Florida Gators

Edward Aschoff talks with Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Early in the 2012 season, Florida coaches discovered something puzzling about running back Matt Jones.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound freshman, who was built more like a linebacker, wasn’t playing to his size. Instead of barreling through the middle of the field, Jones tried to either dance or run around his opponents.

It was ineffective and frustrating. Jones had throw out his old high school tactics and learn to put his foot in the ground and go north and south. So head coach Will Muschamp and running backs coach Brian White sat Jones down midway through the season for a meeting about change.

He had to pay more attention to his coaches, be more alert in meetings, and most of all he had to play to his strength: being a power runner.

“You don’t make your fastball pitcher throw changeups,” Muschamp said. “Let’s throw the fastball, and let’s make them tackle the fastball.”

Jones, who played backup to Mike Gillislee, didn’t have spectacular stats last season, but there was a definite change to how he prepared in the second half of the season. To him, his meeting with the coaches changed his entire perspective on his play, and things really started to click during the Jacksonville State game.

Jones ran for 65 yards on eight carries that game, staying in the middle of the field as much as possible. He then turned around with 81 yards and a touchdown on eight carries in the Gators’ 37-26 win at Florida State.

For Jones, his mentality and work ethic transformed. While he understood his role as Gillislee’s backup, he aimed to prove that he wanted carries. He wanted his coaches to think twice about taking him off the field.

“I was so hungry that I was going to show the coaches that I really wanted to play,” Jones said. “I knew I wasn’t going to start, but it was expected that if [Gillislee] went down I was going to be ready at any time.”

Jones’ hunger comes from very humble beginnings. The youngest of three football-playing brothers, Jones grew up in a small, pink, single-family home in Tampa, Fla., never knowing his father. His mother, Barbara Singleton, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer when Jones was 16. She’s now cancer-free.

Jones was so embarrassed by his small, crowded house that he would only do in-home visits with coaches at his girlfriend’s house. Florida coaches went by for a traditional Sunday meal -- complete with chicken, pork chops and rice -- before Jones enrolled, but he never showed them his real home.

Leaving that home behind stands as a major motivator for Jones.

“Coming from that, man, it just made me hungry,” Jones said. “I just wanted to get my mom out [of] that situation, and it definitely makes me humble.

“[His mom] wants one of her boys to make it (to the NFL).”

First, Jones had to get through spring practice as the Gators’ new starting running back. With the 1,000-yard shoes of Gillislee to fill, there was a bit of pressure on Jones, who rushed for just 275 yards and three touchdowns last season.

But he entered spring with the mentality of, well, running away with the starting spot. After spending his high school days running a similar offense, Jones said he felt very comfortable with Brent Pease’s playbook. He absorbed it quickly last fall, then locked himself in the film room this spring, studying everything from his movements to defensive sets, safety rotation, blitzes and defensive line tendencies.

He even helped fellow backs Mack Brown and Kelvin Taylor with their film work and wanted to make sure Muschamp wasn’t uncomfortable with the makeup of the running back position.

“He has attacked the offseason, and I use the word ‘attacked’ in bold letters,” Muschamp said. “He’s has gone after the offseason, and he had an outstanding spring. He’ll carry it a bunch this fall.”

Ask quarterback Jeff Driskel about Jones and he interrupts with one word: freak.

“He’s tough, and that’s what you need at running back,” Driskel said. “He’s not scared to pick up the extra few yards and put his head down, rather than try to bounce it outside.”

Jones is using his fastball, and he’s ready to put this team on his shoulders. He understands that this offense revolves heavily around the running game, and that he’s now the face of the position.

Jones embraces that and oozes confidence, as he wants 1,500 yards and more than 12 touchdowns.

That attitude has Jones’ teammates thrilled about working with him.

“You definitely get excited as an O-Lineman when you have a running back that’s running the ball like that with so much heart and passion,” guard Max Garcia said. “He’s going to be a problem (for defenses) this fall.”

FLORIDA GATORS
2012 overall record: 11-2

2012 overall record: 11-2
2012 conference record: 7-1 (2nd Eastern Division)
Returning starters: Offense: 6; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1

Top returners

QB Jeff Driskel, C Jonotthan Harrison, RG Jon Halapio, RB/WR Trey Burton, DE/DT Dominique Easley, CB Loucheiz Purifoy, CB Marcus Roberson, S Jaylen Watkins, P Kyle Christy

Key losses

RB Mike Gillislee, TE Jordan Reed, DT Sharrif Floyd, S Matt Elam, S Josh Evans, LB Jon Bostic, LB Jelani Jenkins

2012 statistical leaders (*returners)

Rushing: Mike Gillislee (1,152 yards)
Passing: Jeff Driskel* (1,646 yards)
Receiving: Jordan Reed (559 yards)
Tackles: Josh Evans (83)
Sacks: Dominique Easley* (4.0)
Interceptions: Matt Elam (4)

Spring answers

1. Back in business: Sophomore Matt Jones running back had a fantastic spring and the coaching staff is convinced he’ll be a more than capable replacement for Gillislee. The 6-foot-2, 228-pound Jones is a perfect fit for Will Muschamp’s power-run offense. He’s a straight-ahead, downhill runner, who runs through contact and gets tough yards. The offense will be built around him, especially with the questions surrounding the passing game. Redshirt junior Mack Brown and freshman Kelvin Taylor, the son of former UF standout running back Fred Taylor, give the Gators solid depth at the position.

2. Lined up: UF’s offensive line made strides in 2012 and it will be even better in 2013. The addition of transfers -- Max Garcia (Maryland) and Tyler Moore (Nebraska) -- gives the Gators a pair of former starters to add to an already solid base with Harrison and Halapio. Plus, sophomore D.J. Humphries is an immediate upgrade from Xavier Nixon at left tackle. Garcia will start at left guard and pair with Humphries to give Driskel better blind-side protection than he had a year ago.

3. The middle is settled: With the loss of Bostic and Jenkins, the Gators needed a middle linebacker. The staff moved sophomore Antonio Morrison from weakside linebacker, and Morrison showed pretty quickly he was up to the task. He’s not the biggest middle linebacker the Gators have had (6-foot-1, 230 pounds), but he is certainly one of the most physical. Morrison hits like he weighs 260 pounds -- just ask 245-pound former FSU quarterback EJ Manuel, whom Morrison leveled last season. Morrison proved he could handle making the defensive calls and he should easily step into the role Bostic held for the past two seasons.

Fall questions

1. Receiver issues ... again: The Gators have problems at wide receiver and must get better at the position or the offense will again struggle. That’s been the case since the 2009 season ended. The latest attempted solution is former Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips. He has coached receivers for 18 seasons at Kentucky (1991-96 and 2003-2009), Cincinnati (1997), Minnesota (1999-2000), Notre Dame (2001) and South Carolina (2002). NFL players Steve Johnson (Buffalo) and Randall Cobb (Green Bay) are among the receivers Phillips worked with during his tenure at Kentucky. He also coached Craig Yeast, Keenan Burton, Dicky Lyons Jr. and Derek Abney, all of whom rank in the top five in school history in career receptions or career receiving yardage. Can Phillips get consistent production out of Quinton Dunbar, Andre Debose, Raphael Andrades, Latroy Pittman, Burton or Solomon Patton? Can he turn one of the five freshmen -- notably Demarcus Robinson or Ahmad Fulwood -- into the big-time playmaker the Gators have lacked since Riley Cooper? Zach Azzani, Aubrey Hill and Bush Hamdan have tried and failed.

2. Safety dance: There’s some concern about the Gators’ safeties because some of the younger and less experienced players haven’t developed as the staff had hoped. Cody Riggs and Watkins, who started at corner early last season, will begin August practices as UF’s two starting safeties. They have both played there during their UF careers and there are no concerns about those two players, but there are some about Valdez Showers, Marcus Maye and Jabari Gorman. Realistically, the Gators are better off with Riggs and Watkins starting because that gives UF the chance to get its top four defensive backs on the field at the same time instead of working Watkins, Riggs, Roberson, Purifoy and Brian Poole in a rotation at cornerback. Still, those other three need to earn more trust from the coaching staff.

3. Just for kicks: Kickers Austin Hardin and Brad Phillips struggled throughout the spring. Neither is as reliable or as good from long range as Caleb Sturgis was, but it’s the first part that’s more important. The offense, especially if the receivers don’t get any better, will continue to have a hard time consistently moving the ball. Sturgis was able to bail the Gators out because they needed only to get to the 35-yard line to be in range for a makeable field goal. That mark may have to be the 20 in 2013. Unless Hardin or Phillips makes a major leap this summer, expect the Gators to go with the kicker who practices the best each week.

Edward Aschoff talks with Florida offensive lineman Max Garcia.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida released a post-spring depth chart on Wednesday. There were no big surprises, although seeing running back Mack Brown behind Matt Jones and ahead of Kelvin Taylor did earn a raised eyebrow.

Here’s the breakdown:

Offense

LT: D.J. Humphries (6-5, 285, So.)/Trenton Brown (6-8, 363, Jr.)

LG: Max Garcia (6-4, 307, RJr.)/Ian Silberman (6-5, 290, RJr.)

C: Jonotthan Harrison (6-3, 303, RSr.) /Kyle Koehne (6-5, 314, RSr.)

RG: Jon Halapio (6-3, 317, RSr.)/Trip Thurman (6-5, 313, RSo.)

RT: Tyler Moore (6-5, 315, RSo.) OR Chaz Green (6-5, 305, RJr.)

TE: Clay Burton (6-4, 247, Jr.)/Tevin Westbrook (6-5, 258, Jr.) OR Colin Thompson (6-4, 250, RFr.) OR Kent Taylor (6-5, 223, So.)

RB: Matt Jones (6-2, 228, So.)/Mack Brown (5-11, 215, RJr.)

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida has lost another offensive lineman -- and now the Gators might have to adjust their spring game plans.

Reserve offensive lineman Trip Thurman has suffered what Florida coach Will Muschamp said appears to be a serious shoulder injury, and now the Gators have only five healthy scholarship offensive linemen available. The other five are either limited, out for spring because of previous injuries, or suspended.

Because of that, the Gators’ April 6 spring game might lose some of its excitement.

“Just tough right now on those guys and now it’s even harder to get scrimmage snaps because of the lack of numbers at those positions,” Muschamp said. “We’re adjusting as we go as far as this coming Saturday [in a scrimmage]. Even with the spring game, it may be more of a practice-like atmosphere for what we’re going to do.

“ ... We’ll have scrimmage snaps. I think if we’re incorporating within the scrimmage some 7-on-7, some special teams periods where we just concentrate and let those guys get a break. Last spring, we’d go 120-130 snaps in a scrimmage. You can’t do that with five offensive linemen. That won’t be good.”

Muschamp said he did not know the extent of Thurman’s injury and was waiting for team physician Mike Moser to view the results of an MRI, but that things didn’t look good. The 6-foot-5, 313-pound Thurman wasn’t going to be a starter in 2013, but he was the No. 2 left tackle behind sophomore D.J. Humphries.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Spring practice is nearly halfway over and the NCAA tournament is finally underway, and that makes it a busy week for Florida sports.

GatorNation kept you up to date, starting with a story about the middle of UF’s defense. Coach Will Muschamp believes you have to be strong up the middle -- meaning at defensive tackle, middle linebacker and safety, and he believes the Gators can do that despite having new starters at each position.

However, the Gators’ depth at linebacker took a bit of a blow with the loss of freshman early enrollee Alex Anzalone to a damaged labrum in his right shoulder. He’ll be out for the rest of the spring but should be cleared to return in August. Anzalone was No. 2 on the depth chart at middle linebacker behind starter Antonio Morrison. Darrin Kitchens, who is listed as the starter at weakside linebacker, is also taking reps at middle linebacker.

Anzalone was one of the players who drew praise from the coaches during the Gators’ two open practices last weekend. Ten observations from those two days can be found here.

UF also is overhauling the left side of its offensive line with new starters D.J. Humphries and Max Garcia.

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Though it had improved considerably from the year before, Florida’s offensive line still struggled last season.

The 2013 line ought to be an altogether different story, especially on the left side, thanks to bulked-up tackle D.J. Humphries and Maryland transfer Max Garcia.

"Well, we'll wait until we get into the season to make those judgments,” UF coach Will Muschamp said. “But I'm excited about both players.”

Especially Humphries, a five-star recruit and the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle in 2012. He enrolled early and got on the field as an extra tight end in the jumbo package and in spot duty at left tackle despite weighing about 270 pounds. The 6-foot-5 Humphries now weighs more than 280 pounds and has seamlessly taken over for the graduated Xavier Nixon.

Humphries is an upgrade from Nixon, who started five games as a freshman but had an inconsistent career and was benched last season because of his effort. Humphries might have replaced Nixon last season had he been bigger and stronger, but those physical tools kept him from being able to handle some of the SEC’s bigger defensive ends and tackles.

He’s ready now, Muschamp said.

“He's just a really good athlete,” Muschamp said. “He can bend his lower body. He can set the edge against a speed rush. Sometimes, at times, he had a hard time anchoring against the bigger players, some of the bull rushes, but he's a guy now that's building that anchor, building that core.”

Humphries also is much quicker and more agile than Nixon, who struggled with his footwork and pad level, and should be better in protecting quarterback Jeff Driskel’s blind side.

The 6-5, 307-pound Garcia sat out last season after transferring from Maryland, but he practiced every day and was one of the recipients of the Most Valuable Scout Team Award on offense.

Garcia earned a reputation as a gritty player with a bit of a nasty attitude, which is something that has been missing from the line since Maurkice Pouncey and Mike Pouncey left Gainesville.

“Max Garcia has been a real good addition, a tough, physical inside player,” Muschamp said. “Great kid, does everything you ask. He’s a guy I’m excited about.”

Garcia is replacing sixth-year senior James Wilson, who finally managed to put together a full season after a career full of knee and foot injuries. Wilson played solidly in 2012, but Garcia -- who was a tackle at Maryland -- is much more mobile and is an upgrade in pass protection.

UF gave up 39 sacks last season, and while all of those aren’t because of breakdowns on the offensive line, the unit certainly needs to do a better job protecting Driskel. UF’s passing offense ranked 114th nationally, and inconsistent pass protection was one of the main reasons.

“We need to play better around Jeff,” Muschamp said. “It wasn't all just one guy's fault in the throwing game. We need to get better at receiver. We need to improve in protection. Our backs didn't protect as well as maybe we thought at times. It wasn't always on the offensive line. Sometimes we held onto the ball too long. All of those things are being addressed.”

But it starts with the offensive line and a left side that now seems to have been greatly improved.

Schedule: The Gators open spring practice today at 4:30 p.m. ET and will conclude the spring with their annual Orange & Blue Debut on April 6 at 1 p.m. ET inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

What's new: Defensive coordinator Dan Quinn left to become the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Will Muschamp then promoted D.J. Durkin from linebackers/special teams coach to defensive coordinator. Brad Lawing was hired away from South Carolina to help coach Florida's defensive line and was given the title of assistant head coach. Interim wide receivers coach Bush Hamdan was replaced by former Kentucky head coach Joker Phillips.

On the mend: Redshirt junior offensive lineman Chaz Green will miss all of spring after undergoing ankle surgery following Florida's bowl game. Redshirt junior defensive end/linebacker Ronald Powell will also miss the spring while he continues to rehab his ACL injury that he suffered last spring. Redshirt junior offensive lineman Ian Silberman is out for the spring, as he recovers from shoulder surgery that he had before the bowl game. Freshman linebacker Matt Rolin is also out, recovering from ACL surgery. Senior offensive lineman Jon Halapio (knee scope), senior wide receiver Solomon Patton (broken arm), redshirt junior linebacker Neiron Ball (ankle) and punter Kyle Christy (shoulder) will all be limited this spring.

On the move: Junior cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy will start the first seven practices at the "Z" receiver spot. Redshirt freshman Quinteze Williams moved from defensive tackle to offensive tackle. Sophomore Antonio Morrison moved from Will to Mike linebacker, while redshirt junior linebacker Michael Taylor has moved from Mike to Will. Redshirt freshman Rhaheim Ledbetter moved from safety to fullback. Redshirt junior Gideon Ajagbe also moved from linebacker to fullback. Redshirt junior Cody Riggs has moved from cornerback to safety, where he's listed as a starter.

Question marks: Heading into the spring, the biggest questions remain on offense, where the Gators were incredibly inconsistent last year. Workhorse running back Mike Gillislee is gone, and while the Gators should feature a stable of running backs this fall, throwing the ball has to improve or this offense will go in reverse. Quarterback Jeff Driskel says he's more confident and offensive coordinator Brent Pease expects to open things up more in the passing game, but the Gators also have to get better protection up front and develop some more reliable receivers and replace top target, tight end Jordan Reed. Florida's defense has a lot of experienced youngsters, but it won't be easy to replace the production that guys like Sharrif Floyd, Matt Elam and Jon Bostic had last year. Florida is also looking for someone to replace kicker Caleb Sturgis. Redshirt freshman Austin Hardin and senior Brad Phillips will compete for that spot.

New faces: Rolin, running back Kelvin Taylor, linebackers Alex Anzalone and Daniel McMillian, defensive lineman Joey Ivie, and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson all enrolled early as true freshmen. Florida also welcomed Nebraska offensive lineman transfer Tyler Moore (sophomore) and junior college transfer Darius Cummings (DT). Offensive lineman Max Garica also transferred from Maryland and sat out last season.

Key battle: Florida has to find a reliable receiving target at either tight end or receiver. The athletic Kent Taylor figures to be the favorite at tight end, but he'll have to compete with Colin Thompson, Clay Burton and Tevin Westbrook. At receiver, it's a free-for-all, and there isn't a ton of experience. Purifoy will certainly get his shot, but vets Quinton Dunbar and Andre Debose have to make significant strides. So does rising sophomore Latroy Pittman, who fell off last year after a successful spring. Sophomore Raphael Andrades will be back and forth between football and baseball, while Patton will be limited. Keep an eye on Robinson, who was the top receiver in the Gators' 2013 class and is a downfield threat and someone who can be elusive through the middle of the field.

Breaking out: Florida needs to replace Gillislee, and sophomore Matt Jones has already had a solid offseason, according to coaches. He progressed as last season went on and has both speed and strength to work with. The plan is for him to be a 20-plus-carry player this fall. Morrison's role now expands, and after having a very solid freshman year, even more is expected from him now that he's at the Mike. If he improves his coverage ability, he could be a big-time player for the Gators. Also, keep an eye on junior safety Jabari Gorman. He covers a lot of ground and isn't afraid to play in the box.

Don't forget about: Ball and Riggs have dealt with injuries in the past, but as they get healthy, Florida's coaches are excited about what they could do in 2013. Ball will play some Buck and provides Florida with another solid third-down pass-rusher and should help the Gators put more pressure on opposing backfields this fall. Riggs played in just two games last year before fracturing his foot, but he's a very physical defensive back. With his speed, moving to safety should provide him a chance to make more plays in Florida's secondary. He was also the starter at safety when Elam went to nickel last year.