Goolsby looks to unlock potential

GAINESVILLE – UF tight end DeAndre Goolsby’s hopes for a breakthrough season with the Gators had come and gone.

With four catches for nine yards during the final five regular-season games, he had a strong case for the 2016 Gators’ most disappointing player.

But Goolsby was not finished yet.

A combined nine catches for 118 yards and touchdowns against Alabama and Iowa during the final two games gave him something to build on.

“It definitely helped,” Goolsby said. “It gives me a little confidence boost going into the season.”

Goolsby enters his senior year with as much to prove as any player on third-year coach Jim McElwain’s roster. Goolsby leads a position group that needs to improve.

When McElwain arrived, he wanted to mix and match his tight ends to force the hand of opposing defenses.

Yet other than a solid season by sixth-year senior Jake McGee in 2015, the position has not produced as expected. UF tight ends have totaled 12 touchdowns in two seasons.

“Coach Mac always preaches tight ends,” said Goolsby. “Tight ends fit his offense. We feel like we need to play a big role and perform on the field, whether it is catching passes or dominating in the run game.”

Playing tight end in McElwain’s multiple scheme is not as easy as lining up next to the tackle and executing a single assignment.

“That’s one of those spots in an ideal world to be able to be flexible with your shifts, motions and formations,” McElwain explained. “You can do a lot with those guys. We put a lot on them and we got to get a lot out of them.” The potential is there. The 6-foot-4, 244-pound Goolsby is a versatile athlete who even returned kickoffs for his state championship team in Kansas; 6-foot-4, 231-pound redshirt junior C’yontai Lewis was a high school basketball star in Alabama; and 6-foot-3, 241-pound freshman Kemore Gamble stood out among the five early enrollees last spring.

Each can create matchup problems and can stretch the field for a Gators’ offense seeking more big plays.

Goolsby had three catches of longer than 30 yards in 2015 and five of 20 yards or longer last season. Lewis had a critical 33-yard catch during a close win last season at Vanderbilt.

“I think he and C’yontai are really, really a good duo,” McElwain said.

But as much as McElwain hopes to see Goolsby, Lewis and Gamble running free downfield, he really wants his tight ends to be a factor near the end zone. UF ranked last in the SEC in redzone offense, scoring just 21 touchdowns in 42 trips.

“Great teams that operate really well down there, those tight ends are usually very effective,” McElwain said.

At the team’s media day last week, Goolsby sounded poised for a breakout year. If nothing else, the 21-year-old was more engaged, relaxed and upbeat than previous seasons.

McElwain has noticed a difference, too. He credits renewed confidence and Goolsby’s realization this is his final season of college football.

“I’ll be excited to see if he stays consistent,” McElwain said. “But just in the interactions and the things you see around the facility, I’ve been really proud in his personal growth.”