The Florida Gators were once considered one of the best programs in the SEC.A Former SEC Power Searching for IdentityFrom 1990 to 2009, the Gators had 12 seasons with 10 or more wins. The team also won three national championships during that period and quickly established itself as the class of the then-SEC East. However, that success hasn't continued since 2010.The Gators have had four double-digit-win seasons, no SEC championships and no College Football Playoff appearances. They have also had six losing seasons, including four of the last five seasons. Coaching Turnover Defines EraThis poor stretch has resulted in 10 head coaches, both interim and full-time. The newest one is former Tulane Green Wave head coach Jon Sumrall. He's been an incredible 43-12 in his four seasons as a head coach with Troy and Tulane. That includes three double-digit win seasons and a College Football Playoff berth last season.Florida head coach Jon Sumrall talks on the sideline during spring practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectESPN's Paul Finebaum discussed the Gators' chances for the upcoming season on "The Paul Finebaum Show." The SEC Network analyst said that he expects Florida to take a major leap."I don't think the program is desolate," Finebaum said. "I would expect to see a quantum leap this year, and I think that's what you'll get. You are not going to get to the CFP, but I think there are a couple of games that Florida has to start turning. I think he's a good enough coach to do that."Finebaum is right that expecting Florida to go from 4-8 to the College Football Playoff in Year 1 under Sumrall is unrealistic, but the Gators are a team that could get to six or seven wins and show that the program is moving in the right direction.The key is how the Gators navigate their schedule. The team faces four teams that are expected to be ranked in the preseason polls: the Georgia Bulldogs, Oklahoma Sooners, Ole Miss Rebels and Texas Longhorns. All four of those are expected to be College Football Playoff contenders.The positive is that two of those are home games, one is a neutral-site game, and the one road game is against Texas, which Florida beat last season.Even with one of the toughest schedules in the SEC, Florida has a path to measurable progress in Year 1 under Sumrall. If the Gators can steal a few key games and avoid collapse against their non-SEC slate, a six- or seven-win season would represent a meaningful step forward. More importantly, it would signal that Florida may finally have the stability it has been missing for over a decade.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow