Cox Has Emerged as 'Three-Way Player' for Gators
Thursday, November 12, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – After practice Tuesday, Gators defensive end Alex McCalister grabbed a bottle of Gatorade and began to make the walk back toward the locker room across the street at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
McCalister was one of the final players to leave due to a few minutes talking to the media. Teammate Bryan Cox Jr. was about 20 yards ahead, slowly trudging his way toward the same destination.
“He's tired as hell right now because he had to do special teams, offense and defense all in one practice,'' McCalister said. “That man is a beast. He's got a high motor.”
As Coach Jim McElwain explored all options to squeeze the most from what he had to work with in his first season, Cox emerged as a unique threat. The 6-foot-3, 268-pound junior defensive end, recovering from hip surgery that forced him to sit out spring practice, offered size and mobility in Florida's jumbo short-yardage packages.
As the season has progressed Cox has taken several snaps at fullback. In last week's victory over Vanderbilt, Cox's block allowed Kelvin Taylor to score Florida's only touchdown. Cox also had a key block on a Taylor touchdown in the victory over Georgia.
Cox, who has started eight of nine games at defensive end, also plays on the punt and field goal special-team units.
“He's a three-way player,'' McElwain said. “He doesn't take one of those plays off. When you turn on film, it doesn't matter whether it's offense, on special teams, or on defense, he's doing it as fast and as hard as he can.”
One of Cox's biggest fans is McCalister.
“Every time Cox goes into the game on offense, I just stand up on the bench and watch him,'' McAlister said. “That's the only person I watch. Because against Georgia, when he knocked down 14 [Bulldogs cornerback Malkom Parrish], I said, 'this man is going to be a fullback if he keeps playing.' It's awesome.
“I give it to Cox to go out there. We're in college. It's big-time in the SEC when you go in and play fullback like that. He goes in there and hits linebackers and corners.”
This isn't the first time Cox has reversed roles.
He said he played some fullback and tight end as a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas High in Fort Lauderdale, where he garnered interest from Miami, Michigan State and Louisville among others.
The son of former NFL linebacker Bryan Cox, who is now defensive line coach for the Atlanta Falcons, Cox Jr. is easily having his best season at Florida. He has a career-high 31 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks. He also has two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
His ability to multi-task has added to his notoriety. Besides his block for Taylor against Vanderbilt, Cox Jr. had a career-high eight tackles and a sack.
Asked if it was his best game, Cox deferred to dad.
“My father thinks so,” he said. “I'm going to go with what he says. We usually talk after every game and he usually gets on me about my performance. He said it was a good game.”
Cox Jr. said the opportunity to play fullback is just another way to make a difference for a program that was 11-13 in his first two seasons.
“I try to have my value high on the team,'' he said.
The hip injury that caused him to miss the Birmingham Bowl and then sit out during McElwain's first spring camp isn't 100 percent, but Cox Jr. said it's close enough.
He can now push off properly and has regained his lower-body power.
“It's easier for me to play strong down there in the trenches,'' he said.
Both defensive line coach Chris Rumph and McElwain have praised Cox Jr. for his work ethic. While often overshadowed on Florida's defense by players such as Jon Bullard, Antonio Morrison and Vernon Hargreaves Jr., Cox has developed into a leader.
McElwain is quick to point it out each time the team gathers to watch film.
“That's a credit to him. In turn, guys see that on film,'' McElwain said. “We always talk about being proud of what you put on film. He can truly be proud of what he puts on film because of how hard he plays.”
Once McCalister caught up to Cox Jr. on their walk back to the locker room Tuesday, he quipped that if Cox keeps making blocks like he has been, he's going to be turned into a fullback.
“I'm good,” Cox said. “You get beat up. I like to hit 'em.”
