Really really impressed with Trey. If he is this good as a true freshman... wow.
On Mon, Nov 26, 2018 at 12:25 PM Shane Ford <[email protected]> wrote: > Dean’s early experience proves critical vs. FSU > By > Graham Hall <http://www.gatorsports.com/author/graham-hall/> > (Gainesville Sun) - > November 26, 2018 > 4 > <http://www.gatorsports.com/2018/11/deans-early-experience-proves-critical-vs-fsu/#comments> > 81 > > <https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatorsports.com%2F2018%2F11%2Fdeans-early-experience-proves-critical-vs-fsu%2F> > > > <http://3boxml133uq12y8y9x34hnqo.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/11242018-GAI_UFvs.FSU-football-A28.jpg>Florida > freshman defensive back Trey Dean III returns an interception 44 yards > Saturday against Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee. > [Brad McClenny/Staff photographer] > > TALLAHASSEE — Without their top defensive back, and with an early 1-1 > record, the Gators saw their hopes of making a run in 2018 slipping away. > > Until freshman Trey Dean III stepped on the field, that is. > > Dean replaced injured sophomore defensive back Marco Wilson in the team’s > 27-16 loss to Kentucky earlier this season and never looked back, and > Saturday revealed just how necessary Dean’s early experience was when it > came to Florida’s success in Dan Mullen’s first season at the helm. > > Dean had one of Florida’s two interceptions in the team’s 41-14 victory at > Florida State, and his efforts in the secondary helped the Gators hold > quarterback Deondre Francois to just 154 passing yards and a 48.3 percent > completion percentage. > > Considering the depleted depth at secondary this season, Dean’s early > emergence was a sight for sore eyes — but it wasn’t entirely unexpected. > > “The progress for him has been outstanding. From the beginning, having to > step in for Marco, and just having to go out there and step into a big > role. Most freshmen don’t get that call,” junior defensive back Chauncey > Gardner-Johnson said. “(But) at Florida, most freshmen get that call. Not > just because of injuries, just because that provides experience.” > > It was just a year ago that Wilson and fellow cornerback CJ Henderson were > freshmen beyond their years at Florida — meaning the blueprint was fresh > for Dean to follow. > > But Saturday, Dean bore resemblance to Gardner-Johnson. > > With the Gators clutching a 20-point lead early in the fourth quarter, > Francois looked deep to pass, but didn’t see the double coverage. Dean > played the ball well in the air and hauled in his first interception before > dashing 44 yards in the other direction. > > It was the cherry on top of a standout season for Florida’s heavily > involved freshman, and Gardner-Johnson couldn’t help but feel a little déjà > vu. > > “This game (as a freshman in 2016) was my first career pick. It’s just > another step for him. He can’t dwell on it,” Gardner-Johnson said of Dean. > “He played well. Young guy that’s going to be great in the future. Continue > to look for his number.” > > With Wilson and Henderson set to return next season for what could be a > final ride for UF’s dynamic defensive back tandem, Dean’s emergence should > spur the secondary for years to come. Although Dean was thrust into the > metaphorical fire early, there was no expectation for the former four-star > prospect to become the next Wilson or the next Henderson — he simply needed > to be Trey Dean III. > > “There’s a standard we have to live by, and you don’t have to be the best, > but you have to do your best every day. And if you do that, then you’re > going to have success,” Mullen said. “And I think as the year went on, our > guys, they’re really buying in to that.” > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sent From Shane's iPhone > Go Gators! & Skål Vikes! > > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 > National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 > National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel > (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorNews" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
