GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- In a time where Mike White is trying to find production, the Florida head coach needed to turn to his three freshmen.

For the first time since 1999, the Gators are starting three first year players.

"They’re still freshmen, but we need them to play older," said White.

Andrew Nembhard, Noah Locke and Keyontae Johnson have all provided a much needed spark on the court for Florida this year.

Unlike his fellow first year teammates, Nembhard has started for White since the first game of the season. The Canadian has since averaged 32 minutes a game - the most on the team.

“I kind of just anticipated trying to work my hardest to play this many minutes," said Nembhard. "I’m not too surprised about it. Just excited I got the opportunity.”

Nembhard has done a good job spreading the ball around - leading the team in assists. However, when the team needed a scorer, Locke made his case for more playing time.

The freshman quickly went from a bench player to a starter after the tournament in the Bahamas earlier this season.

"Noah has exceeded expectations in his first year. I’ll say that," said White. "I didn’t foresee him earning this much opportunity as a freshman. He’s taken advantage. He’s had a great year thus far. He’s a tough kid, he’s competitive, he makes shots, he’s solid in a lot of areas, he makes good decisions, he’s accountable.

"He does what we ask him [Locke] to do," added White. "You know what you are getting everyday. Everyone enjoys coaching a guy like that."

Locke averages 11.4 points per game this season, 15 points in conference play.

"I feel so much more comfortable," said Locke. "I’ve learned so much. I learned it’s so much different than the high school game. High school game is not as intense, not nearly enough defense. People don’t play as hard. I’m probably making high school basketball like the worst thing. It’s just no where near the high level as it is now.”

Locke has already set a Florida freshman record with five games with five or more made 3-pointers, surpassing Kenny Boynton’s old record of four games.

Locke and fellow freshman, Keyontae Johnson, played on the same team when they attended the Providence Elite Came. According to Johnson, Locke is now on another level.

"Noah got way better than where he is now," stated Johnson. "When we was on the same team, he could shoot real good, but he couldn’t like play off the dribble and shoot it. But now he knows how to create his own shot and he knows how to read the screens well.”

Locke is not the only freshman that has made huge strides.

Johnson made his first start against Georgia and has shown growth.

“I feel like it has slowed down. I've adjusted to it better," said Johnson. "Coming off the bench it was going fast and I felt like I wasn’t really prepared, but I feel like since the games have gone on, I’m getting adjusted to it.”

“It was a lot going through his head, as in trying to do the right thing and making sure to stay out there," added Locke. "I feel like he has been handling it well. He has been rebounding the ball and doing all the stuff that we need. I feel like he has been doing well.”

According to White, Johnson could very well change the Florida offense in the future.

"I think he's more of a well-rounded guy. He's also a pretty good passer," said White. "He's a little gun shy right now, but he's a versatile guy. I think in time Keyontae could be a guy that scores at all three levels. Be a guy that posts a little bit, a facilitator at times but also a guy that can drive it and a guy that can shoot it. A guy that we can isolate a little bit and score one-on-one. He's got a chance to be a good player.”

These freshmen's development is only at the beginning.

“Really just to continue to develop," said White about whats the next step for the trio. "Make winning plays, play through fatigue, continue to get better at the scouting report on offense and defense, adjust to the way we’re defending and vice versa. And then, I think overall for all freshmen in the league right now, it’s when the toughness factor really kicks in. We can talk about the freshman wall. Some freshmen will hit a wall. Some freshmen refuse to acknowledge it."