Rashad Torrence sees the game slowing down, likes Patrick Toney's defense

After a productive 2021-22 season, safety Rashad Torrence II is expected to be a leader for the Florida defense as he enters his third year in Gainesville.

Last season, Torrence led the Gators with three interceptions and had the third-most tackles on the team (87) while racking up 3.5 tackles for loss and recovering a fumble. He started all 13 games for the Gators on the back end.

This spring, the Marietta, Ga., native is starting to see spring practice a little differently.

“It’s kind of becoming more slower to me,” Torrence told Gators Online and others. “I’m kind of slowing the game down a little bit. I feel like I’m focused on more details this spring and kind of tying to up my game a little bit.”

After considering the 2022 NFL Draft, fellow Florida safety Trey Dean decided to stay in Gainesville for another season. Torrence said having Dean alongside him will benefit both of them as well as the entire group of safeties, including the underclassmen.

“Me and Trey Dean, our chemistry and our bond increases every day,” Torrence said. “Just being back with him is kind of a blessing. Just knowing that he has my back and I have his every down is kind of a blessing.”

Rashad Torrence on Toney’s defense

Shortly after Florida hired head coach Billy Napier, Patrick Toney was tabbed as the Gators’ defensive coordinator and safeties coach.

Torrence is a fan of how Toney runs his system and doesn’t make the assignments or calls confusing.

“I like PT’s defense,” Torrence said. “I feel like his defense allows every player to kind of make plays. It eliminates the gray area. It kind of allows us to know what we have going into every single play. There’s not much going on. We’re already focused.”

In addition to calling plays, Toney also serves as Torrence’s position coach. Having him coaching the safeties gives Torrence a better grasp of his defense and more knowledge of the coverage schemes.

“Obviously him being the play caller and coaching our position we have more details, and we know kind of more the specifics as to what he wants as to defensive play calling,” Torrence said. “But it works out well.”

Not too much has changed from Torrence’s standpoint with the new staff, but overall, the defense has a better understanding of what needs to be done before the ball is snapped.

“Some concepts have changed,” Torrence said, “but it’s more so the verbiage and the way he wants it done and knowing how to do it the way he wants it done rather than the past.”