GAINESVILLE — After starting 10 games at cornerback last season, junior Cody Riggs is also working at safety and nickelback this fall.
With the secondary having arguably the most depth of any unit, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Thursday the cross-training would help the Gators get the best players on the field. Florida plays with five defensive backs more often than not, and Quinn said players like Riggs and freshman Brian Poole will play a considerable amount, even if they aren’t starting.
“Certainly in the first few games, we’re going to see that when we play Bowling Green and Texas A&M, who based on their last season, they are teams that know how to throw the ball,” Quinn said. “We are going to have a nickel package and play three corners and things like that. I kind of had a feeling it would work itself out. It usually does through the course of the season as we get through a few ballgames.”
Riggs, fellow Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas alum Marcus Roberson, Loucheiz Purifoy and Jaylen Watkins are competing for the starting spots at cornerback, while Matt Elam and Josh Evans are in line to be the starters at safety.
Powell expected back
Quinn said he expects to get starting Buck linebacker Ronald Powell back at some point this season. Powell has been out since tearing the ACL in his right knee during the spring game, but an estimate on when he would return has been difficult to glean from coaches.
“Yeah, I definitely am [expecting Powell to return],” Quinn said. “And I would think he’d be approaching it that way, too. … The guy has been very aggressive and diligent and on it, so I am expecting to have him back at some point.”
With the secondary having arguably the most depth of any unit, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn said Thursday the cross-training would help the Gators get the best players on the field. Florida plays with five defensive backs more often than not, and Quinn said players like Riggs and freshman Brian Poole will play a considerable amount, even if they aren’t starting.
“Certainly in the first few games, we’re going to see that when we play Bowling Green and Texas A&M, who based on their last season, they are teams that know how to throw the ball,” Quinn said. “We are going to have a nickel package and play three corners and things like that. I kind of had a feeling it would work itself out. It usually does through the course of the season as we get through a few ballgames.”
Riggs, fellow Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas alum Marcus Roberson, Loucheiz Purifoy and Jaylen Watkins are competing for the starting spots at cornerback, while Matt Elam and Josh Evans are in line to be the starters at safety.
Powell expected back
Quinn said he expects to get starting Buck linebacker Ronald Powell back at some point this season. Powell has been out since tearing the ACL in his right knee during the spring game, but an estimate on when he would return has been difficult to glean from coaches.
“Yeah, I definitely am [expecting Powell to return],” Quinn said. “And I would think he’d be approaching it that way, too. … The guy has been very aggressive and diligent and on it, so I am expecting to have him back at some point.”
