Questions For Gervon Dexter On Gator Collective Corner
Gervon Dexter joined The Buddy Martin Show last week with Buddy, Ben Troupe and Franz Beard. This is a modified list of questions and answers, edited by Kyle Curtis of GatorBait.
Question: Can you talk about the core group of the defense?
Answer: “Ventrell [Miller] coming back is big, he has always been a leader to me on and off the field. He knows what the d-line, safeties, and even what the [opposing] offense is doing. Trey Dean coming back is huge too. In the d-line room, we are kind of young, but I will bring that leadership role to my group. Brenton Cox will bring his leadership to his outside linebacker group. It just works out that each group has a leader to look up to.”
Coming off a season where Dexter was one of the few consistent parts of the team, contributing 50 total tackles with 2.5 sacks, he is ready to fully accept the leadership role of this defense.
Question: How did Antonio Valentino help you step into your role this year?
Answer: “Him coming in for me was huge, if it wasn’t for him coming, I would have had to step into a role I wasn’t fully prepared for. Off the field, Antonio is very smart he knows a lot about the life and history of the game. Teaching me the little things… Antonio coming was a huge blessing for me, he knew a lot more than I did and was a huge help for me.”
Valentino, a grad transfer from Penn State, started in 8 of the 12 games he appeared in for the Gators while contributing 15 total tackles and a sack. He served as the veteran in the locker room and helped paved the way for guys, such as Dexter, to succeed in the trenches.
Question: How has the Gator Collective helped you since joining?
Answer: “It was a huge help to us financially and gave us a way to communicate and learn about people. I wished a kid a happy birthday, and just to see his face light up gives joy to both sides… The recruits are going to want to go the places with the best NIL deal… it will definitely help out in recruiting.”
Getting a head start with this new era in college football and accepting the NIL deal will do nothing but help Florida on the recruiting trail, and even the transfer portal. As Gervon stated, these recruits are going to want to go the places where NIL deals are more attractive. The Gator Collective has done a "terrific job" up to this point at putting players first while getting the fans involved as well.
Question: What part of your game have you been working on the most?
Answer: “There are lots of techniques I have been working on. One of the biggest things I’ve taken on is learning more about the game. I’m very new to the game, there are things that happen to me during the game, and I didn’t know why that was happening to me. This off-season I’ve learned more about the game and schemes, different kinds of plays and schemes. I’ve been going with coach P (Pasqualoni) just learning through him since he has years of experience in NFL and college.”
With Dexter having intentions of turning pro in the next few years, his physical ability is not a question. He is known for taking on multiple blockers and being a powerhouse in the backfield. Taking on the learning aspect of the game will improve IQ and performance on the field for this Gator front seven.
Question: Do you feel like the team has something to prove?
Answer: “Attitude is contagious. The attitude that Coach Napier and his staff have brought in has been a very positive change. I feel like they brought a winning attitude onto us… as long as we follow that and what they have planned for us I feel like it will be a good season.”
Dexter’s comments regarding the coaching staff and the new mindset reflect the buy-in by the players -- not only the new staff but the culture. If Dexter’s thoughts are any indication of what the rest of his teammate’s thoughts are, Florida is in a strong position to move back up in the college football landscape.
Question: Talk about the new strength staff and attitude in the weight room.
Answer: “The new strength staff has been great for us; they are all competitors. Each position has their own strength coach, I like that because you have someone you can go to relate to. Each of them had all either played or are very familiar with that position, I feel like that has been a huge thing for us.”
The effects of Napier’s "Army" are already showing benefits. Dexter pointed out that it is nice to have a big strength staff because it makes it easier to have more personal relationships and easier to relate. It also benefits that the coach knows the position, therefore knowing what sort of workouts need to be in place for certain positions and establishing that relationship.
Question: If the game can slow down for you how dangerous can that make you as a player?
Answer: “These past two years I mainly played off talent. If I can just take my game to the next level and just let it slow down for me, I know I can have a huge year. This spring I am focusing on using all my resources… that’s something I’m going to take on and use for sure.”
Being able to utilize all the resources and new minds within the program will not only help out Dexter but everyone within the program.
Question: Do you feel everyone on the team has accepted the new coaching change?
Answer: “You get another chance to play again. You get a fresh start… Regardless of the coach some of those things should just be common-sense we can’t do those things again. Coach Napier came in and brought in that positive mindset. What he said to us that first meeting I felt he was 100% honest and I know all my teammates felt the same way as well. We’re ready to work for sure.”
While it is hard to say goodbye to the coaching staff that recruited you, it seems from the outside looking in the players have looked at the coaching change with a glass half full mindset. Having the team buy into Napier’s vision is vital to success on this level and it seems he was able to achieve that within his first time talking to the team, according to Dexter.
Question: What do you think of the new facilities?
Answer: “It will play a huge, huge role in recruitment… It will give us a one-up because ours will be newer and have a lot of new things in it.”
Having the new facilities being built will keep the Gators up to pace with the likes of the Alabama’s and Georgia’s of the world. This will be another recruiting tactic to use and be very beneficial to the current players as well.
Comments