Florida Gator running back coach Kenny Carter must be giggling these days. The outspoken coach of a handful of dynamic players was brought in to Florida to turn a position that was regarded as non-existent to one that is about to get noticed. William Green, who is a Florida defensive end, noticed Thursday but more about that later.
For three years now, the knock on Florida running backs is that they don’t get the ball in the running game because guys like Tim Tebow and Percy Harvin eat up a lot of carries. The fact is Florida will use the running backs if they are going to be an asset to the team.
At Florida, the position is more than just running the football but Meyer says the position has been under-utilized. Now that Carter is on the staff, there is emphasis on teaching the backs all the things they will need to succeed and then take their game to the next level.
“Our whole plan from the spring on was to make this position a viable position where everyone says I want to go to Florida to play running back because they utilize them in different ways,” Carter said. “That is our mindset … we have too many talented people not to use them in every aspect of what we do.”
Florida running backs are going to be part of the passing game this year. This is a spread offense that creates one-on-one situations and with backs that can catch and make someone miss, a short pass can become a go the distance play from any spot on the field. Carter smiles when he thinks about his young guys getting the ball with only a linebacker in reaching distance in the open field.
“Our job is to pass protect and take care of underneath coverage,” Carter said. “When you can run the ball down the field with our great receivers and they are covered drop it down. What are you going to do as a defense? Give us that and let Demps, Rainey, Moody, and Kestahn Moore run 15-20 yards before they get touched? We’ll take it.”
Now to the story about what happened to William Green. It started with Jeffrey Demps, known more for his 100-yard dash time than for his running ability simply because he is a true freshman that has only been on campus a short time. The assignment for Demps was to help the offensive tackle by chipping away at the defensive end before slipping into open space for a dump off pass.
Not only did Demps chip the defensive end, he laid him out.
“In a lot of our routes that are turnout routes, we have to chip out to help our tackles and make our tackles hold,” Carter started. “He had to chip a guy on his way out and we had to stop practice because he knocked the breath out of the kid and he is lying down on the ground. It was a defensive end and he laid him out. He releases, then catches the ball and heads up field.”
Demps thought the play was just another day at the office, which is just what Carter likes to hear.
“I heard [my teammates] as soon as it happened,” Demps said because he was focused on finishing the play and not watching the blocked player. “I still continued to run my route, but when I came back I saw Green on the ground. Coach Mullen said that was my job. I am supposed to chip and told me just to go on.
“I try to go out there every day and give the best I can give and practice hard. I was just trying to do my job and do a chip block. I didn’t know I was going that hard.”
Demps is the prime example for any back in the Gator offense. He isn’t the biggest guy on the roster at 5-9 and 185 pounds, but he comes to the practice field ready to play.
“Regardless of what your size is if we have to pass protect … you have to pass protect,” Carter said. “They are strong enough, fast enough. When we don’t take a guy out it doesn’t give them an opportunity to be able to hone in when they game plan us and say this guy is going to do this, they are only going to do this when this guys is in.
“They are good enough to do it, they are all doing it and Demps is good enough to do it too. He is a football player, not a guy running track trying to play football.”
The running backs are not just runners and blockers. The Meyer spread offense also utilizes the pass to get the ball in the hands of its running backs.
“That is a focus of every offense, regardless of what your style of play is,” Carter said. “If it’s not down the field then you get available underneath. If they are man to man against you and try to match up, then you create separation and you go and get open. We are an offense based on match ups, well the match ups comes in various ways and a dump down route is one way we can create problems for people.
The talent doesn’t stop with Demps. Redshirt freshman Chris Rainey is as talented as they come according to Carter. Rainey is another one of the backs that has to be able to and is able to do everything asked on every play in the play book.
“He is coming along really well,” Carter said of Rainey. “We are really excited about the things he is doing for us. His understanding about the things we are trying to do to utilize his skills is really good. He is a natural back and of all the guys I have coached and I have coached a lot of guys that have played in the NFL. He has the ability to understand when he gets to the hole how to negotiate it without trying to say I am a speed guy and I want to run here and there. He understands when to burst and when not to burst and that makes all the difference for a back.”
New kind of back at Florida
New kind of back at Florida
“The Knave abideth.” I dare speak not for thee, but this maketh me to be of good comfort; I deem it well that he be out there, the Knave, being of good ease for we sinners.
New kind of back at Florida
I think Jeff Demps just became one of my favorite players on this team and Kenny Carter just became one of my favorite coaches.
