Fixing Florida's lines is new head coach Jim McElwain's first priority

Florida might end up with only eight returning scholarship linemen. The Gators' new coach has work to do on the recruiting trail.

Florida has hired Jim McElwain, previously the head coach of Colorado State and the former offensive coordinator for Nick Saban at Alabama.

What's next? Improving an offense that was routinely terrible under Will Muschamp will be important to both bring fans back and win games. McElwain's offenses have been good for several years.

There are some issues to iron out, like determining if the quarterback of the future (Will Grier or Treon Harris?) is on the roster, establishing some consistency at the receiver position (six receiver coaches in six years), and installing the new offensive scheme.

But to help avoid disaster in the near term and secure success in the longer term, the Gators need to recruit some offensive linemen. Like right now.

Florida signed 15 offensive linemen over the last four classes, which is a slightly low number. But due to some injuries and transfers, Florida will return just nine scholarship linemen (eight if tackle D.J. Humphries declares for the NFL Draft). The others are Roderick Johnson, Trip Thurman, Antonio Riles, Cameron Dillard, David Sharpe, Kavaris Harkless, Andrew Mike, and Travaris Dorsey. The latter three redshirted in 2014.

Florida currently has four offensive line commits: Brandon Sandifer, of Warner Robbins (Ga.); Tyler Jordan, of Jacksonville; Michael Horton, of Atlanta; and George Brown Jr., of Cincinnati. Holding on to the foursome would be a good start for McElwain, especially as Brown visits Mississippi State and LSU.

But the Gators need some numbers. They'd need them even if all nine linemen currently on scholarship pan out, but the chance of that happening is slim, and the way to combat that is with bodies.

The top target for the Gators is five-star Martez Ivey, of Apopka. Ivey is considering Auburn and Florida, among 40 other offers, and the schools are thought to be neck and neck. Alabama's strong record of offensive line play may help McElwain in his attempt to sign Ivey, as might CSU lineman Weston Richburg being drafted in the second round this year.

But Florida could also use some immediate help by going the JUCO route to secure a college-ready body. Getting in on Martinas Rankin of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College could be a good step, but it is difficult to pull junior college players away from Ole Miss and Mississippi State, both of which are in on Rankin.

The good news for Florida is that junior college offensive linemen often emerge later in the process, as their first film comes out after having redshirted in Year 1.