Roundtable: Most versatile player on D; advantages over Ole Miss, concerns

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GatorsTerritory brings you another roundtable discussion from our team of writers.

This week, Corey Bender, Zach Abolverdi, Conner Clark, Joseph Hastings and Lauren Reynolds share their thoughts on UF's most versatile player on defense, the team's advantage over Ole Miss, and the biggest cause for concern when facing the Rebels.

Bender: Amari Burney is the no-brainer answer for me. He kicked off his collegiate career in the back end of the defense at safety, and then split time between linebacker and STAR as a sophomore in 2019. In addition to those positions, the 6-foot-2, 224-pound Burney is expected to receive repetitions at the MONEY position as well. The junior standout provides with the Gators with a security blanket due to his experience and versatility, and given the current circumstances due to the pandemic, he becomes even more valuable for the Gators in 2020. Dating back to his high school days, Burney has always been a very coachable kid who just clocks in and does whatever is asked of him.

Abolverdi: You could make an argument for a handful of players, but it’s hard to pick against Amari Burney simply based on the number of positions he has played and excelled at. After spending time at safety in 2018, he started at both STAR and linebacker as a sophomore. In a COVID-impacted season where available players could vary week to week, having a defender with Burney’s skill set and versatility is a huge asset. Defensive back Trey Dean III and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate have also played three spots in Todd Grantham’s scheme.

Clarke: I would have to go with Amari Burney on this one. The former Rivals250 member was rated as a four-star athlete, but many — including myself — saw him as a safety. Since arriving on campus Burney has played three different positions in linebacker, safety and STAR, playing each at a high level. The staff has raved about his position versatility and how they can use him all over the field. And that’s why Burney is the “MVP” of this category.

Hastings: I’m rolling with Amari Burney here. He’s a guy capable of playing at linebacker or defensive back, proving himself to be a useful commodity in Todd Grantham’s defense. Burney has the size to not get overpowered by tight ends when asked to cover them in short passing situations. On the flip side, he also possesses enough speed to ensure that no wideout will blow by him. I’m expecting Burney to excel this season and take that next step in his junior year.

Reynolds: Although we haven't seen how he'll perform in Florida's defense in a game situation, I'm going with Brenton Cox Jr. here. The buzz around him stems from his play as a freshman at Georgia and his performance in practice since transferring to Florida last year. He is expected to have a starting role at BUCK this season, but he offers defensive coordinator Todd Grantham the position flexibility to line up at multiple spots in his scheme. UF coach Dan Mullen said Cox could “go everywhere.”

Bender: You can answer this questions a few ways, but it's the uncertainty surrounding a first-year head coach that bodes well for UF. You also have to note that Lane Kiffin's staff didn't have the opportunity to go through spring practice due to the pandemic. That is a stinger for any coach entering year one with a program. Also, the Rebels recorded less than a handful of victories in 2019, while the Gators reached 11-2 and return quarterback Kyle Trask, along with arguably the nation's top tight end in Kyle Pitts. Kiffin's had a limited amount of time to instill his brand and patch up holes, so edging out a top-10 program in week one is certainly an uphill battle. Ole Miss struggled mightily against the pass in 2019 and will have its hands full when the Gators invade Oxford less than a week from now.

Abolverdi: Florida’s passing game with Kyle Trask against the secondary of Ole Miss. The Rebels ranked the last in the SEC and 120th nationally at defending the pass, allowing 278.3 yards per game. That’s right near the average Trask had in his 10 starts last year (277.5 YPG), as he orchestrated one of the nation’s best aerial attacks. Despite losing four seniors wideouts from 2019, Trask returns a dynamic receiving corps that features Trevon Grimes, Kadarius Toney and projected first-round pick Kyle Pitts. He and Trask were preseason first-team All-SEC selections and should have a huge day against the Rebels.

Clarke: I think it’s the fact that Ole Miss has a completely new coaching staff. Lane Kiffin and his assistants have been in Oxford for less than a year and weren’t able to go through spring practice due to COVID. The only time they’ve been able to work on the field to install was fall camp, when most teams are refreshing and refining heading into the season. That is going to put the Rebels behind the eight-ball for their opener against Florida, which is heading into year three under Mullen and his staff. That’s a huge advantage for the Gators.

Hastings: Starting off as the head coach of a new program isn’t easy. Take Dan Mullen for example. After beating Charleston Southern 53-6 in his first game as head coach at UF, Mullen & Co. dropped the following matchup against Kentucky. The Gators also lost in blowout fashion to Georgia and Missouri that year. So, with that being said, it’s definitely going to be an adjustment for Lane Kiffin and his staff. It’s their first year with the Rebels under difficult circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic, and that squad wasn’t great to begin with as they went 4-8 last season. I expect UF to win fairly comfortably this Saturday.

Reynolds: Florida's biggest advantage will be its talent and depth across the board. Looking at their 2020 personnel, the Gators are stacked in a lot of areas, ones that can really make a difference like quarterback and BUCK. Looking at the offensive side of things, Kyle Trask has several weapons at receiver, tight end and tailback to exploit a Rebels defense that struggled defending the pass last season. UF is deep at several spots defensively with NFL-caliber talent, while the Rebels don’t have a lot of offensive firepower behind their starters.

Bender: I believe it could be a mixture of Lane Kiffin's play calling and trickery, along with Todd Grantham having to roll out several new starters on defense. The odds will be stacked against the Rebels on Saturday, so I expect Kiffin to be creative and try to catch the Gators flatfooted in hopes of generating momentum. UF must roll out a discipline brand of football to avoid any costly hiccups in a rare road matchup to kick off the season. Ole Miss will likely produce some lengthy gains as the Gators adjust early on, but I'm intrigued by UF's mixture of depth and up-and-coming talent, especially in the trenches. The Gators also have one of the SEC's premier cornerback tandems in Marco Wilson and Kaiir Elam, so Grantham's defense should be well equipped to manage Kiffin's attack.

Abolverdi: While I expect the Gators to come out sharp offensively, particularly through the air, their defense may need a quarter or two to get acclimated. There will be a few new starters debuting on that side of the ball, and defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is facing a revamped Rebels offense under first-year coach Lane Kiffin. He’s a great playcaller and will have some wrinkles that Grantham and his players need to adjust to. Moreover, it will be worth monitoring how the defense looks from a tackling and physicality standpoint given the lack of scrimmages in the offseason.

Clarke: Florida’s biggest cause for concern with this game is having to open up the season on the road. Even though it won’t be a full stadium at The Grove, Rebels fans will make their presence known with former MSU coach Dan Mullen back in town. It’s never easy to go on the road in the SEC and win a game, especially one that starts at 11 A.M. in Mississippi. The Gators have a history of getting off to slow starts in early kickoffs and did not play well in their last two trips to Ole Miss.

Hastings: This matchup being a road game is definitely going to present a challenge for UF. In this century, the Gators have never had a season opener where they played at another school’s campus. They’ve had neutral site matchups with Michigan and Miami, but not a true road game. I believe the first half could be somewhat close as it will be unfamiliar territory for this team, but the Gators will pull away in the final two quarters. The team is too talented, has more chemistry and the coaching staff is used to dealing with difficult situations together. I have Florida winning by two touchdowns.

Reynolds: I think the biggest area of concern has to be the fact that the Gators will open with an away game for the first time since 1987. There's just something different about playing on the road, and the Gators didn’t get to establish themselves in the Swamp against the typical tuneup opponents before heading to Oxford. When you add in the COVID factor and a crowd at reduced capacity, it will be a brand new experience for everyone on this team. That could put Florida in a difficult spot, while the Rebels will have that home-field advantage to themselves.

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