Transcript: Florida Gators Defensive Line Coach David Turner on Zach Carter and Lessons From 2020
Florida Gators Defensive Line coach David Turner met with local media to discuss spring practice, the return of Zach Carter, young linemen and what lessons can be learned from the 2020 defense.
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REACTION TO GETTING ZACH CARTER BACK ANOTHER YEAR?
"Hah, my prayers had been answered. No, Zach, like most guys in his position wanted to see what his evaluation was, and I told Zach I thought he had a chance if he comes back to really establish himself as one of the better D-linemen. He knew, I think deep down, he knew he wasn't quite ready to make the jump. There's some things he wanted to help us accomplish here, some things he wanted to accomplish and some things he needed to get better at. So I think he made a smart decision and the best decision for him."
HOW IMPORTANT TO LAND PORTAL GUYS?
"Well it was vital for us because we knew we needed hopefully a couple of older guys that fit in. I think when you're looking at guys transferring in the portal there's a whole lot more guys out there than spots. So you want to make sure you do your homework. We were fortunate to get two really good guys, not just players, but really good people. I did my homework. In this business everybody kind of knows everybody and you talk and you make phone calls, and you want to make sure you're getting a guy that's going to be really good in your room and really good for the younger guys. And during the process, it's like recruiting all over again. You talk to those guys. You want to find out, No. 1, why they're leaving. No. 2, what are their goals? And No. 3, would it be a fit for you? Both of those guys checked all three boxes, and I'll be honest, I'm glad to have them. They've been really good for the younger guys and really good, I think they've meshed really good with our group of guys."
WHAT DO THEY ADD IN TERMS OF SKILL SET ON THE FIELD?
"Well, I mean each one of them is a little different and you sit there and look, you're talking about two guys, one, when you're talking about Daquan Newkirk who has played in this league, in the SEC, and had success, then you talk about Antonio Shelton who has played in the Big Ten and been successful, you're talking about two guys that's played big-time college football that's coming into a situation where they have a chance to contribute and play and step up and be a leader and be a role model for the younger guys. So like I said, they checked all the boxes and they've been pleasant surprises for me."
WHAT HAS THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SECOND-YEAR TACKLES BEEN?
"Well, you know, They’re never probably what's the word I'm looking for. Get better as quick as you want them to. Right now these guys are working, and I'll tell you probably the last four or five practices I've seen jumps in both of those guys in terms of getting better at the little things, which is what we've been talking to them about. You can't go out there every day and say I'm going to get better at five or six different things. You kind of have to pick one or two different things and concentrate on them and get better at, and that's what those guys have started to do. And it usually happens about this time in spring ball right at the end where you wish you had about five, 10 more practices where you could really accelerate their ability, accelerate their learning. But those guys are working hard, they’re showing up every day. They’re working hard, they’re trying to get better, trying to do the thing that we ask them to do. Really that’s all I ask: show up, work hard every day, get better, if you got questions ask and just grind at it. It’s not a great job. Nobody grows up wanting to be a D-lineman. Everyone wants to be a quarterback or a running back. But those guys have really embraced it and I’m pleased to have them and they’re going to be fine.”
A lot of fame and fortune to be made on D-line?
“Yeah, yeah, if you’re really good at it a lot of people will pay a lot of good money for you to do it. Yeah, I’ve been fortunate to coach some really good ones. Hopefully we can continue to develop guys and get a little bit better, that’s what it’s all about, helping guys develop to their full potential and hopefully help us wins a bunch of games.”
What impresses you most about Todd Grantham defense?
“The best thing with Todd is it’s an NFL-style defense and it’s about putting guys in position to take advantage of their talents. It’s really unlike, well other than probably a couple of other defense, but it’s really unlike most of the defense I’ve been in in terms of hey, we create mismatches across the board. That’s what we’ve been good at. We struggled a little bit last year in the run game for a lot of different reasons. But we know what we got to do to get better. I think the guys are a little bit embarrassed about how we finished up and they came out with a different mindset. We know what we have to do better. But Todd he’s probably one of the smartest coaches, defensive, that I’ve ever worked for and the defense is made for guys to make plays. If you’re a playmaker and you can learn the defense, which is not a problem, then you’re going to have a chance to put up great numbers in this defense. His defenses historically have been pretty at sacks, tackles for losses and run defense, so that’s what we got to continue to do and continue to develop the kids in the defense.”
Last season an anomaly?
“Oh yeah, I think so, for whatever reason. We got to coach better, starts with us and we got to coach better and we got to put the guys in a better positon. There’s no question about that: the responsibility is on to get it fix. That’s what we’re doing.”
There was a lot of outside noise about Grantham but an impressive track record.
“Yeah, exactly, but it is what it was. We worry about the things we can control and trying to get our guys better and looking at things within the defense to help us and you’re always trying to get better. You’re adding things. You’re taking things out. You’re figuring out what guys can and cannot do and you’re trying to plug them in there and keep working.”
Your take on Gervon Dexter
“I don’t know if people realize this is only his fourth year playing football. He’s still relatively young to the game. We got some things just fundamentally he was so raw that we’re still working on but the flip side of that is there really aren’t a whole lot of bad habits. We just have to develop him. Playing lower is one thing, playing with more leverage. But I see a change in him now. I think he’s a little more comfortable. I think the speed of the game and the understanding of what we’re trying to do in terms of blocking and hand placement and things like that. He’s a work in progress. Everybody wants him to be great now and I’ve talked to him a little bit about that. I said, ‘hey man, you can’t walk around here with the way everybody looks at him just from a physical standpoint and expect him to just wreck shop every Saturday. That’s really not what he can do yet because he’s still new to the game. Everything is new to him. Sometimes you have to block out the noise. You gotta listen to the people who are closest to you in terms of, hey this is what we gotta do as coaches. Listen and listen to me and hopefully, we can get him going in the right direction in terms of his development, which we have been able to do. He knows what he’s gotta work on. He’s a prideful kid. He doesn’t like not to play well. He’s just got to take it one day at a time and not worry about it. He’s not going to be as great as everybody expects him to be right now. It’s a process. Nobody is. We just gotta keep taking it one day at a time with him and getting better at some of the little things and eventually he’s going to be the player we all know he can be.”
As a coach you have to like that, no bad habits, easy to mold a player?
“Yeah, and we have to be careful of falling into the same deal. You look at him and you expect him to be great right now and that’s just not the case. The great thing about him is he’s such a great kid. He wants to be coached. He wants to be great. He takes everything you say to him and he tries to do it. That’s all you can ask of a kid as a coach. I’m pleased with where he is. we still have a long way to go but we’re working to get there.”
Your take on Princely.
“Princely has a lot of tools. He is a gifted young man. He’s still got to understand the college game. It’s not high school, you can’t just run around and kind of freelance at your leisure. You’ve got things and responsibilities within the defense. Princely’s learning. You know, guys, you look at last year, all the things that the guys went through; you know, we had no spring ball—early enrollees—no spring ball, you know we shut down. You practice, you know, you separated, you shut down in the middle of the season. I mean, those guys overcame a lot, and it wasn’t typical—obviously—a typical year. So, the development of the freshmen, really didn't happen. You know, you're talking about practicing in the fall when you getting ready to play, play a game on Saturday, and you really don't have as much time with those guys like you do in spring practice now, where you're really concentrating on the fundamentals. You're not getting ready for game, you're really just concentrating on making your team better. So that's where those guys, that's where they suffered a little bit, you know, just from learning what to do with not getting thrown into the fire. But, but, this spring, those guys have come out—and I say those guys, you're talking about Princley, you're talking about Devon, or those guys are coming out and working at it. Same thing with Jalen Lee, and really working and concentrating on getting better and learning defense, and playing fast. You know it's hard to play fast when you don't know, not real sure what you're doing. And so those guys feel good in the defense now, they've been exposed to it, they've been in it. They've played, and now it's really starting to settle down and play a whole lot faster which allows them and their natural ability to take over.”
Given the troubles from last year, what's a positive spin from something that happened last year and then, what's your biggest worry coming into this year?
“Positive spin, well. Aside from winning the East, I guess there's probably it. You know, we, at the University of Florida, we expect to win championships. That’s why we're all here. And like I said, you know nobody's pleased with how it ended. All we can do now is learn from it, and continue to move forward so that’s, that's what we're trying to do. And obviously—what was the second part of the question?”
As a defensive line coach what's the biggest concern for you right now?
"Our biggest concern, I mean I don't know, just getting guys ready, depth. We got some numbers now and we're just still trying to figure out who can do what, who's best at what position. We got a couple of guys learning two positions and just trying to develop some, some consistency within the group across the board so that's about it."
Todd talked about Kyree Campbell when he came back, he mentioned a couple times that he kind of changed your guy's defense. His presence made guys a lot more comfortable, could line up in different spots. I'm curious what you think he brings to the next level as well as TJ Slayton? I mean a guy that could do that I'm sure might be a bit of an underrated gem in the upcoming class.
"Well, you know, hopefully those guys get an opportunity to get into camp and do what they can do. You know, we're really appreciate Kyree and what he did. I don't know if Kyree really ever felt 100% last year. He was banged up a little bit but, but he continued to go and get out there with his teammates and, and played well in spurts. And TJ, I thought was really starting to come along. And really appreciate what those guys, what those guys brought to the table. You know, both of those guys have played a lot of football and all and obviously getting Kyree back helped us going down, down the stretch when he came back and and being able to get him in and take some snaps off some of them younger guys. But we really appreciate what those guys did and how they approached their work. And obviously wish them the best at the next level.”
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