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UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOOTBALL MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 2, 2017

Jim McElwain

Gainesville, Florida

JIM McELWAIN: Welcome. It's great to see everybody. I hope you all had a great summer and time to kind of reflect, and now it's time to get back after it. We just left -- players just reported today. We're still in school, so we're kind of changing schedules around as we go for these couple days, and that's part of it. We'll continue to do that today, obviously Thursday and Friday, and then kind of have everything set on Saturday will be kind of the first time that we're on a normal routine, so to say, as school closes or finishes on Friday for us, for most of the guys as we go.

Tomorrow we'll start our practices. We'll do our split-squad practice. We'll take kind of the rookies. They'll be going first. We'll take the vets second. A lot of that has to do, obviously, with the different class schedules, as well, but more than that, it kind of gives us an opportunity to kind of coach those rookies one-on-one, teach them our expectation of how we practice, get them in and out of the two-, three- and four-spot drills where they're on the move and nowhere to go, and really give them an opportunity to get their feet wet at a Gator practice before we join the whole group.

We'll follow that up, obviously, with our vets, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they attacked phase 5 and are ready to go into phase 6 here, which is fall camp, and get an idea kind of where we're at a little bit, both knowledge-wise and really where the competition begins.

I think if there was one thing that I would say about this year's camp that may be a little bit different than in the past is the true competition at so many position groups. It's something that we were looking for. Our roster is on balance, pretty darned close. You know, we've got a really good group of numbers-wise at all the different spots, which is going to allow us to practice the way we expect to practice and like to practice as we prepare our guys moving forward.

This camp is going to be uncomfortable for our guys. It's going to be something where there's going to be a lot of things stressed as simple as sweating every small detail. There is no detail small enough to be overlooked. It's going to be hard, and that'll be intentional.

I'm really looking for us to take the next step to where the uncomfortable becomes comfortable, where when things aren't going just the way you like it, so what. Let's do something about it. And I think that where that'll stem from is the competition moving forward, because we've got a lot of good players. Some haven't played, but that's okay. It's okay. They didn't come here to sit on the bench. They came here to play.

Now, it's our responsibility to get the best people on the field, and I am really looking forward to that.

A couple notes: Obviously the weekend, we've got about six guys graduating on Saturday. That's something I'm really proud of. I believe we have 56 or 57 guys, I think Jake I heard just got picked up that are in NFL camps right now that are former Gators. That's something I'm excited about for those guys, and obviously this time of year, things are really good.

The 105 roster, I know you guys will go and count at each practice and see how many we have. There will be a couple spots like Jordan Sherit, for example, he's got some tests that he still has to do, so don't subtract him and try to figure out where the 105th is -- where are you at, Zach? You got that? Where's my counters? Okay.

But as we do that, it'll be pretty much status quo on Saturday. We're still waiting on some things to clear up on James Robinson. I'll let you know as soon as that happens, and we'll move forward from there.

As we're also looking right now, the other question I keep getting asked all the time is is there anybody that'll miss the first game as of right now. Everybody is doing a great job. I don't anticipate it. But there's still some requirements on everybody to see where we'll be at going into the Michigan game, and obviously that'll be answered when we go into game week.

As of right now, all hands on deck.

You know, just kind of guys on a personal note, the Gators lost one of their own in John Reaves, former Gator. Great -- I say this in that I recruited his son Stephen. He played for us when I was at Michigan State. Obviously got to know the family very well, and you know, my thoughts and prayers go out to that family who's been through a lot. You know, at the same time, I do know this: When I got this job, I don't think anybody will ever realize how much the Florida Gators truly meant to John Reaves, and my thoughts and prayers are with them.

Kind of with that, as we go from there, guys -- we're missing our injury report. Oh, there you are. Didn't anyone tell you to get to the front of the classroom or what?

We've got some guys, obviously, that have been through some things that will be unable to perform out there. Obviously you're well-aware of Marcell Harris, what occurred there. Rick Wells -- these guys are all going through treatment and will be doing that as we're going through practice. McArthur Burnett, Nick Smith, who just recently had some work done. Guys that will be limited in practice will be Jordan Sherit -- how we will kind of work him will be sort of similar to what we did with Antonio Morrison a couple years ago, in which we kind of filter him in and out. We're going to take Antonio Riles and Kavaris Harkless, who will be limited, but what we'll kind of do is break those reps between the two of them so as they kind of get going, they're easing back in, but they'll obviously be out there at practice.

I think that should hit all of that.

So with that, guys, questions?

Q. Can you talk about Malik Zaire, what he brings to the team and how he's been accepted by his teammates?
JIM McELWAIN: Sure. Well, he's been -- all indications, he is a great teammate. He's done a great job of getting along with and introducing himself and bringing a certain energy and understanding what it takes. He's obviously on a mission, and he's here to help us win a game and win a bunch of games. I think the one really good thing it brings, it brings great competition to the position. You know, and I guess somewhere along the line at SEC media days, I guess I must have said that I knew who the starting quarterback was because somebody texted it out or tweeted it out or something. I don't know that I said that, but I guess if I did -- you had the scoop, didn't you? All right, good.

Q. You guys have had a luxury the last two years of being able to rely on that back end with the secondary. I think six of those guys are now in the NFL, and with this young group and Marcell out especially, does it change the way you kind of approach the back end defensively?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, it's interesting, and every year as we talk about each team kind of morphs into its own, let's give the credit to the guys that were here. Those guys really ended up being great players, and like you said, six of them playing at the next level. That speaks volumes for that.

I thought those guys really did a good job of developing, and yet now it's our responsibility to get some of those young guys -- I think when you look at like our signing class and the numbers, we knew obviously, especially with the early outs, we need to really increase that.

As far as what we do, I think the one thing Coach Shannon has done since he's taken over as defensive coordinator is really trying to simplify and let our guys go play, all right, and when I talk about communication, and you've heard me talk about that since I've been here, it is of a premium. And we're looking at Nick Washington, we're looking at Chauncey, we're looking at Duke. Those guys have to do an unbelievable job of communicating with the people in the back end as we're going forward, and we're going to come up with some really good players. They'll get tested, and you know what, I'll say go ahead and test them because I think they're going to be all right.

Q. This time last year you said you expected dramatically better offense from your first year to your second year. You actually dropped in yards and dropped in points. What now in year three are your expectations?
JIM McELWAIN: I think we are going to dramatically be worse. (Laughter.) I guess since I remember what I said, right?

No, as you've heard, I've got to tell you, the offensive line is dramatically improved, and I am so excited about that. I think the depth at the wide receiver position now allows us some unique weapons.

Now, we're going to have to stay healthy, but so is everybody else, right? That's not an in-or-out deal. I think our running back room is real. Time will tell. And I'm excited about the competition at the quarterback position, and we'll get that ironed out.

I would say in kind of going there, when I can finally say the length of our team is our offensive line, I feel pretty good about it.

Q. John Reaves was the all-time leading passer when he was at Florida; he was the quarterback of one of the first great Gator offenses. How eager are you to get that legacy of Gator offense back to where it should be?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, it certainly is one of the things, as we all know, that I was brought here to do, and it hasn't been done yet, and yet it's been obviously something that is continually evolving as we get to the competition phase and the roster balance on that side of the ball.

With that being said, I was also instructed when I took this job to figure out how to win, and I guess maybe we've won a couple and nobody really thought we would, and yet in the art of coaching, in the art of business and whatever that is -- let's call it the art of poker; whatever hand you're given, you figure out how to play that hand. Sometimes you've got to bluff now, right? But at the same time, you've got to get a win at the end of the day, and I think our guys have done a pretty decent job of that.

I think moving forward when I talked about where now we've got to understand what uncomfortable is to make it comfortable, that's kind of the next step in our evolution of making sure that we get back to Atlanta.

Q. Also one follow-up, this is the 25-year anniversary of the Swamp being named the Swamp. What does that name, that reputation and home field mean to you?
JIM McELWAIN: It means everything. I was really excited that -- we had a lot of former Gators come around and talk to our guys to kind of re-understand the importance of the Swamp, and it being one of the most feared places to play, it being an environment that is hard on opponents. Last year I think we did a pretty decent job of winning in the Swamp, and obviously the way the schedule lays this year, our ability to not only defend the Swamp but make it, again, where that place where people aren't quite sure they want to come play, that's the responsibility of this year's team.

Q. I'm going to get the pretty irrelevant question out of the way here.
JIM McELWAIN: Wait a minute, was this the disclaimer? Is that what they call that?

Q. I blame millenials and their short attention span. Every sport is trying to figure out ways to speed up their games: Golf, Major League Baseball --
JIM McELWAIN: They're not speeding up my golf game because I'm always looking for it in the woods.

Q. Most of the conference commissioners at the preseason media days expressed a desire to move things along without changing any rules. Do you still think it's a particular problem in college football, and do you think coaches will resist any rule changes such as shortening halftime or keeping the clock going after 1st downs?
JIM McELWAIN: Right. You know, I'll kind of answer your second one to begin with from the standpoint of, well, coaches -- coaches will adapt and they'll adjust to whatever the rules we're given. I do understand the importance of television. I understand the importance of staying on time.

I think the tweaks that they're talking about, I don't think you're really going to notice it. You know, I think they're going to be prepared now coming out of a time-out or whatever. They're setting it. They're not waiting for the team to run on the field, you know. It's something that they've been told, let's go, and if you're late, there's your penalty.

The deal before halftime where the clock is the clock, I think the people who are going to be really upset are the people who do the halftime interviews because they're really going to be short, and I don't even know, are we doing one radio-wise this year? Boy, those will be quick. There will be some extra advertising time.

But I think that those things, as we evolve, I think there is a need to speed up some of the things that go on in between.

Q. Where do you expect Luke Del Rio to factor into things?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, it'll be interesting to see where he's at off his injuries. I've said it; this guy was 5-1, and let's call it, he should have been a 5-0 quarterback a year ago had I not played him in the Arkansas game, which I shouldn't have. And yet we'll see where it plays. We'll see how he is. We'll see where he's at physically, but he's definitely in the plans.

Q. And Feleipe Franks is out of it, too. What has that been -- he's leaving spring, frontrunner, and then a guy comes in that a lot of people feel like might supplant him.
JIM McELWAIN: Right, and if you're a true competitor, and I don't know what kind of business -- I guess I don't know much about your business, but every now and then they might bring somebody in to try to take your beat. Well, what do you do, turn and run, or do you accept the challenge? Right?

I think he's a guy in his makeup that this is another challenge that is going to help him elevate his play. Also from another guy who's been in the arena that can help him. I don't think he looks at it as that. I would hope he doesn't, because I don't think Feleipe has that in his body. I think he's a guy that's ready to go do this.

Q. With all the different variables that you've got at quarterback, different strengths, different guys, plus the wildcat guys after that, do you see that as an advantage or a disadvantage when you're trying to reach a decision on who should be your No. 1 guy?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, I think it's an advantage from the standpoint, now it creates some hesitation maybe in what you're going to see defensively, especially being sound in people's blitz packages when you're carrying some option stuff and doing some other things within that that those guys can not only run but throw. I know like the wildcat, sometimes you put a guy back there that's a running back but he can't throw. Now I think we've got some guys that can actually play the position of quarterback, still do it, and I don't think our development will change at all.

Q. As you're leading into this over the next two or three weeks or however long it takes, is there a disadvantage to having so many options?
JIM McELWAIN: I don't think there is at all. You know, I like having options. It's when you don't have options that sometimes you beat your head against the wall. I think in this case it's a real positive.

Q. You said a theme this year for your team is sweating the small stuff. Obviously going into year three, I think you would imagine that your players understand the big picture, so the small stuff, do you feel like that's the difference, if they can sweat it, between the results that happened your first two years and what you guys want for this season?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, no doubt. I mean, they understand what it is. They also understand that just being above average, you know, a lot of times people go through life okay being above average. It's not a bad thing. That means you're probably maybe winning a little more than you're losing. You're probably putting more in your bank account than you are taking out. And there's a lot of people that live comfortably and really good, long lives being just above average.

In this game, being a Florida Gator, I don't expect that. Above average is, hmm, it is what it is. I think the next step is understanding the courage it takes to really step above and put yourself out there in understanding, you know what, this is the next step. And so what I'm looking for, and I don't know, we'll find out. That's the beautiful thing. But I know our guys understand.

Q. And then as a follow, as you go into year three, your last time in the SEC, you kind of knew you were at a program where in year three you knew what it should look like to win the championship from a roster standpoint, from a culture standpoint. Do you feel like you have that here?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I do. I feel like -- I feel like we're at that point now. No, I'm not going to give you Joe Willie Namath, that's what you want. That ain't happening, because right now we're not at the Joe Willie Namath where I can go ahead and guarantee. I do know this: We're okay, and we're more than okay. We're pretty darned good.

Q. Malik Zaire obviously is a lefty; what from your perspective as a coach is different with a lefty quarterback versus a righty or anything?
JIM McELWAIN: Well, first thing we do is I go ahead and watch the film actually backwards, so everything is thrown right-handed. It's a hell of a deal, right? It's really cool. No.

We've had left-handers, we've had right-handers. Obviously Coach Nussmeier is a left-hander. You know, teaching-wise, progression-wise -- here's always a kind of fun thing is when you're a right-handed teacher teaching a left-hander to throw on the run, that's always a fun one. But good things he knows how to throw on the run already.

Q. But you don't give thought to moving left tackle to right tackle to protect that blind side or anything like that?
JIM McELWAIN: That's a great question because we have in the past. Martez Ivey at left, Jawaan Taylor at right. I feel pretty good about it. But that's a great question.

Q. I think there's been a healthy degree of skepticism at least in the fan base when it comes to the offensive line. You've been pretty vocal that you think that can really be a team strength.
JIM McELWAIN: I do.

Q. I wonder other than having the numbers back up to where they need to be, what gives you confidence in that group that they're going to turn the corner?
JIM McELWAIN: I've seen two things. I've seen a sense of understanding through competition, you know, that no spot is safe, which then helps breed excellence in performance, especially as you're going through practice. I also see a group of guys who now have been together enough, have understood the communication piece, and you know what, understand that they're a little bit tired of being that group, if you understand what I mean.

I'm excited about them.

Q. You talked about Cece Jefferson, you guys would probably start him outside, but on signing day you said some of those interior defensive linemen they're going to have to play. Can you talk about what you've seen out of those guys?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, you know, I think one of the things you're going to see is different packages based on the type of offense we're going to see. For example, being able to play Cece outside and then maybe some of the spread stuff or 3rd down stuff he can actually move in and do some things, as well.

You know, that is one of those interior things. I think a big key to us is Taven Bryan, who, you know, it's time. This guy has learned from a couple really good players that have moved on. I think he's got to be a big key for us in there. I know he's not a young guy; however, he hasn't taken a lot of snaps. So I think that's going to be a key. Khairi Clark doing what he does. Some of Jabari Zuniga on the other side, which maybe might take some pressure off of Cece, I think that those are all real positive things, and I'm looking for Antonneous Clayton to be a change-up guy and be ready to go, especially when we need to get after the passer a little bit.

Interior guys, that's always a concern of mine, only because there's nothing worse when a team just smashes and pounds it on you, so we need some guys to really step up interior-wise. We'll find out early in camp because it's part of the competition piece that's going to be difficult on them.

Q. Any position changes or experiments during the camp or anything like that?
JIM McELWAIN: I guess the only thing you'd say is where is Kadarius going to be. In fact, you guys will be able to see when we're at practice kind of what we're working on that day based on what position he's kind of at. He's going to be a little bit everywhere, which is a good thing. Same thing with Dre Massey, as far as actual positions. But as far as like offense and defense or anything like that, there's nothing that's changed.

Q. You've had a fair amount of success with your offense. You've thrown the ball deep very well a lot of places including Alabama. Colorado State you had a great attack.
JIM McELWAIN: Don't forget Fresno. You want to throw Montana State and Eastern Washington in there, too?

Q. Let's put them in there.
JIM McELWAIN: Michigan State, I think we were in the top 10, and by the way, at Louisville I think we were there, too. Now, when I was at the Oakland Raiders, that was not so good, okay.

Q. But you threw it vertically anyways.
JIM McELWAIN: We did do that, but we never caught it vertically.

Q. Fair enough. You have all these things in your brain, and you've described it --
JIM McELWAIN: Sometimes too many things in my brain. That's kind of the --

Q. The consolations of Montana and that sort of thing. So you can lose things in your head. Number one, do you write them down? Do you have a napkin handy? Do you have a notebook, a blackboard? How do you get them down because this is how people like you work, you have these things going around, where do you put them down?
JIM McELWAIN: I've been accused of maybe being a doodler. I am actually paying attention; however, the slip of paper may be different every time, but it goes in a folder if it's a good idea. It goes in another folder if it's, man, you're really whacked out. But I do do that. I do that a lot. Actually even when I'm maybe watching opponents, seeing things, and then putting it kind of how it might fit, you know, into our nomenclature, how it might fit into our personnel, that kind of thing. I think the biggest thing is how does it fit with your personnel that you have.

Q. And now you have a few more toys maybe?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, and the other thing, I'm going to go back. I'm okay putting the heat on these guys. We've got an offensive line, man. That makes life a lot easier.

Q. Weirdest place you've ever come up with a play.
JIM McELWAIN: Weirdest place?

Q. Where you sat down and said, let me get this down.
JIM McELWAIN: I'm not sure I can say that in public.

Q. Going back to your excitement for the competition at quarterback, how even would you say it is starting off tomorrow?
JIM McELWAIN: It's even. So is there a difference between how even and even? It's kind of like a silent verbal in recruiting. What exactly is that? Silent verbal. How do those two terms go together? Which really means it's not a verbal or a -- it's -- where is it? Just cracks me up. Anyway...

Q. It's an oxymoron.
JIM McELWAIN: I believe that is the proper term. Don't ever call me an oxymoron again. Go ahead.

Q. Do you expect or want this competition to go all the way to the end of camp?
JIM McELWAIN: I don't know, I think it -- we'll see. You know, I haven't put a deadline on it. We'll see where it goes. You guys will know.

Q. Does Malik have an uphill climb during the offense given that he's only been here this summer?
JIM McELWAIN: No. No.

Q. Starting the season with Michigan, what does that mean, marquee match-up for this program, and how do you see it impacting kind of the focus and intensity of camp, if at all?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I think the guys realize it's for real right off the bat. You know, it's an opportunity for them to go on national television in a great environment and find out who they are. I think that this is one of those games where you get to find out who you are, and yet you've also got time to recover. You also have time to learn from it and continue through the season.

I just think it's good for college football. I think the conferences playing each other, two storied programs meeting at a neutral site, I think that that's the way it should be.

Q. Could you just talk about the progress that Tyler Jordan has made, and does he sort of epitomize -- you said no job is safe on that offensive line. Does his status sort of epitomize that?
JIM McELWAIN: That's exactly right, and yet here's a guy who started for us, obviously got thrown to the wolves early in his career, has had the opportunity to both play guard, center, and at times has had to fill in at some tackle stuff as he goes. I think his understanding of what it is to play and what it takes to play is really going to help him, and it'll be -- again, he's one of those guys that'll play a bunch for us.

Q. A lot of talk about the offensive line; how much of that is kind of the energy that Brad Davis has brought to that group on top of what you've already mentioned as far as --
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I've got to tell you, I'm really excited about Brad, kind of how he goes about his business, and obviously really invests himself in these guys' lives. The energy, as of spoke of, is fantastic. Obviously I'm putting the heat on him, too, and yet he's ready to take it. I love his pedigree. I like the fact that he kind of had to earn his stripes at these powers like Portland State, a household college football name, right, and the fact that he was an under-recruited guy that ended up starting at a great program and kind of a little bit of a chip. I just love that.

I think what Ja'Juan has done already, being able to get Skip over to his natural position on defense, as linebacker, and obviously what Corey brings, I think anytime you have an opportunity to infuse your staff, I think it's a good thing.

Q. And then you've had a fast pass for the offensive linemen. Kind of shifting that to the secondary now, is it easier to say that the farther away you are from the ball, the easier it is to play early? You're going to have a lot of cornerbacks specifically you probably have to play early. Is it better at cornerback than maybe left tackle or right tackle?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, I would say this: You're sure out there in the open more. I don't know that it's any easier. They're going to sure know who you are because they're going to see you. You can't hide in the interior, and yet I know that these guys chose to come here not only for what the University of Florida can do for them but more so for the opportunity that they have to play.

Q. You said the running back room was real; what's real about Jordan Scarlett that gives him an opportunity to be a featured back?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I think he's done a much better job, and he's really worked on some of the things, especially being able to catch the ball a little bit more, be more of a three-down back, and yet having change-ups there with Lamical, Mark Thompson. Obviously we've got two young guys that are very talented, and you know what, we've got some options, and that's a good thing.

Q. And how key is that to the offense just to get the running game going especially from where it was last year?
JIM McELWAIN: I think any time you can run the football, at some point you can really take it out of a team. You know, philosophically I've been a guy that loves to throw it early and then hopefully wear them down a little bit and then shorten the game, as the question was over here, and get on the back porch quicker, you know, by running it and controlling the line of scrimmage. That's a big piece of what we have to do is learn to control the line of scrimmage.

Q. I remember the Vanderbilt game, after last year's Vanderbilt game, and you were pretty hard on your offensive line at that point.
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah.

Q. Was there a point where you feel like -- because you've been talking about that all off-season, where you saw kind of the spark, you saw the light go on, whether it was body transformation or whatever?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I think it was really kind of this off-season and spring. I saw a little bit of it in bowl prep, carried over decently in the bowl game, where I think they -- I think they probably got together and said, look, we can do this, and there's no reason to take a backseat to anybody.

Q. A few of us here covered Martez Ivey in high school and he was kind of the quiet giant there. How much growth have you seen from him and how has he accepted this new responsibility?
JIM McELWAIN: Well, he's embraced it full on. I think he's at his comfort level now back at tackle. However, I think what he learned at the guard position just with the communication piece alone is something that's just helped him be even a better player. He's a guy who's got a lot of pride, and you're right, he's quiet, but you know what, when he talks, the team listens, and that's a good thing.

Q. You talked about the Michigan game being what college football is all about; how do you feel about Coach Saban's idea of Power Five only playing Power Five?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I -- really I don't know the time he has on his -- to come up with stuff all the time, you know? When I worked for him, I never even thought about that kind of thing.

But I think it's good. I do. I think it has merit, and I think it's what people want. In doing that, possibly then expanding into that playoff and using the bowl system as part of that, you know, I think that there's probably some merit to that, and yet nobody at the NCAA has called me or asked me my opinion. It'll probably stay that way.

Q. Back to the offensive line, can you talk about the progress of Brett Heggie, and then also, T.J. McCoy, the way he jumped in last year, and where that puts him at this point this year?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, this goes a little bit back to Pat on that, on kind of where -- I think T.J. McCoy was actually kind of a lightning rod a little bit for us from a transformation piece. The energy, the care, the want, obviously being a legacy and playing in the Swamp, for him, that's real. You hear me talk a little bit about how to affect the people around you in a positive way. He's definitely one of those guys.

In Brett's case, that wrist is totally healed now. I mean, he can -- when he first got here, that thing was almost like fused, right; but his development, and you saw, I think, in the spring, he was in there battling for a starting spot. He brings toughness. He elevated the play of other people because, you know what, he wants to play, and that's a great thing.

Q. Which players do you expect to take over as leaders of this team for the upcoming season?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, I don't know. We're going to find out. I think the word leadership is -- sometimes scares people, okay. I'm excited to see the guys that actually do it through their action, that become the leaders of the team, and who that's going to be, we obviously don't have the alpha dog like we did in Jarrad Davis. However, you know what, he only really played half the year, but he was still there. We lost Marcell. Marcell will still be there. Obviously the year before Antonio was kind of that guy. And I'm not sure one has been defined, and yet I don't think that's a bad thing, because it's going to allow some guys through their actions, and as I tell them, your actions speak so loudly, I can't hear what you say. They'll define themselves.

Q. Eddy Pineiro has made such a big impact on special teams last season. What are you looking for as an on core from him?
JIM McELWAIN: I think consistency. Just go do your job. You don't have to kick every one like it's an 82-and-a-quarter -- however long was that one was that he kicked. I don't know if that was altered or whatever video wise or how deep it was, but the biggest thing is go out and do your job, be who you are. It's amazing to me as I talk to him, obviously the impact of what Eddy has done here, I mean, it shocks me how much No. 15 jerseys are out there all the time. I didn't know Eddy had that many fans.

Q. With Marcell's injury, do you plan on putting Chauncey at safety or corner? Where do you think he'll see most of his time?
JIM McELWAIN: He's still going to start at corner. I thought he did a great job. That kind of was his natural position, and yet what he did obviously moving from nickel and playing nickel and then going to safety was obviously highlighted in the bowl game.

As of right now, we've got to see kind of where that competition is. I know this: We feel comfortable with Chauncey being able to move nickel, safety, corner, but we still want him early in camp to really focus on the corner because he didn't get a bunch of it last year.

Q. How have you seen him mature now going into his sophomore year compared to when he first came in with you guys?
JIM McELWAIN: Chauncey mature? Have you -- you obviously haven't talked to him lately, have you?

Here's what I love about Chauncey: The guy is confident, man, and I'm okay with that. I think he really grew up later in the year when he was forced into action and let his play do his talking, and that's the thing that has to continue with him. Going back to what I said earlier, your actions speak to loudly, I can't hear what you say.

Q. At safety behind Nick you have Jeawon, Quincy and Donovan --
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, those are two guys, too -- I'll just talk about that real quick in Quincy and Jeawon, two guys that got hurt last year that were in our plans. Now through the injuries they weren't even able to go in the spring. So this is almost like a new camp for them, as well, and yet what we saw early when they were out there are guys that we think can play for us, and so it'll be interesting to see that battle with those guys.

Q. And then as far as some other options at safety potentially for you, what freshmen defensive backs do you think will work there, and then also, will there ever be any situations potentially with your scheme where you can fit Kylan Johnson in some of that Marcell Harris type of role?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, I think the one thing we can do is he can actually play some nickel versus certain teams, which puts him in that secondary kind of phase. He's grown himself into a linebacker. I think he played well enough that I'd hate to take that away from him.

And then seeing those young guys in practice, you know me, I don't throw those young guys' names out because it's not fair, you know. However, I'm excited to see those guys at practice.

Q. And then lastly, as you move forward into fall camp and you and your staff focus on football season, can you just speak to the recruiting momentum that you guys built in the summer and why you think you guys got the results that you got?
JIM McELWAIN: You know, guys, this whole deal is about relationships, all right. There weren't a lot of people that knew much about us, and I think what's come to fruition is the honesty in which we talk to them and we tell them. Our current players relay that to them, that what they're saying is true. It's not made up, and when you get here it's different. And I think that's made a huge difference. I think the high school coaches, they know this is who I am and this is what I'm all about, and the way we treat our players I think is something that's a real positive.

Obviously we've got guys that are really working at it, and yet we always have. But it takes some time to develop that. I think the support of our administration has been great and the things that are about to happen in the future, and that's something that's very positive.

I think right now there's just that general vibe, and them understanding that when they become a Gator, Coach is going to take care of you, and even when you're after, Coach is going to take care of you, and I think that's something that's really important.

Q. Coach, this is your third season, practice one tomorrow --
JIM McELWAIN: Let's stop there. In dog years, it's year 21.

Q. I hear you. Practice one tomorrow. What do you want to see from practice one to practice 28? Last season you talked and you said after practice 13 the jerseys will wear, you're start to see something with this team. What do you want to see this year between practice one and practice 28?
JIM McELWAIN: What I really want to see is I want to see our guys strain, and I don't want to see them give up. I want to see them fight internally, and I want to see them -- see their partner affecting them to say, we need you. The expectation in each position room has been clearly defined. The role, what each guy wants out of each guy. So now, come 13, come 16, even come game prep week, where is that strain when things are uncomfortable? That's really what I'm looking for.

Q. We saw David Reese make an immediate impact last year. What's the next step or level this year, and how key is he to this retooled defense, maintaining that standard?
JIM McELWAIN: Yeah, I think what David, Vosean obviously, Kylan, as we talked about earlier, those guys have to really be leaders, and you know what, it's only their second year. I think them getting their feet wet and actually not really just walking through the puddle but jumping in the pool, those guys really made a huge impact and believers in the guys around them, and I think that's positive. Their continued growth, but more than that, their continued play, their actions, their communication with each other and the others in front and in back are going to be huge, and yet I expect them to do it.

Q. Last week there was this big study that came out I believe from Boston University about the links between football and brain damage later in life. I don't know if you saw that. I'm sure you've seen similar studies and similar stories about that. When you see stuff like that, what goes through your mind? Does it make you nervous about the future of the game, nervous for you, your players? What goes through your mind?
JIM McELWAIN: Well, I think here's the one thing. I'm glad that we've studied it, and yet I don't know that we have all the information, and yet it's a good thing. Here's what I love about here is we're on the forefront of that. We've got the helmets where they're testing the type of hits. They've done the studies on what exactly the different things are. I'm obviously not Marcus Welby, M.D., by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know that our guys are on the front of that study, our people, our trainers, our doctors. So I do know this, that this is a great place to be with all that being in the news.

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