Chauncey Gardner’s jersey was dirty.
At least 20 minutes had passed since the end of the game, and the freshman’s white uniform looked ravaged — dirt stained almost every inch, and there were even some speckles of blood spattered along his right pant leg.
On a team with at least three future NFL Draft picks at his position, playing time for the first-year defensive back had been minimal this season.
There weren’t many opportunities for Gardner to dirty his jersey.
But in just his third start of the season on Monday, the freshman recorded two interceptions in No. 17 Florida’s 30-3 demolition of Iowa, earning the Outback Bowl Most Valuable Player award and leading a defense that held the Hawkeyes out of the end zone all day.
“I loved my first season. I loved being a part of the Gator program,” Gardner said, accepting the MVP trophy with a smile. “I just felt like this is the place to be great.”
While Gardner helped the Florida football team end its season with a win, recording the best game of his career in the process, he also provided something else: a glimpse at what the future may hold for UF football.
Without many of its injured veterans, young players like Gardner played well against Iowa.
Freshman linebacker Vosean Joseph finished third on the team in total tackles and had several teeth-chattering hits. Freshman receiver Tyrie Cleveland caught a touchdown that was later negated by an illegal motion penalty, but cemented his role as a deep-threat receiver opposite sophomore Antonio Callaway for next season. And sophomore running back Jordan Scarlett solidified his spot as the running back to beat in Spring training camp, finishing the win with 94 yards, including a 46-yard burst down the right sideline in the second quarter.
“This bowl was huge not for the seniors, but for the guys coming back,” senior defensive lineman Joey Ivie said. “I think that they set the tone for next year … and I don’t think there’s going to be much of a drop-off.”
Next season, Florida will hope its young players can help it advance further from where it finished in 2016, a season that may best be described as unpredictable. The Gators started with three straight wins but suffered crushing road losses to Tennessee, Arkansas and Florida State. They defeated LSU on the road and compiled enough Southeastern Conference wins to earn a berth in the SEC Championship Game for the second straight year, only to finish with another loss to No. 1 Alabama.
And heading into Monday’s bowl game against Iowa, the season began to look familiar. It looked as if Florida would finish the year with three-straight losses for the second consecutive season. It looked as if UF would be unable to overcome its wealth of injuries — at least seven defensive starters were held out or limited against Iowa.
It looked as if coach Jim McElwain’s second year at Florida would end on another sour note.
And then, suddenly, it didn’t.
“It was challenging dealing with the ups and downs. The quarterback changes, people getting hurt, defensive guys getting hurt,” Scarlett said. “But that’s what coach (Jim McElwain) builds us for. You fight through adversity. That’s exactly what we did.”
And as much as Florida wanted a win to end its season, it also wanted a chance to evaluate its returning players for next season.
UF got that chance.
“It’s up to the coaches to continue to help develop the offense, defense and special teams,” Ivie said, “and turn this program into the dominant program it should be.”
Contact Ian Cohen at icohen@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @icohenb.
UF freshman defensive back Chauncey Gardner returns one of his two interceptions during Florida's 30-3 win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl on Monday, Jan. 2, at Raymond James Stadium.
