Watch & Read: The defense has the players in place

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

• O&B Board: 3/8/25 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 Co-Offensive Coordinator Russ Callaway, Co-Defensive Coordinator Ron Roberts, and Game Changers Coordinator Joe Houston met with the media after Saturday’s spring practice.

RUSS CALLAWAY

• Callaway said that this group is unique in that they have talent and guys to work, but this is the first time that the best players are about the work this year. The starters just aren’t the most talented, but they are the ones who are up at the facility every day putting in the work.
• He said that the best players will be on the field. Week to week the game plan will change depending on the defense they’ll face, but they will use multiple personnel groupings – not just 11 and 12 personnel.
• The young guys that UF signed at receiver, ‘Holy Cow’ the young receivers are really good players, and extremely hard workers. He hasn’t seen a young group like this before. It is almost annoying how much they are in the facility wanting to work.
• Called DJ Lagway accurate in general, but extremely accurate with the deep ball. Callaway said that the offense will be dictated on how they run the ball. They want complimentary football. He said UF has a chance to be really special on offense.
• Called Amir Jackson a phenomenal young man who has made a million strides. Callaway said he gets choked up thinking of his personal story. He has always been a good receiver, but he made strides in the running game and putting on weight. He has room to grow.
• Harrison Bailey and Tramell Jones Jr. – said they are both great humans, with cannons for arms. Said the offense is challenging because of how much they ask the quarterbacks to do. He said that they are both extremely accurate. They have been better than he thought they would be.
• Early on Tony Livingston would go in, get hurt and come out. Go in, get hurt and come out. He was never consistently healthy. Right around game six last year, the injuries stopped and Livingston started to take off. Called him physical and athletic. Big basketball player. He and Hayden Hansen have a great start to the spring.
• When it came to walk-on tight end Caleb Rillos, he called him the most interesting man in the world because of all the things he is capable of doing. Callaway called him really athletic and smart in the passing game. He talked about how he got engaged, on a scavenger hunt, they were digging up the ring in the sand. When Callaway’s kids come to the facility, they run up to Rillos before they go to him.
• Eugene Wilson III has put on weight, he has been a strong guy, but he’s taken a new approach. He is phenomenal. Lateral quickness, ball skills, extremely intelligent.
• He is glad they got Cameron Kossmann as a late addition. He came on during his senior year. He talked about how UF goes back and looks at kids who have great senior seasons. Said he has been phenomenal. He and Micah Jones both.

RON ROBERTS

• On the improvements the defense made down the stretch last season, Roberts said that during the back half of the season, the players played more consistently, players went down, and players stepped up. He is excited about the growth they made and they are going in the right direction.
• The first goal is to get young players ready in spring practice. The biggest objective is to get the players on the same page and increase their football intelligence level.
• Vinnie Sunseri as the Co-Defensive Coordinator – he is excited about his prior relationship with him, and his experience in the scheme
• He said he is a lot more comfortable up in the box calling the game. He has a bird’s eye view up there. It’s like watching film.
• UF only took two defensive transfers in the first window. They were young on defense last year, and they want to build through the high school ranks. Said Myles Graham split time last year and they are expecting big things from him.
• With Sharif Denson and Aaron Gates out or limited, they are rolling some young guys in there at Star and making players play different positions. Josiah Davis, Logonza Hayward and walk-on Alfonzo Allen Jr. are getting reps in there.
• Players who have flashed along the interior defensive line are D’Antre Robinson, and Brien Taylor Jr., who had a good Identity Phase. The reps that Tarvorise Brown is getting in the absence of Caleb Banks and Jamari Lyons is going to put him years ahead.
• UF wants to get to 30 turnovers created.
• Roberts called LJ McCray an impact player. He said when he is on a tight end, it is a physical mismatch.
• He said that UF players should be excited about what new defensive backs coach Deron Wilson brings to the cornerbacks position as far as development and relationship building.
• George Gumbs Jr.‘s best days are still ahead of him, but Roberts expects him to be an impact player. He wants him to be more impactful on third down.
• Roberts thinks that they have the players in place, he thought that last year too, and could they have done better – yes. He thinks they underachieved last year.
• Cormani McClain has all the tools. He is working now like he wants to be an elite player.

JOE HOUSTON

• The players working as returners are all either running backs (Baugh and Jackson) or receivers (the two Wilsons, Hawkins, Mizell, Brown III, Mongomery, Sturdivant and Hampton).

Videos courtesy GatorVision

Go to discussion...