Brendan Gant still isn't back to where he wants to be. But according to Florida State head football coach Mike Norvell, he's getting there.
After missing a large chunk of preseason practice recovering from an offseason arm injury, the sophomore safety is beginning to look and feel more like himself as he gets more opportunities in the Seminoles' secondary.
"He's a guy that I'm really pleased with," Norvell said on Wednesday. "He had an unfortunate injury there in the summer, where he was unable to go through really any of our voluntary workouts. Or even when we got back into full swing, he really wasn't available a few weeks into fall camp. So, he was behind physically.
"But these last few weeks, he's a guy that flashes all over the field. I think he has a great future in front of him. Excited about the steps we've seen in a positive direction."
** Don't miss our great Football coverage. Get your 30-day FREE trial **
Gant didn't play at all in the season opener vs. Georgia Tech.
He played 24 snaps against Miami, 17 against Jacksonville State, 37 against Notre Dame, 21 against North Carolina and then 19 against Louisville, where he graded out as having the third-best performance on the defense according to Pro Football Focus.
Gant currently has 20 tackles on the season, including one for loss.
Last year, as a true freshman, he recorded 35 tackles, including a career-high seven in the loss to Arizona State in the Sun Bowl.
He was hoping to build off that performance in 2020, but instead barely got to practice as he dealt with his injury.
"I really started feeling (like) myself again probably a couple of weeks ago," Gant said. "After feeling the work I've put in, after feeling my body transform, and feeling the difference, being able to go in and play confidently."
