Notebook: Spring DL development and McGee on QBs

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Dan Mullen has always said that play calling at Florida is a collaboration. While it's him that calls in the play, he listens to all of his offensive coaches and he has shied away from taking all the credit for Florida's offensive play calling. Last year, specifically, Brian Johnson moved into the role of offensive coordinator and with that enjoyed more responsibilities.

With Garrick McGee making the jump from analyst to quarterbacks coach, he too will have more responsibility. However, when asked if he'll be involved in the playcalling, the coach had this to offer.

"My theory is that, when you’re trying to win the National Championship, the best person in the building to do a particular job should do that job. And, I mean, like, I should not play quarterback because I’m not the best quarterback in the building. That’s Emory right now. Dan’s one of the best play-callers in college football. So, in my opinion, if we’re wanting to win a national championship, the best guy at calling plays in the building should call the plays. That’s how I see it because I want to win.”

Losing Kyree Campbell and TJ Slaton left a big, no, massive hole in the interior defensive line. Florida has some younger players there, but there was a need to inject players with experience and players who would be ready day one into the defensive line room.

Florida was able to add Daquan Newkirk and Antonio Shelton through the transfer portal this offseason. Newkirk played 30 games for Auburn from 2018-2020, while Shelton appeared in 40 games for Penn State during his four year career with the Nittany Lions.

"It was vital for us because we knew we needed hopefully a couple of older guys that fit in," Turner said of the duo. "We were fortunate to get two really good guys, not just players, but really good people. I did my homework. In this business everybody kind of knows everybody and you talk and you make phone calls, and you want to make sure you're getting a guy that's going to be really good in your room and really good for the younger guys. And during the process, it's like recruiting all over again. You talk to those guys. You want to find out, No. 1, why they're leaving. No. 2, what are their goals? And No. 3, would it be a fit for you? Both of those guys checked all three boxes, and I'll be honest, I'm glad to have them. They've been really good for the younger guys and really good, I think they've meshed really good with our group of guys."

McGee was asked what qualities a quarterback needs to succeed at the college level.

1. Leadership

"Your team needs to say to themselves, ‘We have a chance of winning because we have this particular guy on our team.’ And you build throughout the offseason and spring ball and in the weight room. Your guys go, ‘We got a chance to win any game because this guy’s on our team.'"

2. Accuracy

"You have to have the ability to be accurate with the football and anticipate things on this level because people are fast that we’re competing against."

3. Processing information

"You have to have the ability to manage a lot of information in your head and know how to process that information. What I mean by that is the situations that come up in football, meaning it’s first and second down, it can be third-and-short, third-and-medium, third-and-long, red zone, 2-minute drill before half, 2-minute at the end of the game. All of these different situations are going to come up and we’re going to have a plan for each situation and you have to be able to have those slotted in your mind and know when to pull from it at each time."