Notebook: Muschamp on O-Line, Receivers & Secondary

Spring practice is in full swing. With four practices under their belt and the first spring scrimmage scheduled for this Saturday, Florida is getting into the thick of things this spring.

Kurt Roper’s offense has brought a new energy and life into practices. Whereas Florida would run hurry up segments during practice in the past, the entire practice is now a hurry up segment and both the offense and defense are getting acclimated to the new pace.

Will Muschamp met with the media on Tuesday afternoon to discuss where his team stands approximately a quarter of the way through spring camp.

 

Injury Notes

  • Jordan Sherit’s injury has a hyperextended elbow. He’ll be in an orange non-contact jersey the rest of the week but Muschamp is hopeful that the defensive lineman will be cleared for contact by Monday.
  • Neiron Ball has a sprained MCL and will be out for the rest of spring practice. Muschamp said the injury isn’t serious and that Ball is being held out for precautionary reasons.

“Neiron Ball has a sprained MCL. He’s going to be fine. He probably will not participate in the rest of spring. He probably could in the latter part, but feel like some other guys need some reps.”

  •  Darious Cummings missed practice on Monday and could miss more time while he attends to a family issue. Cumming’s father had a procedure done at UF Health and the defensive tackle has been excused to deal with his family matters.

Questions remain in the secondary

  • Jabari Gorman has put together four very solid practices and Will Muschamp credited Gorman for being a good communicator at the position.

“He has done a nice job, the others I can’t say that, but he has done a nice job. He understands the importance of those, the communication of the back end. We just gotta do a better job at understanding that a mistake there is normally not good for the Gators.”

  • Muschamp is waiting for Vernon Hargreaves to take the next step and assume a leadership role with the team.
  • Both Duke Dawson and Jalen Tabor are coming along well for the Gators. Tabor is working exclusively outside at cornerback, while Dawson is competing for a starting job at nickel as well as playing outside. Muschamp said both players are self-starters in that they have no problem coming in “after hours” to meet with coaches or watch extra film.
  • It is too early to tell who will win the starting cornerback job across from Hargreaves but Muschamp said he could get a clearer picture after the scrimmage on Saturday.
  • As of now, Muschamp is concerned with the safety play and who will start opposite Hargreaves.

Wide receiver emerging

  • Muschamp singled out six wide receivers as players who have been consistently productive this spring: Demarcus Robinson, Latroy Pittman, Quinton Dunbar, Chris Thompson, Ahmad Fulwood and Valdez Showers.
  • Muschamp said that without question this is the most talented group of receiver he has had since taking the job at Florida.

 

Offensive line unrest

  • The offensive line is in the infancy stages of beginning to take shape but there is still work to do.
  • Muschamp and the defense haven’t held anything back to make things easier for the offense as they install a new scheme.
  • Right now, D.J. Humphries, Chaz Green and Trenton Brown are the players in contention to earn a starting job at tackle. Humphries is strictly working at left tackle, Brown is strictly working at right tackle and Green can play both positions.
  • Max Garcia had some snap issues on Monday but he is adjusting to his new position nicely. Trip Thurman and Cam Dillard are behind him on the depth chart.
  • When Rod Johnson returns he will work at guard. The coaching staff liked his length and thought he would compete for a tackle spot but Muschamp believes he can win a starting job at guard this spring.
Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC

3 COMMENTS

  1. “Muschamp said that without question this is the most talented group of receiver he has had since taking the job at Florida.”

    Now that’s something!

    Hope Neiron Ball is okay – think he will be important this year. Also, was wondering about Trent Brown – if he would be quick enough at tackle.

  2. Any word on Hawkins as a recever? We heard that he was doing well and coming along nicely.
    Any time we get a player out of Columbus, GA… we want them to do well.
    I personally want any and all Georgia high school players to know that they can cross state lines and have fun playing for the Gators.