DE Polite exhibits NFL potential by creating havoc in backfield

TALLAHASSEE — If Jachai Polite declares for the NFL draft, he made quite the impression in his final regular season game.

The junior defensive end wrapped up the regular season with a 2.5-sack performance and forced a critical fumble midway through the third quarter. Senior defensive end CeCe Jefferson recovered the loose ball at the Florida State 22-yard line. Florida scored on the next play to extend its lead to 27-7 with 6:20 quarter.

“That’s a man against boys,” UF safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson said. “He’s got two guys blocking him, the linebacker and the running back, and he still got a strip-sack.”

Polite now faces a decision whether to declare for the draft or stay in Gainesville for one last season. He ends the 2018 regular season with 11 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles.

“A lot of people see Jachai as just a one-down guy,” Gardner-Johnson said. “But left in the third today, you can see Jachai affected the quarterback and the runners in different ways just by being there.”

Perine, Scarlett set tone: Running back Lamical Perine laid the foundation for Florida’s rushing attack early against FSU. The Seminoles’ defense bottled Perine up for the first quarter on his way to 10 yards on four carries.

But the junior from Mobile, Ala., opened the second quarter with a 74-yard touchdown run on the first play of Florida’s fourth drive of the game.

Florida State routinely brought both of its safeties into the box to defend against Perine and fellow running back Jordan Scarlett.

“I think a big key was our ability to run the ball today even with that,” coach Dan Mullen said. “The whole offensive staff did a good job of scheming even with that.”

Scarlett played the role of bruiser to his counterpart’s breakaway threat. Scarlett ran the ball 20 times for 88 yards and sealed the game with a 9-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.

“I would say we’re one of the best running back duos to come through Florida,” Scarlett said. “We run hard, and we’re always picking up our protections, so I compare ourselves really good to everybody else.”

Grimes has career day: Trevon Grimes hadn’t made much of an impact on Florida’s offense heading into the FSU matchup. The sophomore receiver posted 20 catches for 248 yards throughout his 10 appearances.

His lack came to an of production abrupt end in Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday. Grimes led the team in catches and receiving yards, putting up 118 yards and a touchdown on five receptions. His 22-yard touchdown catch was his first score since Florida’s opening game of the season against Charleston Southern.

“All that Tre Grimes has been through and what he’s been dealing with, man, it was great to see him go out there and play the best game he’s had,” receiver Van Jefferson said. “He does that every week, but today it just showed.”