With a couple of sessions in the books, there are already some stories emerging from the Gators’ spring practice. Not all of them sound good. Let me translate some of them for you to cover what is and isn’t a red flag.
Red flag: players changing positions
Sometimes a player changes position because he’s starting to run short of eligibility and he needs a new spot if he ever wants to see the field. Ja’Markis Weston moving to safety is an example right now. He has barely gotten to play wideout, and his turns as kick returner have been short due to some miscues. It’s not going to happen for him at receiver, so moving to the depth-starved safety position is basically his last chance to do something beyond special teams coverage.
However, there have been other moves like Princely Umanmielen and Scooby Williams moving to Edge/Jack linebacker. It’s not hard to figure them out. Transfers left the position depleted outside of Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Jack Pyburn, Umanmielen was undersized at defensive end, and Williams looked lost a lot at inside linebacker last year. These moves could be for the best for both guys.
However if that’s true, it would mean last year’s team had them at the wrong positions. Depth issues could explain that some, especially at ILB, but it’s still a pretty major thing for guys to change position outside of offensive line. If a tackle slides over to guard or a guard picks up center, sure, that’s probably fine.
Even the role of DE versus Edge is not the same thing though, and so I’m always wary of position changes. Doubly so when I see shenanigans like the spring roster listing all DEs and OLBs as “Edge”. Something is up there, and that something is probably, “we’re scrambling a bit because of shortages and may play guys like Umanmielen as both a DE and OLB”.
Not red flag: Neither QB has stood out
If we’re keeping it real, I don’t think anyone was expecting Jack Miller to tear it up from the jump this spring. Some might worry about Graham Mertz not being significantly ahead of Miller, however.
If that remains the case by the end of spring, then yes, it’s a big red flag. If Florida is going to improve on its record from last year, Mertz needs to not only outplay Miller by a fair amount but his own past performance at Wisconsin by a fair amount too. If he’s going to get there, it has to be apparent that he’s on his way by the Orange and Blue Game.
But for now, it’s too early to sweat it. Offenses are always behind defenses early in spring practice; it’s a lock that we’ll hear about the offense struggling in the first scrimmage. Mertz in particular has only informal pitch-and-catch sessions from January and February throwing to receivers who Miller’s been practicing with for a while.
It’s worth monitoring this, but it’s not worth worrying yet.
Red flag: there still is no wide receivers coach
Billy Napier has talked about the difficulty of balancing finding the right person for the job with going through spring practice without a permanent coach in place. GA David Doeker has been holding down the fort after having the “assistant wide receivers coach” title last year, meaning he worked closely with Keary Colbert. The instruction in terms of verbiage and techniques are probably broadly the same as last year.
Still, they really need to get that permanent coach in place. There are a lot of reasons it should be an attractive job: you get an immediate resume boost when Ricky Pearsall is drafted next year, the 2023 receivers signees are exciting, it pays well, Napier is good to work for, you can get to the NFL if you want, and so on.
It should not be taking this long to find a replacement. The players need to hear from the guy who’s going to be the permanent pick, and that pick needs to start contacting recruits.
Not red flag: emphasis on energy
Both of the team’s newest coaching hires, DC Austin Armstrong and TEs coach Russ Callaway, have been described as high-energy guys by the reporters who’ve been able to see spring practice. If you want more detail than that, well, they just exude so much energy out there. So. Much. Energy.
Energy is necessary, but not sufficient. It’s better than having a coach who’s half-asleep, that’s for sure.
However, what else are you expecting to get from a couple of 15-minute periods of drills at the start of spring practice? Unless Armstrong was going to give a whiteboard session where he explains his defense to a bunch of beat writers, most of whom would be lost inside of ten minutes, what else can these guys be judged upon other than their energy and rapport with players?
Not red flag: coach shuffling
The latest exit from the staff was analyst Jamar Chaney taking an on-field job as linebackers coach at Western Kentucky. For only one year having passed, there has been a lot of staff movement.
It’s not a red flag. If no one is trying to hire away your guys, that is the red flag. Everyone has gotten a step up, whether from college to pro or from an off-field to on-field role.
I’m also not worried about the tight end hire Callaway coming from the inside. Part of having a massive staff is that you can hire guys who have the potential to step up to the field if the fit is right. And keep in mind that Callaway wasn’t just the heir apparent; it took a while before he got a promotion, showing that a real search did happen. Callaway also was a successful FCS OC before deciding to work at higher levels as an analyst for LSU, the New York Giants, and UF. He’s not brand new to coaching like, say, Christian Robinson was on the prior staff.
If guys are taking lateral moves or steps down, that’s a red flag. Nothing should worry you about the guys who’ve left so far.