Jordan Scarlett speaks to reporters during UF media day Wednesday.
Sculpted Scarlett Ready for Featured Back Role
Thursday, August 3, 2017 | Football, Chris Harry
Florida's junior tailback is poised to build on last season's impressive stats.
"You seen Jordan Scarlett lately?" defensive end Cece Jefferson asked Wednesday. "Have you?"
The answer, of course, was "yes." Moments earlier, Scarlett walked his 5-foot-10, 213-pound physique into the Touchdown Terrace at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for UF's annual media day. He looked very much the part of a player who already has taken advantage of an opportunity and is ready to build on a solid sophomore season with a breakout junior one.
When the Gators take the field for the first day of fall drills Thursday afternoon, Scarlett will have a significant leg up on his backfield competition that includes sophomore Lamical Perine, senior Mark Thompson and a couple true freshmen Malik Davis and Adarius Lemons.
"I'm happy right now with where I am, but there's still work to be done. A lot of work." said Scarlett, the former Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas standout who amassed team-highs of 179 carries, 889 yards (good for a 5.0-yard average) and six touchdowns rushing last season. "I have to keep working because these [other] guys want the same job I have. You can never slack off, and that's a good thing because it's going to keep me competitive and keep me getting better."
Apparently, his fellow running backs presented enough of a challenge during the offseason that Scarlett took his training to another level.
Here's more from Jefferson, who has known Scarlett since their days as roommates at the Army All-America Game. He might be the tailback's best public-relations man.
"I think he's the total package, man," Jefferson said. "Look at him now. He's huge. He looks like he should be wearing a toga when he's walking around in here. He's like a Greek warrior. In fact, I think I saw him in that movie '300' standing behind [King] Leonidis. I may have to go back and watch that again."
Speaking of film review, last week the SEC Network re-aired the Gators' big road win at LSU as part of its Florida "takeover" programming. The game was the finale of a 24-hour block of UF sports and reminded everyone, including Jefferson, of just what Scarlett can do. That day, he rushed for 108 yards against one of the league's No. 1 run defense, darting through tackles and helping UF's offense — ranked last in the Southeastern Conference in yards per game — control the football in a big 16-10 road upset that clinched the league's second straight East Division title.
That performance came a week after Scarlett put up a career-best 134 yards in a win over South Carolina. A pattern was developing.
According to the metrics-crunching site Pro Football Focus, Scarlett forced 48 missed tackles last season (most in the SEC and 16th nationally) during the regular season, with 588 of his 795 rushing yards — or 74 percent — coming after contact. And those numbers don't include the Outback Bowl defeat of Iowa when Scarlett averaged nearly seven yards on 14 carries.
He's elusive and he's strong, and looking to be more of both this season.
"I think I'm about the same size as last year," Scarlett said. "But I've toned myself up some."
It shows.
SEC defenses beware... #Gators' Jordan Scarlett is taking no prisoners in 2017. pic.twitter.com/cxQStStpz5
— Austin Gayle (@AustinGayle_PFF) July 19, 2017
Scarlett said that he tries to model his game after Marshawn Lynch ("I like to make guys hit me and fall off"). He loves the physicality that comes with being a back. But he also wants to be a player who's a little different than most. And since there's no denying his ability to make people miss (the aforementioned stats back it up), maybe he's on his way.
His teammates believe so.
"I mean, Scarlett just takes the load," sophomore offensive guard Fred Johnson said. "He comes to work every day with the mindset of finishing every play, finishing every drill, finishing every drive. We love blocking for him."
Added redshirt junior defensive lineman Khairi Clark: "He's just the kind of player who's about winning and wanting to get better. … On the field, there's just a force of power he brings when he runs the ball, even in practice. You have to use all your strength to bring him down. And you better wrap him up."
Jefferson had a better idea.
"If you're thinking about tackling Jordan Scarlett, bring a posse with you," he said.
Last season, the Gators averaged 128.2 yards rushing per game. That number (like their 344.0 yards of total offense) ranked last in the SEC. There was no single reason for it. The collective struggles for explosive plays in the passing game, injuries at the quarterback position as well as inconsistency and youth on the offensive line were all factors. Whatever.
The bottom line for 2017 is obvious.
"We've got to run the ball better," offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier said.
UF was 110th in rushing out of the nation's 127 FBS teams. The Gators were one of only 28 teams that failed to average four yards per attempt.
To a man, the offense vows that's going to change.
"Any time you can run the football, at some point you can really take it out of a team," Florida coach Jim McElwain said. "Philosophically, I've been a guy that loves to throw it early and then hopefully wear them down a little bit and then shorten the game and get on the back porch quicker, you know, by running it and controlling the line of scrimmage. That's a big piece of what we have to do is learn to control the line of scrimmage."
To that point, McElwain has stated over and over he believes the offensive line (a unit that was a disaster when he arrived in 2015) will not only be vastly improved this season, but one of the team's strengths.
And behind those guys, one very sturdy young man is poised to get the brunt of the work.
Have you seen Jordan Scarlett lately?
You're about to see him a lot.
"Can't wait," he said. "We're going to show everybody what we have."
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