Solomon Patton did not play much his first three seasons.
He had a punt return here, a kick return there and the jet sweep that pigeonholed him as all speed.
Coach Will Muschamp approached Patton this offseason with a question: Do you just want to be a jet-sweep guy?
Through three games, Patton has answered with an emphatic no. His 212 yards and two touchdowns lead Florida receivers.
“I’ve always been hungry and wanting to play,” Patton said. “I just took this offseason to focus on a lot of different things. It’s starting to pay off.”
His junior season ended walking off the field, head hanging, with his left arm in a sling. Georgia safety Shawn Williams tackled Patton by the neck on a vicious hit near the Florida sidelines.
The Gators, down a touchdown on their first drive and needing a spark, dialed up Patton’s signature jet sweep on fourth and 1. The 5-foot-9 receiver went in motion, took the Jeff Driskel handoff and ran off left tackle only to miss the rest of the season. Florida didn’t get the first down or the win.
Missing time left Patton with something to prove in his last season at UF. Patton put on 10-12 pounds to reach 179, he said. His listed weight was 169 in 2012.
He dedicated his offseason to route running and drinking protein shakes. But the added weight has not taken away from Patton’s speed. On the second series with Tyler Murphy at quarterback against Tennessee, Patton took a screen pass 52 yards for a touchdown.
Patton made cornerback Devaun Swafford miss, slipped through safety Brian Randolph’s tackle and outran three Volunteers to the end zone.
The sideline scamper wasn’t an eye opener. This is the player who had programs such as Alabama clamoring for his services coming out of high school. Patton even beat Julio Jones in the 100m dash running track in Mobile, Ala.
To see his evolution, look no further than his 46-yard over-the-shoulder catch against Miami two weeks earlier. Patton adjusted with the ball mid-flight on a Driskel play-action pass and hauled it in for Florida’s longest pass of the season.
Florida brought in former Kentucky coach Joker Phillips to revitalize its receivers corps. It’s been night-and-day for Patton and receivers like Quinton Dunbar, who have helped fill the void left by tight end Jordan Reed.
Offensive coordinator Brent Pease noticed more explosive plays from the wideouts. Six of Patton’s 10 receptions have gone for more than 15 yards. He scored his first career touchdown — a 21-yard catch — during the final minutes against Miami.
His 118 receiving yards marked the highest output by a Florida pass catcher in 16 games.
“We’re learning how to run our routes the right way, (and) at the right depth,” Patton said of Phillips.
“Technique-wise and catching the ball, he has made a real huge impact.”
There’s a new batch of raw talent among Florida’s wideouts. Ahmad Fulwood, who has one reception for five yards, is the only one of seven true freshmen with a catch. Patton was there once.
“I just tell them, ‘Look at me. This is my senior year, and I finally got my chance. I’m just taking advantage of it.’”
Follow Adam Pincus on Twitter @adamDpincus.
Solomon Patton scores a touchdown during Florida’s 31-17 victory against Tennessee on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Patton is Florida’s leading receiver in 2013.
