Let me start by saying that I really wanted Will Muschamp to succeed as the head football coach at the university of Florida. That probably seems silly to a lot of people because most fans would want any newly hired coach to be successful. However, Muschamp wasn’t exactly the “homerun hire” many expected athletic director Jeremy Foley to make after Urban Meyer’s exit. As a fan of hard-nosed defense, I was excited to see what Muschamp could do with the type of talent available in the Sunshine State. The 2012 season showed a glimpse of exactly what Muschamp’s defenses are capable of. Unfortunately, it’s the other side of the ball that’s probably going to do him in.

Muschamp inherited a roster that included incumbent starter John Brantley, and brought in new recruits Jeff Driskel and Jacoby Brissett. The Gators did finish 2011 with a winning record and a bowl win over Ohio State, but they were ranked 105th in total offense. The passing offense managed to average just 185.7 yards per game while the rush offense averaged 143 yards per game.

The anemic passing game carried over to 2012, which saw Florida average just 146.3 yards per game through the air. Thankfully, the rush offense averaged 187.69 yards, and the defense finished at, or near, the top of many statistical categories.

The 2013 season was mostly lost due to a rash of injuries on both sides of the ball. Though, that loss to FCS Georgia Southern certainly hasn’t helped Muschamp’s cause.

Now, we’re three games into the 2014 season, and Muschamp’s seat is hotter than ever. The offense looked more than capable against an overmatched Eastern Michigan team. Then it took a while to get going against a Kentucky team that may or may not be much better than last year. Versus Alabama? The offense put up 200 total yards, 93 through the air and 107 on the ground. What started out as a promising 2014 has deteriorated into a quarterback controversy and a defense that looks like it might be the worst Muschamp has ever fielded.

So can Muschamp calm a restless fanbase and cool the smoldering inferno he currently sits upon?

Yes, but he’ll have to do something against Tennessee in a little over a week that is probably outside of his comfort zone.

Up to this point, he’s tied himself directly to the success, and failure, of Jeff Driskel. In 2012, Florida’s elite defense, strong special teams and gritty running game made life relatively easy for Driskel. In 2013, a broken leg sidelined him early in the season. This year was supposed to be his season after Muschamp brought in Kurt Roper as offensive coordinator to run a system more suited to Driskel’s strengths. We saw hints of that versus EMU, and after the sluggish start against UK he finished ok. Unfortunately, his accuracy is cause for concern and he doesn’t always look comfortable running with the ball. What should be a wide open, uptempo attack has looked disjointed and inefficient against the tougher opponents Florida has faced. That’s why Treon Harris has to see the field against Tennessee.

I don’t know if it’s loyalty that kept Muschamp from giving Harris meaningful reps in the Alabama game, but it just provided more fodder for those that believe he’s stuck in his ways and can’t adapt when necessary.

I don’t think Harris needs to start in Knoxville, but he should either see the field if Driskel struggles after two or three series or as a change of pace dependent on down and distance. With how the defense performed against UK and Alabama this offense is probably going to need to score at least 21, if not closer to 30 points in many games to have a shot at winning. I’m not sure Driskel alone as the quarterback can provide that.

Kurt Roper was hired to revamp Florida’s offense, and one of the first things he did upon arriving in Gainesville was recruit Treon Harris. He’s going to have two weeks to put together a game plan that could help Muschamp keep his job as the head football coach at the University of Florida. That game plan should include Treon Harris in some form or fashion, or the seat Muschamp is sitting on could go from inferno to volcanic.