Gators coach Will Muschamp is looking for any competitive edge he can get entering his first season.
That includes attempting to control what information, and how much of it, gets out to the public.
“It’s an advantage for us this season not to show [our hand],” Muschamp said Saturday. “What is Charlie doing? Is he doing what he did at Notre Dame? Kansas City? New England? How is he using this guy, this guy, this guy?
“Defensively, are we doing Dan Quinn or Will Muschamp? Are we 3-4 or are we 4-3? I don’t know. That’s why we’ve closed things.”
It’s also why Muschamp is currently the sole voice of news — injuries and otherwise — coming from the Gators until coordinators Charlie Weis and Dan Quinn are made available to the media during game weeks.
Along with keeping as much information as possible under wraps, Muschamp even jokingly claimed the team intentionally disseminated a rumor last week about experimenting with the Wildcat formation with Jeff Demps, Chris Rainey, Trey Burton and Jordan Reed. But Rainey and Demps, when asked, both said they have been taking snaps in the Wildcat during fall camp.
Reed on punt returns: Muschamp has stressed the importance of playing his best players on special teams and having starters that want to contribute.
He noted receivers Deonte Thompson and Quinton Dunbar have been among the most willing to put in work.
The most surprising name among kick returners, though, could be 6-foot-3, 239-pound tight end Jordan Reed.
“A guy of his size catching it and getting vertical on a gunner is pretty exciting,” Muschamp said.
Etc.: Freshman defensive back De’Ante “Pop” Saunders has reportedly been working at safety, and freshman Chris Johnson has moved from safety to linebacker.
Contact Tom Green at tgreen@alligator.org.
Although Florida coach Will Muschamp recently tried to dismiss it as a rumor, running backs Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey have reportedly been taking snaps in a version of the Wildcat formation in practice.
