For many teams, when the starting players begin to get tired or are not having their best game, coaches struggle with substituting and putting in a player off the bench.
So far this season, Florida has had no such problem.
Sunday’s victory over Oklahoma State is a perfect example of this. It was a hot game in Stillwater, Okla., so coach Becky Burleigh utilized the depth of her roster to its full extent.
“I think depth is a strength of this team and this year we’ve been really committed to using it,” Burleigh said. “I think it’s paying off.”
It certainly paid off last weekend, when players coming off of the bench scored two of Florida’s five goals in their two road games. One of those players was sophomore Brooke Sharp, who recorded an assist and a goal within about three minutes of each other against Oklahoma State.
“That’s what’s special about us,” Sharp said. “No matter who comes off the bench, our coaches trust us that we can go in and make big plays and do something big for us.”
“They [Oklahoma State] were just really tired. So it wasn’t hard to move the ball around and go in with a 100-percent effort.”
That is where having such a deep roster helps teams like Florida, especially playing in the August and September heat. The Gators tire their opponents out and then take advantage of their fresh players from the bench. Not a lot of teams have that luxury.
Sophomore Savannah Jordan is a regular starter at forward for the Gators, but she understands the importance of the players who come in later in the game and play such a big role for the team.
“We have great depth this year,” Jordan said. “I think a lot of players this year are really stepping up and filling in spots and even coming off the bench and being big players for us, so I think that can continue to go throughout the season.”
Jordan has already showcased her offensive skills early in the season. Four games into her sophomore season, has tallied 25 career goals for the Gators. She has scored in three of Florida’s first four games this year and credits her teammates for making the big plays around her.
“A lot of that is my teammates, they set me up for all those goals,” Jordan said. “I think all three of them [goals this season] actually came off of crosses or balls in from my teammates so I think I’m just getting in good positions and my teammates are doing a fantastic job of finding me.”
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Savannah Jordan dribbles the ball during Florida's 3-0 win against Miami on Aug. 22 at James G. Pressly Stadium.
