Gators linebacker Ventrell Miller had a breakout performance against Miami.
Miller accounted for six tackles, two sacks and a pass break-up against Miami. That kind of performance opens up all sorts of options for defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, not the least of which is this:
Start Miller at linebacker, move sophomore Amari Burney to STAR, and put sophomore Trey Dean at safety.
It’s a topic I’ve been wanting to discuss for a while. But, without seeing how the defense meshed and the way the coaching staff laid it out, it seemed premature to bring up.
But Miller showing out as a viable replacement (and potentially even an upgrade) for Vosean Joseph changes everything.
What did the Miami game teach us about the defense?
Now, I know it was just one game and you never want to make decisions based on one data point.
Ultimately, the game ended in a Gators victory, but it was also a game with tons of mistakes, both on offense and defense. And those mistakes for Florida’s defense mostly were tied to tackling in the defensive backfield.
And while we don’t want to overreact, I do think there are some things that we definitely learned from Florida’s performance against Miami.
- David Turner can coach a defensive line. I don’t care that Miami rolled out a true freshman left tackle and a redshirt freshman right tackle. Ten sacks is impressive – regardless of who Manny Diaz rolled out to protect Jarren Williams.
- Despite quiet performances from CJ Henderson and Marco Wilson, anyone who calls for the alarm bell is looking for a reason to do so. Henderson and Wilson still make up one of the best cornerback duos in the country. If there’s a position to bet on throughout the season, it’s corner.
- The Gators come out of this game – against a upper-level team from a Power-5 conference – having allowed 4.6 yards per play, which would have ranked 12th last season.
- Miller is someone who not only can hold his own, but has the potential to be a difference maker at linebacker.
Grantham and Mullen have preached versatility and having players who can perform at multiple positions. What Miller’s emergence does is free up versatile players on the defense to fill in gaps where there may be some weaknesses.
Players like Amari Burney and Trey Dean.
Ventrell Miller
Miller entered Florida as a three-star recruit who ranked in the top 600 nationally. That is the profile of someone who may make some nice plays as a reserve. But it’s also the type of guy who typically gets pushed aside as higher-ranked players are recruited into the program.
It’s hard to remember now, but two years ago Miller was embroiled as one of the players involved in the credit card scandal that marred the 2017 season. Miller was a true freshman then, and by all accounts has been a model citizen since.
Last season Miller’s contributions were relatively minimal. He finished the season with 15 tackles, with his one sack and INT (a pick-6) coming against cupcake opponents Charleston Southern and Idaho, respectively.
But Miller announced his arrival as a difference maker against Miami. Along with transfer defensive end Jonathan Greenard, Miller was my defensive player of the game against the Hurricanes. He’s a shifty guy who plays with just as much heart as he does hunger.
One thing I thought would be difficult to replace in Joseph was the energy that he brought to the field. Sometimes that energy led to him seeking out highlight reel plays or jumping out of position. But there wasn’t a second in three years that anyone could question whether or not he showed up to play.
I see that same quality in Miller. His two sacks undersell how often he was around the ball. Thus far, his hitting has been far more violent than Burney, and on par with Joseph.
So if he can continue to perform like this, doesn’t it make sense to try out Miller as the starter?
On Florida’s last depth chart, Miller was listed as an “or” with Amari Burney at middle linebacker, but it’s not like Burney saw much playing time after Miller broke loose. He spent quite a bit of time on the sideline, which is a waste when considering the talent Florida has in the sophomore and the other places he could help the defense.
Amari Burney
Burney is a player who many people have been excited about all offseason, including Grantham. After all, you don’t come across a 6-2 defensive player with elite speed very often.
Before his performance in the Peach Bowl, Burney was one of the best players on special teams as a true freshman. That helped him earn playing time against Michigan in the Peach Bowl, where he registered his first career sack.
It’s not a coincidence that he found his way on the field in that game almost immediately after this play, when the Michigan running back beat Florida’s linebackers to the edge.
Michigan didn’t get the edge again in the game.
A true sophomore on a top-ten team failing to rack up minutes in a season opener isn’t what’s weird. What’s weird is that he wasn’t on the field a ton after all of the talk about him being a breakout candidate, most of it from his own team.
What’s also weird is that Burney was listed as an “or” option for two positions: linebacker with Miller and STAR with Trey Dean. In both “or” circumstances, though, Burney was the second option listed. It’s clear the staff wants to use him, but it wants to use him correctly, which may mean different roles for different opponents.
Based on the Miami game, just linebacker may not be the place to use the former high school safety.
Enter STAR.
This linebacker/defensive back hybrid position is typically awarded to a player who can be physical at the point of attack but also has high-level coverage skills. Last season, that position was manned by Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who went in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
A STAR hybrid who can bring both skills can be a real asset, because it means the defense can match-up with the offense regardless of the personnel package in the game. Want to go power with a two tight-end set? Fine, the STAR can drop down into the box and make the tackle. Want to go 5-wide? He can cover your slot receiver too.
The key to all of this is speed, and Amari Burney ran a 4.48 40-yard dash in high school. He was a safety in high school. It makes sense that with Miller on the field, that frees him up to lean more heavily into his coverage skills.
Trey Dean
Of course, that displaces the current STAR, Trey Dean. But maybe that’s not such a bad thing.
With Miller at linebacker and Burney at STAR, Trey Dean can finally move to the position he was recruited at by most of the SEC: safety.
The Georgia native was thrust into the spotlight after Marco Wilson went down with an ACL tear. Not only was he playing as a true freshman in the SEC. He was playing a brand new position.
He then started nine of the next ten games as a stand-in for Wilson and compiled 26 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, six defended passes, and an interception against Florida State.
That he was able to be good enough at cornerback to earn a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team is an impressive feat and a testament to his ability.
Yes, good defensive backs can play both corner and safety. The best defensive backs can play both positions at a high caliber. Dean is so talented that he didn’t just make the world forget he’s not a true corner; He’s so talented that his own staff wanted to give him a run at the STAR position.
But why not put him at safety? Florida’s most athletic player at the position spends too much time facing suspension to make a consistent impact despite controlling the group when he’s on the field. The two current starters had some issues tackling against Miami and have been burned by top-tier SEC receivers.
Of course, making wholesale changes to the rotation after one game may be unwise. Dean has shown that he is prone to picking up pass interference penalties and he was out of position a few times against the Miami running game.
But it is intriguing that Florida has these options because of the versatility of Dean and Burney and the emergence of Miller.
Grantham and Mullen have both preached having versatility on defense. Florida has guys who fit that bill.
It will be fascinating to see how they’ll use it moving forward.