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Degory centers the Gators like a coach on the playing field

You wouldn't be too far off in calling Florida center Mike Degory a "coach" on the field.

That's the way Gator coaches and players look at their team captain.

As a fourth-year starter at the position, the preseason All-SEC selection ranks among the nation's best at his position. And playing center at the collegiate level, at times, is as much mental as it is physical. While coaches try to signal in the right plays each offensive series, it's Degory's job to make sure the five linemen up front are in the right place at the right time to make those plays work.

Florida offensive line coach John Hevesy even calls Degory "the brains behind the organization."

From the time the play is called in the huddle to when he snaps the ball, Degory does far more than trot up to the line. He assesses, anticipates and adjusts, all in a matter of seconds. And all before most fans believe the action has begun.

"There's a lot going on," Degory said. "You've got to make sure the other guys [on the line] know what's going on, depending on how the defense plays you. A mistake can cost your team."

For Degory, the job starts when quarterback Chris Leak calls the play in the huddle.

As the huddle breaks, Degory's eyes focus on the opponent's linebackers and secondary. Are they "stacking" the line, clogging the running lanes or threatening a blitz on Leak? Are they disguising their coverage or telegraphing it?

In Florida's system, not only does the lineman have to worry about the defensive lineman in his area, but also has to check any linebacker that may be coming at him.

After assessing the position of the defenders, Degory anticipates what they might do based on his film study. Do they like to blitz the safety out of this formation? Are they a team like LSU or Georgia that likes to "stunt," or crisscross its rushers? Or are they more like Alabama, which may stack two linebackers on one side of the center, creating the need for more blocking help in that area?

Many times Degory will make a line call because he is certain a team is going to shift in a certain direction even though it won't happen until the snap of the ball.

"You've got to be one of the sharpest players," Degory said. "It's a big thing."

As he approaches the line, Degory begins to adjust, using whatever means necessary. Most often, it's vocal.

"Sometimes you've just got to scream real loud," he said.

"The people that you're trying to tell are not too far away."

His adjustments are directed at the linemen, the quarterback and the backs. Any changes are primarily about protection.

Obviously, there are some situations where he can't be heard, then Degory goes to the hand signals.

He might tell the tackle to block to the outside to cut off the safety blitz. Then the guard to pick up the defensive end across from the tackle. Or he might assign the running back to help pick up the safety.

"We break the huddle, I get up there and see what they've got," Degory said. "It's like a dinner plate -- what's on your plate? I have to know where the pressure is coming from and make the calls."

If Leak changes the play at the line of scrimmage, it doesn't alter his job nearly as much as you might think. Degory said it's basically a matter of relaying what Leak has said.

"Chris ultimately has the final decision, and it's my job to kind of interpret it and then spread it along," Degory said. Things become most complicated when Degory is at the line of scrimmage, set and ready to snap the ball, then a change comes, because he must process the change, devise his strategy and communicate the adjustments in a flash.

"You're down there putting your feelers out, putting all your senses out, trying to figure everything out," he said. "Because that's your advantage. The defense, they give you clues, they'll give it away sometimes."
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