Gators dig deep to upgrade trenches

Florida coach Will Muschamp said all last season that for the Gators to challenge for the Southeastern Conference title they needed to upgrade both lines of scrimmage.

He moved closer to getting it done Wednesday.

Muschamp's second recruiting class included eight defensive linemen and the top-rated offensive tackle in the country. The Gators, however, finished with just eight offensive players, including Armwood power running back Matt Jones.

The 23-player class, ranked third by Rivals.com, could improve if receiver Stefon Diggs ends up in Gainesville. The 6-foot-1 wideout from Olney, Md., will announce his decision Feb. 10.

"We really struggled up front with our depth on the defensive line,'' Muschamp said. "We had to train guys at multiple positions and we didn't have enough guys to be able to play one position all the time without really losing some talent level as far as subbing some guys out. We really need to address that.''

Muschamp wanted to sign more players, but he lost out on four players on national signing day. Receiver Nelson Agholor of Berkeley Prep picked Southern California, cornerback Tracy Howard selected Miami, defensive end Leonard Williams chose Southern Cal and offensive lineman Avery Young preferred Auburn.

The Gators did get two late additions, with defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. switching from Florida State and receiver Raphael Andrades signing with Florida.

Fowler was part of a standout group of defensive linemen.

Although the Gators ranked eighth in the nation in total defense last season, their line got pushed around in losses to Alabama, LSU, Auburn, Georgia and South Carolina. Even lower-division Furman ran for 233 yards against Florida.

So, several defensive linemen in Florida's signing class should be able to help right away.

The eight include: Jonathan Bullard from Shelby, N.C., Bryan Cox Jr. from Fort Lauderdale, Fowler from St. Petersburg, Damien Jacobs from East Mississippi Community College, Alex McCalister from Clemmons, N.C., Dante Phillips from Venice, Jafar Mann from Stone Mountain, Ga., and Quinteze Williams from Tyrone, Ga.

Cox is the son of former outspoken NFL player Bryan Cox.

Jacobs is one of six signees already enrolled in school and will take part in spring practice. The others are: cornerback Willie Bailey from Hallandale, guard Jessamen Dunker from Boynton Beach, offensive tackle D.J. Humphries from Charlotte, N.C., linebacker Antonio Morrison from Bolingbrook, Ill., and receiver Latroy Pittman from Citra.

Dunker and Humphries, widely considered the No. 1 offensive tackle coming out of high school, could step in and compete immediately.

Armwood's Jones should give the Gators' offense some punch.

"He runs behind his pads, and at the end of the day in the fourth quarter you get tired of tackling him,'' Muschamp said. "That's what we need. We need more of those guys who can run up in there when it's fourth-and-1 and know that you are going to move the pile."

Florida Signees

*-already enrolled in classes