Florida transfer Princely Umanmielen praises Ole Miss staff: 'I feel like I'm actually getting developed'

The transfer portal has shaken up the way college football teams build their rosters, while simultaneously making it easier for players to look for new opportunities when they feel they’ve stagnated in one spot. Like former Florida defensive end Princely Umanmielen.

Umanmielen, projected by some NFL Draft analysts as a potential second- or third-round pick had he opted to leave school following the 2023 season, decided to get a fresh start elsewhere this offseason. He headed to Ole Miss.

And according to the talented pass-rusher that move is already paying off.

Umanmielen opened up on how spring football is going for him so far with the Rebels, noting he’s seen an improvement in his run defense already. In doing so, he took some shots at the quality of coaching he received with the Gators.

“I feel like here I’m getting coached harder for things like that,” Umanmielen said. “I feel like at Florida, like, the way I was coached it was kind of like, it was almost as if like they was just telling me to go out there and use my talent, if that makes sense.”

If that was the case, Princely Umanmielen’s talent was pretty darned good. As a junior in 2023 he recorded 39 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss and 7.0 sacks.

In his four-year career at Florida he tallied 99 tackles, 24.5 tackles for a loss, 15.0 sacks and three forced fumbles. He’s been quite productive up front.

Still, there are things he can learn, he said.

“But here, coach (Lou Spanos) and coach (Randall) Joyner, they’re really on me about the little things,” Umanmielen said. “Attacking the run. Coach Lou really goes through the progressions of the drops and the routes that are being run when I have to go into coverage. When I was at Florida they would just tell me go drop to this area and I would have to figure everything else out on my own.”

Florida ranked 51st in total defense in 2022, the first year under coach Billy Napier. Then the program underwent a coordinator change and finished 96th in total defense in 2023.

Ole Miss, on the other hand, ranked 74th in total defense in coordinator Pete Golding‘s first season in 2023.

Regardless, Princely Umanmielen feels there’s a clear difference between the two programs.

“Here they go real into depth,” he said. “I feel like I’m actually getting developed.”