GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- This was their
plan all along. They talked about it before they ever signed on as
teammates with the Gators. The remained steadfast when others tried to persuade
them to change direction.
Back on the
recruiting trail, when others told them they would be better off going somewhere
the other wasn't, sophomore defensive linemen Dante Fowler Jr. and Jonathan
Bullard tuned them out.
They knew as a
tandem they were good enough to be labeled double trouble, dynamic duo or as
Fowler revealed last week, Florida's "Bash Brothers," a self-anointed
nickname they came up with over the summer.
"Those two guys
aren't afraid of anybody,'' Florida coach Will Muschamp said.
Certainly not of
each other.
Fowler and Bullard
had options out of high school. Fowler was a Florida State commit until deciding
to sign with the Gators in February 2012. Clemson and South Carolina had their
eyes locked on Bullard.
They heard it all
before deciding they wanted to be teammates at Florida.
"We had schools
even throwing our names at each other,'' Bullard said. "Coming in, we
wanted to play with great players. I think he is a real good player and he has
a lot of good attributes that are going to help me out.
"We looked at
[signing as the same school] as a positive thing."
So did Gators
fullback Rhaheim Ledbetter, a teammate of Bullard's at Crest Senior High in
Shelby, N.C. Ledbetter and Bullard have been friends since elementary school.
Their families are close, too.
They wanted to
remain teammates in college. Ledbetter had a good idea of what that could mean
for Florida's defensive line if Fowler, who starred at St. Pete (Fla.) Lakewood
High, also signed with the Gators.
"That duo right
there is crazy,'' Ledbetter said. "A lot of people don't realize it, but
after this year, I think a lot of people are going to realize what kind of duo
that is going to be in the future."
Florida fans got a
glimpse of the Fowler-Bullard duo last season. Both played regularly as
freshmen, providing energy, depth and as the season wore on, more and more big
plays.
Fowler finished with
30 tackles and 2 1/2 sacks. Bullard started two games and finished with 27
tackles and 1 1/2 sacks. Both were named to the Southeastern Conference
All-Freshman Team.
As sophomores Fowler
and Bullard will move into starting roles -- Fowler at left defensive end and
Bullard on the right side. Fowler can also play the BUCK position, a hybrid
linebacker/end spot that specializes in rushing the passer or dropping into
coverage.
"I actually
like covering,'' Fowler said. "Some people think I'm just a defensive
lineman. Whenever I get out and cover, I take it really serious."
First-year defensive
coordinator D.J. Durkin sees a pair of emerging players that have the ability
to help the Gators finish among the nation's top defenses. Florida is one of
five schools to finish in the top 10 nationally in total defense the past two
seasons.
The 6-foot-3,
265-pound Fowler has all the tools to be an elite pass rusher.
"He’s an impressive football player," Durkin said.
"He’s a rare mix of a guy his size that can move as well as he does and he
plays really, really physical. And the great thing about Dante is he practices
hard every single day.
"Every
day you see him at meetings, on the field, he’s got a big smile on his face. He
just loves competing, loves football, and he’s hungry. He’s one of the best
guys to coach on the team. He takes coaching really well so a guy with that
ability level that takes coaching, the sky’s the limit.”
Bullard
(6-3, 270) has a little more bulk than Fowler and defends the run as well as he
rushes the passer.
As a
senior at Crest Senior -- the same school that produced former Gators
linebacker Brandon Spikes and NBA great David Thompson -- Bullard and Ledbetter
helped the Chargers to a state runner-up finish.
Ledbetter
signed with the Gators as a defensive back and has moved to fullback. Having
played with Bullard in middle school and high school, Ledbetter is not
surprised as Bullard's quick impact at Florida.
"His speed coming off
the ball is just unbelievable,'' Ledbetter said. "In high school, just put
him on one side, and I'll be happy to go to the other side. He would tell me,
'I got it.' He had it."
Bullard and Fowler
are now trying to form that kind of dominating presence for the Gators. Florida
lost starting defensive linemen Sharrif Floyd, Lerentee McCray and Omar Hunter,
but with senior defensive tackle Dominique Easley returning and Bullard and
Fowler on the verge of breakout seasons, the defensive line projects as one of
the Gators' strengths.
"Two quality
guys who have a huge upside as players,'' Muschamp said.
As for that
"Bash Brothers" nickname, Muschamp doesn't know much about that. Fowler
and Bullard came up with that one.
That's nothing new.
They have talked about their possibilities together for a long time. Regardless
of what they do individually, Fowler and Bullard will continue to be lumped
together.
They are fine with
that, same as they never backed off from playing together when others told them
they would be better off going their own way.
"We knew that
coming in," Bullard said. "We just try to go out and make something
happen every play."
