White, Gators talk progress through Week 1
Thursday, October 8, 2015 | Men's Basketball, Chris Harry
Gators coach Mike White credits center John Egbunu (above), the transfer from USF, for setting the tone for his defense during the early stages of the preseason.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Nearly one week in, Mike White likes what he's seen from his Florida basketball team.
"High intensity, high level of communication," White said Thursday. "I couldn't be much more pleased than I am, really, from a mental and physical standpoint and with the way our guys have come to work. We've gotten better."
The start of preseason was not without its setbacks, though, as freshman guard KeVaughn Allen sustained a concussion last Friday -- in his very first collegiate practice.
Allen, who figures prominently in the team's plans, banged his head into the knee of classmate Keith Stone. The Gators' health staff followed concussion protocol, with Allen sitting out the ensuing five days. He returned to practice Thursday, though only in a non-contact capacity.
Besides Allen, the Gators have remained healthy and been able to concentrate on White's offensive rollout, which has been gradual, and the staff's emphasis on defense, which is anything but gradual.
The team will stage a intrasquad scrimmage Friday (with officials) to get a first real in-game look at what the Gators have just over a month out from the 2015-15 opener Nov. 13 at Navy.
"Very physical practices – high intensity," junior guard/forward DeVon Walker said. "I would say that [Coach White is] sustaining the culture that 'Coach D' left and he's also putting his own stamp on it as well, so it's been great."
Under Billy Donovan, the Gators were a very good defensive team the last three seasons, and White hopes not only to continue that trend but take it to another level, much the way his teams at Louisiana Tech did. He needs great defense to make his up-tempo offense complete. To get there, the Gators must communicate and do it a lot better than last season when defensive possessions often sounded like a visit to the library.
That's not the case now.
In fact, White has a specific drill -- minus the ball, if necessary -- that is catered to nothing but players talking to one another in the defensive halfcourt.
And it's really, really loud.
"We watch film of practices from the summer, and it's kind of dead. Nobody talks," junior forward Justin Leon said. "[But] compared to now, it's a lot more vocal, so we're improving.":
Credit sophomore center John Egbunu for setting the tone. Where the Gators were absent a dominant inside presence last year -- the loss of Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year Patric Young was a cavernous void -- the 6-foot-11, 245-pound Egbunu, who transferred from South Florida, is constantly traffic-copping the paint with his loud, booming voice. He loves to play that end of the floor.
"John has been tremendous," White said. "Defensively, we started calling him 'Johnny Clinic' the other day. That's his new nickname. Through our defensive drills, he's really put on a clinic the last couple days. Monday and Tuesday he was phenomenal. We appreciate the way he has embraced his role in that regard, especially with his level of communication, his decibel level. You'll hear it in the O'Dome not too far down the road."
Come stand outside the UF basketball facility and you'll hear it, too.
