GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Gators are in their second week of preseason camp and have their first scrimmage scheduled Saturday.
Florida head coach
Billy Napier conducted a press conference Wednesday afternoon inside the Heavener Football Training Center and here are some highlights:
You can watch the press conference here:
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MONTRELL ON MEND
Gators running back
Montrell Johnson Jr., who suffered an injury last week, is recovering from a minor knee procedure according to Napier.
"Montrell is doing great, first of all,'' Napier said. "It was very minor. He's week to week. He's already on his feet. He has made significant progress. We do anticipate it to be a very minor issue."
Napier said there is no timetable on Johnson's return and that they are proceeding at Johnson's pace. Johnson enters his senior season atop the depth chart at tailback and has rushed for nearly 2,500 career yards and 27 touchdowns in his career. He transferred to UF after playing for Napier as a freshman at Louisiana.
Meanwhile, Napier is confident in the group of backs the Gators have to fill Johnson's void. The group includes sophomore
Treyaun Webb, freshmen
Jadan Baugh and
KD Daniels, and veteran
Ja'Kobi Jackson.
"We've got four good players,'' Napier said. "It's almost a blessing in disguise to some degree, that they're getting meaningful reps. In our system, the running back is a critical piece of the puzzle. It's a great opportunity for those guys."
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INJURY UPDATES
— Cornerback
Devin Moore has an abscessed tonsil, hence his recent inactivity. "He is not physically injured,'' Napier said.
— Defensive back
Ja'Keem Jackson has a soft-tissue lower-body injury that has slowed him according to Napier.
— Napier said transfer safety
Asa Turner, who came to UF from Washington, is full-go while battling a sore shoulder.
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O-LINE CHALLENGED
Much of the chatter about what kind of season the Gators will have revolves around what the offensive line does.
The Gators struggled to find consistency a season ago and suffered a drop-off in production along the unit from Napier's first season.
The addition of transfers
Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (San Diego State) and
Devon Manuel (Arkansas) boosted the group, and the return of veterans such as
Austin Barber,
Damieon George Jr.,
Jake Slaughter and
Kamryn Waites offer experience in the system.
When the unit struggled at one of the early practices in camp, co-offensive line coaches
Rob Sale and
Jonathan Decoster turned up the heat. Napier liked the response.
"There's competitive depth there,'' he said Wednesday. "I've been impressed with the way they have answered the challenge. We've got a very capable group there. I think we have very good leadership there."
Meanwhile, redshirt freshman
Caden Jones and freshman
Fletcher Westphal are expected back to full speed soon, which Napier hopes will add another layer to the competition.
He said the Gators continue to shuffle combinations along the front line to maintain a sense of urgency.
"I've got a ton of confidence in that group,'' Napier said. "It's very competitive in there. What combination of players is going to run out there first? There's a ton to be competed for in that room."
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HANGING WITH BILLY D
Former Gators men's basketball coach
Billy Donovan, now head coach of the NBA's Chicago Bulls, stopped by the Heavener Training Center on Tuesday morning to speak with the Gators.
Afterward, Napier said he spent two hours with Donovan to pick the two-time national champion's brain.
"He had great insight into what's he observed throughout the years that he thinks that has helped his teams, the good teams and the bad teams,'' Napier said. "One of the things he emphasized is 'adversity is our greatest gift.' You've got to embrace that. It's great to have Coach back. I'm going to tell you what, he's still bringing it. It was humbling for him to accept that offer and be here."
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