"If you can't protect the ball and you can't protect the quarterback, you might as well put your name in the portal."



Florida running backs coach Greg Knox likes to threaten his players with the transfer portal. pic.twitter.com/k2Hacv2QgI — Megan Plain (@MeganPlain) March 22, 2019

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Running backsandstood side by side after Thursday's practice, working as a tag team while answering questions from a small group of reporters.Pierce often answered first, followed by a comment from Clement.The pecking order is the same on the depth chart this spring, with Pierce, a sophomore who rushed for 424 yards and a pair of scores last season, in front of Iverson, a redshirt freshman who appeared in only two games.However, the door is open for both to play more prominent roles in 2019. Whileandreturn in the Gators' backfield,has exited the stage.History shows that Gators head coachprefers to spread carries around, which was the case in his first season. Perine had 134 carries, Scarlett, 131, and Pierce, 69. Davis had 13 in three games before suffering a season-ending foot injury.Regardless of how the workload is distributed come fall, Pierce and Clement have a better grasp of what is expected in Year 2. They both thanked running backs coach, a longtime Mullen assistant who came with him from Mississippi State, for that.When they joined the program, Pierce and Clement had a simple view toward their roles."In high school, it's 'give me the ball I'm going to make a play.' You can't just say give me the ball,'' Pierce said. "You have to play your role on that particular play. If you're not playing your role the way it needs to get done, you will get replaced. They will find someone to do that job."Clement concurred."Around this time last year I didn't have that maturity,'' he said. "I just [thought] about coming here and playing running back. Now I'm trying to find my place on the team as far as like special teams, and finding the fit to where I could play and work my way onto the playing field."Once again, as special-teams coordinator, Knox played an instrumental role in relaying that message to the two young running backs. Before emerging as a late-game option to spell Perine and Scarlett last season, Pierce made his mark on kickoff coverage.Clemente had only four carries for 17 yards and redshirted, but as the season progressed, he realized his mentality had to change. A standout at Rancocas Valley Regional High in Mount Holly, N.J., Clement rushed for 1,419 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior.None of that mattered once he moved south."One thing I learned is this is the next step,'' Clement said. "Everybody has a role, everybody has a job. It's more structured. That's what I really had to tune into."Meanwhile, Pierce arrived following a record-setting career at Bainbridge (Ga.) High, where he amassed 6,779 yards and 92 touchdowns as a four-year starter. At 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds, Pierce is a bulldozer who can pick up yards between the tackles and has breakaway speed in the open field.He took advantage of the injury to Davis to break into the rotation and reeled off a 48-yard touchdown run at Tennessee in the fourth quarter to help seal a victory.That came natural. What didn't was the extended hours in the film room to learn Mullen's offense and Knox's attention to detail."He got us to the point where we can say what somebody else did wrong on this play [and not just what we did],'' Pierce said of Knox. "The leap from high school to college, film-wise, is amazing. We know we can make the plays. Now it's about us getting stronger mentally and picking up our reads and picking up our blocks."Other than for the offensive line, the Gators return nearly all of their key offensive players from last season. Like Pierce and Clement, sophomore receiver/tight endis another underclassmen with an opportunity for a significant increase in production in 2019.Pitts has the size to play tight end but the speed and athleticism to line up wide, which he has been doing this spring. He is focused on producing more than three receptions for 73 yards from a season ago."I've been more a student of the game this spring so I can play anywhere and bring value to the team. "Pitts said. "[Changing positions] made me grow very fast because I had to learn two different positions and still be able to produce. I think that helped me."This offense, if you don't know what you are doing, you're not going to play. I had to study it a lot more. You're learning something new every week. It was just a learning year."As they stood a few foot away, Pierce and Clement knew exactly what Pitts was talking about.