Mark Hocke Continuing to Chip Away at Gators DL Desmond Watson
Looking for a spark up front against a dynamic offense, the Florida Gators made a change in week four of the 2022 season against Tennessee by plugging Desmond Watson into the starting lineup.
Watson's first career start came earlier than many expected but was widely welcomed as the monstrous most tackle became an enigma in orange and blue long before his injection into the lineup.
However, his rise to a starting position — and fan-favorite — was unorthodox, given the 6-foot-5, 415-pound frame he sports.
It's an anomaly for players of his stature to not only perform at the collegiate level but also contribute in the way he does in the SEC. Strength and conditioning coach Mark Hocke acknowledged the unrealistic nature of Watson's case when he spoke to media on July 30.
"I think that's why [defensive line coach Sean Spencer] called him the eighth wonder of the world. If you were to ask me, 'Hey, you're going to have a guy that contributes and is dangerous, that's 400 plus,' I'd have probably called you a liar. That's why they say never say never, right?"
Watson proved an exception.
He accounted for 25 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery throughout the campaign, seeing snaps in all 13 games with 10 total starts. A body slam tackle of South Florida running back Brian Battie and a stiff arm to South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler after stripping Gamecocks ball carrier Jaheim Bell highlighted his first year as Florida's plug in the middle.
But, he flashed more than his calling cards of sheer mass and strength from the interior. Showcasing impressive footwork and nimbleness, promising qualities flashed to indicate he could potentially produce as a multi-faceted contributor if he can meet his bodily demands.
In 2023, Watson is expected to build on his breakout sophomore campaign to supplement a newly bolstered interior defensive line rotation made up of Cam'Ron Jackson, Caleb Banks and Chris McClellan.
While he'll surely be a feature in the middle of Florida's defense — operating at the nose tackle spot on early downs and in short-yardage situations — his play is unlikely to come at a high volume due to his struggles to drop below the 400-pound mark.
Unfortunately for Watson, despite rumors swirling of him shedding the excess weight earlier this offseason, he's been unable to achieve the weight benchmark set by the staff last offseason thus far. Instead, the Plant City (Fla.) native returned to campus weighing 439 pounds prior to fall camp. It's the heaviest he's begun a season, trending in the wrong direction after weighing in at 415 a year ago.
Rather than be discouraged by the lack of progression, the Gators' strength and conditioning staff — along with Florida's nutrition department — continue to chip away at Watson's figure with hopes of inducing peak performance in the future.
"Des has work left to do, but I love Des Watson," Hocke said. "What an unbelievable talent, for a guy to be so big, strong, powerful, and so agile.
"We've got a team of people working directly with Des, and we're going to keep chipping away, getting him in a great place so he can put out his best plays."
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