The Opening Kickoff (Part I): Gators CB Avery Helm, 5 Questions

Cornerback Avery Helm impressed defensive coordinator Todd Grantham in the team's two scrimmages in preseason camp. (Photo: Isabella Marley/UAA Communications)

The Opening Kickoff (Part I): Gators CB Avery Helm, 5 Questions

Monday, August 30, 2021 | Football, Scott Carter

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The entertainment value of a Zoom call with Gators head coach Dan Mullen instantly increases when the subject of a depth chart arises.

Mullen, like many coaches in the modern era, appears to enjoy discussing a depth chart about as much as going in for a root canal. Depth charts mean potential phone calls from parents, high school coaches and perhaps even from your third-team linebacker's ex-girlfriend. They create rapid-fire opinions from people on social media who think they know more than they do.

Still, as long as they line up to play games, there will be depth charts. They create interest for better or worse. That's part of the gig.

There's only one depth chart in Mullen's mind.

"It changes every day,'' he said Monday. "Show up on Saturday, you get to see who starts."

When the Gators released their unofficial depth chart Monday afternoon for Saturday's season opener against Florida Atlantic, redshirt freshman cornerback Avery Helm from Missouri City, Texas, surged to the forefront of fan and media interest for obvious reasons.

Helm, who didn't see the field a year ago until the Cotton Bowl when he recorded the first tackle of his career, was the starter opposite All-American candidate Kaiir Elam in the secondary. When projected starter Jaydon Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury in the first week of preseason camp, the competition for the position cranked up among a group of newcomers.

Freshman Jason Marshall Jr. had a solid camp, and transfers Jadarrius Perkins and Elijah Blades are listed on the second team, and Ethan Pouncey, Patrick Moorer and Jordan Young surfaced as potential candidates during camp. But for now, on Monday, the 6-foot-1, 174-pound Helm has an opportunity to be the guy.

"Those guys were all competing really well,'' defensive coordinator Todd Grantham said following Monday night's practice. "You know, Avery's a guy that has really good speed that's really progressed every time he's had an opportunity to play. You like the way he takes scrimmage one and the things he did there and improves on scrimmage two. A really conscientious guy that works hard every day to be the kind of guy you want, and then obviously being able to have Jason Marshall backing him up.

"As far as being able to rotate those guys, along with Elijah Blades coming in, we feel like we'll be able to continue to compete at that spot."

Not long after Mullen's Zoom call Monday, it was time for Helms to meet the press.

Here is a Q&A with No. 24, a player cornerbacks coach Jules Montinar once recruited when he was an assistant at Texas State and one Gators fans might want to get to know better:

5 QUESTIONS WITH GATORS CORNERBACK AVERY HELM

Q: What do you feel like earned you the opportunity to start?

A: I feel like I just applied what I did in the offseason by working hard and just the practice and every day, just working. It just all came together.

Q: What was Coach Mullen's message after Hill went down with his injury?

A: It just was a general message, just, 'get ready,' you know? I have to step up and get myself together and so, I'm ready for it.

Q: What was the competition like at that position?

A: The level of competition in the cornerback room is very high. You know, we all competitors, we all put in a lot of work over the offseason. So, it's an ongoing competition all year, that's how you stay at a high level. So, we all ready.

Q: What's your first memory of the Florida cornerback unit and the legacy at the position?

A: Oh, everybody know that Florida was considered DBU, so I always knew about them. But when I got an offer from them, it was like 'wow.' And then when I took a visit it was somewhere I really wanted to be. So, that's how I ended up here now. I used to always watch Vernon Hargreaves when I was younger, like when I first started playing corner, that's who I used to watch. And he always brings excitement, and he plays for the Texans now, so I got to watch him in person a few times.

Q: What are some of the biggest lessons you've learned at UF, from teammates like Kaiir Elam and Marco Wilson?

A: I'd say one of the biggest things I've learned from Kaiir is he's like a professional, he carries himself exactly like a professional. So I've been, you know, following him, picking up on some of his traits and just watching him. Just, you know, the more time I spend with them, the more I learn. So he's just somebody great to be around.