The Florida Gators football team hasn’t produced a 1,000-yard receiver since 2002.
That fact isn’t lost on Tyrie Cleveland.
“Back in the years they had (Tim) Tebow, the offense was explosive,” the rising sophomore said on Wednesday.
“We’re trying to get back to that offense.”
Entering his second season, Cleveland is part of what should be one of UF’s most talented receiving corps in recent memory.
The group will be on full display tonight during Florida’s annual Spring scrimmage.
“We’re ready to come put on a show,” Cleveland said.
Cleveland, a former four-star recruit, is coming off a decent freshman season.
He injured his hamstring early in the year but finished with 298 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including a 98-yard catch and score to help secure the SEC East title against LSU on Nov. 19.
And while Cleveland is expected to make a big leap with another year of familiarity in Florida’s system, an even bigger jump is expected of rising junior Antonio Callaway.
Callaway followed his breakout freshman season with a solid sophomore year in 2016, finishing with a team-high 54 catches, 721 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
But coaches have noticed a change in Callaway this Spring.
“His quickness and his speed and his ability to make plays downfield — he’s one of the best in the country in my opinion,” wide receivers coach Kerry Dixon said.
“You can just see the development and the understanding of the offense and his route-running is starting to turn over.
"It’s been phenomenal.”
Gardner confident in defensive back unit:
Chauncey Gardner’s breakout game came in January.
He was named the Outback Bowl MVP, racking up two interceptions at safety in place of injured teammate Marcus Maye.
Gardner believes the performance was a sign of things to come.
“Us losing eight (starters) is not going to matter,” he said. “We’ve got eight more that can do the same thing those eight can do.”
Entering next season, Florida’s defensive backs group will experience one of the largest turnovers on the team.
Former starting defensive backs Jalen Tabor, Quincy Wilson and Maye all declared for the upcoming NFL Draft and will likely be replaced by veterans Marcell Harris, Duke Dawson and Nick Washington.
And, according to defensive backs coach Corey Bell, Gardner will see much more playing time.
“As long as he’s on the field,” Bell said, “we’re a better football team.”
Bell said Gardner is versatile enough to play at either safety or corner. And for a defensive back unit without much depth, Gardner figures to play a large role in Florida’s secondary next season.
“He’s maturing as a player and as a man,” Harris said. “You can see it in his game.”
Harris will be the leader of a secondary that tallied 16 interceptions and limited opponents to 148.5 passing yards per game, good for second in the country.
And even though Florida will lose three of its starting defensive backs, Harris expects the dropoff to be minimal.
“There’s a standard to uphold,” Harris said. “We’re DBU, and we’re always going to be DBU.”
Contact Ian Cohen at icohen@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @icohenb.
UF wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland runs with the ball during a spring practice at the Sanders Practice Field on March 22, 2017.
