Will Muschamp just came out and said it, displaying candor not every coach would want to mimic: In some cases, the better the player, the more uncoachable he can become. But in the case of sophomore linebacker Dante Fowler, one of the Southeastern Conference's most promising pass rushers, the Gators have a special player who couldn't be more coachable, Muschamp said.
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"Dante has a great personality," Muschamp told gatorsports.com. "He's a lot of fun to be around and coach. He's a joy to coach. You can coach Dante hard. Guys of his caliber sometimes are not approachable in that situation. He's a guy that takes coaching. He wants to be coached hard."
It's that combination of talent and discipline that can mean the difference between an NFL rookie who flourishes and one who struggles, so consider Muschamp's compliment one that Fowler should add to his resume for pro football when the time comes. For now, Fowler is busy stuffing his resume with some impressive numbers. He ranks fourth in the SEC in tackles for loss with seven and is tied for seventh in sacks with three.
He has been more of a playmaker than the Gators' other top pass rusher, Ronald Powell, to the surprise of some. Powell, though coming off a serious knee injury, had a strong preseason and had been as productive as Fowler before his injury. Muschamp said Fowler's determination to improve has played a big role in his success.
"When he makes a mistake, he wants to know what he can do to get better," Muschamp said. "He's just a very coachable player. That's what makes him a really good player.".
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.
