Hindsight might be 20/20, but in Brad Stewart’s case, it’s 20/02. He wore that number for four seasons with the Gators, and now he looks back at his time at Florida and predicts what is to come.
Stewart started 11 games at safety during the 2018-19 seasons before starting at STAR seven times in 2020. The Louisiana native made one of the most memorable plays in recent history when he intercepted LSU’s Joe Burrow and returned it for a touchdown to seal the win over the Tigers in 2018.
Stewart took some time to discuss who he expects to have a breakout season next year, why he’s confident that the coaching staff will turn the defense around and more.
Is the program capable of winning a national championship in the coming years, and, if so, why?
“Yes because they have the talent to do it. From the seniors to the younger guys, they’ve seen how things supposed to go, they’ve seen how close we was. They’ve seen how hard we worked this year, even with the COVID situation. So, I’m saying that the talent is there. Just got to develop them to be the player that they’re supposed to be.”
What has made Florida such an attractive spot for players in the transfer portal?
“I guess it’s because of the UF coaching. They see that the program’s getting back to what it was. All we need is a few pieces, a few steps. And a stepping stone, this year was, to get higher, just like the year before. Really, I think people see the progress that the team’s making year by year and really just want to be a part of it because they know that it can turn into something special. They just needed some more pieces.”
Which players do you think are poised to have a breakout season next year?
“Speaking on the defensive side because we don’t know too much about the offense as defensive players, I think the breakout players in this year, I’m going to go one I know for sure, and that’s Jaydon Hill.”
What do you like about Jaydon Hill?
“I like everything about Jaydon Hill. He’s one of the best corners in the SEC, and remember me saying it.”
With so many of the top players from the 2020 team gone, who do you expect to step up and become team leaders?
“I think, from the defensive side, because I can only speak on our side of the ball, I think Kaiir Elam was definitely the captain already. He’s just going to pick up where he left off at. Oh, and Mohamoud Diabate.”
Do you have confidence in the defensive coaches to turn things around?
“Yes. I’ve got all the confidence that they can turn it around. I can’t say what they need to do to turn things around, but I can say that I believe that they can turn things around. They’ve got the same defensive coordinator with the same scheme and the same system, and y’all have seen it work two years perfectly fine. Last year was the only year that we had some troubles and some problems in the defense. But I think they’re going to get it together. You need pieces. Pieces are important.”
How disappointing was it to see the offense putting up a ton of yards and points are letting them down in a few games?
“I predicate my game upon being a team player and it being a team sport. So therefore, we all was out there as one, and mistakes are made, not only on the defensive side but on the offensive side as well. When we lose, we lose together.”