Joe Haden is set to be a shutdown cornerback - in two years.
Justin Trattou, Torrey Davis and Carlos Dunlap will be beasts on one of the most intimidating defensive lines in the Southeastern Conference - in two years.
Major Wright will be delivering major hits and making UF fans forget about Reggie Nelson - in two years.
The Gators defense will eventually be dominant. It's just not there yet, and it continued to show in Saturday's 59-31 win against Troy.
With Tennessee coming to town, it's time to be concerned, Gator Nation.
UF coach Urban Meyer said the young players looked "confused" in the locker room at halftime Saturday. If they're confused when they're ahead 49-7, what about when they're in a nail-biting SEC match?
The secondary did finish tackles better against the Trojans than it did the week prior against Western Kentucky. But it's still taking poor angles in coverage. Luckily for the Gators, Troy quarterback Omar Haugabook rarely tested UF downfield and missed open receivers several times.
That's not something Tennessee quarterback Erik Ainge will do. The Volunteers don't have an experienced receiving corps, but they do have a very accurate quarterback in Ainge. And you can be sure Phillip Fulmer won't be afraid to let Ainge throw it downfield.
There's a reason Troy passed twice as much as it ran, and it won't take long for Tennessee to realize that, either.
Going into this season, I thought the UF defense would surprise. Many pundits were only focusing on the offense and its explosive playmakers, and I thought they were underrating the defense. Looks like I thought wrong.
Go back two weeks. Did you really think the Gators would total just five sacks and one interception combined against Troy and Western Kentucky? Plus, that one interception wasn't even from the secondary but a tipped pass by Trattou, a defensive end.
Then just one sack Saturday?
I would've thought Haugabook would be having Derrick Harvey nightmares by halftime.
The good news is that these young 'uns will work their rears into the ground to get this right.
Meyer has never once questioned the effort of this team, and he's done that more than enough since he first arrived in Gainesville. So he's not afraid to publicly criticize players when warranted.
But the bottom line is, there's nothing these young players can do to prepare for The Swamp's atmosphere - especially in an SEC match. It wouldn't matter if Meyer put megaphones in the players' ears at practices to imitate the noise, there's only one way to overcome inexperience, and that's by getting experience.
The defense does have its bright spots. Brandon Spikes is ready and has been fairly impressive through two games. Tony Joiner has stepped up as a leader, and Harvey can still be sack master. Even Dustin Doe has looked decent. But more than this handful of players need to come ready to play.
At least this defense is lucky: the offense and special teams were outstanding against Troy. If the return game and Brandon James can continue to give the Gators the field-position advantage they had Saturday and Tim Tebow keeps playing like the Golden Child, the defense will only have to be average to pull out a win this week.
But average may still be a good bit away.
