Florida Gators defense aims to maintain its sneer

GAINESVILLE — Don't think for a moment the current members of the Gators defense aren't acutely aware that Brandon Spikes is gone. So is Joe Haden, Carlos Dunlap, Ryan Stamper and Jermaine Cunningham.

Even if they could have somehow ignored the absence of their former teammates, they would have heard it somewhere. On the street. In the barbershop. At a local restaurant.

Despite all the talk about the loss of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and finding big-play receivers and a solid running game, as Florida enters today's season opener against Miami of Ohio, a serious concern is what the Gators can expect from their defense, and who is going to take over for the loss of two All-Americans, and five all-SEC and NFL draft picks?

"We will be fine," senior safety Ahmad Black said. "We have many talented new guys as well as returning players. We have enough talent on this team to replace the great players that we lost this past year."

The Gators, who have a new defensive coordinator in Teryl Austin replacing Charlie Strong, return just five players who were part of last year's starting rotation. Several others have credible playing time, but many are third- and fourth-year players who have battled injuries or spent their careers backing up the former stars. Among the concerns is where pressure will come from, particularly in the middle.

"We're a work in progress, no question about it," defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "But Duke (Lemmens) and Justin Trattou are the two starters. You've got (Lerentee) McCray, you've got Kedric Johnson, who's getting a lot of reps. And (freshman) Ronald Powell is getting a lot of work. Those are guys that right now are in the rotation; they are all going to play (today). So I'm hoping to play 10 or 12 guys regardless of the score or what time of the game it is."

The linebackers will alternate four in the starting rotation, led by former Middleton High standout A.J. Jones, a senior who will be relied on to play all three positions.

"It has made me a better player," he said. "Now that I know all the positions, it helps me grasp an understanding of the whole defense."

Although Florida is favored over Miami of Ohio, McCarney said the Gators won't hold any players back because of the multiple offensive looks they expect to see from the RedHawks.

"They're diversified; they are empty (in the backfield) a lot," McCarney said. "A lot of things they do with their offense, we think, is what we do with our offense. But when you have nine months to prepare for a season, new coordinator, a lot of time to change … they may come out and … just try and slam the ball at us and try and run play-action pass, things they really didn't do last year. … The opening game is so important because you don't know what to expect."

Despite the new coordinator, Gators coach Urban Meyer said don't expect wholesale changes.

"I don't think it's going to be that different," he said. "I think there are some wrinkles that have his name all over it, but you don't win games because of scheme. He's not a guru or one of those guys who's going to run things completely different. … You might see a little wrinkle here or a wrinkle there, but as far as his name, his name is going to be on that defense as far as effort and running to the football. That's how you measure a defense, not some schematic change."

For the players who remain, today's game is the first in a seasonlong opportunity to prove that things may be different, yet in many ways they're still the same.

"It's definitely a different team, losing a bunch of different guys and a defensive coordinator," Trattou said. "We will have to create a new identity for ourselves. But it will still be the same Florida team that prides ourselves on running to the ball and performing tough each play."

Antonya English can be reached at english@sptimes.com.