Princely Umanmielen Is Ready To Earn His Spot (And His Number)

In college football, wearing the #1 jersey for a team holds plenty of significance. Any player who takes #1 is almost always expected to step up as a leader for his team. For the Florida Gators, that honor (and responsibility) now falls upon the shoulders of Princely Umanmielen.

Practice No. 1 for #Gators EDGE Princely Umanmielen in the No. 1 pic.twitter.com/pC2TNUDZIM

— Zach Goodall (@zach_goodall) July 31, 2023

Princely Umanmielen has worked his way up through Florida’s defensive depth chart throughout his three years in the program. In the 2022 season, Umanmielen recorded career-highs in tackles (39), tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (4.5). Now set to serve as UF’s primary edge rusher, expectations are higher than ever before for Umanmielen. But this year, he hopes to prove himself as a cornerstone for a surging Gators defensive unit.

Princely Umanmielen Ready To Lead Florida’s Defense

Early on in his career, Umanmielen showed plenty of defensive prowess and potential to turn into a superstar. However, he noted that he did not work as hard in practice as the coaches wanted him to, leading to a decrease in his playing time. Eventually, Gators co-defensive coordinator Sean Spencer sat down with Umanmielen and emphasized that he needed to put in more effort if he wanted to become (and remain) a key part of the Gators defense.

Umanmielen started to receive more on-field opportunities throughout the 2022 season, starting in 11 of his 13 appearances. His moment of glory came in Florida’s 41-24 victory over the Texas A&M Aggies. Following star linebacker Brenton Cox’s dismissal from the program, the Gators needed someone to step up on the defensive end. Enter Princely Umanmielen into the equation, and suddenly the Gators had their solution.

He saw an opportunity to establish himself as a defensive standout, and he took it. Umanmielen recorded three tackles (including two tackles for loss), two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one sack against the Aggies. For the rest of the season, he served as a force to be reckoned with on Florida’s defensive line.

Looking to Start Off 2023 Right

Following his late-season breakout in 2022, all eyes have now turned to Umanmielen as he hopes to pick up right where he left off. As he now sports #1 on his back and takes on the mantle of leading Florida’s defensive line, Umanmielen faces sky-high expectations for the 2023 season. Nevertheless, he still remains unfazed. Umanmielen is ready to prove himself as one of the best defenders in all of college football this year.

The Florida Gators will kick off the 2023 season on August 31 in Salt Lake City against the Utah Utes. Until then, Florida remains hard at work in training camp as they hope to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 campaign. While the odds may seemingly be against them at the moment, Umanmielen and the Gators are ready to shock the world in 2023.