Jim McElwain is entering his first season at the helm of the Florida Gators football team, and he already has big plans for Vernon Hargreaves III, the team’s elite cornerback, on the other side of the ball.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, McElwain praised the junior’s mentality and revealed Hargreaves will be used in certain packages.
“Vernon is as good a player in all aspects of the game as I’ve been around. Let me say this too, the guy loves to practice. He’s not a prima donna, which really to me is what sets him apart. I’ll go ahead and tell you, but we’ve got packages for him on offense too.”
Florida’s offense certainly needs all the help it can get. The Gators finished the 2014 season as the nation’s 96th-ranked unit, tallying just 367.6 yards per outing.
Considering Hargreaves’ speed, possibilities for touches include—but certainly aren’t limited to—direct snaps, jet sweeps and outside runs.
According to GatorZone, Hargreaves tallied 11 offensive touchdowns as a junior at Wharton High School. He also scored five times during his senior campaign.
At the very worst, Florida finds its experiment doesn’t bring the hoped results and eliminates the special packages for Hargreaves. Nevertheless, the Gators must find an offensive playmaker, and Hargreaves could be the answer.