LEXINGTON, KY. — Jaye Howard has reunited with a place he had not visited in six years: the end zone.
In the second quarter of Florida’s 48-10 win at Kentucky on Saturday, the 303-pound defensive tackle recovered a fumble and trotted 2 yards for a touchdown, his first since his junior year at Apopka High, when he scored against Lake City Columbia.
If it hadn’t been Howard crossing the goal line, it could have been any defensive lineman.
“I don’t know how he got that ball,” junior Omar Hunter said. “I have to watch the replay, because as soon as I picked my head up, he was in the end zone, out of breath after two yards.”
In a nickel package on the play, linebacker Jon Bostic rushed untouched off the right edge. The Gators had run the same play earlier in the game, but that time Kentucky quarterback Morgan Newton dumped the ball off to an uncovered receiver before Bostic could break through.
The second time, linebacker Jelani Jenkins picked up the tight end, forcing Newton to hold the ball longer. Bostic hit him from the blind side, jarring the ball loose and giving Howard the effortless score.
“We do that, we take pressure off the offense,” Howard said. “We get to the quarterback and make big plays — turnovers, fumble recoveries — it just brings energy to everyone around us.”
Despite keeping its first three opponents under wraps, Florida’s coaching staff was still unhappy with the defense’s inability to cause turnovers. In wins against FAU, UAB and Tennessee, Florida caused three total turnovers. On Saturday, the Gators got four.
For the first time this season, the defense gave its offense a boost. After Florida punted on its first two possessions, junior linebacker Lerentee McCray knocked the ball out of Josh Clemons’ hands. One play later, John Brantley connected with tight end Gerald Christian for a 45-yard touchdown, and the rout was on.
Safety Matt Elam later snagged his second interception in as many games, and the Gators had another touchdown after two plays.
On their first four drives of the game, the Wildcats had turned the ball over twice and moved the chains once. Florida added two more turnovers: Howards’ fumble recovery, and sophomore linebacker Michael Taylor’s third-quarter interception. Florida scored 24 points off takeaways.
Entering Saturday, Florida was tied for ninth in the Southeastern Conference in both interceptions (two) and fumbles forced (one). The Gators also ranked 10th with a negative-one turnover margin.
“We needed that,” Bostic said. “We stressed that all week: ‘We need to find some way to create turnovers.’ We went out and did it.”
Contact Tyler Jett at tjett@alligator.org.
