After the Gators spent last season learning rather than communicating, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn has coaching competition in Year 2 of his system.
Older players, such as senior linebacker Jon Bostic, have become their own coaches on the field.
ìThe communication is a lot better, because the first year the wording was pretty long,î Bostic said. ìFor us being in the second year in the defense, we're allowed to cut those words down a little bit shorter, because now we know what each other is thinking.
ìWe can just look at somebody and pretty much know, OK yeah, I see what you're seeing.í It makes us a lot better as a defense, because we play a lot faster and get the calls in quicker.î
Gators coaches held split squad practices this fall to divide reps and separate the inexperienced players from the veterans.
Now, players such as redshirt freshman safety Valdez Showers can make the same calls as starting safety Matt Elam.
Showers needed the practice experience to get comfortable.
ìComing into a new system like that, you're so worried about being in the right call that you forget about making plays on the ball,î Showers said.
Coach Will Muschamp arrived at Florida wanting a "ball-hawking" defense that could generate turnovers.
Nationally, the Gators finished 113th of 120 teams in turnover margin. Players who were trying to learn the terminology rather than making plays are now comfortable enough to react, meaning Quinn was able to focus on creating turnovers during training camp.
"You've heard the saying, 'You get what you emphasize,'"î Quinn said. "I've really tried to hit it as hard as I can."
Even after a good practice, turnovers are emphasized.
"I still went back to the takeaways," Quinn said. "'We had one today, that's not enough,' and tried to make that emphasis. I'm going to continue to do that in hopes to improve in that area."
Muschamp gave his team a different, more potent, message during an October four-game losing streak, one he hoped would fuel the Gators this offseason.
"Don't ever forget the feeling," Muschamp said. "I told them that in the locker room after the games. There is a key to every kid and it's your job as a coach to find the key. I know one thing. Embarrassment and failure are huge motivators for competitors."
Players say the failure of last season has led to improved communication.
"After practice, guys are staying to help each other out with the different things they need to work on," Omar Hunter said. "This team's just so much together right now."
Contact Adam Pincus at apincus@alligator.org.
Senior linebacker Jon Bostic (right) said the Gators defense has been playing better and faster thanks to improved communication.
