Gators set to scrimmage on Friday
After practicing in pads earlier in the week for the first time this fall, the Florida Gators are set to scrimmage on Friday afternoon in The Swamp to see which players can separate themselves from the others to earn their spot on the roster.
Gators head coach Jim McElwain is looking to see what the younger players are made of as they begin to mold their depth chart.
"The scrimmage part today, two-fold, it's something we talk about with the young guys, this is their opportunity to make the team,” expressed McElwain on the freshman fighting for a spot on the roster. “Be it on special teams, which they will be stressed against the 1s, and I'm really looking forward to seeing where they and how they compete to go get a job. That's to me the big stress on this first scrimmage is see those guys who are ready, willing, able, all that kind of stuff and more than that, their first opportunity to play in The Swamp. Even in a sterile environment, there's something pretty special about that and to see those guys even kind of perk up when they come out of that tunnel for the first time ever playing in The Swamp, I'm excited to see the environment, how they handle that piece of it.”
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With multiple spots up for grabs, McElwain is hoping for players to take the field by storm in order to fight for the right to see the field.
McElwain talked about how the coaching staff structures a scrimmage.
“So, going into it, OK, first of all, play the players,” says McElwain. “Who do we know, who we need to see in what areas. Two, create as many game-like substitution periods where everybody is off of the field, you know, officials throwing penalties, from sideline management to illegal formation – whatever it is, illegal substitution, that kind of stuff. Putting in the special teams interspersed as we’re trying to create as many of those type of things so the guys got to focus on what is going on, not just “here, you get six reps,” and then the next guys go, but actually the flow of the game. What we do from the exact situation piece, like yesterday for example, we had coming out, we didn’t handle it well defensively or handle it well offensively. Well now’s the opportunity to get that corrected in a high spirited competitive deal. We take some of those that we need to work on each side of the ball and emphasize some of those as we’re going. Now today, will be the first time we play overtime. Obviously, we played red area when introduced overtime, but here is another situation where we split the teams and we actually create an overtime competitive situation and then coach off of whatever happens.”
Injury Report
As McElwain took the podium Friday morning, Mac announced that there has been no season ending injuries, but there was a list of players that would be held out of Friday’s scrimmage.
Here is the list of players being held out of the scrimmage:
* Tight end C’yontai Lewis
* Defensive lineman Elijah Conliffe
* Offensive lineman Kadeem Telfort
* Defensive back C.J. McWilliams
* Defensive back Quincy Lenton
* Linebacker Kylan Johnson
* Defensive back Garrett Stephens
Defensive lineman Jordan Sherit hasn’t worked in a team situation since his injury and has done more individual work than anything and won’t start doing so until Monday.
Offensive lineman Antonio Riles and Kavaris Harkless having been with the team and have worked with the team since their injuries, but McElwain says that they need to get them in shape to play.
NOTABLE QUOTES FROM MCELWAIN
McElwain on the level of the quarterback competition: "Yeah. Actually a little bit more than I was expecting. I think with Malik coming in has really elevated both Feleipe and Luke. I see a real drive to get those reps and really more than anything, what I've seen is the importance, the singular importance, of each rep no matter what the drill is. Those guys are competing at everything, whether it's routes on air to end of game and two-minute. It's been really good."
The growth of Antonneous Clayton: "Here's what I saw: I think before it was all just about trying to go get a sack, and sometimes he'd get out of your rush lanes. It was like, 'How do I go do that?' Well, there's more to it than that. And what I've seen from him is at point of attack, understanding his gap, where he needs to be, not to get out of. And really his growth and strength. You saw the guy and look at how much different he looks since he walked in her as a freshman. I do know this: He still will be a threat and should be a weapon for us in some third-down rabbit packages and some things like that, where play to his strengths but let's continue to have him be an every-down player, and that's what he's been working on. And I'm proud of him.”
The emergence of David Reese: “I think that’s a great observation. He’s kind of that guy that’s kind of the nuts and bolts of where we’re at on defense. He really plays the way he’s supposed to. He’s been doing a great job of communicating. With that being said, he just always makes plays. He’s in the right spot. He’s a little sneaky, being able to run through gaps. I say sneaky affectionately. I think that’s a great observation. I just think this guy is solidified and really helps us be a good defense. You see some of the plays he made last year when guys, when he hit them, they kind of went backward. That’s kind of a good thing. He’s a natural football player. His dad was a heck of a player. I think he grew up with it. I think instincts is maybe the word that comes to mind. He plays with great instincts.”
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