With the 2013 season right around the corner, there are some major questions that still remain regarding Florida’s depth chart. Will Muschamp and his staff have yet to release an official depth chart this fall but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take what we have seen from open practice, combine it with what the coaching staff has told us along with our sources and project what the two-deep depth chart will look like when Florida kicks off against Toledo on August 31.
Offense
Quarterback: Jeff Driskel, Tyler Murphy
Running Back: Matt Jones*, Mark Herndon
Tight End: Clay Burton, Kent Taylor
Fullback: Hunter Joyer, Gideon Ajagbe
Wide Receiver (X): Quinton Dunbar, Ahmad Fulwood
Wide Receiver (Y): Demarcus Robinson, Solomon Patton
F**: Trey Burton, Solomon Patton
LT: D.J. Humphries, Trenton Brown
LG: Max Garcia, Ian Silberman
C: Jon Harrison, Kyle Koehne
RG***: Jon Halapio, Tyler Moore
RT: Chaz Green, Trenton Brown or Tyler Moore
- * If he’s healthy, Matt Jones will be the starting running back. If he isn’t able to go for the first game the depth chart will be Mark Herndon, Brown, Valdez Showers, Kelvin Taylor and Adam Lane.
- ** The “F” position looks like it will be more of a slot receiver than it has in previous years. Last season, you mainly saw Trey Burton line up in the backfield but word out of camp is that Burton will spend more time in the slot.
- *** If Jon Halapio is healthy, he will be the starting right guard. If he can’t go, Tyler Moore would be the starter with Silberman or Koehne backing him up.
Offensive Notes:
Depth charts can be misleading. For instance, if D.J. Humphries were to miss time with an injury, the likely move would be to slide Max Garcia over to tackle and have Tyler Moore play left guard. Will Muschamp has said that Moore can, and will play all over the line this season. At this time, I believe he will be the first linemen off the bench, regardless of how the depth chart looks.
The same goes at receiver. Last season the “F” position consisted of mainly Trey Burton and Omarius Hines working out of the backfield in a sort of hybrid fullback/tight end position, while occasionally being moved into the slot. The indication that we are getting from the staff is that the “F” position will be more of a slot receiver this season. While Demarcus Robinson is listed as a starting receiver here, you could see a game where Florida starts with Quinton Dunbar and Burton/Solomon Patton in the slot with a running back, tight end and fullback.
Defense
BUCK: Dante Fowler Jr., Ronald Powell
DT: Dominique Easley, Darious Cummings
NT: Damien Jacobs*, Leon Orr
DE: Jon Bullard, Bryan Cox Jr.
Sam LB: Ronald Powell, Daniel McMillian
Mike LB**: Mike Taylor, Alex Anzalone
Will LB: Neiron Ball, Darrin Kitchens
CB: Marcus Roberson, Vernon Hargreaves
S: Marcus Maye, Jabari Gorman
S: Cody Riggs, Keanu Neal
CB: Loucheiz Purifoy, Jaylen Watkins
Nickel: Brian Poole, Vernon Hargreaves
- * Damien Jacobs will be the starter here if he is healthy.
- ** Mike Taylor will start at Mike until Antonio Morrison comes back from his suspension. Morrison is the starting Mike LB whenever he returns
Defensive Notes:
The same depth chart intricacy pops up on defense as well. Jaylen Watkins is the third cornerback on the roster, so just because Hargreaves is listed behind Roberson, that doesn’t mean he will be automatically inserted into the lineup if Roberson goes down with an injury.
There will be a lot of movement at linebacker. Antonio Morrison’s fate is still up in the air – and even though I think he will be back for the Miami game – there will be a lot of rotation among the unit.
When Morrison comes back, he will be the starter at Mike, which creates a log jam on the outside. Mike Taylor can play Mike or Will, Daniel McMillian seems to be staying put at Sam, Kitchens can play either outside linebacker position and Daniel McMillian seems to be staying put at Sam for now. In my opinion, McMillian would become the starter at Sam if something were to happen to Jon Bullard. If Bullard were to miss time for any reason, you would see Dante Fowler Jr. slide over to end and Ronald Powell replace him at BUCK with McMillian starting at Sam.