If there has been one area of consistency for Florida's basketball team after a week of practice it has been its inconsistency. That is expected with a team that lost its top six scorers from last season. It's something coach Billy Donovan has dealt with since the team started practice Friday.
"I still think we're up and down," Donovan said Thursday. "I don't think really much has changed. Marreese (Speights) and Jonathan (Mitchell) and Dan (Werner) did better but then we had some younger guys that weren't so great. When you're dealing with younger guys there's going to be that inconsistency. We're going to have to find a consistent group from game to game. I know it's only five days of practice but the things we're asking them to do, I'm not seeing them be able to do on a regular basis."
Position battles are being waged each day and players are battling for playing time, some at multiple spots. Donovan said freshman Jai Lucas is set playing only point guard. Freshman Nick Calathes, at 6-foot-6, can play point guard, shooting guard or even small forward.
Freshman Chandler Parsons might play more power forward so he does not have to deal with the speed and quickness of small forwards. Mitchell might play more small forward so he does not have to crash the boards as much and can deal with the more agile players on the perimeter.
Walter Hodge, Florida's only junior, can play either guard position. Werner, listed at 6-foot-7 and 235 pounds, can contribute at either forward position and might move to center in some circumstances. Freshman Alex Tyus will mainly be used at power forward but if Speights gets into foul trouble, Tyus could move to the 5 as well. So much is still up in the air as Florida prepares for its exhibition opener Nov. 1 against Flagler.
"The biggest hurdle for them right now is the consistency of playing with one another," Donovan said. "You see unselfishness but you see a guy coming down the floor and one guy has a great shot but they don't necessarily make the right play but they're looking to give the ball up but it's not quite the best play. That's going to be part of it. They're going to have to go through the process of playing with one another."
Said Werner: "Every day in practice we're physical with each other…I don't know if it's because the guys are younger and they're not as strong as the guys last year but it seems like I'm moving better. I lost some weight. I don't know if that is the reason why. I'm definitely moving better on the court."
Fans will get their first opportunity to see the basketball team scrimmage Sunday at the O'Connell Center for Fan Appreciation Day. Doors open at 2 p.m. with an autograph signing from 2:30-4 p.m. for men's and women's players. The women's team will be introduced at 4 followed by the men who will then scrimmage.
"There will be officials, it will be a little different," Donovan said. "We're probably not doing a good enough job in practice now calling fouls and we're probably too aggressive. We'd rather pull them back a little bit with their aggressiveness rather than the other way. Just to see them in a live setting, they have to run offense, they have to play defense, they're going to have to press, play zone. I don't know how long we'll realistically be able to go because we have nine scholarship guys. There's not going to be any subs."
Donovan said he does not know the length of the scrimmage or how it will be run since there are not even 10 scholarship players. More importantly, though, Donovan and the Gators are looking for leaders to step up.
Tyus said Hodge has done a standup job trying to direct people through the first week of practice. With such a young squad – even the veterans have seen only limited action – having an abundance of leadership is important. Donovan said it can come in a variety of ways.
"Leadership has a lot more to do with what goes on off the court than what (happens) on the court," he said. "Each guy is different, has different abilities and talents on the court but really it's what comes out of your mouth, it's what your intent is when you talk, it's are you unselfish, are you putting other guys first?
"It's probably hard for a guy on a team who's your best player but in the locker room is talking about himself and scoring and talking about things that maybe aren't impacting winning. The respect level can come from any level regardless of class. It's a respect factor."