GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Florida's defensive line may have lost a few veterans in CeCe Jefferson and Jachai Polite this offseason, but the offseason also allowed other veterans to step up and lead.
"I think Kyree," Elijah Conliffe said when asked who has emerged as a leader. "You know Kyree I always looked up to him. He’s a really hardworking guy. So, he’s been the leader for us as a group.”
“I think I do have a responsibility to hold people accountable, so that’s my main thing this spring, to hold my teammates accountable, hold myself accountable for the most part," said Campbell. "And you just be able to teach them what I was taught. Everybody learns different, so being able to teach them where I was, I mean it just makes everybody better. I mean if I can teach somebody to be better than me, that makes the whole team better.”
Campbell has several younger defensive linemen to mould. Although both Conliffe and Tederrall Slaton will need to step up this season to provide some depth in the interior, you also have players like Zach Carter and Malik Langham hoping to make their arguments for some playing time.
“Zach Carter, Zach, he’s starting to get that dog mentality. Zach’s starting to show what he can really do. I’m proud of him. He done ground it out and he’s finally getting his time to show," said Campbell. "Malik, he likes to learn. He’s a coachable dude. You tell him to do something, he’s going to do it. That’s going to take Malik really far. Y'all are going to see in the next two years what Malik is able to do.”
Carter could very well make it into the rotation this season. Recruited at defensive end by the former staff, the Tampa native is seeing his role change to a more of an inside player.
“He’s just a versatile player," said Campbell. "You can line Zach up at end, you can like him up at three. Shoot, you can line him up at nose and he’s going to do the best he can do. He’s got a lot of power and he comes out of his hips, so that’s what makes him a great player.”
“I think since I’ve gotten here, in June of 2017, I’ve made tremendous strides, especially on the field and in the weight room," said Carter. "The weight room is what really helped me out on the field. I feel like I’ve made tremendous strides since I’ve been here.”
Carter arrived in Gainesville weighing 273 pounds. Now at 280 percent and 19 percent body fat, Carter is seeing time at both end and tackle. According to the versatile defender, he likes both positions.
"I can play in and out. I think that’s a good thing," he said. "“I’m rotating in at tackle anytime. I feel comfortable there. I’ve been practicing at both.
“Inside, I’m not the biggest guy. Like, a lot inside guys weigh around 295, 300. But I’m 280. Inside I feel like my speed really helps me inside, but I also have strength, so both," added Carter. "You’re working with a lot more space on the end. Inside, everything’s quicker because the guards are setting lateral, so everything’s quicker. It’s just a little quicker, quicker contact inside.”
Carter is entering his third season in Gainesville. The redshirt sophomore was a highly recruited prospect coming out of high school, however, has had to be patient in the Swamp.
“It gets hard sometimes, but being under a lot of older guys, I get to learn a lot from them. I feel like when I get my chance, I’ll be able to shine," said Carter. “I’m gonna keep putting in the work. I don’t really think about shining, because I want us all to eat.
“I’ll have my opportunities.”
Like Carter, Langham will also have his opportunities as a Gator.
Langham, a redshirt freshman, may be a little further away from contributing, but the Alabama native has begun to see a difference this spring.
According to Langham, his body fat has dropped and he has gained about '15 pounds' of muscle.
"Nick Savage has done a lot," said Langham. "Coming from high school to college, we don't really lift weights in high school, so it's a big jump. His name is Savage for a reason.
"I am learning to eat right and make myself better. I am just getting stronger in everything."
Like Carter, Langham, a defensive end in high school, has also seen his role change as needed. in the first few practices this spring, Langham as worked mostly inside at three-technique.
"It's an adjustment just coming from high school to college. But anything that can help my team I will do even moving inside," he said.
Florida's defensive line coach David Turner is working with some quality talent. Talent that should help the Gators establish a nice rotation in 2019.
"I feel like as long as we push each other, and we push each other to go harder, we can help the team as well, push itself to go harder," said Conliffe. "We help the defense out, get hype, stuff like that, you'll see that in practice. You know, e're talking trash to the offense, and it helps out the practice overall, juice wise."
