Chris Rumph is the type of coach who isn’t afraid of criticizing or challenging his players.
Just ask Jon Bullard.
When asked how Bullard was doing in Spring practice, Rumph, Florida’s first year defensive line coach said he was doing "just OK."
Even though Bullard is coming off a season where he had 52 tackles and two and a half sacks, Rumph wants Bullard to understand his role, play within the defense and keep getting better as Spring practice continues.
"Just being a professional, playing every play, being more of a student of the game and just playing defense," Rumph said. "He is not seeing the total picture."
Bullard isn’t the only one on the defensive line who isn’t seeing the big picture.
Rumph said the entire line has to stop looking through a straw and see everything that is in front of them so they can understand the concepts the coaches want them to understand.
For Bullard, learning a new defense comes with time, which is why the Spring is so critical for his continued development.
Rumph, however, is going to be there to help him along the way.
"Granted it is a new defense, so the why is going to come. Maybe if he was in the defense they ran before then I wouldn’t have a problem with him understanding the defense," Rumph said. "But with it being a new defense, I’ve got to cut him some slack as well and teach him. ... It’s my job to teach him to understand."
Redshirt freshman Taven Bryan has caught the eye of coaches during Spring practice. The Casper, Wyoming native redshirted last season and didn’t have a chance to showcase his skills.
Bryan was a player who Rumph was quick to praise, but another one who Rumph said has a lot of work to do because he doesn’t have a lot of experience.
"He brings energy. That’s my big Wyoming wild man. He’s a big old cave man and wants to use all his brute strength," Rumph said. "But he’s athletic for a big guy. His football IQ is really, really low because he hasn’t played a lot of football.
"I got him on Gerber, baby food. I can’t even feed him table food yet, he would choke. But once he learns, his teeth are starting to come in, maybe we will feed him off the table before long."
With a defensive line that will have to replace future first round pick Dante Fowler, some of the younger guys on the roster will have to contribute to help fill the void.
The first player who comes to mind is Alex McCalister, but players like Bryan, Caleb Brantley, Khairi Clark and Jay-nard Bostwick will have to step up.
Rumph’s initial impression with the defensive line two weeks into Spring practice has been a little interesting to say the least.
"It’s just so young. It’s early. They flash, they fool you," Rumph said. "I tell them it’s just like a girl I dated in high school. She told me she was going to take me to the prom…I’m all excited about it then all of a sudden she calls me and says ‘I’m going to go with your best friend.’
"So that’s how they are. They flash. They tell me they’re going to take me to the prom but we haven’t gotten there yet."
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
Jon Bullard participates in the Florida football team's first Spring practice of 2015 on Monday at Donald R. Dizney Stadium.
