Ahmad Black’s name sat atop the Gators box score, and he wasn’t exactly pumped.
Through two games, Black led the Florida defense with 20 tackles. If the 5-foot-9 safety continued to outpace the Gators linebackers, the team was in trouble, Black said.
But Black was limited to just four tackles last week. Stepping in front of him were redshirt freshman Jelani Jenkins and sophomore Jon Bostic, who combined for 14 tackles as Florida (3-0, 1-0) limited Tennessee to 29 rushing yards.
And Saturday, when No. 9 UF hosts Kentucky (3-0, 0-0) at 7 p.m., fans will see if the pair of underclassmen can continue to plug the run.
“(The) linebackers played great,” Black said of last week’s performance. “I look across the board and I was really proud to see from one week to the next how much they progressed. I was excited to see the guys up there running around.”
Last season, linebackers Ryan Stamper, Brandon Spikes and Dustin Doe headed a unit that held opponents to 99.8 rushing yards per game, good for second-best in the Southeastern Conference.
But with all three exhausting their eligibility, Jenkins and Bostic were granted little time to replace the veterans. Rivals.com ranked both players among the nation’s top-five prep linebackers when they came to Gainesville in 2009, but neither had started a game before this season.
Bostic struggled Sept. 11 against South Florida, taking improper paths to ball carriers as the Bulls rushed for 244 yards. Jenkins, meanwhile, only recorded nine tackles through the first two games.
But the two shined last week. Bostic led the Gators with eight tackles and ended a potential Volunteers scoring drive with an interception in the end zone. Jenkins tied for second on the team with six tackles and a sack, a showing good enough to earn him SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
“I’m starting to slowly figure it out now, but I don’t know exactly how long it’s going to take to really-really figure it out,” Jenkins said. “I’m starting to feel more comfortable.”
While both linebackers made more plays against Tennessee, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said their development remains a work in progress. In particular, he said Bostic needs to become the heart of the defense, pointing to how Spikes led the unit last season.
Like Spikes, Bostic can change a team’s momentum with a forceful tackle, Austin said. Still, he is not making those hits enough, and the coaches are letting him know during practice.
“He’s a thumper. When he hits you, he hits you,” Austin said. “He has to play well and have a presence because it makes a difference for your defense.”
Meyer going for 100: Urban Meyer will become the sixth-fastest college football coach to win 100 career games with a victory Saturday against Kentucky. The win would give him a 100-18 record in his 10-year career as a head coach.
He has downplayed the potential milestone, though.
“I’m more into the people than the wins,” Meyer said. “I remember so many of the great efforts and have been blessed to have had so many great players.”
