Joey Slackman, Florida’s new defensive tackle, delivers a potent combination of Ivy League brains and sheer intensity.
When the Florida Gators signed Joey Slackman from Penn, they didn’t simply get a terrific defensive lineman; they brought in a culture-changing force of nature. The 6’4″, 300-pound graduate student brings an unusual combination of Ivy League intelligence and raw, uncontrolled intensity to a Gators defense hungry for progress.
Slackman’s trek to Gainesville is as distinctive as his pregame routines. He started his college career as a wrestler at Penn before switching to football in 2021. This unusual upbringing has developed Slackman into a player who tackles the game with a wrestler’s mindset and a scholar’s intelligence.
In 2023, Slackman’s impact on Penn was clear. He had 50 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks, earning him the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year award. His efforts also earned him national accolades, including second-team AFCA All-America and third-team Phil Steele All-America honors.
Florida’s head coach, Billy Napier, couldn’t conceal his excitement at Slackman’s accession to the club. Napier applauded Slackman’s maturity, drive, and ability to positively impact his teammates. The Gators clearly consider Slackman as more than just a talented player; he is regarded as a potential catalyst for a defensive comeback.
“”I’m a Joey Slackman guy. Look, I think Joey brings a maturity and an awareness. I think he’s extremely bright. And he’s motivated, he’s driven, he’s a self starter and he’s an alpha… He’s consistent. His motor’s always running and I think he has the ability to affect other people. That’s one of the reasons we brought him here.””
Slackman’s impact was instantaneous. His rigorous preparation routines, which include the usage of smelling salts and face paint, are already notorious among his new comrades. Quarterback Graham Mertz stated that Slackman’s mere presence elevates the energy level in whatever place he enters.
““You think about a thermometer. You want to be a person that walks in the room and kind of just goes with the flow or you want to go in there and set the temperature? And that’s something that Joey does every day.””
In 2023, the Gators defense struggled, finishing near the bottom of the SEC in several crucial statistics. Slackman’s arrival, along with his disruptive playing style and leadership, could provide the spark Florida requires.
Slackman’s wrestling background gives him a distinct skill set on the defensive line. His knowledge of leverage and hand placement, acquired over years on the mat, transfers directly into his ability to shed blocks and penetrate the backfield. This advantage could be critical as Florida faces a slew of powerful SEC offenses in 2024.
The 2024 season will put Slackman to the test in ways he has never faced before. He will play in front of more than 90,000 people in The Swamp, up from 12,000 at Penn. But if his reaction to previous obstacles is any indicator, Slackman will face this new issue head on, with the same zeal that has defined his career to date.
