Watch & Read: McClain making progress on and off the field

Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators

• O&B Board: 3/6/25 Practice Observations
• O&B Board: List of injured Florida football players
• Watch: DJ Lagway limited this spring
• Mock Signing Class 1.0
• Pre-Spring Ranking of Florida position-by-position
• 15 Pre-Spring Class of 2026 Out-of-State Names to Know
• 20 Pre-Spring Class of 2026 In-State Names to Know
• Impact Analysis: Where Florida Football Signees Come From
• Evaluating the Class of 2024 Transfers: Receivers earn an A
• Class of 2025 Recruiting Superlatives
• Grading the Gators: Class of 2025 Signees
• 35-Game Report Card: Napier’s numbers are still lacking

Florida Strength & Conditioning Coordinator Tyler Miles, defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp, and offensive linemen Austin Barber, and Jake Slaughter met with the media after Thursday’s first practice of the spring.

TYLER MILES

• Here in the second year, the emphasis has been more about the players leading each other.
• Miles said that Cormani McClain has been phenomenal – not just putting on weight (gained 20 pounds and runs 23 MPH), but from a personal standpoint. He has been a ‘Yes Sir’ – ‘How can I get better?’ type of transformation. He knows he can’t be late. He has to be professional. He knows that his life will be better if he conducts himself a certain way – and he has.
• Eugene Wilson III is up to 190 pounds and ‘jacked’. They have been careful with him, and want to make sure he is 100% building him back up.
• Called Dallas Wilson a great young man. Miles said that young guys make conditioning coaches look like geniuses because if they work out right, they are going to make big gains early on.
• Transfer receiver J. Michael Sturdivant has put on 18 pounds since he has arrived from UCLA. He’s gotten bigger, stronger and faster. He told Miles that he loves Florida.
• Hayden Hansen runs 21 MPH. Miles said he has always been great in the weight room, but he is paying more attention to nutrition.
• Transfer defensive back Michael Caraway Jr. has put on 27-pounds, while transfer defensive end Kofi Asare has put on 25-pounds.
• The four-game winning streak to end the season was good for confidence, but they also want the players to know that 8-5 isn’t what you come to Florida for.
• Defensive tackle Michai Boireau has dropped weight and gotten strong and more mobile. Miles called him consistent. He said that last year he saw him at 6 a.m. in the weight room a lot (punishment), this year he doesn’t see him as much, and that’s nice.
• Ja’Kobi Jackson is the leader of the running back room. He is the most vocal.

AUSTIN BARBER

• Barber said that there was a thought in the back of his mind as to whether he would go pro or stay another year, and ultimately he wanted to stay to be part of turning it around at Florida. He said part of it is the confidence he has in this team.
• He said that he thought the offensive line progressed throughout last season and they bring back four starters and young guys like Bryce Lovett, Fletcher Westphal, and Roderick Kearney. He thinks the sky is the limit for the offensive line.
• He thinks Westphal and Caden Jones have done a really good job developing. They come in every day wanting to get better. They ask the older guys questions.
• Barber said that Jonathan Decoster, who came over from the Cleveland Browns last offseason, has brought in some NFL fundamentals and techniques. Decoaster is one of the funniest coaches on the staff and is very personable.
• He said that he has been able to take advantage of being healthy this offseason. He has gotten stronger in all areas and went back and watched film to see what he needed to improve upon.
• Slaughter said that Bryce Lovett doesn’t lack in confidence. Said that he is buying into what Miles is doing.

JAKE SLAUGHTER

• Bryce Lovett begins the spring as Florida’s starting right tackle. Slaughter calls him a special athlete and said that he could play at all five positions. He also said Lovett is getting better in the weight room.
• Redshirt freshman Marcus Mascoll has moved to center. Slaughter called him ‘My guy’ and called him a ‘Smart kid’ and they work together all the time.
• Slaughter said that Jason Zandamela is healthy now. Slaughter called him a super powerful lineman.
• It is important that UF has four returning starting offensive linemen – and the offensive line’s goal is to be the best in the country.
• Slaughter singled out Roderick Kearney and Damieon George Jr. as linemen who aren’t receiving a lot of attention, but he likes. Slaughter called Kearney ‘The hardest working guy’ and said he could play guard or center.
• Slaughter has the team power clean record of 385-pounds.

TYREAK SAPP

• Sapp said it was almost a no-brainer to come back to Florida instead of going pro. He said he came back for unfinished business. Because of everything UF has done for him, he wanted to come back to pay the program back.
• Talked about George Gumbs Jr.‘s athletic ability. Called him strong and fast. He said that he has a whole other side to his game that will show this year.
• He feels good about what he did last year in leading the team in sacks and TFL, but he thinks he can be better. There are things he can improve on. He said it will be really exciting to watch him this season.
• Sapp said that coming where he comes from, EDGE Jayden Woods is a hard worker, has that blue collar mentality because when people look at Kansas and football, they don’t really go together. Woods came in with chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t talk much.
• LJ McCray grew up just not physically, but mentally – said that the game has slowed down for him. Sapp said McCray can play multiple positions.
• Sapp said he has been at Florida so long that in the first week, he can tell who is going to be a standout player. He then singled out Vernell Brown III. He called him one of his favorite guys and said he can cut the lights off. His work ethic and knowledge of the game. He said he has a tremendous work ethic and understands the game. He said he will go a long way not just because of his athletic ability, but his mental part of the game.
• Sapp then signaled out Cormani McClain at corner. He talked about his speed. He talked about him coming from a place without a lot of structure, and he needed to have teammates to push him. He talked about how much he has grown up.
• He said when he has to get on his teammates, they know that it is coming from a good place and he has their best interests at heart.
• It was hard to see Justus Boone transfer to Arkansas. They still talk every day. That’s just the way it is in college football now. Players have to do what’s best for them and their family.
• As we pointed out with the roster release on Thursday, no one is wearing the #1 jersey. Sapp said that he personally doesn’t want to see it worn because it can breed a little bit of selfishness and entitlement and they want to keep that energy out.

Videos courtesy GatorVision

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