Gators’ new defensive line coach Gerald Chatman has brought a different dynamic to Florida’s trenches through just ten spring practices.
The 35-year-old assistant carries a youthful energy with him on and off the football field. From meetings to individual workouts, Chatman’s approach is detail oriented with a high degree of intensity.
“It’s just who I am. I think when I got into coaching I understood right away that attention to detail is important. Coaching defensive line is a huge demand,” Chatman said of his coaching style. “It’s very demanding what they do. I coach them the way I want them to play – intense, with detail, discipline, relentless mentality, effort, urgency. So if I expect them to play that way, then I have to coach them that way. I have to be detailed with our progression and drills and technique and fundamentals.”
Gator Country has observed Chatman getting on his unit for a lack of intensity and poor technique, often times making the entire unit redo the drill even if just one player was a step behind. Chatman preaches consistency to his young players as he believes it will translate come fall. His intense presence is designed to serve as an example for how he wants his guys to perform on game day.
“I think that when you coach that way you have to be very consistent,” Chatman said. “I always tell them, hey look, who I am, I can sustain who I am. And I want them, again it goes back to me being the example to them. If I want to get you to play at a high level, I want you to sustain at a high level…It’s just consistency, man. I have to be consistent as a coach, The accountability has to be consistent, and it is. It is through the entire program.”
Florida’s defensive lineman have gained a high level of respect for Chatman’s hard-nosed coaching style.
“He’s not gonna tell you what makes you feel good. He’s gonna tell you what you don’t like. He critiques hard and he coaches hard so I think that whole room is going to be better,” edge Tyreak Sapp said on Chatman.
“He’s not going to let you slack, he’s not going to let you be lazy, he’s not going to let you play with bad technique,” sophomore Kelby Collins added on Chatman. “He’s a perfectionist at certain times, and like I told him, I want to be coached hard and I’m a very coachable player.”
Napier’s approach to adding disciplined players with high character is helping the Gators transition to a new coaching style, according to Chatman.
“I think we’ve got a veteran team. I think being able to join the coaching staff, and like I said, it’s year three with Coach Napier. He’s implementing important things in the program, the discipline, and, you know, just getting the right guys, guys with character. I think all those things collectively, I could see myself being able to be a good fit for what’s already been established within the program,” Chatman said on how receptive the players are to his intensity.
“I think they really want to be challenged. They want to be challenged, they want to be pushed, they want to learn, they really want to get better,” Chatman added. “When I sat down and just had different conversations with guys, you know, and the work that they do every day, I know hands down and I can tell you that they want it, they want to be good. They want to be pushed, they want to be better, they want to learn the techniques. They want to be successful.”
Over the last few years, Florida’s defensive line has lacked the fire and intensity you want from your front four. Chatman believes his style of coaching is needed in college football.
“I feel like I’m called to be here, I’ll just say that,” Chatman said on if his intensity was needed. “I think every job I’ve had, like to me, I’m called to be there with those guys at that time. And who I am is needed and how I teach is needed at that time, because it’s called to be at that place.”
Gator Nation’s first glimpse of coach Chatman and his unit is just eight days away as the Orange and Blue spring game is set for April 13th at 1:00 PM.