Florida defensive back Jason Marshall Jr. is not going to enjoy his team’s film session next week. He displayed a terrible attitude while giving up an 85-yard touchdown to Vanderbilt on Saturday.
His effort was truly embarrassing.
Marshall, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Miami, lined up across from Commodores star pass-catcher Will Sheppard on 2nd-and-7 from the Vanderbilt 15-yard-line. Quarterback Ken Seals took the snap and immediately looked to the left.
Sheppard had a step on Marshall. Seals’ pass was a little bit high, but his receiver went up and pulled it down over the Gators defensive back with nothing but green grass in front of him.
It seemed as though Sheppard’s momentum might carry him out of bounds for a moment. If not, Marshall had a chance to step up and push him beyond the sideline to save a big play.
That is not what he did. That is not what happened.
Instead, Sheppard managed to keep his footing, did not break stride, and turned on the jets en route to the end zone for six. Marshall gave up. There is no other way to put it. He gave up on the play.
Marshall barely jogged down the field in pursuit of Sheppard. Barely.
His pace looked more like someone who fake to get across a crosswalk than an elite college football defensive back. Marshall let Sheppard take off without any legitimate chase.
Now, to Marshall’s credit — Sheppard was only open because of a facemask penalty that went uncalled. That is not an excuse for him to allow a touchdown.
If Marshall had tried at all, he could have made a play on Sheppard to save the touchdown. And yet, he didn’t try at all.
Marshall deserved to ride the pine for the rest of the evening. Film is going to be rough.
Perhaps the second-year starter could benefit from a good old-fashioned arse-chewing.