Last year, Florida’s freshmen struggled to establish a good rapport with the team’s upperclassmen, often clashing with the veterans.
But with spring practice underway and a new group of leaders in control, the Gators have made chemistry a priority.
“The whole team is buying in, and we welcome everyone that comes in,” sophomore Buck linebacker Ronald Powell said. “We’re going to be together for a long time, so we might as well get it straight now.”
Powell was part of the nation’s No. 2 recruiting class, a group that came to UF with a sense of entitlement that led to conflicts between the first-year players and the Gators’ more established upperclassmen.
But the sophomores are looking to put those issues behind them. According to defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd, they took some time after last season to adjust their attitudes and refocus on their goals as a team.
“We need to get this better because it’s not what we wanted to come here and do,” Floyd said. “It was a good season, but it wasn’t the season we all predicted, so I guess right after the season we all got on board and just wanted to do better.”
CHRISTIAN MAKING TRANSITION TO DEFENSE: When Florida announced the move away from a spread-option offense, Gerald Christian was excited about the prospect of being a pro-style tight end.
Three months and one position change later, the sophomore is on the other side of the ball but still ready to make an impact for Florida.
Christian, who played defense in high school, is listed as the starting strong-side linebacker on the Gators’ spring depth chart. But Florida coach Will Muschamp has warned his team that the preseason projections are not set in stone.
“It’s not definite. I’m No. 1 on the depth chart, but I’ve still got to earn the position,” Christian said. “Honestly, I would have felt better being at the bottom and working to the top, trying to earn it more. I’m going to work hard anyway.”
