Florida safety DJ Coleman spoke with the media on Monday as the Gators began preparing for their Week 2 matchup against Campbell.
Coleman reflected on his interception in Florida’s 66-21 season-opening win over Florida Atlantic and offered a candid assessment of the defense’s performance. He also discussed the unit’s communication, the importance of forcing turnovers and what the Gators need to correct this week.
The Baylor transfer also spoke about his expanded role, his father’s influence on his work ethic and the development of several teammates, including Brendan Bett, DK Kalu and Alfonzo Allen Jr — all of whom transferred from Baylor.
Here’s everything Coleman had to say.
What did it feel like to record an interception in the first game of the season?
It was an amazing experience. I mean, I just had my eyes on the quarterback,
just following the ball. We knew that team was going to take shots and they were going to be a little bit more aggressive. So, just in the red zone, I was ready for it. Seeing the quarterback dropping, I just took my shot.
What was your assessment of how the secondary performed against FAU?
It was pretty underwhelming, I’d say. I feel like we haven’t played our best ball. I feel like this week we’re going to fine-tune some things, and we’ll put a better product on the field this week.
Was there anything you liked about the defense’s performance?
I liked the way we flew around. We had some good plays. It wasn’t all bad, of course, but it was more bad than we would like to see.
When was the last time you played that many snaps?
That was the most snaps I’ve ever played.
What did playing that many snaps say about your role in the defense?
It’s great just to see that the coaches trust me that much to have me on the field that long. It’s a long season, so I’ve still got to take care of my body because if they want me to do that every week, I’ve got to be prepared.
Where does your work ethic and dependability come from?
I think it comes from my family. I’m around a lot of hardworking people, and I feel like if you don’t work for it, you won’t get what you want.
What did your father do for work?
He’s a truck driver. He drives trucks, and I just saw him wake up at three in the morning every day. It’s cold outside, rainy and hot. No matter what, he gets up and gets into it, coming home late at night. Just seeing his hard work ethic instilled in me that I’ve got to work hard.
What kind of truck does your father drive?
Eighteen-wheelers.
Does he drive all around the country?
He stays statewide, but it’s a lot.
How did the secondary communicate against FAU?
I feel like we did good. The tempo was something that we had to adjust to, but I feel like we handled it pretty well, and we had minimal errors communication-wise.
Did the crowd noise create any communication issues?
I wouldn’t say it was an issue. That’s something we practiced and prepared for. We know that 90,000 is something we’ve got to use to our advantage, so we can’t let it distract us and make us get off our game.
Where have you seen Brendan Bett develop over the past several years?
Brendan Bett, he’s great. The most development I’ve seen from him overall is probably maturity and just growing as a leader. When we were younger, he would kind of have moments where he would lash out and go distant. But now, I’ve seen him really rally the group together, and they follow him. He’s a strong voice on the defense and on the team.
What growth did you see from DK Kalu during fall camp, and how did he perform Saturday?
I feel like he did great as well. He’s playing with a lot more confidence — a lot more confidence than I’ve ever seen as well. Just him playing fast out there, that’s going to be a great addition to the team. I feel like he’s going to be a big, big piece of what we do.
Is that growth a product of his knowledge, conditioning or strength?
I would just say more of Coach White’s scheme. I feel like the scheme that Coach White brings, for DK, his skill set is going to be more amplified. It’s on the plus side of the defense.
Is forcing three takeaways every game a continued goal for the defense?
Yes, sir. If we can get three takeaways every game — Coach says if you win the turnover battle, you’ll win a lot of games. That’s something we focus on every week.
What do you think of Bailey Stockton’s speed?
Bailey’s fast. He’s really fast. He’s really fast.
Where does Stockton rank among Florida’s fastest receivers?
It’s hard because all the receivers are fast, but he’s definitely at the top end of that list.
Did Dijon Johnson give you any credit for his interception?
Oh, yeah. Me and DD actually locked eyes. We talked about it a little bit earlier this morning. It was nice.
What kind of hunger have you seen from Johnson after he battled injuries?
DD’s been a worker. He keeps his head down. When I first transferred, he was coming off surgery. Just seeing him battle back and fight in the spring to adapt to the defense, coming back off an injury and still maintaining high spirits throughout it all, has been really inspiring.
How long did it take for your ears to stop ringing after playing in front of 90,000 fans?
That was definitely the loudest environment, but I couldn’t love it more. I wish my ears were still ringing right now, honestly.
Did you think you had a pick-six on Johnson’s interception?
I thought I had it. I wanted it. It would have been nice, but I’m glad we still got the ball back afterward.
How did you feel afterward?
I was happy. I got to celebrate everybody. It would have been a little bit selfish of me if I would’ve been down on myself. Of course, I wanted it, but I’m glad DD got it because if somebody else had caught it, it could’ve been terrible.
What allowed you to jump the route on your interception?
I would just say the way we practice, being alert on tendencies and then film study as well — just knowing what’s coming before it happens.
How much has avoiding complacency been discussed?
Defensively, we feel like we’re in no room to be complacent at all. We feel like it wasn’t a great game, honestly, on defense. We feel like we have to improve, be more aggressive, be more attached to people and just challenge everything. That was a big message Coach White had for the defense today: Just challenge everything.
Is it difficult to stay hungry after a 45-point win?
No, I don’t think it’s difficult to be hungry because that was Week 1. We plan on playing all the way through the end of January, so if we get happy about beating Florida Atlantic, Campbell is going to come in here and do something bad to us.
What was the primary reason you chose Florida?
I’d probably say it was a mix of both the opportunity and the coaching staff. Just the energy that Coach Sumrall brings and the life that he can put into a program, I’d say that was probably the main thing.
But then, just talking with Coach White and Coach Collins and seeing the plan that they had for me and how they planned on using me around the defense, it’s something that I feel like can help prepare me for the next level.
What have you seen from Alfonzo Allen Jr. and his ability to play multiple positions?
Alfonzo is probably one of the smartest people on the defense. He’s a fast learner, so his adaptability just comes with seeing something and being able to do it and apply it right on the field.
How is the communication developing between you and the rest of the secondary?
I feel like the communication’s been great. All of us, we’re really close on and off the field, so I feel like that’s made the transition very seamless. Communication on the field is just off the field, so building a bond with each other, I feel like that’s helped us out a lot.
Did the secondary recognize it needed to play more aggressively on third-and-short during the game or after watching film?
In our scheme, Coach White allows us to play with a lot of freedom and flexibility. I feel like, at times, people were abusing the freedom and flexibility. We were talking about being more aggressive and applying more pressure on short down-and-distances.
Do you like having that flexibility in the defense?
Oh, yes. With great risk comes great reward. If we can play loose a little bit, then we can make plays.
What do you remember about Allen from your time together at Baylor?
Alfonzo is my guy. He was one of the first people who hit me up when I first committed and came down to Baylor. He helped me. He’s a true leader. He helped me understand football a little bit when I first got there. Things didn’t go the way we both planned, but now we’re back here together, and it’s like we picked up right where we left off.
What did you think of Allen’s decision to walk on at Florida before earning a scholarship?
Alfonzo is a hard worker. Everything he does, he’s going to give it his all. I don’t really know what happened at Baylor to cause him to leave, but I trusted his decision. When I saw him come here, I knew it would work out for him. He’s still here doing big things and being a big piece on this team, so it worked out.
How has Allen grown away from the field?
He’s come a long way. I’d say he’s grown more off the field. He’s become more of a well-rounded teammate, in a sense.
Is Allen the funniest player on the team?
Yeah, he’s pretty funny.
Have Allen and Kanye Clark maintained a chip on their shoulders after earning scholarships?
Yes, of course. With Alfonzo and Kanye, they work hard. To be in the position that they’re in now, going from walk-ons to scholarship players, you don’t get there without hard work. They still carry that chip on their shoulders every day.
What did you see from Clark against FAU?
He was flying around and making plays. That’s kind of every day. That’s what Kanye does. His motor doesn’t turn off. If you go outside right now, he’s probably running fast somewhere. That’s just what you’re going to get out of Kanye.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: D.J. Coleman evaluates Florida defense after season-opening win
