He was grinding through spring ball at a pace that he felt really comfortable. Florida Gators defensive back Jadarrius Perkins was growing in the new defensive scheme under Florida’s new staff. An injury may have ended his spring early, but the 6-foot, 186 pound Perkins is healed and excited about what he and his secondary mates can do this season.
If there was an area of the Florida football team that underperformed the most in the last couple of years it was the secondary. Missed assignments, bad communication, and overall sloppy play happened all the time.
They knew it. Perkins is the first to tell you how tough things were for him. Things got tougher when he was thrown into the nickel role in the secondary after playing corner to start the fall.
“Personally, I definitely will say I was confused,” he told Guide to Greater Gainesville after spring ball concluded. “I got in fall camp and honestly I wasn’t playing nickel at first and that’s one of the hardest positions on the field. I jumped into that. I had a couple of errors. I made some plays, missed some plays.”
The general consensus is that the guys on the back end will play better in 2022. Perkins is pumped to see what he and the secondary can do.
“This year I think it’s going to allow me to really play fast and really play my game,” he said. “Just being coached and being older, I understand the system more.”
That enthusiasm comes from the way he was performing during most of the spring when he was healthy. The attitude has carried over to the offseason and after he has completely healed.
“Man I was playing the best ball of my life,” Perkins said. “Everything started to come together. It was kind of devastating, but not a big injury. I’m just ready to get back on the field now.”
He is expecting to play both in the nickel spot and playing corner as well. He’s excited to work for the two new secondary coaches in cornerback coach Corey Raymond and safety coach and defensive coordinator Patrick Toney.
“The secondary is really playing ball and that has something to do with Coach Raymond and Coach Toney preparing us and making sure we know what we are doing,” Perkins said. “If you eliminate the gray areas you’re able to play fast and know what you’re doing. There is no ‘what do I have to do’ or ‘where am I supposed to be’? You know that.”
The confidence is so high in the play of the secondary that Perkins didn’t hesitate to say what the strength of the defense will be.
“The secondary (will be the strength),” he said with no doubt in his voice. “We’re older. All of us are guys that have played already, been on the field, and we know how it is to play with each other. We all have that chip on our shoulder. We know how good we are. That’s the big thing. If you have a great secondary, you have a great team.”
That chip on their shoulders is a diving force. So much was said about the bad play of the secondary over the last two years. They have all noticed.
“We’re not thinking about it (all the time), but we’re thinking about it personally,” he said.
The excitement to play in The Swamp on Saturdays is palpable. Perkins is ready to show what he can do in front of the fans in 2022.
“Honestly, I was playing the best ball of my life,” he said about early spring. “I just expect to go out there and do the same things I was doing before I got hurt… just be ready.”