric Kiesau will be taking on more day to day coaching of the wide receivers. Ron Roberts will continue to coordinate the defense.

SEC FOOTBALL

No. 4 Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC): QB Ty Simpson has thrown only one interception all season. Saturday he will be going up against the SEC’s No. 4 pass defense at South Carolina. The Gamecocks are giving up only 186 passing yards per game and they’ve picked off eight opponent passes. Saturday: at South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 SEC)

Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 SEC): It has been three games since the Arkansas defense forced a turnover. The Hogs have the No. 4 offense in the country but their defense is No. 126. Arkansas has lost five straight games. Saturday: Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC)

Auburn (3-4, 0-4 SEC): Amid calls for Hugh Freeze to pull the plans to redshirt stud freshman QB Deuce Knight, Freeze plans to start Jackson Arnold once again against Arkansas. Saturday: at Arkansas (2-5, 0-3 SEC)

No. 5 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC): Junior receiver Colbie Young (23-336, 1 TD) fractured his ankle in the win over Ole Miss and is out for an indefinite period of time.

Kentucky (2-4, 0-4 SEC): There are questions about a call that impacted the outcome in overtime against Texas. QB Cutter Boley was ruled inches short of what would have been a game-winning touchdown. HBC Mark Stoops said, “Inches. His head was across. The ball was probably in his chest. I’m not saying it’s a bad call but I mean it was either in or inches [short].” Saturday: No. 17 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC)

No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC): Every game from here on out is a must win for LSU if the Tigers intend to make the College Football Playoff. With two losses, the Tigers can’t afford a third. This is season four for head coach Brian Kelly who still hasn’t taken a team to the playoff. Saturday: No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0 SEC)

Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 SEC): Mississippi State fans are still questioning the “missed” field goal by Kyle Ferrie against Florida. Florida fans behind the goal posts were shocked when Ferrie’s X-yard field goal in the second quarter was ruled no good. Saturday: Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC)

No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC): Missouri’s defense, which ranks No. 5 nationally, will have to stop Vandy QB Diego Pavia in what is considered a playoff elimination game. Pavia has thrown for 1,539 yards and 15 touchdowns while running for 438 and four more. Saturday: at No. 10 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC)

No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC): The Sooners have the nation’s No. 1 offense, but in three SEC games, they have yet to gain more than 319 yards. Saturday: No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC)

No. 8 Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC): Despite being the highest ranked team, Ole Miss is a 2.5-point underdog at Oklahoma … If Austin Simmons is fit and ready to play, will Lane Kiffin start him at quarterback, keep him on the bench or use him and Trinidad Chambliss in a two-QB system? Saturday: at No. 13 Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC)

South Carolina (3-4, 1-4 SEC): South Carolina has to find a way to protect QB LaNorris Sellers if the Gamecocks are to get bowl eligible. The Gamecocks have allowed 26 sacks, which is next to last in the nation. When Sellers has time to throw, he’s averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. Saturday: No. 4 Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC)

No. 17 Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC): Despite a neck injury suffered in the loss to Alabama, QB Joey Aguilar has been declared ready to go for Saturday’s road game at Kentucky. Saturday: at Kentucky (2-5

No. 22 Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC): Safety Michael Taafe, who had surgery on his thumb Monday, will miss games with Mississippi State and Vanderbilt. Taafe is expected to be back in time for the Longhorns’ game at Georgia. Saturday: at Mississippi State (4-3, 0-3 SEC)

No. 3 Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0 SEC): The Aggies hope to take advantage of an LSU run defense that has gotten progressively worse the last three games. After allowing fewer than 100 yards in each of their first four games, the Tigers have allowed a combined 598 in their last three including 239 against Vanderbilt.Saturday: at No. 20 LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC)

No. 10 Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC): For the second straight week, Vanderbilt is favored (by 2.5 points) over a top 25 opponent. This is history in the making … Vanderbilt is also bowl eligible for the second straight year. Saturday: No. 15 Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC)

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF BIDS BY CONFERENCE

ACC: The ACC gets one bid for its conference champ and is hoping to get a second. Right now Georgia Tech (7-0, 4-0 ACC) is in the driver’s seat. Louisville (5-1, 2-1 ACC) beat Miami when the Hurricanes were No. 2 nationally. Four of the last six are at home. Miami (5-1, 1-1 ACC) has potential speed bumps in road trips to SMU (5-2, 2-1 ACC) and Pittsburgh (5-2, 2-1 ACC). Pitt can also spoil Georgia Tech’s hopes for an unbeaten season. Prediction: Georgia Tech and Louisville play for the ACC title. If the two emerge from the game with one or fewer losses, they’ll both get in. A one-loss ACC champ and Miami if the Hurricanes run the table the rest of the way.

Big Ten: About the only thing standing in the way of Ohio State (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) finishing the regular season unbeaten is Michigan. Indiana (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) is right there with the Buckeyes, but the Hoosiers don’t have to play Indiana. Oregon (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) should skate in unbeaten the rest of the way. Southern Cal (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten), Iowa (5-2, 3-1 Big Ten), Washington (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) and Illinois (5-2, 2-2 Big Ten) all have work to do. Prediction: Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon.

Big XII: BYU (7-0, 4-0 Big 12) has to survive roadies with Texas Tech (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) and Cincinnati (6-1, 4-0 Big 12). Texas Tech’s only serious challenge should be BYU. Cincinnati still has to play Utah (5-2, 2-2 Big 12), BYU and TCU (5-2, 2-2 Big 12). Arizona State (5-2, 3-1 Big 12) could finish 10-2 and in the playoff picture. Prediction: BYU and Texas Tech will make it.

SEC: It’s a jungle out there! Texas A&M (7-0, 4-0) is at the top of the league but the Aggies have a habit of late season fold. They have to play LSU (5-2, 2-2 SEC), Missouri (6-1, 2-1 SEC) and arch-nemesis Texas (5-2, 2-1 SEC) on the road. Alabama (6-1, 4-0 SEC) has LSU and Oklahoma (6-1, 2-1 SEC) at home. Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) has a fairly easy path to 11-1 if it can get by Georgia Tech in the regular season finale. If Ole Miss (6-1, 3-1 SEC) beats Oklahoma this weekend, the Rebels could finish 11-1 in the regular season. Oklahoma has the most difficult path since the schedule is Ole Miss, Tennessee (5-2, 2-2 SEC), Alabama, Missouri and LSU still to play. Missouri has to play Vanderbilt (6-1, 2-1 SEC), Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Watch out for Vandy. If the Commdores beat Mizzou this weekend they only have Texas and Tennessee standing in the way. Prediction: Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss will get in. If a fourth team gets in, watch out for Vanderbilt. Yes, you read that right.

Notre Dame: The only thing standing in the way of a 10-2 finish for the Irish are dates with Navy and a roadie to Pittsburgh. Prediction: Notre Dame is in at 10-2.

Group of Five: South Florida (6-1, 3-0 American) is the highest ranked team in the Group of Five (No. 18). If the Bulls can beat Memphis (6-1, 2-1 American) on the road this week, their chances of making the playoff are greatly enhanced. Also in the American, Navy (6-0, 4-0 American) and Tulane (6-1, 3-0 American) will be heard from in the stretch run.

In the Mountain West, UNLV (6-1, 2-1 MWC) lost its first game last week but still could factor in the race to be the Group of Five rep by going 5-0 the rest of the way then winning the conference championship game. Over in the Sun Belt, James Madison (6-1, 4-0 SBC) is a longshot but with five winnable games has a chance to be the highest ranked Group of Five team.