Ryan Stamper never wanted his opportunity to come this way. The fourth-year Florida junior linebacker, who is always in the right place at the right time, will start Saturday against Hawaii in place of injured preseason All-America linebacker Brandon Spikes, who has a foot injury.
“If he can’t go, I’m willing to step in at any position,” Stamper said on Tuesday. “I have to be ready. It’s just an honor for me. I’ll be ready to go for any game.”
In practice, Spikes and Stamper have been splitting first-team reps. If Stamper is thrown into the starting lineup, the Florida coaching staff isn’t worried that there will be a step down in ability. Defensive coordinator Charlie Strong has mentioned Stamper as his most reliable player on defense.
“It feels good to be considered one of the most reliable guys on the team, and for the coaches to pick me as a captain, it feels real good,” Stamper said.
The reason for Stamper’s reliability actually is his versatility. He has been trained at each of the three linebacker positions. As the oldest linebacker on the team, Stamper has become a leader of the younger players at the position.
“I’ve been playing linebacker my whole life,” Stamper said. “The Sam and Will (linebacker spots) are pretty much the same as far as coverage stuff. It’s my fourth year so I’ve watched and I know every position. If this was my second year I probably wouldn’t know all three.”
Stamper admits it has taken time for him to become comfortable at all three positions. Even with the similarities of the two outside spots, the intricacies of each position sometimes make the transition from one position to another difficult.
“It’s tough, but I’ll be ready to play at any of the positions,” he said.
Spikes’ injury has caused plenty of concern among Florida’s fans because they are concerned about depth at the position. But Stamper knows Spikes will rejoin the team soon.
“He’s practicing like he’s ready to play,” Stamper said. “They’re probably just being cautious. The coaches probably don’t want to stress it too much. He probably could play with it, but I don’t think they want to take that chance.”