Teammates know Troy Epps as “Tank” or “Space Eater.” The only thing you need to do is watch him walk through a door and you’ll know why. He seems as wide as he is tall.
Now that he’s done a total body transformation that began right after spring practice ended, Epps is showing that he has the strength to play the nose tackle position for the Florida Gators. It has been quite a change since he first arrived on the Florida campus in January.
“My chest is a wide frame so it’s hard to go around,” Epps said. “When I first came in here I was 269 and I’m up to 290 in weight. I’ve got like 16 percent body fat. It helps me a lot because when I first came in here I was getting moved around. Now I can be more stable with my position.”
He knew he needed stability after a spring in which he got pushed around by the Pouncey twins, and in particular, Maurkice Pouncey. Now, Epps says that’s a 50-50 battle.
He had another transformation when he came to Gainesville and that was off the field. Originally from South Carolina, Epps played his junior college ball at Coffeyville Community College in Kansas. Adjusting to three different places in four years has been difficult, but now he seems comfortable with his surroundings.
“I feel like I’m getting used to the environment,” Epps said. “I’m way more comfortable than when I came in here.”
Gainesville probably seems like Las Vegas after Coffeyville. He talked about how people drive cars in Gainesville. In Kansas, they drove pickup trucks. The music is a bit different, too, although he did learn to fit in while he was at Coffeyville.
“I learned a few country songs [in Kansas] so I can learn how to adjust!” Epps laughed.
He came to Gainesville with high expectations but he’s the first to admit that his spring football performance wasn’t at all what he anticipated. He failed to make an impact but the experience wasn’t totally bad. He learned so much and without the spring experience, he knows things would be different right now.
“I feel like I definitely wouldn’t be able to play this fall [wasn’t here for the spring],” Epps said. “Coming in the spring was definitely a good thing.”
He admits he spent the spring simply trying to learn the defense and easing his way through the drills and practices. Now, he comes to practice expecting to battle for a starting position. At this point, he is the second string nose guard behind Lawrence Marsh.
“Right now I’m playing specifically nose,” Epps said. “It’s me and Lawrence Marsh right there. As of now, he’s in front of me. It’s a real good trade both ways. I learn from him how strong to come off the ball and I guess he learns about quickness coming off the ball.”
Off the field, he has had to make a new set of friends and adjust to all these new coaches and teammates. Back in the spring, he says that sometimes it was a real struggle for him and fellow juco transfer Carl Moore.
“When we first came in, we didn’t know anybody so it was real hard to get adjusted to new people,” Epps said. “Everybody already had their same people to hang around and talk to, but when we came in, we were nervous.”
It took awhile but Epps gradually got comfortable with his new teammates. He’s so comfortable with them now that he’s quick to admit he has formed a bond of trust.
“We have meetings and conferences about how if you can’t trust the person you’re around, you won’t have a good team,” Epps said. “By me trusting my teammates, I feel like I’m comfortable around them and I can say and do anything around them without it being held against me.”
There’s only one situation on the field where Epps is uncomfortable. That happens when he sees Chris Rainey take a handoff and head for the gap Epps is responsible for. He knows there is only one way to bring down the fast, elusive Rainey.
“You’ve got to catch him before he gets to the hole,” Epps said. “I’ve never seen so much speed in one person in my life. Him and (Jeffrey) Demps. It’s unbelievable how fast they are. (Rainey) is versatile too, so he’s got good vision of where he wants to go. It’s real tough taking him down.”
Matt Patchan stole the show of freshmen defensive linemen in the spring, and Omar Hunter was supposed to make a splash upon his arrival for fall practices. But it’s been William Green that Epps has seen rise to the challenge and play well. He also thinks that Green can trash talk along with some of the best on the team, despite his demeanor off the field.
“You ought to hear the stuff he says on the field,” Epps said. “He’s like a miniature version of D-Harv. He’s quiet when you’re around him, but when you go on the field he’s a whole different person.”