Young and Old, Gators Linebackers Room One of the Deepest on the Roster
Diving into the Gators' roster brings plenty of intrigues. While not necessarily the most-talented nor proven group on the roster, the team's linebackers present one of the deepest core of players within it, with plenty of upsides.
The Gators began the offseason by losing one of the key cogs to its defense in linebacker David Reese II following his graduation. During his four years with the team, Reese became the penultimate leader on defense, the quarterback of a young core of players that would be set up for years to come.
Now, the team will need to adapt quickly, allowing younger players to fill the void he once left. Luckily for the Gators, there are plenty of options, something linebackers coach Christian Robinson is looking forward to this season.
"I feel spoiled just because I have bodies, so it's next guy up mentality," Robinson told reporters via Zoom on Thursday.
"It's allowed us to move guys around and really see guys play different guys. It's a different mixture when you see somebody that's never been on the field together, how they talk, how they communicate. And I've really enjoyed the way that they've meshed together and really the leadership that's had to come through settings like this, being on Zoom."
When Robinson first became the team's linebackers coach during the regime shift in 2018, the Gators didn't have the most depth at the position. Players were moving on and young players were forced to step up to the plate rather early.
Now, with athletes such as Ventrell Miller, Lacedrick Brunson and James Houston IV becoming the veterans of the group and younger players such as Mohamoud Diabate, Derek Wingo, Ty'Ron Hopper and Jesiah Pierre heading up the depth, Robinson has plenty of breathing room.
"I've had, 'How do you do that?' from afar, it's we're having to talk and communicate and that creates confidence. I've got Derek Wingo talking to guys that have been here for four years. That's where [the] depth comes from and developing that in the room. And then we've got to go play. I'm excited about the room that we have."
Diabate has already become one of the most facinating players of the group, able to play multiple positions, something Robinson lauded on Thursday.
Currently, Miller has his eyes set on replacing and filling the void left behind by Reese in the middle of the Gators' defense. After years of playing various roles, his position ought to be settled, at least for now.
"If I was [to] say who my leader is, the guy I think captain-type material that’s Ventrell Miller,” noted Robinson.
Without that much guaranteed playing time afforded to him during the couple years of his career at Florida, Miller understandably grew frustrated, a desire to see the field was getting stronger and stronger. Robinson, a former player and linebacker himself, understand his frustrations and spoke at length with Miller about it.
"As a coach you have to tell them what they need to hear, but you also want to give them hope," said Robinson of what he told his then-young linebacker. "That’s something my dad always told me, don’t take your players’ hope, give them hope. I said, 'Ventrell, you have the ability to play here'. It’s going to be all these other things we got to get you on. The confidence to fit blocks, to cover certain people."
Robinson recalled his first game as a starting linebacker against Miami last season, Miller exited the game with six tackles and two sacks, growing confidence. Robinson has since seen Miller grow from a player who needed reps to keep his focus, to someone who was ready for the big games and now to someone who will be a leader of the defense, a natural progression.
"That is exactly what this program is about and guys that do things the right way, that work extremely hard. The day Coach Mullen got here, if hard work sounds good to you this is the place for you. That’s Ventrell Miller in a heartbeat.”
With Miller's leadership, the Gators appear to be in a good spot this season. The younger players will be able to step up if need be, and the rest will seemingly play itself out. For years Florida has prided itself on boasting some of the best defenders in the country, and Mullen has toated the program as a "developmental" program, too.
It appears both of those goals are being met, and one of the groups that have reaped the most benefits from it comes at linebacker.
