Florida defense seeks consistency, stops against Texas A&M

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida Gators transfer Brenton Cox Jr. sees a clear role and glove-like fit for him in coordinator Todd Grantham’s attacking defense.

Amari Burney is still trying to find his place.

The two defenders are listed as linebackers, but are hybrids by nature. Each embodies the versatility, potential and growing pains of the unit after two games.

Big plays and breakdowns have led to a pair of inconsistent, frustrating performances.

Meanwhile, Florida’s offense has shouldered the load for the No. 4 Gators — 2-0 after wins at Ole Miss and this past Saturday at home against South Carolina. If the defense can do its part, Burney sees unlimited possibilities this season.

“Once we start pulling the weight,” he said. “The defense has to go out there and start making stops instead of just giving the (other) team life back.”

On the heels of two-high scoring wins, UF coach Dan Mullen said his team needs to develop a killer instinct.

Grantham’s defensive style certainly could help set the tone, beginning noon Saturday at No. 21 Texas A&M (1-1). The game will air nationally on ESPN.

The 2019 Gators were aggressive, physical and confounding for offenses. UF ended the season as the SEC leader in sacks and red-zone defense while allowing fewer points than any team in the league but Georgia.

The 2020 Gators have appeared to be more passive. Florida has allowed more yards per game (477) than all SEC teams but Ole Miss and yielded an average of 29.5 points — two touchdowns more per game than last season (15.5). While the unit has eight sacks, it has generated just two turnovers, including one interception a season after recording 16.

Cox, who is tied with Zach Carter for the team with 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hurries, said the Gators have just scratched the surface.

“In the first two games, that was going to be a struggle,” said Cox, a Georgia transfer. “I feel like we have so much more to show on defense. We’ve got a lot of talented guys.

“I feel like we’ll get it together.”

Experience in Grantham’s system surely will help.

Florida lost six starters and through two games has been without tackle Kyree Campbell, who started 24 games the past two seasons, and defensive back Brad Stewart, who appeared in 21 games, starting 11, in the same span. Their availability Saturday remains uncertain.

Campbell’s absence has been glaring up front.

“He was the core of our program in a sense,” Grantham said. “We were actually gonna redshirt him (in 2018), but because of his passion, his energy, his toughness and kind of what he brought to that room, we felt like we needed to play him.

“I think anytime you can get that kind of attitude upfront, I think it can kind of bleed into the group, in general, which can be contagious to the entire defense.”

Meanwhile, Burney is among several players adjusting to a new role. Now a weak-side linebacker, the 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior lined up at the STAR position much of 2019 and arrived in 2018 as a safety. Disengaging from blockers and reading different keys has tempered Burney’s ability to play quickly and decisively.

“I like it,” Burney said of his position. “But I’ve got to step it up. These past two weeks have been unacceptable for me, personally.

“Just talking with the coaches, my parents, watching film, it’s been unacceptable on my part — just being a starter and not doing my job.”

Burney has not been the only one.

In fact, the cause of UF’s issues on defense has changed week to week.

During a 51-35 win at Ole Miss, the back end of the defense was beaten badly as the Gators gave up nine plays of at least 20 yards, including seven plays 30 yards or longer.

A week later, South Carolina’s longest play was 22 yards, but the Gamecocks ended with 83 snaps because Florida’s front seven struggled to end drives.

“Every game is kind of unique in a sense,” Grantham said. “You play the game relative to the way the score’s going. The object of the game is to win the game.”

To keep winning, the Gators will need the defense to learn, evolve and find another gear.

“I think everything you do is a teachable moment,” Grantham said. “That’s part of developing a team, where we’ve got a lot of young players in our two-deep. We’ve just go to continue to develop those guys, educate those guys so we can be the kind of defense we want to be.”

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