Many players on the Florida defense recall all the criticism they got last season. During spring and fall camp media availability, they’ve brought it up and said they’re ready to get the team back to a top-10 unit on that side of the ball.
“All of us got a chip on our shoulder,” linebacker Mohamoud Diabate said Friday, according to The Alligator. “We’re seeing what everybody was saying about our defense, our coaches, about us. So, it’s like, how can you not have a chip? How can you not remember that when you’re working out, when you’re watching film? It makes you hungry.”
Every player regardless of offense or defense has reiterated their desire to return to the SEC Championship game. Cornerback Kaiir Elam said the team feels motivated after they lost the last three games in 2020 and the loss to Alabama in Atlanta left a sour taste in their mouth.
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“That’s unacceptable,” he said. “That’s not the Gator standard.”
Elam believes the spring practices they had this offseason will make a difference. He said part of their problem was that they weren’t communicating. The lack of communication was apparent. Florida surrendered 428 yards per game and nearly 31 points per game last season.
Diabate said this year’s unit is the closest team he’s ever been on. Elam added he’ll do almost anything to win.
“When push comes to shove all I wanna do is win… If someone told me to cut off my finger to win, I’m gonna do it.”
Florida fans should hope that it never has to come to that, but it does give fans major Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel vibes when he said he would cut off his manhood to win a Super Bowl.
Fans will see if the Gators are truly a different unit when they kick off the season on Sept. 4 versus FAU in the Swamp.
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