Florida defenders discuss playing against former teammate Feleipe Franks
By SDS Staff
Published:
Before Sam Pittman’s positive COVID test, Feleipe Franks’ return to The Swamp was the lead storyline for Saturday’s Florida-Arkansas game. After being in the UF program from 2016-19, Franks is familiar with much of the Gators roster on both sides of the ball.
For the Florida defense, it’s going to be different to finally be not only allowed but encouraged to hit Franks. For so long, Florida’s QB1 was off-limits when it came to contact in practice.
“In practice, you cannot touch that quarterback. If you touch that quarterback you’re going to be in trouble,” linebacker James Houston told reporters Tuesday, per Nick de la Torre of Gator Country. “It’s fun hitting someone that you couldn’t lay a finger on for four years. It should be fun seeing how that d-line especially gets after it.”
Everyone’s competitive juices are sure to be flowing on Saturday night. Defensive lineman Zach Carter recalled Franks’ “chirping” in practice.
“Man, if you come at Feleipe he will chirp,” Carter said, per de la Torre. “I mean, it might not be on a DB-level, but it’s pretty close.”
Houston remembered the “chirping” as well.
“He definitely had his little chirping battles with the defense over whether he would run somebody over on a certain play or not,” Houston said. “Saturday we’re going to really get to definitely see if he’s about that or if we’re about that. So, we’ll see.”
The matchup with a familiar quarterback may help the Gators defense stay focused and avoid a Cocktail Party hangover. We’ll found Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET in Gainesville.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
