Rob Sale, Austin Barber Talk Gators' New-Look Offensive Tackle Room

Photo: Damieon George Jr.; Credit: Zach Goodall 

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Out with the old, in with the new, and even out with some of the new.

Florida's offensive line has undergone major changes this offseason. Eight members of last season's unit left the team — four starters and four backups — leading position coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton to acquire four transfers and three high school prospects from the class of 2023 in order to reconstruct the trenches. 

But the group suffered another setback in July when sophomore offensive tackle Kiyaunta Goodwin, who transferred into the program from Kentucky in January, departed. Having returned to his hometown, Louisville, Ky., to support his mother in her battle with cancer, Goodwin has since entered the transfer portal.

Goodwin was unlikely to earn a Week 1 starting role for Florida. Redshirt sophomore Alabama transfer Damieon George Jr. and redshirt senior Florida International transfer Lyndell Hudson II. had an advantage in the fight for first-team duties with previous playing experience, and redshirt sophomore Jordan Herman has a year of system familiarity following his 2022 transfer from junior college.

"We've got guys there that can play football for us," Sale told reporters about Florida's offensive tackle spot on Saturday.

Regardless, Sale and Stapleton's depth at the position undoubtedly took a hit when Goodwin moved on. And while redshirt sophomore Austin Barber is locked in at left tackle after earning First-Team Freshman All-American honors last year, the right side remains without a solidified starter with the 2023 campaign on the horizon.

George's time with the Crimson Tide — under Nick Saban, whose on and off-field coaching tree includes Sale, head coach Billy Napier and multiple other members of Florida's current staff — is benefitting him in his adjustment to the Gators' offense.

The 6-foot-6, 361-pound George made three starts at right tackle and appeared in 13 games offensively over three seasons at Alabama.

"We've got Damieon George, who came from another school that's run similar concepts," Sale noted. "Now it's just word association, getting him in there to play good football and gelling with his teammates next to him, and he's done a good job."

In an effort to strengthen camaraderie across the team, Napier housed the team in the Tolbert Hall dormitories across the street from Florida's Heavener Football Training Center to begin fall camp. Barber and George roomed together, invigorating their relationship as the potential starting tackle tandem.

"I think it's a good relationship to get with the right tackle, left tackle because we're playing opposite sides," Barber expressed on Tuesday. "I think it's great. We have a great relationship right now. We're just going to keep building it, keep getting that chemistry going."

Hudson, 6-foot-5, 329 pounds, provides a more extensive playing background, albeit from outside of the Southeastern Conference and the Power Five. 

A summer transfer that at one point was committed to South Florida, Florida snuck into Hudson's portal recruitment at the last second and secured his services following 25 starts, 38 appearances and 1,564 offensive snaps over five years at FIU. He allowed just five sacks over 878 pass-blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

Although Sale acknowledged the upgrade in competition Hudson will face with the Gators, he is appreciative of the time Hudson has spent on the field and the skills he has showcased on film. The combination could ultimately lead Hudson to the first team, or at least place him in the swing tackle role for the upcoming season.

"You watch his tape, he has the movement skills that you're looking for," Sale described of Hudson. "He's a guy that can change directions, long, hard to get around. So we're expecting good things from him."

Barber emphasized the importance of Hudson's offensive line cognizance. 

“I think he’s been great. He’s an older guy, he brings a lot of experience to the table," Barber said. "I think he comes in, works, puts his head down like everyone else does. It’s a time, we have to go in and work every single day and I think he’s been great.” 

Recognizing the immense turnover his unit has undergone this offseason, Barber has taken it upon himself to lead the unit as it prepares to protect a new-look Gators offense in 2023, alongside veteran starting center Kingsley Eguakun and seasoned guard Richie Leonard IV. 

He is propelling George, Hudson, the rest of his offensive tackle room and the offensive line as a whole to fill the void that was left by the exodus of blockers that began last November. 

"Sometimes I sat back and let the older guys go in because I was a redshirt freshman last year, but now I think I can come in and be vocal leader and take over," Barber stated. "Me, Kingsley, Richie are pushing this O-line to the best of their ability.”