Brenton Cox ended the 2021 season as red hot as a pass rusher can get. He recorded at least one sack in each of the last four games, including four against Florida State, the most ever by a Gator since sacks became an official NCAA statistic in 2000. He also recorded four tackles-for-loss against UCF in the bowl game.
That late surge allowed him to overtake Zachary Carter for the team lead in sacks (8 ½) and tackles-for-loss (14 ½).
It was a terrific stretch of games for Cox, for sure, but he’s not satisfied with it. He said that his goal for this season is to break Alex Brown’s record of 13 sacks in a season, which was set in 1999.
“I’m going for a sack every half,” Cox said. “So, if I do that, I’m going to pass those numbers, but, right now, I’m just trying to beat the sack record, so just going out there and playing hard every play.
“I always had confidence, just coming off the edge so much you feel like nobody can stop you. That showed that Florida State game when I had four sacks. It showed in the UCF game when I ended up with like four tackles-for-losses. My first step here is really good, but I feel like I’ve got more to prove and more to show people because I can do more than just come off the ball hard. I can give you a move after that, too. I’m just here to show it all.”
Cox could’ve gone pro after last season. His athleticism and strength are undeniable, and his late-season performances and the impressive numbers that he likely would’ve put up in a Pro Day type of setting probably would have caused his stock to rise. The coaching transition at UF provided the perfect opportunity for him to declare for the draft and get a fresh start. Cox said that he received third- and fourth-round grades from NFL personnel.
However, he just felt that he had some unfinished business at Florida. He fractured a bone in his foot over the summer and underwent surgery. While he started all 13 games, he said that his foot never felt 100 percent healthy. That likely hampered his production, especially early in the season.
“I just felt like I had more to do,” he said. “Last year was tough for me because of my foot, so I just felt that I have more in the tank, more to prove. Going to try to beat the sack record this year.”
Cox said that his foot feels “much better now,” and he’s being careful not to reaggravate the injury.
“I’m always coming off the edge, so the bigger you get, the harder it gets for it to heal,” he said. “So, it’s just taking care of it, staying off of it, being smart, knowing what you can and can’t do.”
Cox hasn’t quite lived up to the hype as a former five-star recruit. He’s tended to disappear and go several games in a row without making an impact play, and his run defense has been spotty at best.
He’s out to change that narrative and earn a spot in the record book this season.
“The sack record still isn’t broken,” Cox said. “I still want to do that for myself, and Billy Napier coming here and bringing a new staff is just a plus. So, it all worked out beautifully.”
If Cox gets more than 13 sacks in the fall, things will work out beautifully for the Gators as well.