ATLANTA -- Chauncey Gardner-Johnson closed the curtain on his Florida career, the only way the Florida junior could, loudly.
“It's been a ride,” Gardner-Johnson told reporters after Florida's win on Saturday.
Gardner-Johnson recorded an interception and a pick six in the Gators' win over Michigan in the Peach Bowl. The defender's interception early in the third quarter was a game changer, turning the momentum towards UF.
"(It was important) just getting the ball back to Feleipe [Franks] and Lamical [Perine], because they running hot,” explained the defensive back. “Wanted to get the ball back, keep running them. They kept us up the whole game. If it wasn't for them two, the whole offense, there wouldn't be no points on the board. We wanted to go out there and hold our ground and give us a blade of grass and we'll defend it. That's what we did, and give them boys back the ball.”
The talented nickel back saw his fair share of ups and downs during his time in Gainesville.
“First year with a bowl game to not winning nothing to winning a bowl game now, a New Year's Six bowl, it just shows you like the growth, because you gonna take some bumps along the road," he said. “Last year was the most painful for us, not just for me, because seeing my teammates down, it hurt me."
Gardner-Johnson and the Gators used that hurt as motivation this season. With Dan Mullen and his staff pulling the strings and leading them in the right direction, Florida managed to turn a four win team to a ten win team in just one season.
“This year was nothing but joy… we took some losses, but the majority of them, we won. All my teammates are smiling. We got that feeling back we had my freshman year," Gardner-Johnson said. “Coach Mullen didn't recruit us, but we all made a collective effort, we're going to buy-in, this is our team. A lot of the guys will be around next year, and they can lead the younger guys.”
Although Gardner-Johnson will not be in the Swamp when the Gators take the field in 2019, his legacy will be.
"It’s just about watching everything he does and just trying to mimic the little things and put those into my game," said Amari Burney, who is expected to make play for Gardner-Johnson's star position in the off season. "He has taught me a lot since he was at corner, he taught me how to cover so it was very helpful for me.”
"He means a lot," said cornerback Trey Dean. "Chauncey is a great player on and off the field. Just to learn to see what DBU really means and taking the DBU part of it. To see the different things he does because he does stuff great in a lot of ways."
“We told them all week, the playoff's going to be here (in Atlanta next season),” he said. “Like Coach Mullen said, the playoff's going to be here so if you act like a big-time team, perform like a big-time team, you'll be here next year on a bigger stage.
“This game right here, like I said, one step closer to the program being back to where it was.”
