It’s been a while since Quinton Dunbar left a game without a catch.
The redshirt senior wide receiver has a UF-record 28-game reception streak, dating back to Florida’s 54-32 win against Furman on Nov. 19, 2011.
Prior to Dunbar’s record-setting streak, UF’s consecutive-catch streak was 25 games, set by Carlos Alvarez from 1969-1971.
And with Florida’s second attempt at a season opener set for Saturday against Eastern Michigan, Dunbar will look to continue that streak, but offensive coordinator Kurt Roper will not be looking solely to Dunbar to make plays on the opposite end of Jeff Driskel.
“I think you’re obviously aware of those type of things and want to be fair to a young man,” offensive coordinator Kurt Roper said. “It doesn’t affect game planning or it doesn’t affect the thought process. Our first goal is to go out there and win, but we would obviously like to help him keep that streak alive.”
Dunbar, who led all of Florida’s returning receivers from its 2013 campaign with 40 catches and 548 yards, is continuing to develop his rhythm with Driskel.
The Miami native said that Driskel and the wide receivers are starting to get on the same page, especially with deep passes.
“It comes from the offseason,” Dunbar said. “We threw a lot of deep balls, probably like, 10 to 15 a day after weights. ... You can tell that it’s paying off. The timing is down with the receivers and the quarterbacks.”
But with the return of redshirt senior Andre Debose, the progression of junior Latroy Pittman and the development of sophomores Ahmad Fulwood and Demarcus Robinson, Dunbar is still viewed as a mentor among the receiving corps.
“Q’s probably our biggest leader in the receiver unit,” Fulwood said. “He’s been here the longest, he’s made probably the most plays out of all of us, he doesn’t get the attention he should but I mean I think he’s comfortable being under the radar still making plays that he needs to make.”
Driskel has seen improvements from some of the less experienced receivers throughout training camp and, like Roper, said there is the potential for several of them to have a breakout year.
“Ahmad Fulwood really knows what he’s doing out there,” Driskel said. “He’s made some big plays in camp and I can’t wait for him to do that in the season. He has a good understanding of the offense. I think Latroy Pittman is going to have a good year as well. Strong hands, smart football player and that’s what you need at the receiver position.”
Fulwood, who caught 17 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown last season, said his development over the past year has been night and day.
“I felt like I was a lot more comfortable than any time last year, even though I finished off kind of strong last year,” Fulwood said. “I feel like this training camp I really had to show what I could do. It was all about making the high balls, making the balls some people can't make, making those catches.”
Through his first two seasons at Florida, Pittman has just four catches for 24 yards.
After being a four-star recruit out of Citra (Fla.) North Marion High, he’s ready to play.
“I mean coming in having success, you expect to have a great season and come out and make things happen for the team right away,” he said. “But it didn’t break that way and at the end of the day it humbled me. But I’m ready to step up and make plays now.”
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Quinton Dunbar attempts to catch a pass in the end zone during the fourth quarter of Florida’s 26-20 loss to Georgia Southern on Nov. 23, 2013, in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
