GT Roundtable: Burney's role, most crucial position battle, Lingard & Reese

Gators Territory brings you another roundtable discussion with our team of writers.

This week Corey Bender, Zach Abolverdi, Connor Clark, Joseph Hastings and Lauren Reynolds share their thoughts on Florida's rushing offense, the most important position battle in fall camp, and what position Amari Burney will play in 2020.

Bender: No doubt about it. Dameon Pierce has been long considered the replacement at running back now that Perine is off the roster, and adding Lingard does nothing but add depth and a possible tandem UF can rely on week in and week out. I'm also eager to see Malik Davis perform because I know he has a major chip on his shoulder. However, much of the group's success will rely heavily on the team's growth in the trenches. Whether it's tackle or guard, Reese is expected to make a significant impact from day one after starting three seasons in Starkville. He's more of a sure thing due to his experience in SEC play, but if Lingard can bust out of the gates and live up to his five-star ranking, the Gators could really make a splash nationally.

Abolverdi: The Gators lost dual-threat back Lamical Perine, a senior starter who caught 40 passes and five touchdowns in 2019. But UF struggled at run blocking last season and the rushing offense suffered as a result, ranking second to last in the SEC (129.7 yards per game.) Reese should shore up Florida’s offensive line and allow the unit to open more holes in the run game, while Lingard has the speed to breakaway for big gains. I also think Dameon Pierce and Malik Davis should also produce more with a larger workload.

Clarke: I absolutely believe the addition of those two players will help the Gators rushing attack improve this upcoming season. Reese is a three-year SEC starter and was a part of the offensive line that helped Kylin Hill become the leading rusher in the conference last year. And Lingard is probably the most talented running back UF has had on its roster since C4 (Ciatrick Fason) was toting the rock in 2004. He also provides a homerun threat that we haven’t seen in The Swamp since the likes of Jeff Demps and Chris Rainey.

Hastings: It's almost hard not to see the Gators improving their rushing attack this year due to how ineffective the team was in that department last year. Florida was second-to-last in the SEC in terms of rushing yards per game (129.8), was 8th in total rushing touchdowns (21) and was 11th in yards per attempt (4.24).

Meanwhile, Mississippi State, with Reese along their o-line, was top-three in the conference in rushing yards per game and yards per rushing attempt last season. Add Lingard's game-breaking speed to the mix, and I don't think there's any question that UF's production on the ground will be much improved in 2020.

Reynolds: The addition of these two guys will definitely be part of the solution, but the problem is bigger than that. The line will have to improve its chemistry before Florida's run game can truly take off. Instead of being out of sync in play calls and blocking assignments, the big uglies need to be working as a cohesive unit to get the job done. I don't think the problem in the past has really had anything to do with the backs. The primary issue has been the line not being able to create opportunities for them.

Bender: You can go in several directions here, but I'm rolling with the running backs. The Gators already have quality depth and talent at both defensive end and BUCK; it's just about letting the players battle it out and seeing who comes out on top.

As for the running backs, expectations are fairly high for Dameon Pierce, while Lorenzo Lingard is still somewhat of a question mark after suffering a season-ending knee injury during his freshman season and redshirting in 2019. It's a key position in any offensive attack, especially under Dan Mullen when pass blocking is a key ingredient as well. There are several familiar names in Florida's running back room, with Malik Davis included, so manufacturing a reliable ground attack will only make Kyle Trask that much more effective, as well as take pressure off a receiving corp that is replacing Van Jefferson, Josh Hammond, Freddie Swain and Tyrie Cleveland.

Abolverdi: The Gators will have some heated fall-camp competitions for starting roles and playing time at running back, offensive line, Buck, middle linebacker and safety. The potential starters at tailback and Buck are all talented players; it’s just a matter of who emerges. Figuring out the starting five up front won’t be difficult, but there isn’t as much quality depth at middle linebacker and safety. I think the most important battle is at MLB, where UF must replace veteran leader David Reese II. There’s a handful of players who could get the nod, but I like the potential of Mohamoud Diabate quarterbacking the defense.

Clarke: I can’t really pick one spot, so I’m just going to say the entire offensive line. That position group was one of the weak spots on the team last year and has to improve this coming fall. I expect there to be an open competition at every spot. With so many players trying to crack the starting lineup, it’s extremely important that Florida gets the best five linemen on the field. We could see some guys move around to different positions than they played last year because of the young talent that was brought in the last two years.

Hastings: The 'BUCK' position is going to be the most important position battle in fall camp. Here are the stats for the two primary players (Jachai Polite and Jonathan Greenard) at the 'BUCK' spot the last couple of years: 98 total tackles (35.5 for loss), 21 sacks and nine forced fumbles.

This is probably the most important role in Todd Grantham's defense, and getting the right guy for the job will be crucial in terms of maintaining the success they've seen at the position recently. There will be a lot of players vying for the coveted role, so this will be a fun battle to follow.

Reynolds: In order for Florida to keep building on the success of last season, the defense will have to be up to the Gator Standard. Because of that, the most important position battle comes at the middle linebacker position in my opinion. Reese was such an influential player for Florida's defense and coaches will have to consider every option to find the guy who can fill that void. I think it's likely that James Houston will step up for Reese, with Diabate, Ventrell Miller, Lacedrick Brunson and Jesiah Pierre all fighting for starting jobs.

Bender: Burney has taken on a do-it-all role over his first two seasons in Gainesville, and it could be looking at another positional change in 2020 as well. However, I envision him primarily playing the STAR position, which is more of a hybrid outside linebacker and safety. Burney is one of the most athletic players on UF's roster, and really fits that role like a glove. He started at STAR during last year's Orange Bowl victory over Virginia and certainly has the on-field experience to have a breakout season in 2020. Burney started just three games in 2019 but still managed to rack up 37 tackles, one fumble recovery and an interception.

Abolverdi: Burney, the nation’s No. 7 athlete in the Class of 2018, has played three different positions for the Gators since joining the team. He spent his freshman season as a safety and appeared in eight games last year at STAR and linebacker, starting three games. He played the STAR spot in the Orange Bowl win over Virginia, but I think he switches to outside linebacker in 2020. His athleticism and cover ability make him perfect for that position.

Clarke: I believe Burney will play hybrid SS/OLB, or Money Linebacker that UF likes to call it. He is an extremely athletic player who has flashed at times while being at Florida, but never been a full-time starter. He hasn’t really locked into one position since stepping on campus, but I think that changes this year with the Gators’ need to be more athletic at the LB spot.

Hastings: If Avantae Williams signed with Florida, then I probably would have picked linebacker here. Since they haven't made any additions at safety in the transfer portal and I believe Rashad Torrence is still a year or two away from contributing, however, I would have to go with safety for this answer.

It isn't as if this is a position he isn't accustomed to playing, and I am in the mindset that Burney's services will be more useful in the back end of the secondary given the Gators' need to improve their safety play this year.

Reynolds: With so much competition at linebacker and Chester Kimbrough likely getting the start at STAR, I look for Burney to get the nod at safety. Even though Burney has played linebacker and STAR, he has the speed and physicality to be a safety. This position will give him the best chance of having a starting spot this season, which is why I think that is where he'll end up.

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