On Friday, the Florida Gators hosted several prospects from out of state on campus to watch the Gators go through practice before Saturday’s scrimmage.
Linebacker James [JT] Austin (6-2, 210, Tyrone, GA. Sandy Creek) was on campus and he says he could tell the energy was different under Jon Sumrall.
“The visit was great,” Austin said of his visit to Florida on Friday. “I’ve been hearing about this new energy, and it definitely lived up to it. They had a coaches clinic going on so I didn’t get a lot of personal time, but they seemed like they have a lot of good energy within the meetings and everything like that. It seems like they’re coming to do something this year for sure.”
One of the things that stood out to Austin during the visit was hearing Urban Meyer speak as well as his time around defensive coordinator Brad White.
“Definitely the coaches like me and Brad White, the energy he brought, you know he wants to dominate this year,” he said on the energy from the coaches. “Everybody just looked like they had an intention when they were going into work. Even Urban Meyer spoke at the end of practice, he’s got a way of firing you up. It was just like look they’re coming for something this year so why not Gainesville.”
Outside linebackers coach Bam Hardmon is the coach who speaks with Austin the most and they had a chance to talk on Friday.
“I talk with Coach Bam [Hardmon] a good bit,” Austin said of the coach he talks with the most. “Me and him are starting to build that relationship, I talked to him a little bit at the practice and everything like that. They see me at the edge position if I continue to grow.”
Hardmon and the rest of the staff explained to Austin that they want him to rush the quarterback in college but explained that they will be out to watch him this spring to see all of his game.
“He wants me to go get the quarterback,” he said on what Florida likes about his game. “You know that’s the name of the game nowadays, putting the quarterback in a tough position, putting pressure on him. I had 16 sacks last year so they know I’m somebody that can definitely go get the guy. I think they’re playing with the idea of backer but they’re going to probably come out to spring practice and see how I look out there and see how Creek uses me.”
One thing that stood out to Austin during the visit was Hardmon’s energy about being back at his Alma Mater.
“My mom talked to him, they’re from the same area,” Austin said of his impressions of Hardmon. “You could tell when the coach is where he wants to be and the way he talks to his guys, the way he was in the meeting room, just how he’s carrying himself. You can just tell he’s at home, he wants to leave his mark.”
Austin says the Gators helped themselves with this visit on Friday as he says he was able to see a lot of things that he grew up seeing on TV.
“100 percent, I want to come back out and see what they’re doing how they practice, the relationships they have with their players,” he said on if Friday’s visit helped Florida. “It was a surreal moment to be honest with you, just seeing the stadium, walking through the tunnel touching of the Gator and everything like that.”