Thanks to defensive backs like Joe Haden, Vernon Hargreaves and Keanu Neal, Florida has forged a reputation as “DBU”, or Defensive Backs University.
But at Florida’s football Media Day on Wednesday, it was another defensive position group that demanded attention.
“I think on the D-Line, everybody’s gonna have such a successful year that nobody’s really gonna stand out,” defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson said of the group’s depth.
“It’s literally gonna be a feeding frenzy.”
All afternoon, coaches and players fielded questions about the defensive line.
The only group that overshadowed it was the quarterbacks.
Players were asked how the team will make up for the lost production of NFL-bound playmakers Jonathan Bullard and Alex McCalister. The duo was responsible for 13 of the defensive line's 30.5 sacks and combined for 92 tackles.
To replace them, coach Jim McElwain rattled off a few veteran names: Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie and Khairi Clark.
But defensive coordinator Geoff Collins said that won’t be enough.
“The times of having 11-strong are long gone,” Collins said.
“You need to have 18, 22, 24 guys that you could roll through and play at a high level.”
Luckily for him, the Gators have plenty of scholarship defensive linemen on their roster.
Among some of the veteran returners are Bryan Cox, Jordan Sherit, Taven Bryan and Justus Reed, who Jefferson jokingly called the most serious player on the team.
“This guy walks around serious all the time. All the time,” he said of Reed.
“I don’t think he ever smiles.”
Jefferson anchors the group of younger players that includes Keivonnis Davis, Jabari Zuniga and Luke Ancrum. There’s also freshmen Antonneous Clayton, Jordan Smith and Jachai Polite.
“The numbers are there,” McElwain said. “And yet, you know, time will tell when we see about consistency in performance. That’s the key.”
Consistency is something that every defensive linemen on Florida’s roster knows about.
Jefferson was a five-star recruit. Clayton was Florida’s top recruit of 2016. Davis led Miami Central to three-straight state titles. Polite was the No. 1 player in the Orlando Sentinel’s Central Florida Super60. Taven Bryan was the No. 1 player in the state of Wyoming.
As far as those accolades and abilities translating to the Southeastern Conference, every player at media day seemed confident that this season, they will.
And that goes for everyone. Because aside from McElwain, no players or coaches singled out any players in particular who may step up and fill the void left by McCalister and Bullard.
They said it’ll be more of the group effort that Collins mentioned.
And even if a couple of players stand out more than others, the team believes it has a large number of capable linemen at the position.
“I think as a group, we’ll definitely surprise everyone,” Bryan said.
“I think everyone’s gotten a lot better since last year.”
Jefferson agrees.
“I’m lost for words, man,” he said.
“I can’t even explain. It’s one of those things you have to see to know what I’m talking about. Everybody’s gonna show up and show out.”
Contact Ethan Bauer at ebauer@alligator.org or follow him on Twitter @ebaueri.
UF defensive lineman CeCe Jefferson returns a fumble during the fourth quarter of Florida's 38-10 win against Ole Miss on Oct. 3, 2015, at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
