Following a unique 2020 season, many programs around the nation have been looking to reestablish themselves and their identity through their offseason programs.
For the Florida Gators, their identity rested in the unsustainable hope to outscore opponents with a high-powered passing attack and lackluster defensive efforts.
However, in 2021, Florida looks to overcome last year's narrative, engineering success on both sides of the ball.
In order to do so, the Gators — like the great teams of college football — will find their identity through a select few players vying to establish themselves as the undenied leaders of the pack.
In anticipation of another year of high expectations for Florida football, AllGators will analyze five individuals that could make or break UF's season with their on-field production as well as their impact off of it.
Starting with a dark horse candidate of a key piece in the upcoming year, coming in at number five is redshirt sophomore left guard Ethan White.
You may be asking yourself: “How is a first-time week one starter at guard one of the most important players on the 2021 Florida team?” And rightfully so.
Granted, lists like these usually provide experienced members of the team looking to take the next step, not burst onto the scene in their first chance as a starter. However, while it can be initially viewed as an odd selection for a make-it-or-break-it player, White’s impact on Florida’s success can be immense upon further inspection.
Following the departures of left tackle Stone Forsythe and center Brett Heggie to the NFL, Florida is undergoing an offensive line reconstruction for the second time in four years.
Despite seeing just two new faces in the projected season lineup, mixing and matching was done to maximize the potential of all five starters. With Richard Gouraige moving from guard to tackle on the left side of the Florida line, White steps in to take over for Gouraige on the interior.
Working left guard for 176 snaps so far in his Florida career, according to PFF, White has produced in a big way for the Gators in his limited appearances, namely in the pass protection department.
Logging 227 pass-blocking snaps in two seasons, White has been dominant in keeping pass rushers off the quarterback, something he will look to do again with Emory Jones. Allowing just four hurries, five pressures, one hit, and no sacks in 10 games, White earned a combined 98.9 percent efficiency rating by PFF.
In 2021, it is unlikely White will maintain that high level of play, given the room for error growing with a heavier workload. However, all indications point towards a highly efficient year for the Clearwater (Fla.) native.
While his stats may be promising, they’re minimal. What’s not minimal are White’s traits on the field and proven ability to overcome adversity.
Arriving onto campus at just under 400 pounds, White was in for a gruesome offseason regiment designed by strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage, tailored for him to lose considerable weight to be in healthy playing form. Showcasing the work ethic it takes to be great at the college level, White has dropped to 335 pounds since — including 35 pounds in the first two months — executing his body transformation in the exact way the staff envisioned when recruiting him out of high school.
Showcasing the relentless effort the Florida staff has preached since arriving on the scene in 2018, White operates with a chip on his shoulder in the trenches with a vicious first punch and consistency in finishing off blocks.
Playing with a mean streak that — while is often the staple of offensive lines — has been drastically missing on the Gators front in the past two seasons, White exudes an energy that can be felt by those playing alongside him.
Overall, if everything goes according to plan with his projected week one starting status, White presents the size, power, nimble footwork and aggression from whistle to whistle to set the tone for the Gators offense in 2021, providing an example for the other four starters on the offensive line to follow.
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