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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Florida relying on youth for leadership with season on line

<p>Florida will need improvement on a young defense to avoid a three-game losing streak and a repeat of a disappointing 2010 season that finished with an 8-5 record.</p>

Florida will need improvement on a young defense to avoid a three-game losing streak and a repeat of a disappointing 2010 season that finished with an 8-5 record.

Florida has been here before.

The opponent was different, so was the venue. The makeup of Florida’s team was, too.

But the stakes will be the same when Florida (4-2, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) hits the road to take on No. 24 Auburn (4-2, 2-1 SEC) on Saturday at 7 p.m. Just like last year, the Gators will be trying to avoid a three-game October slide.

“Being an older guy, I’ve been through this before — last year’s team,” junior defensive tackle Omar Hunter said. “The thing is, with this team, we’ve got a lot of young guys.”

That youth and inexperience — the Gators have just 11 seniors on scholarship — has been a factor in Florida’s freefall the last two weeks against No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, when the Gators mustered just 21 combined points and their defense faltered.

A lack of consistent leaders is a byproduct of a team light on seniors, particularly the last couple of weeks. That is something the Gators will need if they hope to avoid a third straight loss.

“When you say ‘youth,’ you probably don’t have a bunch of older guys,” coach Will Muschamp said. “So who are your leaders? Who are your guys that are going to step up and take it by the horns and push forward?”

Hunter said plenty of younger guys, including the sophomore trio of defensive end Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle Dominique Easley and Buck linebacker Ronald Powell, have stepped into those leadership roles.

But Florida will need more than just leadership from those three.

It will need production, too, if it hopes to stop the conference’s No. 3 rushing offense, which is led by running back Michael Dyer’s 113.2 yards per game.

Against both Alabama and LSU, Florida’s defense failed to make tackles at the point of contact. That proved costly, as the Gators allowed 464 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

The UF rush defense, which was among the best in the nation to open the season, was challenged and failed to answer the call.

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“When your opportunity comes, you just have to embrace it and make the play,” Hunter said.

“Sometimes you don’t get those opportunities. But when it comes, your number’s called, you got to make the play.”

Florida was unable to do that the last two weeks.

Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Florida missed 12 tackles against LSU, while Muschamp said some players decided to do things their own way rather than how the coaches wanted them done.

But Florida’s inexperienced team will have to grow up fast, and correct those errors in Jordan-Hare Stadium to stop Dyer, who has amassed 679 yards and eight rushing touchdowns, and defending national champion Auburn.

“You’ve got to grow up, and every day you’ve got to take on that responsibility and treat every day the same,” Hunter said.

“You can’t have one off day, and then another good day, and then an off day. You’ve got to be consistent with it.”

Contact Tom Green at tgreen@alligator.org.

Florida will need improvement on a young defense to avoid a three-game losing streak and a repeat of a disappointing 2010 season that finished with an 8-5 record.

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