Last season Deonte Thompson was the third receiving option on the UF offense. This year, he’s the leader of the group.
Wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni, who arrived at UF just before it played the Sugar Bowl in January, has helped make that transition seamless .
“My game has gone up a whole bunch, [Azzanni] is getting me where I need to be,” Thompson said.
In a group of receivers that features Carl Moore, who has 14 total receptions at UF, Chris Rainey, who has played running back the past two seasons, and freshman Andre Debose – Thompson has no choice but to take charge.
“He’s leading those young guys,” Azzanni said. “What I don’t want to do to Deonte is I don’t want to put too much on his plate with all of these young receivers. I also want Deonte to be Deonte and get better.”
QUICK HITS
*QB John Brantley said he threw three touchdown passes in Saturday’s scrimmage.
*CB Jeremy Brown, who sat out the past two seasons because of a back injury, said he took a hit in the back Saturday. “You think about, but you get up, wiggle it out and move on,” he said.
*According to OL Marcus Gilbert, OL Xavier Nixon did not take part in Saturday’s scrimmage because of an undisclosed injury.