When high school defensive backs decide to attend the University of Florida, they’re actually committing to two different schools.
See, UF has an alter ego connected to the football team—one where admittance is even more competitive than the state’s flagship learning institution.
Defensive Back University (DBU), a title hotly contested between the Gators and rival LSU in recent years, designates the premiere secondary unit in the country.
As I said, admission to DBU is quite competitive.
Some fans worry, however, that the recent departure of star cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, as well as standout safety Marcus Maye means the Tigers will have the edge in 2017.
Allow me to dispel any such worries.
Exhibit A: Following the 2015 season, Florida also lost three major contributors from its secondary.
Vernon Hargreaves III was a lockdown star from day one. He is now a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Brian Poole and Keanu Neal also left to chase their NFL dreams. They both ended up with the Atlanta Falcons last year.
So, there’s three pretty good players that left for the NFL. Sounds a lot like what’s going on right now, doesn’t it?
I’m going to list two sets of four defensive stats, one for the 2015 season and another for last year’s squad. The stats are, in this order, the Gators national rank in pass yards allowed per game, pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense.
2015: 11th, 11th, sixth, and eighth.
2016: fourth, third, sixth, and 10th.
It should be amazing that there was so little drop off, if any, in 2016. It should, but it isn’t, because the Gators don’t regroup their secondary after a personnel change—they reload.
Exhibit B: The example above is not an isolated incident. The Gators have been among the nation’s best defending the pass for years and are no strangers to losing stars.
Let's start all the way back with Reggie Nelson and Ryan Smith, both stalwarts on one of the greatest defensive units in school history, who were essential cogs in the 2006 national championship team. They left, and new faces took over.
Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins, Ahmad Black and Major Wright were key to the defense that stymied the record-setting Oklahoma offense in the 2008 championship victory. They left, too.
The Gators watched players like Matt Elam, Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson, among others, come and go. It didn’t matter, they always bounced back.
Exhibit C: Here is a look at what the Gators’ secondary is working with in 2017.
There are four players who have already been holding it down that should give Gators fans plenty of confidence.
There should be a seamless transition at safety with the return of Nick Washington and Marcell Harris, both of whom logged extensive time as starters last fall. Harris was actually the team’s leading tackler.
Senior Duke Dawson was a standout at nickelback last year and is projected to man one of the starting cornerback positions along with sophomore Chauncey Gardner Jr.
Then you have unproven reserves like Jeawon Taylor, Joseph Putu and Chris Williamson, who earned his first career start against Massachusetts last year.
Finally, you have the six-deep class of incoming freshman, headlined by four-star recruits CJ Henderson, Brad Stewart, Donovan Stiner and Marco Wilson, the younger brother of Quincy Wilson.
I’m no math major, but it seems likely that at least one of those freshmen finds their way onto the field. Just ask Haden, Jenkins, Roberson, Hargreaves III, Tabor and Gardner Jr. if the coaches will give freshmen significant playing time.
The bottom line is, the secondary will be just fine. DBU lives on in Gainesville.
Contact Andrew Huang at ahuang@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @AndrewJHuang.
Marcell Harris celebrates during Florida's 38-28 loss against Tennessee on Sept. 24, 2016, at Neyland Stadium.
