With the Gators’ turnovers at a minimum last season, the interceptions naturally followed suit.
Florida ranked last in the Southeastern Conference with just eight picks during the 2011 season.
Coach Will Muschamp does not pin the blame solely on the secondary for the lack of interceptions.
Due to the Gators’ struggling offense, which ranked 105th nationally in both total offense (328.7 yards) and first downs per game (17.1), Muschamp believes opposing squads played conservatively.
“Other offenses didn’t feel like they needed to score,” he said. “So they were willing to take a three and out and take time off the clock and not put the ball in the air and not create what I call ‘loose downs.’”
Muschamp describes “loose downs” as plays where a quarterback drops back to throw and opens up opportunities for interceptions, sacks and tipped balls. After watching new offensive coordinator Brent Pease’s offense in action during fall camp, junior cornerback Jaylen Watkins is anticipating an increase in “loose downs” in 2012.
“Definitely. There’s no doubt in my mind it’s going to cause a lot of problems,” Watkins said. “Because you have sets that you’ve never seen before, guys at running back that you’ve never seen before and then they shift out and they’re back at their normal position.”
Watkins is one of four players battling for the two starting cornerback roles. Along with Watkins, junior Cody Riggs and sophomores Marcus Roberson and Loucheiz Purifoy are also in contention.
“With the corners, it’s very intense,” Watkins said. “We’re all scrappy right now, trying to get balls, making big plays, tackling because it’s down to every little small centimeter.”
Roberson’s status in the cornerback competition was in question late last year after a scary injury against South Carolina. What Muschamp initially believed was a sprain turned out be a fractured vertebrae in Roberson’s neck. Despite the injury, Roberson is back on the field.
“I don’t think about it, honestly,” he said. “It doesn’t even really play a part in my game right now.”
One week into fall camp, the cornerback battle remains unsettled. Purifoy said that zero spots have been locked down.
“There’s a lot of pressure, but we’re all competitors,” Purifoy said. “We all came for one reason.”
Contact Joe Morgan at joemorgan@alligator.org.
Marcus Roberson (5), talks to media during UF Media Day at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Aug. 2.
