The Florida Gators have completed 10 practices in spring camp and have five remaining, including the annual Orange and Blue spring game scheduled for April 11.
Gator Country provides another spring camp notebook after head coach Jon Sumrall and tight end coach Evan McKissack met with the media on Tuesday morning.
Tight end by committee
Florida’s tight end unit is one of the biggest question marks on the roster as spring camp progresses. The Gators have an almost entirely new group, featuring three transfers and two true freshmen.
During Florida’s first scrimmage of spring camp, the Gators rotated several players at tight end, as nobody has really emerged as the true No. 1 target.
“I think we’re definitely tight end by committee right now,” tight end coach Evan McKissack said. “Everybody’s got a role and they kind of understand where they get to. I like how the room is jelling, and they understand, but especially with situational football, we had some short yardage in there, third down, third and long so that was good to see.”
The Gators have a group of tight ends with varying skill sets, which could lead to specific players being used in certain packages.
“They’re all unique. They all have different, I think, skill sets that, strengths and weakness-wise, sort of job description type guys, if you will,” Sumrall said.
McKissack didn’t shy away from wanting a do-it-all tight end, but acknowledged that it must come through recruiting and continued development.
“You would like to get to that point,” McKissack said. “I think that goes through with recruiting, and other things and how you build a program, truthfully, but I’ll tell you right now, I can coach and I can control how our unit goes about things, and I’ll tell you the best way to do that is we’re like a platoon, again, if it fits by committee, we do it together.”
Sumrall mentioned that Georgia Tech transfer Luke Harpring is currently the most well-rounded tight end.
Ben Hanks III
Redshirt freshman Ben Hanks III received praise from Sumrall as the most consistent cover corner in the room right now.
“I think he’s elevated right now and playing, I think the best in the corner room with the most consistency in the pass game.”
Hanks III recorded an interception in Saturday’s scrimmage.
“It was a good play by him,” Sumrall said. “I thought it was a very average play at best by the receiver on the attempt to go make the play. But it’s really more of a testament to Ben going to make a play. Ben’s playing good.”
Hanks III appeared in just three games last season, making this development both surprising and encouraging. Florida needs to build more depth at cornerback and see additional players emerge throughout the offseason.
Standouts in the trenches
Jon Sumrall has preached the importance of physicality throughout spring, an area where they still need significant improvement.
But two players have emerged as tone-setters: DL Brendan Bett and OL TJ Shanahan Jr.
“I think Bett is kind of a tone setter. You feel him a lot,” Sumrall said. “Offensively, I think you feel TJ Shanahan a lot at the line of scrimmage. Those are two guys at the line of scrimmage that you don’t have to wonder what the play’s going to feel like when they’re in there. They’ll crack the egg. If there’s an egg in the middle of somebody’s pads, they’ll crack that dang thing. So they’ll bring it. So those two guys stick out to me. There’s other guys that flash. Those are the two guys that I don’t think you have to wonder how are they going to be physical today. There’s a lot of them that are getting there, but those are two that stand out.”
Bett played in all 12 games for Florida last season, recording 39 tackles, four tackles for loss, and three sacks. The redshirt junior has been consistently mentioned among the top performers this offseason.
Shanahan Jr., a transfer from Penn State, split time at left and right guard last season, appearing in 12 games.
S&C needs improvement
During Florida’s Pro Day, long snapper Rocco Underwood benched more than Damieon George Jr., a multi-year starter on Florida’s offensive line. Underwood is a gifted athlete, but a long snapper shouldn’t be able to lift more than an offensive lineman, and it’s an indictment of the strength and conditioning program under former head coach Billy Napier.
“Rocco’s a unique long snapper, but I’m with you. Like that shouldn’t happen. We need to make sure our linemen are all hitting in the 20s when you get 225. Hell, our coaches need to be hitting 12.”
Sumrall hasn’t held back when asked about the need for improvements in the weight room.
“It’s a work in progress. That’s not something that changes overnight,” Sumrall said. “The expectations now changed overnight. The standards have changed overnight. You ask the players. I’ve tasked Whitt with we have to change the standard in that room. And that’s probably the been one of the biggest areas where I felt like, when I got here, I’m like, ‘Man, it’s got to look a lot different.’”