The NFL can wait: Cece Jefferson is focused on getting the Gators the respect they deserve
By Andrew Olson
Published:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Entering his third season, Cece Jefferson is focused purely on the present.
One of the most highly sought after recruits of 2015, Jefferson was down to Florida and Ole Miss on National Signing Day. He chose McElwain and the Gators, meaning he doesn’t have to worry about a bowl ban or playing for an interim coach.
“Man, I don’t even wanna talk about that,” Jefferson said at media day when asked about what might have been in Oxford. “Next question.”
He might not dwell on the past, but Jefferson isn’t looking too far ahead, either. At 252 pounds, the formerly 275-pound defensive end has slimmed down from his “juicy” freshman body to a lean pass-rushing machine, recording 15 tackles for loss and five sacks in two seasons. A productive junior season could draw NFL interest, but that’s not his motivation this fall.
“I don’t,” Jefferson said when asked if he thinks of this as a contract year. “You’ve got to take care of what’s in front of you first. That’s being the best teammate I can be, being the best player for the University of Florida I can be. You know, obviously, if I go out and do what I’m supposed to do, that will take care of itself. When that time comes, I’ll think about it then. Right now, I’m just trying to help my teammates, help this team win and just ball out and get some more rings.”
In terms of rings, Florida’s “championships” during Jefferson’s career have been a pair of SEC East division titles and an Outback Bowl victory. Jim McElwain’s squad has exceeded expectations each of the past two seasons, but many in the media are predicting a dropoff for UF this season. Jefferson isn’t sure what it will take for the Gators to get the respect they deserve.
“Have a 15-0 season?” Jefferson wondered. “We just have to come out and beat teams to sleep from start to finish. I don’t even know if that’s going to be enough for people to start respecting us again.”
This season, many point to Florida’s losses on defense (eight players gone to the NFL) as the reason the Gators, coming off of a 9-4 season, won’t make three consecutive SEC Championship Game appearances. That sounds all too familiar to Jefferson.
“It’s been that way since I’ve been here,” Jefferson said. “My freshman year, when that group left, ‘Oh, I don’t know if Florida will be able to replace those guys.’ Last year, ‘Oh I don’t know if Florida will be able to replace those guys.’ Back-to-back 10-win (sic) seasons with those guys they didn’t know we’d be able to replace. I feel like it’s just the same every year. Like I said earlier, until we come out and just beat people to sleep that Florida football is back, people are just going to disrespect us.”
After two years of being a contributor, Jefferson is now the face of Florida’s defensive line. The position group lost three starters (tackle Caleb Brantley, nose tackle Joey Ivie and end Bryan Cox). Another starter, defensive end Jordan Sherit, missed all spring rehabbing from knee surgery. With Sherit sidelined, Jefferson was the team’s most experienced defensive lineman this spring, and arguably its most talented, but he knows that doesn’t guarantee him a starting spot.
“Me and Cece talked the other day,” defensive coordinator Randy Shannon recalled at media day, “and he said, ‘Coach, I know how you are. If I’m not standing up to what I need to do on the football field, I won’t be a starter.’ I said, ‘No, you won’t. You’ve got to understand, it’s about what do you do at this particular time and not what you did in the past.’ ”
That should be no problem for Jefferson, who’s living in the present, trying to soak it all up while it lasts for one or two more years.
“Every time I run out of that tunnel, I just realize that I’m living a childhood dream and this is something I’ve always wanted to do and this is the place I’ve always wanted to be,” Jefferson said. “It’s still a surreal feeling for me. I still haven’t fully grasped that I play for the Florida Gators.”
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaign of Fred Taylor.
