Gators Notebook: Freshman RBs on Radar, Injury Update, QB Battle, More Tidbits
Tuesday, August 11, 2015 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Junior Kelvin Taylor is by far the most experienced running back on the roster with 1,073 career yards.
Adam Lane's 181 yards ranked second prior to Lane being released from his scholarship on Sunday. Next is sophomore Brandon Powell, who carried 16 times for 70 yards a season ago. However, Powell has moved to receiver.
That means senior Mark Herndon (7 carries, 43 yards), who has played mostly special teams during his career, is now the team's second-most experienced tailback.
Say hello to true freshmen Jordan Scarlett and Jordan Cronkrite, a pair of talented prospects from South Florida signed in head coach Jim McElwain's first recruiting class at UF.
McElwain said following Monday's practice both players are coming along nicely five practices into preseason camp.
“Those guys are picking it up,'' McElwain said. “They're quick learners. Coach Skip [running backs coach Tim Skipper] has been really happy with how they have attacked the meeting room part. That's very new for freshmen, the amount of time it takes in the transition from the meeting room to the practice field back to the meeting room.”
Coming out of high school, Scarlett (5-10, 198) and Cronkrite (5-11, 205) both were viewed as potential first-year contributors even with Lane, the Birmingham Bowl MVP, in the picture.
With Lane gone, they have an even greater opportunity.
“We've been happy with their progress. I think for them the real test comes in that first scrimmage,'' McElwain said. “Those guys are going to help the Gators for a long time to come.”
Meanwhile, Herndon missed the final nine games last season following a knee injury at Alabama. The new coaching staff continues to monitor what he can do in the backfield. However, McElwain said Herndon has an important role regardless of how much he plays at running back.
“We are seeing him for the first time like we are seeing the other backs,'' McElwain said. “He's going to play on every special teams.”
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INJURY UPDATE
The Gators were in full pads for the first time Monday as the intensity in camp continues to turn up.
“I was really pleased,'' McElwain said. “You didn't see anyone back down.”
Unfortunately, the Gators saw a couple of their teammates go down.
Redshirt freshman offensive lineman Travaris Dorsey and sophomore receiver C.J. Worton both had to leave practice with leg injuries. McElwain did not know the severity of the injuries immediately following practice.
“Took a little bit of a blow today,'' McElwain said.
Defensive lineman Alex McCalister also sat out nursing a hamstring injury.
Dorsey has been getting some reps on the first-team offensive line at right guard. The 6-foot-2, 318-pound product out of Jacksonville Raines High is considered a candidate to start on UF's inexperience line.
As for Worton, he has shown some consistency in camp that caught McElwain's eye.
“I was really happy because he's really started to kind of maybe get the fact you have to pay attention to detail in everything you do,'' McElwain said. “We'll see what happens. Obviously, he's a guy we would love to have step up and do something.”
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STEADY RACE
The quarterback battle between sophomore Treon Harris and redshirt freshman Will Grier remains too close to call for McElwain to say one is ahead of the other less than a week into camp.
“If you're asking is there separation yet, I haven't really seen it,'' McElwain said. “But I will say this: their command is what I've been really happy with.”
Both young quarterbacks have shown improvement at reading the defense, making the right calls and taking charge when needed to get the offensive line set.
Still, don't expect a starter to be named until later in camp.
“They both have had really shining moments,'' McElwain said. “They've both had some moments where you kind of scratch your head and wonder where that came from.”
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ON THE MOVE
The Gators continued a longstanding tradition by checking into a hotel on Saturday for the first portion of fall camp.
They moved out on Sunday, the whole team taking a trip to a local restaurant prior to practice.
“We had a little mishap that I won't really divulge,'' McElwain said. “But you know part of that is, what we try to do is create as much chaos as possible. Teach them how to adapt and overcome.”
McElwain said most of the veterans moved back into their residences while the newcomers moved to a different hotel. While an inconvenience, McElwain didn't seem too concerned Monday.
“The guys who stayed in their own places came to work today with the right attitudes and that was great to see,'' he said.
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DEEP, DEEP SECONDARY
McElwain has been impressed at the talent on Florida's defense. The reason why is the deep secondary that ranks among the best in the country. Oh, and the talent.
“[The depth] actually runs three-deep at some positions,'' McElwain said.
Safety Keanu Neal is one of the top returning starters in the unit. He sees the same thing Florida's new coach does.
“We've got a lot of range and we've got a lot of depth,'' Neal said. “We've got a lot of guys in the defensive back group. We've just got to live up to it. We say we're the best in the country, we've got to do it.
“It's really competitive. We've got a lot of guys who can play there.”
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QUOTE OF NOTE I
“It's not acceptable to go out and flop around like a fish. You've got to go fast. You've got play hard and you've got to finish. The education process is still going.” – McElwain receivers running crisper routes
QUOTE OF NOTE II
“Physically, he's a specimen. He's going to be a big part of this offensive line.” – Fifth-year senior Trip Thurman on freshman Martez Ivey
QUOTE OF NOTE III
“This is a true top-flight SEC defense. No doubt about it.” – McElwain on Florida's defensive unit
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EXTRA POINTS
The Gators have their first two-a-days of camp on Tuesday and then will take Wednesday off; McElwain said the first scrimmage is scheduled for Friday … Receiver Ahmad Fulwood has shown enough versatility that the new coaching staff envisions several roles for the junior from Jacksonville. “The one thing Ahmad has been able to do is cross-train at a couple of spots. So, when we're in our red personnel, he'll play Y. When we're in blue, he'll play some Z. When we're in silver, he'll play some X. To me his value becomes his ability to plug into a lot of different spots … Senior linebacker Antonio Morrison continues to impress McElwain with his recovery from two offseason knee surgeries. “It's hard to hold him back,'' he said. “For right now, just keep testing it, testing it” … Thurman, after his career appeared in jeopardy when he sat out spring practice with a chronic shoulder injury, said the shoulder has not been an issue. “It feels great. No problems at all,'' he said. “Taking off of spring was a big thing for me. I really appreciate Coach Mac looking out for me and my well-being.”
