Emmitt Smith thinks Gators need to improve mental toughness
When the greatest running back in school history, a Ring of Honor member, and NFL Hall Of Famer speaks, Gator fans will take notice.
Emmitt Smith is now just a fan and a father to a son at Stanford but he still pays attention to the University of Florida. The Gators had plenty of storylines, on and off the field during the season and that has continued into the offseason, with three coaches leaving, and players transferring in and out.
Speaking with Hall of Famer kicker Morten Anderson on The Great Dane Nation Podcast, Smith was posed a question about the Gators on the field in 2020. It's no secret that the Gators' offense was historically good, but their defense didn't allow the team to realize its maximum potential. So when Anderson asked Smith how close the Gators are to having a legitimate shot at winning a championship, Smith quickly focused on the defense.
"I think our defense definitely needs to improve," he said. "It’s not an offensive issue. It’s just been a defensive issue."
Smith continued.
"When I look at our defense down at the University of Florida, I see guys that are very sizable, talented but have a work ethic like a child, a mentality like a very immature person. They are young kids and you expect them to be somewhat immature but you want them to grow into a level of maturity. Like a Jalen Hurts, for example. The way he handled himself at Alabama when Tua came in and all those things, he handled himself like a true professional. I appreciate it so much when you see kids like that."
To Smith's credit, Florida did have several players hit the transfer portal in the middle of the season. His biggest point of contention was the mental toughness or lack thereof.
"I think in order for the University of Florida to really get to where we want to go we have to really build that mental toughness in that front five, offensively and our front seven defensively, in order to compete and contend with the Alabama’s of the world," Smith said. "Until that happens I don’t know when we will win another SEC Championship. We will be competitive, but will we dominant? Will we go and play the University of Oklahoma and, in spite of not having our four players? We are the University of Florida where all the great athletes come from the state of Florida. I hate to say it that way. But when I look at it I say we are the University of Florida. We get quality players coming in. Can we mentally tap into these young kids and draw the best out of them? It requires coaching to do that and it requires players to be willing to be challenged, to be pushed, and to be respected.”
Listening to the full podcast and answer, Smith's response wasn't hammering Florida as much as a critique on our society and how society is trending.
"The problem I’m having with football today is it’s been watered down and guys are getting away with mediocrity. Kids don’t know how to tackle. Kids don’t know how to work and the whole entire country has become ultra-sensitive. The whole entire country has accepted mediocrity. No-one is really striving to create the best in class standards for one another," Smith said. "To challenge each other to become the best that we can become. When we challenge people these days they all get offended because they’ve been challenged. They all think that someone is infringing upon their right, yet they want what the next person has but they’re not willing to go through what that person went through to get it. People are looking for shortcuts."
At the end of the day, Smith wants to see his alma mater win championships, as with every other fan.