Opportunistic Gator Secondary Steps Up
Tuesday, September 14, 2010 | Football, Scott Carter
The mantra is one they hear in their heads on a constant loop. They hear it when they wake up in the morning. They hear it as they walk to class. They hear it as they brush their teeth and get ready for bed.
The Florida defensive backs really hear it when they get to practice. That's when Gators co-defensive coordinator Chuck Heater turns up the volume.
What is Heater's favorite tune? When the ball is up in the air, it's ours.
“The intensity he brings to practice every day is second to none,'' sophomore cornerback Jeremy Brown said. “That's just something that he has implanted in us.
“That's our mentality: when the ball is in the air, no matter what side of the field it's on, it's our ball.''
Through the first two games, no defense in the nation has done a better job at intercepting opposing quarterbacks than the Gators. Florida has eight interceptions, picking off four each in wins over Miami (Ohio) and USF.
“I mean, that's a lot,'' linebacker Jon Bostic said. “They are playing very well back there.''
The Gators have returned two of those for touchdowns, a 67-yard return by cornerback Janoris Jenkins in the season opener and defensive end Justin Trattou's 35-yard return against USF quarterback B.J. Daniels, who finished Saturday's loss to the Gators with an abysmal 36.8 quarterback rating.
“[Our defense] created turnovers and played excellent pass defense,'' Gators coach Urban Meyer said Monday. “We put him in some tough situations.''
USF's quarterback rating of 37.1 – the Bulls inserted walk-on freshman Bobby Eveld in the final quarter – was the lowest for a Florida opponent since Ohio State and Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith's 35.3 rating in the 2006 national title game.
After losing Joe Haden, considered one of the best defensive backs in the country last season, the secondary appears to be well-positioned to avoid any major drop off in production due to players like senior safety Ahmad Black and Jenkins. Both Black and Jenkins have intercepted a pass in each game.
“The past two games, anytime the ball is in the air, we go after it and try to make a play,'' Black said.
According to Meyer, Black was 14 out of 15 in opportunities to make plays in Saturday's 38-14 win over USF. Black's interception late in the first half led to Florida's first score, sending the Gators into the half tied 7-all following a slow start.
Jenkins added an interception in the second half.
“We kind of expect that out of those two guys,'' Meyer said. “That's not new. Ahmad Black intercepting passes and being in the right spot at the right time – making 14 out of 15 is pretty dynamic.''
Meyer said Heater informed him that Black's performance Saturday was the closest anyone had come to matching former Gator defensive back Ryan Smith's 15-for-15 play-making performance from 2006.
While Black and Jenkins have anchored the secondary with projected free safety Will Hill sidelined – Meyer says Hill is expected back for Saturday's game at Tennessee – several young players filled in nicely.
When Brown had to leave Saturday's game with a strained hamstring, true freshman Cody Riggs saw significant time in his spot. True freshmen Joshua Shaw and Jaylen Watkins have also seen action.
“I feel comfortable with the young guys stepping in the way they do,'' Black said.
Brown, who said “he is good to go'' for Tennessee on Saturday, isn't concerned about the secondary's depth if he can't go full-speed.
Heater's message has taken hold with the young players the same way as the veterans.
“I'm a big fan,'' Brown said of Riggs, Watkins and Shaw. “They practice hard. That's one thing that is special about them. Everyday they are competing. They are all trying to get that spot, a chance to come into the game and play. They are making impacts.''
