A York, Ala., native, Florida soccer defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong grew up with a deep appreciation of the competitiveness of SEC soccer.
The 31-year-old Armstrong discovered it first-hand as a first-year defensive coordinator with the Florida Gators in 2023.
There have been rising pains, as UF’s protection went from permitting a mean of 13.5 factors by way of its first 4 video games to 34.6 factors within the last eight video games of the 2023 season. In eight SEC video games, Armstrong’s protection at UF allowed 30 or extra factors six instances.
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“If you’re younger and also you’re profitable, you’re boy surprise,” Armstrong mentioned. “If you’re not you’re boy blunder. That’s simply a part of it.”
Austin Armstrong’s plan to construct Florida soccer protection
Armstrong will look to construct off his experiences in his second season main the UF protection. The Gators return 5 starters from a protection that ranked eleventh within the SEC in yards allowed (382.3 yards per recreation) and eleventh in scoring protection (27.6 ppg allowed).
“We needed to coach them higher – that’s my duty – and put them in place to achieve success,” Armstrong mentioned. “On the finish of the day, we will make all the justifications about having a younger group and such, and that’s true … it’s a results-driven enterprise and we had a chance in all these video games to achieve success.”
Florida senior cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., considered one of UF’s 5 returning starters, mentioned Armstrong maintained a way of togetherness on protection all through the 2023 season.
“We did have quite a lot of ups and downs, however he’s one man that stays collective,” Marshall mentioned. “He instructed us ‘keep collective’, regardless of the ups or downs.”
New voices for Florida Gators protection
Florida added three new coaches to the defensive workers — secondary coach Will Harris, defensive position coach Gerald Chatman and linebackers coach/co-defensive coordinator/government coach Rob Roberts — that Armstrong is assured will make an affect.
“Gerald Chatman teaching defensive position introduced an amazing quantity of urgency,” Armstrong mentioned. “I believe you guys see that in the course of the media interval. It takes quite a lot of toughness, physicality, approach to play that place and the urgency that he’s introduced, he’s already made us higher.
“And Will Harris, in our first dialog with Will in December, I knew this man had one thing particular about him. He’s hungry, he’s humble, he’s sensible … he’s had a singular expertise as a participant and this man has labored with among the greatest coaches in soccer: Pete Carroll, Chris Peterson, and including him to our group has made us higher.”
Armstrong shares a particular relationship with the 56-year-old Roberts, who was Auburn’s defensive coordinator final season. He labored below Roberts at Louisiana as a graduate assistant in 2018.
“It’s type of good for me to have a man within the trenches with you once more that you’ve an in depth, private relationship for 5 years,” Armstrong mentioned. “He’s made me higher all through my profession and the man doesn’t get sufficient credit score.
“He’s one of many fathers of recent defensive soccer and to have him on this constructing and to have him at my proper arm always serving to us, I couldn’t be luckier.”
UF soccer protection emphasizing tackling, turnovers
UF’s protection struggled in two areas final season, tacking and turnovers. The Gators pressured an SEC-low seven turnovers final season, with simply 3 turnovers and 4 fumble recoveries.
Armstrong mentioned that new particular groups analyst Joe Houston, together with present particular groups analyst Chris Sofa, have been tasked to check turnovers and see the place Florida can do a greater job in creating them in 2024.
“It is that aware effort on a regular basis to assault the soccer,” Armstrong mentioned. “And each play, somebody must be doing it, you understand what I imply? On the finish of the day, that ball is our job, and the urgency that it takes, and never simply that, however the deliberate work to get the ball out.”
Tackling confirmed up later within the season, as accidents mounted. Dropping linebacker and second-leading tackler Shemar James (55 tackles in 2023) to a dislocated kneecap the ultimate 4 video games of the 2023 season did not assist.
Florida is hopeful {that a} extra mature roster and this system employed by new power coach Tyler Miles will end in a group extra desperate to embrace contact. Final season, UF’s protection wore down late in video games. In 4 November losses final season, Florida surrendered 22 factors within the second half and time beyond regulation to Arkansas, 35 factors within the second half to LSU, 20 factors within the second half to Missouri and 17 factors within the second half to Florida State.
“It type of makes you sick somewhat bit, the shortcoming to complete these video games,” Armstrong mentioned. ” On the finish of the day, that’s my duty. And it’s our duty collectively as a workers. I’m excited for the work that we’ve put in to assist to get that proper.”
This text initially appeared on The Gainesville Solar: Florida Gators soccer protection seeks development below Austin Armstrong
