Notebook: Day 8 of Florida Gators Fall Camp 2022

What AllGators saw on the practice field during day eight of the Florida Gators' 2022 fall camp, with a focus on the cornerbacks.

The Florida Gators were back in the indoor practice facility on Friday for day eight of fall camp, their final workout before the team's first scrimmage of the fall on Saturday.

You can find AllGators' observations from the media viewing portion of practice below, as well as our notebooks for each day of camp so far this year. Since day three, we have covered positions individually to maximize the viewing window, with Friday's focus on the team's currently thin group of cornerbacks.

• Day one - offense
• Day two - defense
• Day three - wide receivers
• Day four - linebackers
• Day five - running backs
• Day six - defensive line
• Day seven - offensive line

Focusing on the cornerbacks

Naturally, following AllGators' Friday reporting of projected starting cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.'s limitation in fall camp due to a minor hamstring injury, our eyes were set on his position group on Friday. 

The media viewing period was shortened to ten minutes compared to the typical 14-minute window, and corners worked out on the opposite end of the complex from the media, making it tough for us to analyze individual reps from the practice. 

From what we were able to observe, the corners conducted some press coverage technique drills throughout the viewing period, working on route-release reactions and remaining hip-to-hip with receivers near the boundary. The corners also worked on breaking downhill from a backpedal.

What was clear, however, is that the unit needed reinforcement with Marshall and Jaydon Hill sidelined. Jordan Young worked with the group for the entirety of the viewing window, after rotating between STAR nickel corner and outside throughout prior practices. 

Young, a redshirt freshman who enrolled as an outside corner, was a standout in UF's spring game in April with six tackles and several defended passes from the STAR position, moving inside due to depth issues at the time.

Should Marshall and/or Hill's injuries linger into the season — although that is not the expectation for the former — Young will be a player worth monitoring even more than he already was following his strong spring showing. He could very well compete for snaps at either outside or nickel corner, if not both.

Otherwise, the Gators' scholarship selection of corners consisted of former Georgia transfer Jalen Kimber, Ethan Pouncey and Devin Moore. Kimber and Moore have stood out throughout the offseason — Kimber posted an interception and two pass breakups in the spring game, while Moore has risen up the projected depth chart despite his true freshman status due to his length, athleticism and maturity according to defensive coordinator Patrick Toney. 

Pouncey, a sophomore, saw his role increase dramatically in 2021 by playing in 11 games, in which he tallied four tackles. He received praise from former Gators head coach Dan Mullen in last year's fall camp after missing his entire freshman season due to hip surgery.

Participation report

Below are the players that were seen wearing no-contact jerseys throughout the media viewing portion of practice. An asterisk indicates that the player worked off to the side or watched practice instead of being on the field. This list does not include the quarterbacks as they are required to wear no-contact jerseys at all times.

• OL Ethan White

Friday marked White's first day in a no-contact jersey, although he participated in individual drills during the viewing window. Fellow offensive lineman Richard Gouraige, meanwhile, worked out in a standard jersey for the second day in a row after opening camp in a no-contact jersey.

Quarterback Jalen Kitna, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, linebacker Amari Burney and Marshall were not seen at the facility during the media viewing portion of practice. Friday was the fourth consecutive day that Kitna was not present while media was in the facility. Pearsall, Burney and Marshall were seen in no-contact jerseys for the first time on Thursday. 

Clip of the day

As referenced above, the Gators' cornerbacks conducted press coverage technique drills throughout the workout. Below is our clip of the day, featuring Kimber, Pouncey and Moore working against outside route releases. Moore's right-hand jab to initial his press stood out among the group. 

#Gators corners Jalen Kimber, Ethan Pouncey and Devin Moore working on press coverage technique against outside releases. pic.twitter.com/JUDXsRLPJB

— Zach Goodall (@zach_goodall) August 12, 2022

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