Florida center Harrison Moore met with reporters Tuesday as the Gators continued working through the first full week of fall camp.

Moore discussed his transition from tight end to offensive line, the competition at center and the standard Florida’s offensive line is trying to establish under the new staff. He also reflected on the advice he received from former Gators center Jake Slaughter and what he hopes to bring as a leader in the room.

The Georgia Tech transfer also touched on Buster Faulkner’s offense, the quarterback competition between Aaron Philo and Tramell Jones Jr., several former Yellow Jackets who followed him to Gainesville and the challenge Florida’s defensive front has provided during camp.

Here’s everything Moore had to say.

How did you get to know Coach Mike Polly?

He actually got to Georgia Tech my second year. He coached with Geep Wade, the offensive line coach at Georgia Tech. They knew each other from Middle Tennessee. But he’s a great guy. He does a lot of really, really good things for the offensive line. Helps the younger guys really get acclimated to college football because it’s a lot different. But yeah, he’s great.

How did your conversion from tight end to offensive line come about, and do those tight end instincts still show?

So for people that don’t know, I played tight end for three years in high school. And then before my senior year, we had all five starting offensive linemen graduate. And my high school coach was like, “Look, we’re in some trouble, man.” I was like, “You know what? I’m probably going to end up playing O-line in college anyway.”

I was always a blocking guy. I think I had four or five catches in high school. I was really a blocking — I was a sixth offensive lineman. So it was like, why not move in a little bit, put a little bit of weight on? But yeah, definitely the transition has helped me a bunch. Just becoming more athletic, being able to move my feet, stuff like that has helped me a bunch, and it translates really well.

What has helped you learn the offensive line’s approach and preparation?

Our O-line’s approach is preparation. So we do a bunch of tests every week during the summer, during the offseason, just to make sure that we are dialed into the plays, dialed into, “On this play versus this look, here’s my exact footwork, but it changes if you have a guy outside of you versus a guy inside of you.”

So just being able to know that immediately when you get to the line of scrimmage, this is exactly what I’ve got. Because if you’re sitting up there and you’re thinking, “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know.” Oh, ball snapped. And by that point, you’re screwed.

So just as soon as he got here, we started doing these tests every week. And those have been really, really good for me just to learn the offense, learn his scheme and how he wants to do everything.

What has it been like working with TJ (Shanahan Jr.)?

TJ has been awesome. That’s my guy. He really pushes me to be better. Every day we get a bunch of extra work after practice and stuff like that.

But he’s a guy who, I mean, he’s all the way in on football. And it’s not a lot of guys nowadays who are 100% bought in. But he’s somebody that I’ve seen on this team that just, I mean, every day he brings it because all he cares about is football. All he wants to do is be the best version of himself. And that’s been really good for me, just pushing me to be my best.

What do you remember about playing Georgia as a freshman?

That was the game we went to eight overtimes against them. Unfortunately, we lost that game. But yeah, I mean, playing against that type of competition as a true freshman, my second year playing offensive line, obviously was a lot of pressure.

But just going out there and knowing that, I mean, if I put my mind to it, I can do really whatever I want. That was really cool to see for myself.

How have you and Jason Zandamela pushed each other at center?

(Jason) Zandamela is another guy who really, really works hard. He’s been another guy who’s been good for me, just pushing me to be my best.

The competition there has been really good for both of us. Just knowing that if you have one bad day, the other guy is going to have a good day, so you can’t afford a bad day. So we both, all offseason, worked really hard against each other.

Obviously, we both play center and there’s only one center that can go out on the field. But, I mean, he works his tail off, and I have a lot of respect for him.

How much have you seen Jason Zandamela transform his body and put himself in position to contribute?

Like I said, he works his tail off. He’s one of the hardest-working dudes in our room, and I think he’s done a really good job. I mean, who knows who’s going to be in the starting five? But, I mean, he’s done a really good job to put himself in a position to succeed.

What is it like being compared to Jake Slaughter, and do you feel like you’re trying to fill his shoes?

Obviously, I mean, he was a two-time All-American, got drafted in the second round, and he’s a phenomenal player.

But I actually remember one of my first weeks here, he came up to me. He was here working out, and just — we talked for 30 minutes. I mean, he’s a phenomenal dude. Obviously, he was a great leader, really, really good football player.

But I really don’t try to look at it as filling his shoes. I kind of just worry about what can I do to be the best version of myself? But like I said, obviously he was a really good guy, a great leader for this team.

What did Jake Slaughter tell you when you first got to Florida?

He just was like, “I know there’s probably a lot of pressure. Just be you. Don’t worry about all the external factors.” That really helped me kind of calm myself down because, like I said, I mean, he was a really, really good football player. And then we talked about fishing for a little bit. I mean, he’s a country boy. He loves fishing. I love fishing. So he was telling me all the good spots around here to go fishing. So that was cool.

Freshwater or saltwater?

Freshwater, saltwater — I mean, there’s everything. That’s a nice thing about Florida. I mean, you can really do anything. You can go to the Gulf. You can go out to the Atlantic. And then there’s a bunch of lakes around here.

Do you still keep in touch with Jake Slaughter?

He’s been working his butt off with the Chargers. Not all the time, but yeah, I mean, we keep in touch for sure.

Did Jake Slaughter tell you about gator hunting?

I actually — that might be too much for me. I don’t know about all that. I kind of stick on the boat, fish. I’m not worried about a fish biting my hand off. But yeah, maybe one day I’ll go gator hunting with him.

I remember them telling me a story about him gator hunting, and I was like, “That’s a maybe in a couple of years.” But right now, I’ll stick to just cheering for the Gators.

Have you gone to any of the fishing spots Jake Slaughter recommended?

We went to one down in town. It was funny. We pull up there and we saw him at the bait shop at like 5:30 in the morning.

He was with his dad. His dad came up to me, and I was with Eagan Boyer, one of the tackles from Penn State, and he’s like, “Oh my gosh, there’s Harrison Moore and Eagan Boyer. I’m such a huge Florida Gators fan. Oh my gosh, it’s so great to meet you.”

And we’re just like, “What the —?” And then we see Jake in the car just dying laughing. So yeah, I mean, that was funny. But yeah, we got some good fish that morning. That was good.

What legacy do you want to leave at Florida?

I think the biggest thing for me is just getting those young guys to adapt to college football. Because like I said earlier, college football is a lot different than high school. There’s a lot more pressure. You have to 100% buy into everything. High school, you can get away with a lot because, for the most part, you’re playing against the dudes that, I mean, a lot of those guys are going to end up being frat dudes. They’re not going to play football. But, I mean, almost every single player in college football was the best player at their high school.

So just the elevation of realizing that it takes more. You’ve got to stretch in the morning. You’ve got to be 100% bought into every workout. There’s no off days. There’s no, “I don’t feel good today.” That’s not an option. If you want to win, and we want to take the Gators back to where I think they should belong — win SEC championships, win national championships, be a storied program — it just takes more. You just got to go.

I remember Sumrall told us this right before the summer started. He was like, “When you’re going through the line, just go an extra two yards.” And you go an extra two yards every rep, every drill, every time you lift, it stacks and stacks and stacks. And next thing you know, I mean, you’re 100% better than you would have been.

How would you describe Buster Faulkner’s offense at its best?

Explosive. That’s the one word I would say. Explosive.

I mean, I’ve been in the system for — this is my third year now. And, I mean, we can hurt you in a lot of ways. And it’s really fun to watch how he operates. He’s a fantastic coach. He’s been really, really good for me. I’m excited to see what we can do with all the weapons we have this year.

Do you see the characteristics necessary for this offensive line to become a good group?

Absolutely. I think Traut(wein) has done a really, really good job of getting us to go there. It takes a lot. Offensive line is a really, really difficult position.

I remember Will Campbell said one time, “You give up a sack a game, you’re going to be working at a UPS,” or something like that. So it’s a position that you have to be dialed every single play.

It’s one of the few positions on the field where if one person gives up a sack, the whole group gives up a sack. That’s something that we’ve been emphasizing, that it’s five for one. It’s the whole team. It doesn’t matter if you had a good play if your right guard had a bad play. We all had a bad play. So that’s something that we’ve been working on, just the whole unit.

What is the potential of this offensive line?

We’re very physical. We’re very athletic. And I think there’s obviously a lot of stuff we have to work on, but that’s why we’re in training camp. That’s why we’re practicing every day. But I think we can be a very lethal group this year.

How has the offensive line responded to Jon Sumrall publicly challenging the group?

Obviously you don’t want him to have to say that. But with that being said, it’s just fuel to the fire. I think we had a really, really, really good summer. We worked our tails off. Coach (Rusty) Whitt, he made us go against the D-line every day, whether it was in the weight room, during runs, during walkthroughs. It was tooth-and-nail competitive.

And, I mean, iron sharpens iron. Our defensive line group is really, really athletic, really good. They have a lot of very good players. So that’s been a good challenge for us this summer.

And like I said, just fuel to the fire. Everybody was like, “Yeah, so what? Now what?” Let’s just put our heads down and grind, and good things are going to happen.

Was Jon Sumrall emphasizing how important the offensive line is to the team’s success?

If you have a bad offensive line, it doesn’t matter how good your receivers are, how good your quarterback is. The offensive line is the heart of the offense, heart of the team.

So, I mean, I think any coach should emphasize that you have to have a good offensive line because you do. That’s just the truth of the matter.

What do you think people are going to see from Eric Singleton Jr.?

So I played with Eric (Singleton) my freshman year at Georgia Tech. And, I mean, he is fast, man. That guy is explosive.

And like I said, the one word I would use to describe our offense is explosive. He fits right in with that. He’s a really, really good player. He’s going to make a lot of big plays this year for us.

What stands out about Florida’s defensive line, and who has been the toughest to block?

There’s a bunch of guys that have been tough to go against. They’re all really, really good. They have a lot of depth, which is something you need at defensive line because you’re going to be rotating a bunch.

But I think that unit as a whole has been really good. They’ve been working their butts off all summer, offseason, and they’ve been really good to go against.

What is your major at Florida?

I was industrial engineering at Georgia Tech, and now I’m mathematics.

Is mathematics easier to handle than industrial engineering?

Yeah. I mean, it’s not the easiest thing in the world. But I’ve always loved math, and I enjoy it, so it’s good.

What was the process like when several Georgia Tech players followed Buster Faulkner to Florida?

I try not to think about that as much. I mean, as soon as I got here, I’m bought in all the way to Florida. That’s all I care about, is what can I do to help this team win games this year?

Obviously, I wish them the best of luck this season, but I’m worried about Florida winning football games.

What was it like coming to Florida knowing several of your former Georgia Tech teammates were coming too?

It was really good to see a bunch of my buddies come. I mean, Luke Harpring, Bailey Stockton, Aaron Philo, those are some of my best friends in the world.

And just kind of getting here the first couple of weeks in Gainesville, not knowing a bunch of people, but I had three guys I’ve spent the last two years with every day. It made the process a lot easier, for sure.

What can Buster Faulkner do with a player like Jadan Baugh?

Watching Jadan Baugh practice is — I mean, that dude can run the football, and he’s not going to get tackled by the first guy. And it’s going to be a lot of fun to block for him.

What has it been like getting to know Tramell Jones Jr. and building quarterback-center chemistry with him?

He’s a fantastic leader. I could tell that from Day 1 when I got here. He’s a guy that’s just a fierce competitor, really, really good leader.

It’s been good to see his growth. He’s very commanding when he’s in the backfield, and that’s something you need from a quarterback. And, I mean, it’s been good to see. He’s been really good.

How far has Tramell Jones Jr. come in his understanding of the offense compared to Aaron Philo?

Obviously, (Aaron) Philo had kind of a two-year head start on the offense on him. But, I mean, now it’s like I can’t tell the difference on who’s back there sometimes. I have no idea.

They both do a really, really good job. They’re both very commanding. They both know the whole offense, and they’re both doing really well.

How has Aaron Philo improved since coming to the SEC?

I think it’s helped him grow up a lot. He’s starting to step into that leadership role. Obviously, Haynes King was the guy last year, and Haynes was a really, really good leader, vocal leader.

And that’s something I’m starting to see from (Aaron) Philo now. I mean, he leads the group. Everybody respects him. And kind of like what I said about Tramell, they’re both fierce competitors. They both work their tail off and both do everything right.

What is it like going against Brendan Bett at nose tackle?

He’s a really, really good player. We were actually just talking about it in the locker room, like, iron sharpens iron. Going against a guy that good every single day just makes me better, and then him going against me makes him better.

So I’m really excited to see what he can do against other guys this fall. And he’s going to make a lot of plays.

How hungry is Bailey Stockton after dealing with injuries last season?

Bailey Stockton, that’s my guy. I love that dude. I mean, he just loves ball. He’s all about ball.

And I think he’s going to have a really, really good season. Like I said, I’m not that tied into the pass game, but I mean, I see him make plays every day. I think he’s going to put himself on the map.

As a shorter slot receiver, he doesn’t necessarily get all the media, all the attention. But, I mean, he’s phenomenal. He works really, really hard. He’s a great leader.

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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida C Harrison Moore talks replacing Jake Slaughter, OL growth

Reporting by David Rosenberg, Gators Wire / Gators Wire

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By David Rosenberg, Gators Wire | USA TODAY Network