Dawson discusses expectations for 2017, Florida's other defensive backs
------
* Gators Spring Practice Day 1 Insider
* Gators Spring Practice Day 2 Insider
* Video and Photo Gallery: Florida holds second spring practice Thursday
* Franks ready to make impact after beneficial redshirt year
* Although short-handed, wide receivers relishing opportunities this spring
* Video and Photo Gallery: Florida kicks off spring practices Tuesday
* McElwain shares thoughts on Florida’s first spring practice, quarterbacks
------
While fellow junior starters on the defensive side of the ball like cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson, defensive tackle Caleb Brantley, and linebacker Alex Anzalone opted to pass up on their final year at Florida and turn pro, Duke Dawson took a different route.
After weighing the pros and cons of returning to school with his family, Dawson decided that coming back to Florida for his senior season would be the best path taken.
"Just sitting down with my parents, we talked that day before and my parents, they going to always tell me what's right," Dawson said. "They're not going to make me do something that I don't want to do. They made me make my own decision and that's what I did."
Florida head coach Jim McElwain admits that Dawson's decision to come back to school was "huge for us." With veterans like Tabor, Wilson and safety Marcus Maye no longer with the program - and underclassmen making up a good part of the secondary this upcoming season - the Gators will count on Dawson's experience and leadership among the defensive backs, along with redshirt senior safeties Marcell Harris and Nick Washington.
For the 5-foot-10, 208-pound Dawson, 2017 presents an opportunity for him to boost his draft stock. He'll be hoping that finding success with a full-time move to outside cornerback can do the trick. Throughout the majority of his first two seasons with the program Dawson played mainly at safety, but as Florida's starting nickelback as a junior he had his best season as a Gator, with an interception, a forced fumble and a team-high seven pass breakups.
"It wasn't a tough decision. I mean I played corner in high school, so it's really nothing different," Dawson said. "It's just me knocking the rust off. I played nickel for the past year. Safety. Just getting my feet back wet at the corner position, it's going to be all right.
"It's going to show a lot. They can see I can play other positions, so me putting good film at corner is going to be something that's really going to help."
Added McElwain: "He'll be corner full-time. Obviously his ability to play nickel is only something that is not only going to help us but help him in the future as it did Brian Poole. I think his ability to be able to show all that stuff is going to do nothing more than strengthen our depth, help the Gators get better and help him personally."
Dawson has been repping as the first-string cornerback opposite of Chauncey Gardner early on in the spring, as the Gators have often featured a 4-3 look on defense. With 13 more practices to go after spring break, Dawson views the upcoming stretch as a chance to get better under the guidance of new defensive backs coach Corey Bell.
"Me, it's been discipline with my eyes," he said. "Sometimes I just get caught looking at the wrong spot half the time and that really messes me up. That's something I'm really focusing on. Coach Bell teaches to all of us DBs having great eyes."
Following in the footsteps of talented corners like Tabor and Wilson will be a difficult task, but Dawson is aiming to carve out his own path as a Gator.
"I mean there ain't no filling for those guys, I mean I ain't got to fill no shoes," Dawson said. "I know what I can do, so just coming out working every day just perfecting my craft.
"It's just getting all the other guys to rally around. Being that leader, that person that's going to lead them the right way, make sure that those guys are coachable. For the past two days, those guys have really been listening."
Added junior defensive end Keivonnis Davis: "Oh yeah. Vocally, in meeting rooms or when we come out here on the field, he's talking. You can see he's taking on that leader role in the back end."
DAWSON REVIEWS MEMBERS OF SECONDARY
Through two spring practices, Dawson has grown impressed with a number of Florida's contributors in the secondary.
Dawson had plenty of praise to offer to senior cornerback Joseph Putu, who has been working primarily with the 2's on defense so far this spring.
"With Joseph, he's getting a lot better," explained Dawson. "With him at JuCo, he played receiver, he played one year of corner so just getting him to understand the different techniques and the leverages, Joseph, he's going to be a good corner."
"Him coming in, he didn’t know how to press. He always played off, so just getting him to understand the press technique and doing what he has to do, is going to be good for us.”
Redshirt freshman cornerback McArthur Burnett has also been a player who has shown noticeable progress in practices.
“With him, just understanding the defense," Dawson said of Burnett. "With McArthur, he’s hands-on. You have to really show him. He can’t really see, you have to really show him. With him, he’s improving a lot, too.”
Dawson views Florida's versatility in the secondary as one of its greatest attributes. Gardner, who played safety late last season, has been working with the cornerbacks, while Chris Williamson has seen time with the safeties due to a shortage of depth there this spring.
"Putu's staying at corner. Chris Williamson, they're moving him and Chauncey back and forth to get those guys' feet wet to see what they can really do," Dawson said. "We know both of those guys can play multiple positions. They just trying to get them knowing different spots.
"With Chauncey, I mean, you can move him around so it ain't just one spot he can just focus on. And you all know how Chauncey is, he loves to compete."
The Gators' six defensive back signees from the 2017 class - C.J. Henderson, Marco Wilson, Brad Stewart, Brian Edwards, Shawn Davis and Donovan Stiner - don't arrive until the summer semester. When they are in Gainesville, Dawson plans to take them under his wing.
"You've just got to bring those guys in and just teach them, sit down and teach them the little things," he said. "With me, you know, I'm not really a vocal guy on the field. I'd rather like show you in the film room, show you some of the stuff that I didn't do and I want you to succeed in. It's just being that positive person."
DAWSON, WASHINGTON TALK BELL
So far, Florida's defensive backs have been impressed with Bell and the job he's done in practices. Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon has worked with the safeties, while Bell has been primarily with the cornerbacks.
“Coach Bell, I like him. He’s a nice, laidback, smooth guy," Dawson said. "He’s going to always coach you and tell you the why, like I said before. Just understanding the different leverages, where the ball is, what split to make, what split to take. Just having Coach Bell being on you every play, just making sure you’re doing the right thing.
"Coach Bell, he can relate to anybody, to be honest with you. Just having everyone listen to him and buy into what he’s teaching you, it’s going to help you.”
Added Washington: “When he’s coaching us he’s kind of quiet, but he’ll get on you real quick and then he’s vocal. He wants you to ask questions. He wants us to play fast and technique is a really big thing for him as well.”
Dawson added that Bell "preaches the little things."
"He always going to tell you the why, why he wants you to do something," Dawson said. "With those guys that's kind of like timid to ask questions, he's going to come up to you and ask you. He's going to give you the answer at the same time."
------
Thank you for reading this Inside the Gators article. To discuss it, please visit the Alligator Alley Forum.