UF relied heavily on a rotation of players at defensive tackle to create penetration up the middle a year ago, but with Torrey Davis and John Brown off the team and Matt Patchan switching to the offensive line, the Gators needed someone to step up this fall to fill out the rotation.
Although Jaye Howard is still listed as a defensive end, he has been making noise inside, pushing starters Terron Sanders and Lawrence Marsh for playing time.
"What we always said about that position is we need to establish depth at the position, because if you look at it, Marsh and Sanders pretty much played they whole year last year," UF defensive coordinator Charlie Strong said.
The transition from defensive end to the inside has been a long process for Howard.
Last year, he saw limited time at defensive tackle, recording only eight tackles with just 1.5 sacks.
His lack of playing time was a result of his poor run defense, which only allowed him to see the field in passing situations, something he worked on in the offseason with the help of Marsh.
"During the summer time, I hit the sled hard on my own and with Marsh (to improve my run defense), and he would push me in our workouts," Howard said.
Getting better at stopping the inside run wasn't just about working hard on the field. It required hard work at meal times.
Howard gained more than 25 pounds since last season - bringing him up to 296 - to be better suited to handle the strain of going up against 300-pound guards and centers.
While the weight gain was in order to get him on the field and stop him from getting embarrassed by the Pounceys in practice, Howard had to make sure not to lose the quickness he had when he was 270 pounds, which hasn't been a problem for him.
"At first last year, when I started playing (defensive tackle) in the fall, I was 270 and I was getting blown up every time," he said. "Now, I am up to 295 and I am moving quicker. I am agile and I can move better than all the guards, so it's easy right now."
After waiting two years to get to the point where he has earned significant playing time, Howard is ready to make the most of the his opportunity. He knows with the talent behind him, slacking off could drop him in the depth chart and out of the playing time he has waited for.
"You have to bring your 'A' game every day, because practice is basically a game and it determines your role on the team," he said. "(One bad day) can really put you behind."
