The Star position, where players like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Brian Branch shone at Alabama, is now where Florida coach Jon Sumrall and defensive coordinator Brad White trusts Kanye Clark and Lagonza Hayward to play against Auburn this Saturday.
At Star, the pair will have the task of lining up in the box in some packages, while also guarding tight ends and slots that may be seen as a risk coming over the middle.
Having one position cover all these responsibilities may force Auburn quarterback Byrum Brown to improvise, which, against an SEC defense, may prove a challenge for the first-time Power Four quarterback who struggled passing the last time he faced a Sumrall-coached defense.
Brown rushed for negative yardage against Sumrall’s Tulane and only threw for 134 yards in his 45-10 loss back in 2024. Now imagine Brown against the same coach, Sumrall, with more resources and a few players ready and willing to chase Brown sideline to sideline.
Star position one of the most critical for Florida this week
Think of a defensive back whose direction can change at the speed of a coin flip or who has the instinct of a small cat evading the bite of a snake. Think of a defensive lineman, down in the trenches, never fully sure they’ll make it out or a linebacker whose job combines the two yet still functions as the quarterback of the defense.
Linebackers study the opposing team’s formations, tendencies, and motions, and how to navigate which gaps to shoot, providing the much-needed stability a complex defensive scheme needs to function.
Now imagine each of those responsibilities combined into one custom-built position that can cover sideline to sideline.
After the Campbell game, Clark is tied for fourth on the team in tackles with 7 so far, with Hayward just 1 tackle behind at 6. Hayward tied for third in the Campbell blowout win with 4 tackles, while Clark had none. Clark did, however, rule the Florida Atlantic game, recording seven tackles in that game alone, tying him for third. Hayward also had a pair of tackles in that game.
Sumrall touched on the state of the Star position during his press conference on Monday:
"I thought Kanye's done some good things. You know, I really think Lagonza, we put him down there some last week. He flashed. And then Alfonso's, you know, he's functioned well there. But Lagonza was a real bright spot last week. I thought we've moved him down there more. I thought two guys that stood out to me on defense and the secondary that maybe are earning more opportunities are Lagonza and J'Vari Flowers."
Both players clearly have a knack for being around the football, and whenever one, the other, or both are on the field, they will bleed for a chance to make a play that helps Florida win.
When the Gators run out of the tunnel, and the clock begins in front of the rowdy 88,000 people in Jordan-Hare Stadium. Expect Clark and Hayward’s intensity at the star position to be the reason Florida takes home their third straight win of the season.
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