Defensive line coach Gerald Chatman played a significant role in Florida’s defensive turnaround throughout the 2024 season. The Gators progressed as the year went on, allowing just 13 points per game in its final four contests due to increased pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
In Chatman’s first year at UF, the Gators’ defense ranked T-11th in the country in sacks with 39, a significant spike from 22 in 2023.
“I think sometimes when you go through adversity, how you respond to that is the most important thing,” Chatman said on Florida’s defensive line clicking. “I think this team responded the right way to the adversity early on in the season, and they kept competing, and they just stuck to the overall process, the program and the leadership.