Spring Primer: Gators Defense
New defensive coordinator Todd Grantham seeks to recharge a unit that slipped in the national rankings in 2017.
http://floridagators.com/news/2018/3/14/scott-carter-spring-primer-gators-defense.aspx
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Veteran defensive coordinator
Todd Grantham has a simple explanation to what kind of defense he wants the Gators to have in the first year under his direction.
Grantham left Mississippi State after only one season to join
Dan Mullen at Florida, bringing a recipe for success that has produced results in the NFL and at Georgia, Louisville and Mississippi State in recent years.
"The identity that I would want is for us to play fast, physical and aggressive,'' Grantham said. "It really gets down to those three words."
You hear those words often from defensive coordinators. They are nothing new. However, while the offense has taken the majority of the criticism for the Gators' struggles over the past eight seasons, the defense came under fire in 2017.
At times, the Gators' defense seemed to lose some of that fast, physical and aggressive style it displayed as one of the nation's most consistent units this decade. Grantham is ready to hit the reboot button and get to work.
THREE STORYLINES
Junior linebacker David Reese returns after leading the team in tackles last season. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
1. If Grantham can work the same magic he did a year ago at Mississippi State, the Gators will win more than four games like in 2017. In his only season with the Bulldogs, Grantham turned a defense that finished ranked 110th nationally into one that finished 10th last season. Grantham has typically installed a forceful 3-4 scheme that causes chaos by constantly attacking and using players in multiple positions.
2. The Gators return nine starters on defense, so Grantham, a veteran coordinator with impressive credentials in both the NFL and the SEC, has talent and experience to build around as the Gators try to reverse last season's slide from fifth in total defense in 2016 to 31st in 2017.
3. Junior middle linebacker
David Reese led the Gators with 102 tackles last season and established himself as a team leader. Still, the Gators would like to see more production from their linebackers.
Vosean Joseph finished third on the team with 55 tackles, but no other linebacker on the roster had 25 tackles. With Reese anchored in the middle, the Gators will test several players around him this spring.
RETURNING VET
Senior defensive lineman Cece Jefferson is a versatile player for the Gators. (Photo: Lady Mendoza/UAA Communications)
Defensive lineman
Cece Jefferson decided to return for his senior season, giving the Gators a veteran leader and playmaker up front.
Grantham's versatile NFL-style defense should give Jefferson ample opportunity to shine. Jefferson led the Gators with 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks last season. The general perception is that Jefferson (6-1, 242) has yet to reach his full potential and can boost his NFL stock playing for Grantham.
Jefferson's return was equally important in the locker room, where teammates voted him to the team's leadership committee as one of the more respected players on the roster.
Jefferson had a career-high nine tackles in the regular-season finale against Florida State and finished fourth on the team with 47 tackles. Jefferson should easily surpass that total if he stays healthy and maximizes his potential splitting time between defensive end and outside linebacker.
NEWCOMER ALERT
Marlon Dunlap Jr.
Defensive tackle
Marlon Dunlap Jr. played in seven games two seasons ago at North Carolina before transferring to UF and sitting out last season due to NCAA rules.
Dunlap (6-3, 328) has strong competition for playing time with the departure of
Taven Bryan. Returning starter
Khairi Clark is the most experienced interior lineman and started 11 games in 2017. Sophomores
Tedarrell Slaton and
Elijah Conliffe flashed their potential at times and will get plenty of reps this spring.
With sophomore
Kyree Campbell slowed (read below), Dunlap can perhaps get some extra snaps in his bid to make a favorable new impression on new defensive line coach
Sal Sunseri.
"There's some people who really caught my eye, but I'm going to hold that to myself right now until they can show the consistency of doing it every week, every day,'' Sunseri said.
INJURY REPORT
Defensive end Keivonnis Davis is out this spring but there's a chance he could play again. (Photo: Jay Metz/UAA Communications)
The Gators enter spring camp mostly healthy on defense, although Mullen did say sophomore defensive tackle Campbell is going to miss "a little bit of spring" with an unspecified injury.
Meanwhile, redshirt junior defensive lineman
Keivonnis Davis is back with the team after being suspended last season as part of the credit card fraud case that ensnared nine players. While suspended, a scooter accident put Davis' career in jeopardy.
Mullen offered hope that Davis might be able to resume his career once he recovers fully from the injuries that will keep him out of action this spring.
"He's just recovered and started to work out,'' Mullen said. "There's actually positive hope that he might be able to make it back."
POSITION TO WATCH
Jeawon Taylor is among a host of players vying for playing time in the secondary. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)
With the departure of veteran leader
Duke Dawson from last year's team, sophomores
Marco Wilson and
CJ Henderson are the front-runners to start at cornerback.
However, the lineup at safety and nickel is one worth watching this spring. Several players are vying for playing time.
Junior
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, MVP of the Outback Bowl his freshman season two years ago, is the veteran of the group. Mullen said Gardner-Johnson will play safety and possibly some nickel in the defensive scheme the Gators will run.
That leaves a group of players including junior
Jeawon Taylor, redshirt sophomores
Quincy Lenton,
C.J. McWilliams and
McArthur Burnett, sophomores
Brad Stewart,
Brian Edwards,
Shawn Davis and
Donovan Stiner, and newcomers
Trey Dean and
Amari Burney to battle it out.
Safeties coach
Ron English has many evaluations to pour over during camp – and talent to work with.
"We'll be athletic and able to do some things,'' English said. "We're going to make it work. We'll train some guys and cross-train some guys, and we'll have enough players."