Hustler Harder: Brenton Cox Jr. playing with more effort in 2022
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The game is still the same for Brenton Cox Jr., but his hustle has changed this year. No. 1 on defense for the Gators is playing harder, and it’s showing up so far on film and the stat sheet.
Cox didn’t have more than five tackles in a game last season. He doubled that in the opener with a career-high 10 tackles, earning Co-SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week, and posted a team-high nine tackles against South Florida.
Being healthy has made a difference for Cox, who said he never played at 100 percent in 2021 following offseason foot surgery. He’s back to full strength, and you can see it in his first step, but he’s far from satisfied with himself.
“I’m nowhere where I want to be. I got a lot more to do, a lot more to work on. So far it seems good on paper, I guess,” Cox said. “I’m just out here trying to hustle.”
That hustler’s mentality can be attributed to his new outside linebackers coach, Mike Peterson. Gators Online asked Cox this week what the former Florida All-American and 14-year NFL veteran linebacker has unlocked in him.
“Hustlin’. Yeah, that’s his biggest pet peeve,” Cox said. “You gotta hustle. You can’t teach that. It’s gotta be in you. So, him just teaching me the right way to do things on and off the field has been a great help for me.”
Those lessons stem from working in the offseason with Peterson, who said he wanted to help Cox polish his game. During spring ball, Cox mentioned the knock on him has been that he doesn’t play hard, and he even admitted as much.
“I can’t make all the plays, but the ones that I could have gone harder on I took off. I can honestly say I took off a couple plays (last year) but I’m here to make it up,” Cox said in the spring. “[Peterson]’s been preaching to me that if you’re not at the TV box by the time the play is over then it’s a loaf, you’re not running to the ball. That’s helped me turn the other way and get going when I’m done with my rush.
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“It’s just something that he brought. Over his years, he learned that in the NFL. So, he gave me that and that really helped.”
Hustle harder
Cox will be doing a lot of hustling Saturday in Florida’s first road game at No. 11 Tennessee. The Vols rank in the top five nationally in five offensive categories and run an up-tempo attack, with the second-most total plays (233) in the SEC.
Florida’s scout team has provided Cox and the defense with a fast-paced look in practice this week.
“We’re running to everything. Everything we’re doing has to be a sprint, literally everything. Even getting ball to the ball has to be a sprint,” Cox said. “And it always takes time just to get used to the tempo because other teams don’t do that. But Coach [Patrick] Toney has been doing real good simulating how it’s going to be on Saturday. So, I think we’ll be well prepared.”
Despite his production early on this season, there’s one stat Cox has yet to register: a sack. He’ll be hustlin’ to hit Hendon Hooker on Saturday.
“Whatever it takes for the team to win. So far, I got a lot of tackles. No sacks, but I’m still working,” Cox said. “Just take the good and the bad and keep hustling. We’ll get to him.”