Grantham and Sunseri discuss new positions with Florida Gators

BMF

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Notebook: Grantham and Sunseri discuss new positions with Florida Gators

https://www.gatorcountry.com/florid...ri-discuss-new-positions-with-florida-gators/

With spring football around the corner, new Florida Gators defensive coordinator Todd Grantham and defensive line coach Sal Sunseri took the podium to address the media for the first time on Tuesday. They were the first in line for assistant coach press conferences that will take place over the next few weeks.

They discussed their early plans and thoughts for this season’s defense.

Here’s what they had to say:

Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham
• Grantham doesn’t believe in using the same defense every season. He tries to formulate it based on what best fits his players.

• “We’re gonna find ways to get our best players on the field.”

• Dan Mullen is an offensive minded coach, but according to Grantham, he is very involved in defense as well, especially in the way he recruits.

• “I’m not really worried about what happened last year. I’m more worried about what’s gonna happen moving forward.”

• There will be a lot of competitions in practices between players, because there is a winner and loser in everything, and the coaches want guys to understand that.

• Grantham said the strength and conditioning phase is going to be crucial for the defense this season.

• “I really like the way our players approach the things we ask them to do.”

• He thinks his coaching experience in the NFL is an asset when it comes to developing players.

• “I’m gonna coach our players the same way I coached guys in the NFL.”

• The three words that describe what this coaching staff wants the defensive identity to be are fast, physical and aggressive.

• Cece Jefferson will play some outside linebacker as well as defensive end.


Defensive Line Coach Sal Sunseri
• Sunseri said these players are really understanding of the word “commitment”.

• “What Coach Mullen did at Mississippi State, I have a high respect for it.”

• He is really excited about the new strength and conditioning program. “I can see some bodies changing already.”

• The thing that’s stood out to Sunseri is how many guys can really move. He said it’s going to be fun making other teams block that speed.

• Sunseri learned a lot from his players while coaching in the NFL.

• He brought tape with him of the best pass rushers in the NFL and is having his players watch it in film study.
 

itsgr82bag8r

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I'm being totally honest when I say that I'm hoping for great aggressive defenses, but I'm still having a difficult time getting past this little issue....

s-TODD-GRANTHAM-CHOKE-SIGN-large.jpg


It soothes the sting to know that we beat them & had the last laugh.
 

MJMGator

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I'm being totally honest when I say that I'm hoping for great aggressive defenses, but I'm still having a difficult time getting past this little issue....

s-TODD-GRANTHAM-CHOKE-SIGN-large.jpg


It soothes the sting to know that we beat them & had the last laugh.
I hate the fat bastard and I hate that he’s on our sidelines. He better be spectacular or we need to fire him soon. :lol:
 

Buckman2000

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I forgot about it when Henry made the FG. It happened 8 years ago so who cares. Let bygones be bygones and let’s move forward.

I have the right to change my opinion if he sucks :)
 

BMF

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Here's another article on the press conference today w/ more quotes:

Florida DC Todd Grantham says CeCe Jefferson will play multiple roles in new Gators defense

https://www.seccountry.com/florida/florida-gators-defense-cece-jefferson-todd-grantham-scheme

Grantham confirmed Jefferson will work as both a defensive end and an outside linebacker, when the Gators are in a 3-4 alignment, which might allow him to further his appeal to NFL talent evaluators as a 6-foot-1, 242-pound prospect (as listed on the 2017 team roster).

“He’ll be multiple in our defense meaning he’ll play outside linebacker and defensive end. At the end of the day, he’s an edge rusher is what he is. And to me it’s just about developing him and continue to develop his habits and his traits and his fundamental skill set and allow him to be productive and successful,” Grantham said.

Jefferson, who had been bounced between the edge and interior of the line as a sophomore, put together his best season last fall at defensive end while leading Florida with 13.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks along with 47 total tackles.

While Grantham does build his defense around a “3-4 structure,” as he termed it, he said the Gators also will go with four down linemen often as well.

That was one of the main questions for Grantham in his first meeting with local reporters, as many have wondered how equipped Florida’s roster is to play the 3-4. It sounds like the coaching staff is not only prepared to be diverse in its schemes, but also flexible with its personnel.

“In reality we play as much four-down as three-down. I mean if you look at our tape last year, we’d have looked a lot like your guys looked structurally at times during the game,” Grantham explained. “By being a three-down structure, it allows us to play three-down and four-down fronts, give us multiple looks, which I think you need to try to do today in college football to try to put the offense behind the sticks and create negative yardage plays.”

Wherever Jefferson lines up, he’ll be an asset for a young defense as one of the most experienced players on the roster.

A 5-star recruit and perhaps the most high-profile signee for the previous coaching staff, Jefferson cracked the starting lineup as a freshman and has played in 37 games over three seasons with 28.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks.

“He’s a guy that we’re obviously going to look to to be a leader for us,” Grantham said. “He’s really embraced everything that we’ve done from that standpoint to want to be a complete player. And what we’re going to do with him is just take it day by day and try to get a little bit better and try to work to let him be the best player he can be and be a dominant player on our team.”



I forgot about it when Henry made the FG. It happened 8 years ago so who cares. Let bygones be bygones and let’s move forward.

I have the right to change my opinion if he sucks :)

Agree. Coaches are mercenaries. If he puts a good product on the field and recruits well, I'm all for it. If he wants to make the choke sign to a UGA player in Jacksonville, I'm fine w/ that too.
 

GatorStud

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Frankly, anything opposite to where we've been going is a better direction.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I group Grantham, Collins, Shannon together.... just mehhhh. I think Grantham is a little more aggressive. I probably like that.

But he is a fvkking ass sniffer.
 

Swamp Donkey

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I don't consider Collins aggressive at all. So many off coverage 3 or 4 deep. Collins was such a poser. Milked the hell out of that one year with Saban.

Shannon, just 1980s base 4-3 zone.
 

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