Napier Praises Gators LB Diwun Black’s 'Gold Standard' Effort During Spring
Photo: Diwun Black; Credit: Alex Shepherd
A player on the rise during the Florida Gators' spring and heading into the fall is junior linebacker Diwun Black, who has made the transition from defensive back to LB since his arrival at UF, thriving in the now-expanded role within the Florida defense led by the new staff under head coach Billy Napier and co-defensive coordinator Patrick Toney, among others.
On Thursday night, Black showed off again, impressing coaches, players, fans and other observers under the lights in The Swamp for the program's Orange and Blue game, putting a stand on spring practices. Black showcased his impressive length at 6-foot-3, able to bat down two passes while securing three total tackles.
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He would also play on both the first and second-team defense that night, able to get in with the starters late in the contest, a sign that an expanded role could be on the way for the impressive former JUCO transfer.
Following the game, Napier made sure to offer his praise for Black, calling him one of the more impressive players of spring, especially when it comes to preparation.
"The guy’s got some height and length, very instinctive. Even when he's wrong a little bit, he can make it right and oftentimes makes plays. He is productive on a consistent basis," Napier said of the linebacker's impressive play of late.
"During [the] identity program, I wrote his name down multiple days where he's probably been the gold standard when it came to effort in the program. The guy's really bought in. And I will say this: He’s completely changed his reputation in the building relative to his attitude, his work ethic, how he goes about his business."
Napier believes that it's about who a player is more so as a person, his intangibles that ultimately make them even better on the gridiron. The talent is already there, that's obvious, but what it takes from a work-ethic perspective ultimately is what shines the brightest.
Black, by all accounts, is a great example of that, and he continues to impress his new head coach each and every day.
"If we can focus on the intangibles and these guys live life the right way, go about things the right way, football will come. I think he's a good example of that.”
His potential running mate, a sixth-year player Ventrell Miller, also has seen a great transition for Black, able to make the switch from the DB to LB position can't be easy, Miller said following the contest.
"He's taken that role and he's just gotten better every day. I've just seen the progress, he always gets his hands on the ball, like he [is] just a playmaker, you just see him flying around," Miller said of Black.
"Just coming from a DB, coming to linebacker you got to be a lot more vocal. You got to communicate, you [are] just the quarterback of the defense. So, I feel like he's embracing that role a little bit, learning what he's doing, and he's getting better every day."
Miller will be one of the players that Florida relies on throughout the season. He will be the ultimate leader on defense, while also having the ability to help out young players like Black get ahead and excel in their process.
For now, Black will continue trying to achieve what he's set out to do ever since declaring his intentions to join UF years ago before ultimately transferring in from the JUCO level last year. Now, he has an opportunity, and it appears he's taking that and running with it.
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