Gumbs Jr. Reflects on Journey Heading into Senior Season

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- George Gumbs Jr. will play a crucial role in the Florida Gators' defense this year. Yet, his road to this point is anything but conventional, as he fought for this moment.

Gumbs Jr. played two years as a walk-on wideout/tight end and another as a defensive end at Northern Illinois before transferring to Florida ahead of the 2024 season. This week at media availability, he spoke about his journey. 

“You know, going through what I went through, I never, like, thought of it as a bad thing, like, it was bad that I walked on. I was like, when I look back at it, I'm glad that happened," he said. "I learned so many valuable lessons, like how to work hard, being under people, how to learn from somebody like a veteran, take coaching. So I learned a lot of lessons, like just going through that journey.” 

 For as talented athletically as he is, Gumbs Jr. needed serious refinement to able to control his skills and channel them productively, in a manner that translates to the field.  

Things seem to break right for Gumbs Jr. during the fifth and sixth weeks of last season. Against UCF and Tennessee, the redshirt senior tallied two sacks, six tackles, and three tackles for loss.  

Now, those surprises turn into expectations. No longer can he sneak up on offense, as teams will be looking to keep him blocked and their quarterback upright. As the film shows, Gumbs Jr. is a twitchy athlete that can get around the corner in a heartbeat. He can embarrass slower tackles that cannot meet him at the boundary.  

Yet, what happens when they can? What's his backup plan? Chances are, in the SEC, he will see linemen who are now ready for him. He gave them a year of film that defines his tendencies and allows them to game plan. 

Now, what did Gumbs learn in the offseason? What did he add to his repertoire? With his explosion and arm length, working in more hand-driven moves could benefit him. For example, long arms and height help with the swim move.  

Additionally, a sound swipe would clear hands and force the tackle to quickly re-establish. If Gumbs Jr. can build upon last season, there's no reason why approaching double-digit sacks could not be within the realm of possibility. As players go, Gumbs Jr., by his own admission and he appears fine with that. 

“Yeah it kind of drives me, you know, I really don't let external things drive me, but I see the things I see like the top-rated people, and it’s kind of like, ‘why not me’ sometimes, but like, I just kind of try to focus on myself as best as I can," he said.

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