Coaches expect a Florida defense that ranked eighth in the country in 2011 to be even better this fall.
After a lack of depth forced Sharrif Floyd to play defensive end last season, the 6-foot-3, 303-pound junior moved back to his natural position — defensive tackle.
Floyd will team up with defensive tackle Omar Hunter in 2012. At a combined 616 pounds, the duo is expected to free space for the UF linebackers.
“You see more leg strength from him,” defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said of Hunter. “You see a stronger man when he sheds blocks. To me the work ethic from Omar has always been there. He’s a hard worker. Every day in and out and then now you’re kind of seeing a more strong and powerful man inside and that’s showing up in practice by the way he can take on blocks and get off blocks.”
Floyd, Hunter and junior defensive end Dominique Easley combined for 16.5 tackles for a loss last season but have been paving the way for UF’s linebackers in practice.
“We’ve been getting a lot of penetration,” starting Buck linebacker Lerentee McCray said. “One of them has to get a double team, they can’t just single block everybody. So it’s definitely helping the linebackers with guards trying to get to the second level. ... It’s definitely helping the linebackers out a lot.”
After Ronald Powell suffered an ACL tear in the spring game, McCray, a redshirt senior, stepped into the Buck linebacker position.
Although coaches are asking him to fill the shoes of last season’s sacks leader, McCray doesn’t expect a drop off from UF’s 28-sack performance, which ranked No. 38 nationally last season.
“I feel like we are going to be the same thing,” he said. “We got a lot of guys able to get after the quarterback. Our pass rush has gotten better since camp.”
A group of newcomers will back up Easley, Floyd and Hunter on the line. Freshmen Dante Fowler Jr. and Jonathan Bullard are the second-string ends, while JUCO transfer Damien Jacobs is the primary backup at defensive tackle.
“We got a lot of young guys coming in,” McCray said. “We are fresh going into the game, because we have so much depth. We don’t have to take a lot of reps in camp.”
Bullard and Fowler, who came to UF as five-star recruits, received praise from coach Will Muschamp during camp. Bullard has been working at defensive end, while Fowler has been working at Buck linebacker.
“It helps a lot being able to rotate two people at a position,” McCray said. “We can rotate series.”
While players labored through the grind of training camp, at least one enjoyed taking repetitions at a familiar spot.
“It feels like winning the lottery,” Floyd said about moving to defensive tackle. “I mean I love what I do. I love what I can do for the team.”
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Defensive Tackle Sharrif Floyd runs off the field with Strength and Conditioning Coach Jeff Dillman, Aug. 18 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium
