Gators' Tyreak Sapp and Justus Boone: Leaders in the Midst of Competition

The Florida Gators will lean on Tyreak Sapp and Justus Boone, the way they've leaned on each other, to help turn things around in Gainesville.

Florida Gators defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp has been singled out as a leader by head coach Billy Napier / Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

With competition brewing throughout the Florida Gators’ roster during fall camp, one position that appears to be wide open is the “F” position on the edge of the defensive line, opposite of the JACK linebacker position. 

Rather than see a divide due to the competition, Gators’ head coach Billy Napier sees unity, especially between the two veterans of the group in Tyreak Sapp and Justus Boone. 

“Sapp and Boone were here when we first got here, and both have been awesome and they have great practice habits, they bring energy, they’ve got personality that I think rubs off on the team and the group,” Napier said. “They do just that, those two have been in the trenches together for a couple of years, now, right, so they’re doing a good job, and the reality is they’re competing. They’re in the scenarios where they are competing. So both of those guys are two of our guys that are providing a good example. They have character, and we need more of them.”

Sapp and Boone are almost two peas in a pod. Sapp even said he was initially drawn to Boone due to their similarities. 

Both arrived in Gainesville as four-star recruits in the class of 2021. Both redshirted their freshman seasons before seeing larger roles in 2022. They’ve even roomed together for camp. 

The similarities led to what Sapp now calls a “telepathic relationship.”

“It’s crazy. When he gets on the field, I feel like I almost know what he’s about to do. I can kind of feel me playing through him,” he said on Wednesday. “I just love it when he’s out there because me and him give that same effort, he goes hard, he has a motor and he understands the game.”

However, the 2023 season is where the two’s individual stories began to differ. Prior to the season’s start, Boone suffered a torn ACL, which forced him to miss the entire season. Sapp, meanwhile, started in 11 of Florida’s 12 games. 

“I can’t even put into words how hard it was,” Boone said. “This is my family. Like honestly, my family away from my family… Over my years, I’ve put my head down, and I’ve progressed each year, and I’ve worked hard to be in a position that I’ve been put into as far as being a leader, being a part of the defense. And just to have it kind of stripped away from you in the moment is very devastating.”

In the same way Sapp feels like he can play through Boone, Boone explained that he also feels like he’s out on the field while watching Sapp. 

“I just remember last year when I was in a hard spot and not able to play and stuff like that. He’d come to me every game and be like, ‘I got you, brother. This one’s for you. I got you,” Boone said.

Sapp said that Boone’s support while recovering from his own injury meant a lot to him personally. He even went as far as to say that Boone contributed more to the team as an injured player than some of the healthy players did last season. 

“We’ve seen it all. We’ve seen the ups and the downs. We’ve been able to experience everything up until now. Me and him have been so close, and we kind of remind each other of ourselves - and that was one thing that was so big when I met him. He reminded me of me and I almost like, he almost saw a mirror image of him in me,” Sapp said.

Now onto 2023, there’s still a level of competition between the two heading into the season. Not only that, they’ve taken on leadership roles with the younger players in the EDGE room, especially with rising sophomore TJ Searcy and true freshman LJ McCray, who are both expected to also have major roles in the defense this season. 

Napier has given the two respect for not only how they’ve handled the competition, but also how they’ve taken on that leadership role in the middle of it.

“I think ultimately that selflessness, that ‘Hey, although I’m competing and trying to earn a role on the team, I’ve got an obligation to mentor and be a good example and show the way to the young players right.’ And, I think that’s what you want,” Napier said. “I think Boone has been one of the best leaders we’ve had. Losing him last year was a big deal, not only because of his production on the field and the depth issue there but also just his passion, his ability to affect people. And, you know, Sapp’s motor is always running hot, I mean, he never has a bad day. He’s on it all the time.”

It’s no secret that the Gators enter a crucial third year under Napier. Florida is coming off three-straight losing seasons, two of which under the current regime. They also own the nation’s toughest schedule. 

As a result, outside noise has grown against the program. Florida was recently picked to finish 12th in the SEC Preseason Media Poll. For Sapp, it’s further motivation heading into the season. 

“I feel like everybody that had something to say, everybody that dawned upon our failure and that had a doubt in their mind about us, we ain’t going to say nothing about it, but they are going to have live with that real soon,” he said. “You are going to have to live with it. May God have mercy on a lot of teams’ souls, because I won’t. I promise you I won’t.”

Florida opens the 2024 season with a rare matchup against heated rival Miami in The Swamp on Aug. 31.