Sometimes, Jennifer George needs a slap to the face.
Florida wants to get the most out of the 6-foot forward this season and will do whatever is necessary to reach that point.
“To get her balling with double-doubles, she’s got to get mad,” sophomore guard Jaterra Bonds said. “We’re going to try to get her mad before every game.”
While slapping George was a tactic employed once last season, Bonds said the team is looking for a less painful way to get George’s blood boiling.
The Gators’ recent results in Southeastern Conference play are one potential motivating factor.
The team-oriented George said her top priority is to win a conference championship. That being the case, she has reasonable cause to be upset.
During her first two seasons in Gainesville, Florida has racked up a 14-18 conference record, finishing last in the SEC East in back-to-back seasons.
SEC futility has provided George with the necessary anger, as coach Amanda Butler has noticed an increased intensity from George this offseason.
Senior guard Jordan Jones also recognized George’s drive, noting the junior forward’s maturation and her willingness to take on more responsibility.
“She can’t sit back and be a role player this year,” Jones said. “(Becoming) a double-double player is what we expect out of her.”
George played in every game during the 2010-11 season, starting six contests and ranking second on the team with 5.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game.
Both marks trailed only one player: senior center Azania Stewart, who grabbed 6.1 boards and swatted 1.8 shots per game.
“[George] just wants to be a changing factor, a dominant force,” Stewart said. “ She has that potential, because she’s the strongest on our team.”
Stewart marvels at George’s ability in the weight room, calling her work with 65-pound dumb bells “crazy.”
According to Jones, strength and conditioning coordinator Rich Jacobs has referred to George as Florida’s strongest player.
However, Stewart admits that physical might is only half the battle, saying George needs to mentally grasp her role to become “unstoppable.”
“The biggest jump for her last year to this year was just owning how talented she is,” Butler said. “Her teammates have always wanted her to be important, but she’s kind of shied away from that spotlight.”
The Gators have a guard-heavy roster that fits the mold of their up-tempo style, but Butler preaches the importance of a balanced attack.
To achieve that balance, the spotlight shifts to the paint, where Florida expects George to play mad this season.
“She could be our best post player,” Jones said. “With how dominating she is, how athletic she is — rebounding, scoring — she has the complete package.”
Much like the Gators’ SEC title hopes, describing George realizing her full potential involves words like “could” and “should.”
Florida hopes both prospects are on their way to “is.”
“It certainly has been something gradual and it’s continuing to happen — I don’t think she’s completely all the way there,” Butler said. “There are more days than not where she’s sure of herself and what she needs to do.”
