Scarlett's Emergence for Gators Tied To 'Pops' in Many Ways

Jordan Scarlett's 2-yard touchdown run against Georgia put the Gators up for good in Saturday's win. (Photo: Tim Casey/UAA Communications)

Scarlett's Emergence for Gators Tied To 'Pops' in Many Ways

Tuesday, November 1, 2016 | Football, Scott Carter

Sophomore running back has taken on larger role recently.

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The photographic reminders have been placed at different spots over the years.

In his car. In his mom's truck. And before each game, in Jordan Scarlett's locker.

Whatever photo he selects, Pops is always in it.

"I just know he is watching,'' said Scarlett, Florida's sophomore running back.

Pops is Scarlett's maternal grandfather and one of the most important people in his life. It doesn't matter that Francis Xavier Jim has been gone since 2009 when Scarlett was in middle school.

Back in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where Jim was known as Captain, the former soccer and track standout owned a boat and made his living in the tourist industry.

When vacationers showed up seeking rest and relaxation, Jim would take them out on his boat to fish or deep-sea dive.

Whatever it took to help support his wife Barbara and their three daughters.

Barbara, a real go-getter who also ran track growing up on the small island in the Caribbean, eventually got restless and moved to New York. Soon Francis and the girls joined her. When their girls were grown the Jims moved to Florida and made their new home in Sarasota.

Jacqueline Jim, Scarlett's mother, settled in South Florida and raised sons Zachary and Jordan primarily alone after a divorce from their father. Perhaps alone is inaccurate.

Pops was always there, especially after the boys started playing American Youth League Football.

"He would come down in July or August when football started and not go back until the season was over," Jacqueline said. "I was working and he would take the boys to practice. He was so instrumental in Jordan's life. It was a huge loss for all of us."

Jacqueline noticed a change in Jordan after her father died.

Always one of the best players on the field, Jordan began to get so anxious prior to games and would vomit. A director of nursing at a psychiatric and drug addiction center, Jacqueline naturally wanted to know what was going on in her youngest son's head.

She had already noticed, to her surprise, the random photos of her father that began to pop up in places Jordan spent time.

She asked about the vomiting before games, something Jordan had never done before.

"I just want to make Pops proud," he told her. "That's just his thing. We all are very grateful and blessed to have him in our lives. He is always going to be with us."

If Pops were still around, he would be impressed at Scarlett's development in a season and a half with the Gators.

Scarlett rushed a career-high 26 times for 93 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 24-10 victory over Georgia, marking the sixth consecutive game he has scored a rushing touchdown. Scarlett's performance marked the second consecutive year he stood out against the Bulldogs. As a freshman, he rushed for 96 yards, his career-high prior to a 101-yard performance against Missouri on Oct. 15.

Scarlett has emerged as Florida's go-to back recently after starting the season sharing carries with teammates Jordan Cronkrite, Mark Thompson and Lamical Perine. Neither Thompson nor Cronkrite were available for the Georgia game, which gave Scarlett plenty of opportunity to shine.

"Jordan is a really, really tough guy," quarterback Luke Del Rio said. "Runs hard. I've yet to see one guy tackle him, so hopefully he can continue to be that kind of juggernaut that's that hard to bring down."

The No. 10-ranked Gators (6-1, 4-1) travel to Arkansas this week to face a Razorbacks defense that ranks 12th in the Southeastern Conference in rushing defense. That could mean another big day for the 5-foot-10, 213-pound Scarlett if he finds running room.

Scarlett's confidence has grown in recent weeks and it shows.

"You can see he doesn't have that little hesitation in his step running the ball,'' running backs coach Tim Skipper said recently. "I think he's really comfortable in what he's doing."

Scarlett signed with Florida in 2015 in head coach Jim McElwain's first recruiting class. Originally a Miami commit, Scarlett began to research McElwain's impressive track record with running backs during his time at Alabama and after meeting McElwain and Skipper, felt Florida was the place for him.

And then he had to wait his turn behind Kelvin Taylor a year ago, all the while competing with Cronkrite for carries, another South Florida product who is back with the team this week after contemplating his future for a few days in the wake of a drop down the depth chart.

The transition was a difficult one for Scarlett, who starred at St. Thomas Aquinas as a prep senior and at University School of Nova South for three seasons with UF teammate Quincy Wilson prior to that.

Used to being the man, Scarlett was suddenly one of the guys.

"I just didn't know how to feel,'' he said.

It felt a lifetime ago when Pops would drive him early in the morning to the Tamarac Sports Plex on the edge of the Everglades for those Saturday morning AYFL games as the star player for the Tamarac Cougars. Missing the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl while serving a one-game suspension was not the way he envisioned ending his freshman season.

"I just had to swallow that one and take it to the face,'' he said of Year 1 in Gainesville. "It was a humbling experience. I think I needed it overall to make me fight more."

Scarlett had a strong spring camp and returned in the fall for another battle for playing time. While McElwain and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier like the spread the ball around to their backs, Scarlett has been the most productive.

He leads the Gators in carries (93), yards (468), touchdowns (6) and yards per game (66.9).

McElwain was impressed at the way Scarlett produced with the lack of usual depth against Georgia.

"He keeps his feet moving. We still need to increase the explosive run piece," McElwain said. "But I think he did some really good things."

So did center Cam Dillard.

"We were able to open those holes up for him, and he was able to make the right cuts and get downfield,'' Dillard said. "He's a big guy that can make plays and produce for us."

Scarlett doesn't know if the increased workload will continue. He has learned there are many things in life you can't control.

You just have to do your job. That's a message Jacqueline reinforced a year ago when Scarlett was not getting a lot of playing time.

He knows Pops would tell him the same.

"We'll see how it shakes out,'' he said. "I pray for him before the games, tell him I'm doing it for you. I just keep pushing myself every day."

That sounds familiar to Jacqueline.

"My parents lived very humble lives. They were hard-working people,'' she said. "I think that kind of gave him the drive to do things to make Pops proud. We weren't rich but we were wealthy in so many ways."

If Scarlett needs a reminder, there is usually a photo posted close by.