Gators defensive lineman Tedarrell "T.J." Slaton is motivated for a second chance. (Photo: Adler Garfield/UAA Communications)
Slaton Doesn't Want to Forget Snell
Saturday, August 3, 2019 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Part of the ritual of preseason camp is for the media and fans to aim the spotlight toward players who they consider ready for a breakout season. The word "potential" has great seductive powers this time of year.
We've been down this path before with Gators junior defensive lineman Tedarrall Slaton, whose freak athletic ability had most projecting 2018 as the season Slaton would find his footing and establish a place in the starting lineup.
He did exactly that – for two games. And then Slaton met Kentucky running back Benny Snell. Or to be more precise: failed to meet and greet him.
"I watch it all the time,'' Slaton said Friday following practice.
The play is online for anyone to watch. All you have to do is find a replay of Florida's first loss to Kentucky in 32 years and scroll to first-and-10 for Kentucky with 3:17 left in the first half.
The Gators led 10-7 when Wildcats quarterback Terry Wilson took the snap from the shotgun. Wilson casually turned to his left, where Snell was waiting to take the handoff. Meanwhile, a few feet away, Slaton prepared to bulldoze his way toward Snell against Wildcats left guard Logan Stenberg.
At that point is when Slaton, who goes by T.J. and is listed at 6-foot-5, 358 pounds on Florida's current roster – he assured the media Friday that he has dropped at least 20 pounds since the end of last season – made a mistake that cost him his starting spot in the lineup.
Slaton jumped toward the inside, leaving his gap along the defensive line. Stenberg easily gained leverage and sealed Slaton off from where he should have been. Snell smelled the opening and blasted through the hole and into the secondary. By the time Gators cornerback CJ Henderson was able to break free from a block downfield and push Snell out of bounds, Slaton's mistake had cost the Gators 44 yards.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham took quick action.
"Coach Grantham came up to me, he was just like, 'We're not doing this because we don't like you, we're just doing this 'cause it's a part of the game, and this situation,' " Slaton said of his benching. "But he was just telling me to not look down upon yourself because we took it away from you. Just work to get better and fight for it."
Henderson rescued the Gators once again later on the drive when he picked off Wilson's pass at UF's 2 to keep the Wildcats from scoring. However, Kentucky dominated the second half behind Snell and Wilson for their first win over the Gators since 1986.
Nearly a year later, Slaton returns to that September night for motivation as he prepares for his junior season.
"It happened to me and I knew why," he said. "There has to be a change. I knew it as soon as it happened. At that point there was nothing I could do. It put me down but also motivated me to get better."
Part of Slaton's offseason approach was to get in better shape physically. A naturally gifted athlete who has gone viral on social media for dunking a basketball and his dance moves, Slaton browsed the internet for different ways to shed weight in relation to diet.
The team's strength and conditioning staff had urged Slaton to drop weight last year but he didn't get serious until after the season. He learned about portion control and along with fellow defensive lineman Kyree Campbell, he trimmed fried foods from his diet for a stretch.
The baby steps led to lost pounds and renewed energy. Practice doesn't drain him as much as in the past.
"He is taking it serious,'' Campbell said of his former roommate. "I can see that he has really bought into the program. I believe he wants it."
Slaton started the first two games last season but following his gaffe against Kentucky, transfer Adam Shuler moved into the starter's role. Shuler continued to improve in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's scheme and didn't let go of the defensive tackle job.
As part of Grantham's cross-training approach, Slaton is working at noseguard behind Campbell too, looking to improve on his contributions (22 tackles, one tackle for loss in 10 games) as a sophomore. He is in a group with veterans Marlon Dunlap Jr., Zachary Carter, Luke Ancrum and Elijah Conliffe competing for playing time behind Campbell and Shuler.
"There's a lot of guys battling for snaps,'' Grantham said. "We have the flexibility that with Conliffe and T.J. and Dunlap, those guys were all here last year. They're going to compete to see how they can do and be part of what we're doing."
Shuler doesn't need to read about Slaton's renewed focus to know his backup didn't enjoy going to the bench. He has a close view of the weight loss, the added attention to detail in the film room and on the practice field.
"I've seen a lot of progress,'' Shuler said. "Progress in work ethic. Progress in finishing with his all."
What will it all mean for Slaton once the season arrives? That's the answer people want to know.
Campbell offered his analysis of Slaton 2.0.
"He has down pat his technique and I'm 100 percent sure that y'all are going to be very surprised this season,'' Campbell said.
We've been down this path before with Gators junior defensive lineman Tedarrall Slaton, whose freak athletic ability had most projecting 2018 as the season Slaton would find his footing and establish a place in the starting lineup.
He did exactly that – for two games. And then Slaton met Kentucky running back Benny Snell. Or to be more precise: failed to meet and greet him.
"I watch it all the time,'' Slaton said Friday following practice.
The play is online for anyone to watch. All you have to do is find a replay of Florida's first loss to Kentucky in 32 years and scroll to first-and-10 for Kentucky with 3:17 left in the first half.
The Gators led 10-7 when Wildcats quarterback Terry Wilson took the snap from the shotgun. Wilson casually turned to his left, where Snell was waiting to take the handoff. Meanwhile, a few feet away, Slaton prepared to bulldoze his way toward Snell against Wildcats left guard Logan Stenberg.
At that point is when Slaton, who goes by T.J. and is listed at 6-foot-5, 358 pounds on Florida's current roster – he assured the media Friday that he has dropped at least 20 pounds since the end of last season – made a mistake that cost him his starting spot in the lineup.
Slaton jumped toward the inside, leaving his gap along the defensive line. Stenberg easily gained leverage and sealed Slaton off from where he should have been. Snell smelled the opening and blasted through the hole and into the secondary. By the time Gators cornerback CJ Henderson was able to break free from a block downfield and push Snell out of bounds, Slaton's mistake had cost the Gators 44 yards.
Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham took quick action.
"Coach Grantham came up to me, he was just like, 'We're not doing this because we don't like you, we're just doing this 'cause it's a part of the game, and this situation,' " Slaton said of his benching. "But he was just telling me to not look down upon yourself because we took it away from you. Just work to get better and fight for it."
Henderson rescued the Gators once again later on the drive when he picked off Wilson's pass at UF's 2 to keep the Wildcats from scoring. However, Kentucky dominated the second half behind Snell and Wilson for their first win over the Gators since 1986.
Nearly a year later, Slaton returns to that September night for motivation as he prepares for his junior season.
"It happened to me and I knew why," he said. "There has to be a change. I knew it as soon as it happened. At that point there was nothing I could do. It put me down but also motivated me to get better."
Part of Slaton's offseason approach was to get in better shape physically. A naturally gifted athlete who has gone viral on social media for dunking a basketball and his dance moves, Slaton browsed the internet for different ways to shed weight in relation to diet.
The team's strength and conditioning staff had urged Slaton to drop weight last year but he didn't get serious until after the season. He learned about portion control and along with fellow defensive lineman Kyree Campbell, he trimmed fried foods from his diet for a stretch.
The baby steps led to lost pounds and renewed energy. Practice doesn't drain him as much as in the past.
"He is taking it serious,'' Campbell said of his former roommate. "I can see that he has really bought into the program. I believe he wants it."
Slaton started the first two games last season but following his gaffe against Kentucky, transfer Adam Shuler moved into the starter's role. Shuler continued to improve in defensive coordinator Todd Grantham's scheme and didn't let go of the defensive tackle job.
As part of Grantham's cross-training approach, Slaton is working at noseguard behind Campbell too, looking to improve on his contributions (22 tackles, one tackle for loss in 10 games) as a sophomore. He is in a group with veterans Marlon Dunlap Jr., Zachary Carter, Luke Ancrum and Elijah Conliffe competing for playing time behind Campbell and Shuler.
"There's a lot of guys battling for snaps,'' Grantham said. "We have the flexibility that with Conliffe and T.J. and Dunlap, those guys were all here last year. They're going to compete to see how they can do and be part of what we're doing."
Shuler doesn't need to read about Slaton's renewed focus to know his backup didn't enjoy going to the bench. He has a close view of the weight loss, the added attention to detail in the film room and on the practice field.
"I've seen a lot of progress,'' Shuler said. "Progress in work ethic. Progress in finishing with his all."
What will it all mean for Slaton once the season arrives? That's the answer people want to know.
Campbell offered his analysis of Slaton 2.0.
"He has down pat his technique and I'm 100 percent sure that y'all are going to be very surprised this season,'' Campbell said.
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