Three JUCO signees solidify roles after strong showings this spring
When JUCO prospects Mark Thompson, Dre Massey and Eddy Pineiro each committed to Florida throughout the span of seven months last year, the expectations were high for each player before the trio enrolled early.
And after watching all three take off this spring, that’s still the case.
It was certainly a successful spring for Thompson, Massey and Pineiro, who each made a case for playing time in 2016. All three performed well in the spring game, as Thompson finished with 46 yards and a touchdown on five carries to go along with three catches for 25 yards while Massey recorded 29 receiving yards and a touchdown on two grabs. Meanwhile, Pineiro had The Swamp roaring throughout the Orange & Blue Debut with successful field goals from 52, 46 and then 56 yards out.
“They’ve done a great job,” quarterback Luke Del Rio said after last Friday’s spring game. “They’ve stepped in. It hasn’t been too big for them. Dre’s done a tremendous job in the slot. Mark is a load to tackle. If I played defense, I’d probably go at his ankles. And Eddy made what, a 60-yarder tonight? Close to it. I’m glad they’re on my team.”
Although sophomore Jordan Cronkrite still remains the frontrunner in the running back battle with the spring now in the books, Thompson made a push for playing time as well during spring practices. At 6-foot-2, 242 pounds, Thompson towers over his counterparts at his position. Running harder at a lower pad level is something he still needs to improve on, but throughout the spring Thompson showed quick feet, impressive cutting ability and a knack for catching passes out of the backfield.
Thompson, a four-star signee out of Dodge City (Kansas) Community College, put all of those attributes on display in the spring game. The highlight of his showing was a 26-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, one where he showcased nice change of direction while using blocks from Antonio Riles and Chris Thompson to find the open lane on the outside for the score.
“I've never been in front of a crowd that big. It was amazing,” Thompson said. “I'm surprising myself. I didn't get any butterflies or anything like that. I came out ready to play, so that's a good sign. Hopefully it's like that when the season comes around as well. I'm ready to play, so I'll be able to showcase that when camp's over and done with."
Thompson will need to continue to show growth this offseason. If he continues at this rate, he’ll add an intriguing element to Florida’s backfield.
“He runs with the 1s, he runs with the 2s. There is no holding back,” running backs coach Tim Skipper said of Thompson. “He knows just as well as they other guys do. He’s picked it up very well. We do a lot of stuff meeting-room wise that simulates game action and he’s picked it up. There’s not a play we have that I’m concerned with him being in there.”
Then there’s Massey, a four-star signee out of Goodman (Miss.) Holmes Community College who took control of the first-team role at slot receiver this spring with Brandon Powell (foot) sidelined and Alvin Bailey falling somewhat behind after missing time with a back injury. The 5-foot-9, 183-pound Massey, a speedster with plenty of burst, made a habit of finding separation against opposing defensive backs and making catches in the short-to-intermediate passing game this spring.
We saw Massey’s playmaking ability in the spring game on two catches in particular: his athletic haul on an out route on third down working against Matt Rolin and then a 19-yard touchdown grab in the seam in the fourth quarter.
"Yeah, he's guy you want to get the ball to,” wide receivers coach Kerry Dixon said. “He has that type of speed, he has that type of quickness, so he's somebody that can be a difference maker for you. Just has to continue to grow and understand the game as a whole."
Now, it looks like it’ll be a tight, competitive battle between Massey and Powell for first-team reps in the slot during fall training camp. Either way, both should be heavily involved in the game plan this upcoming season.
“Well, [Powell] and Alvin was out with that deal for four practices, I think it was, so he was able to really get in there," McElwain said of Massey. "Some of that goes back to Wally Pipp, man. Right? That’s the way it is.”
The addition of Pineiro, a former soccer standout who spent time at ASA Community College in Miami before arriving at UF, to the kicking game was one of the most buzzed-about storylines leading into the spring. After Pineiro flipped his commitment from Alabama to Florida, Gators fans were excited to see the top-rated JUCO kicker attempt his first field goals in a live game setting under pressure in the O&B Debut.
It was a task Pineiro handled well last Friday. Although he went 3-of-5 on field goals missing two tries from 50-plus yards out, he showcased his leg strength - and plenty of confidence to go along with that. He also impressed on PATs and kickoff duty.
"We really got excited when he put his helmet on correctly," McElwain quipped. "That was pretty cool and then he got it buckled. That was even better. So bit by bit, but I'll tell you, I've really enjoyed being around him. The team enjoys being around him. He's a guy, even after he misses one, he says 'Hey, I'm OK. I can get the next one.' It wasn't the end or gloom there. And sure enough he came back and knocked one through and that was good to see."
With Austin Hardin no longer with the team following a disastrous 2015 for the Gators in the kicking game, Pineiro looks like the long-term answer at the position. There's a good possibility he turns out to be one of Florida's most impactful early enrollees in 2016.
"I think we're trying to make a positive impact on our team," Pineiro said of he, Thompson and Massey. "I don't know too much about football. I just kick the ball and it goes in. I can't really tell you what kind of impact they're making. I know what kind of impact I'm making - I'm making field goals."
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MORE FLORIDA FOOTBALL SPRING COVERAGE
* In-depth Offensive O&B Debut Breakdown
* In-depth Defensive O&B Debut Breakdown
* Spring Take Five: Helped, hurt, surprised & disappointed
* McElwain talks quarterbacks, facilities & more
* Film Review: Examining the themes of Florida's 2016 spring game
* Orange & Blue Debut: Offensive & Defensive Observations
* Where Florida's depth chart unofficially stands after its spring game
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