Hours after senior Mike Pouncey told the media the freshman class needs to “just shut their mouth and come play,” Ronald Powell and Dominique Easley didn’t come to play at all.
According to a source close to the team, the two freshmen were upset with the way the coaches came down on them during special teams practice Monday and didn’t show up for Tuesday’s practice, as a result.
According to the source, both players threatened to transfer, but nothing has come of that so far.
Powell, a five-star defensive end and the No. 1 recruit in the nation according to Rivals.com, and Easley, a five-star defensive tackle, are part of a freshman class that has drawn some criticism from some of the veteran players, such as Pouncey who said the entire freshman class is cocky.
Coach Urban Meyer told the media Monday that he is concerned with the freshmen’s attitude.
“You have 25 young players -- or whatever it is -- that think they’re going to dominate the way they did in high school, and they have no idea what’s about to hit them,” Meyer said.
Easley compared himself, Powell and fellow freshman defensive lineman Sharrif Floyd to the Miami Heat’s free-agent haul.
“Ronald Powell is Chris Bosh, Sharrif (Floyd) is Dwyane Wade and I’m LeBron (James),” Easley said at UF’s Media Day.
Quarterback John Brantley was the only member of the team to address the media Wednesday. He said he didn’t know if Powell and Easley missed practice Tuesday, but said the veterans and freshmen are getting along.
“We’ve been mixing in with them fine,” Brantley said. “They came in here, they’re trying to make an impact, and you can’t really ask for anything more.”
