LSU lined up at its own 21-yard line, trailing 7-6 with 5:15 remaining in the third quarter in front of 90,824 fans at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium last Oct. 6.
Quarterback Zack Mettenberger had managed only six completions to that point as each team’s defense smothered the opposing offense.
Mettenberger, with the pocket collapsing on 3rd and 7, double-clutched and found receiver Odell Beckham Jr. streaking down the sideline for an apparent go-ahead touchdown.
Safety Matt Elam saved the day for UF instead.
With a heroic play, Elam caught Beckham and stripped the football at Florida’s 23. The Gators recovered the ball and secured a win 11 plays later on a 12-yard touchdown by Mike Gillislee.
The strip at The Swamp epitomized the safety’s significance on a team that is now searching for defensive playmakers.
Elam turned an All-American junior season into a starting spot with the reigning Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Josh Evans, his safety mate, was a sixth-round draft pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars and is now vying for playing time after a productive training camp.
With both players gone, Florida finds itself replacing top-two leading tacklers with redshirt freshman Marcus Maye and junior Cody Riggs.
"Definitely big shoes to fill because those two guys were great in the secondary last year," Maye said. "I’m going out there playing my own role, just being myself and making the plays that I can make. Not getting too worried about trying to be like other guys. Just trying to be myself."
While Riggs, who played in 28 games to start his career before suffering a fractured foot that ended his season in Week 2 last year, is a proven commodity, the question remains: Who is Marcus Maye?
Maye enrolled early at Florida as an Under Armour All-American only to suffer a meniscus injury that spring, which steamrolled any shot of cracking the secondary rotation.
Listed as 6 feet and 200 pounds, Maye looks the part of a strong safety; he’s a player that has to possess the strength to line up along the line of scrimmage and the agility to cover a receiver down the field.
"I definitely can get down there and make the nice hit, make a big hit to wow the crowd," Maye said. "If you need me to make a hit, I’ll make a hit. If you need me to make a pick, I’ll make a pick. I feel like I can do both."
Coach Will Muschamp mentioned Maye first on Monday when asked who stepped up alongside Riggs at safety during fall camp. Throughout the offseason, the redshirt freshman spent 3-4 days a week studying the playbook in addition to countless hours of film study.
He also picked up on the bravado and technique future Hall of Famer Ed Reed and the late Sean Taylor played with.
The confidence Maye exudes fits the position he is filling.
Elam and Evans were never short of swagger and style. In Riggs, the Gators get a sure tackler who’s played all over the secondary.
While both safeties sat out last season with injuries, watching plays like Elam’s forced fumble provided an invaluable experience.
"It definitely helped a lot. I got to learn a lot. I got to watch. I got to get healthy," Maye said. "I watched two great guys. I watched a great team defense."
Redshirt freshman safety Marcus Maye catches passes in a drill during practice on Monday. Maye and junior Cody Riggs are the projected starters at safety after three weeks of practice.
