Kickoff Inside

INSIDE ◗ At Florida, defensive tackle Dominique Easley has made a name for himself as much for his play as for his on-field dancing. But his story is deeper than it appears. pg. 2 ◗ Saturday’s game against Alabama will be decided on the KICKOFF ground. To win, Florida must rush effectively. pg. 19 KICKOFF Editor Tom Green . Assistant Editor Matt Watts . Cover Illustration Dana Burke and Matt Watts Alligator . Friday, September 30, 2011 LikeNobody’s DanceWatching Often misunderstood, Easley refuses to hide personality ere is the doll. The “Chucky” provides music. that shows why Dominique scared “I was shocked,” said Kelvin Din- doll. The doll that has become Perhaps because it’s easy, or per- unfamiliar parents. kins, Easley’s former Little League Dominique Easley’s famous haps because they simply don’t care, They thought he was a ringer, coach who remains close with the fam- Haccessory. The doll with the murder- outsiders — fans, the media, whoever some older kid masking his real age ily. “I think his mother was shocked. … ous streak. The doll that exemplifi es — tend to accept the dancing as com- so he could dominate the 8-year-olds. I want to say he got caught up with all the scariness of Florida’s 282-pound edy for comedy’s sake, not realizing it He was a third baseman, a catcher, a the hype at the All-American Game, defensive tackle. is at once funny and necessary. Danc- power hitter. He was also 4-foot-11 seeing all those other kids choose Or not. ing, Carine says, is how Dominique and 130 pounds — about eight inches Florida.” “‘Chucky,’ to him, it’s not a horror focuses. taller and 70 pounds heavier than the As soon as he stepped on campus movie; it’s a comedy,” said Juan Eas- “If you take that away from him, average boy his age. last summer, Dominique wanted to ley, Dominique’s uncle. “He laughs at I’m not sure who you’re getting,” said “He was not bigger,” David said. leave. He was about 1,000 miles from the movie. It’s funny to him. … Other his father, David Easley. “It would “He was much bigger.” home, and he soon butted heads with people would turn their head when send him into a depression, as far as Suspicious parents or not, at least the coaching staff. Brett Le Blanc / Alligator Staff Chucky was slicing people up. Domi- I’m concerned. He was raised that Dominique was allowed to play base- In early August, reports surfaced Gators defensive tackle Dominique Easley is known for being a jokester in nique would laugh at it.” way.” ball. He couldn’t say the same about that Dominique had skipped at least the locker room, helping keep teammates light before kickoff. Humor comes easy to Dominique, Like the dance moves, Dominique football, which was his true passion one practice. Rumors that he wanted David returned to the United States He wants to show them to Domin- his friends and family will tell you, can be misunderstood by those who even as a child. Youth football had to transfer soon followed. When Flor- in 2005, but he served a second tour ique’s children one day. and it has been on display from the don’t know him. weight limits, and even when he tried ida played Vanderbilt on Nov. 6, Do- two years later, this time in Afghani- beginning of the season. Waiting in the locker room before to play with his older brother, David minique was left off the travel roster. stan. hen Florida played UAB Watch the Gator Walk, where he games at Staten Island (N.Y.) Curtis Jr., Dominique was still too heavy. Urban Meyer said the freshman was “Even though we never talked one day before the tenth an- carries with him the doll, a birthday High, Dominique wouldn’t keep qui- He practiced with the Staten Island “not part of the team right now.” about it, I think it was a rough time for niversary of Sept. 11, players gift from his girlfriend. Watch on-fi eld et; he was too busy pulling pranks and Hurricanes each week, but on game “There wasn’t a whole lot of com- them,” David said. Wwith military ties ran out of the tunnel celebrations, when he will accidental- stealing stuff from his friends’ lockers. days he watched from the sidelines munication from the old coaching To raise his children, David relied holding American fl ags. ly knock over smaller teammates with Coach Pete Gambardella said it was with Carine, who served as a team staff,” Juan said. “The chemistry, it on his family, most notably his brother Before charging onto the fi eld, a chest bump or, as was the case two Dominique’s way of dealing with pre- mom. He played basketball and base- just wasn’t there. It wasn’t there from Juan, who became like a second fa- Dominique gripped his fl ag. His eye- weeks ago, clothesline Matt Elam after game pressure, of keeping everyone ball, but he kept talking football. the beginning.” ther to Dominique and David Jr. Juan brows were tilted down, his mouth an interception. light. Then, he would walk out on the Once he enrolled at Curtis, where Said Dinkins: “He really wanted would call or email David, letting him curled slightly — a sinister look you Watch him on the fi eld between fi eld. no weight limit could hold him back, out.” know when the boys were acting up. would see on a murderous doll, the snaps, or on the sidelines, or really “People might mistake Dominique Dominique quickly became one of Dominique’s family encouraged Juan tried to keep them focused on “front” his uncle swears Dominique anywhere you can fi nd him; Domin- for being this tough, grimy person the area’s elite players. He switched him to stay, and he actually caught an school and football, tried to keep them only wears on the fi eld. ique will probably be dancing. from the way he plays football,” said from linebacker to defensive tackle odd break when Meyer resigned in “out of the mix,” but he knew the bur- After running to the sidelines, Do- He picked up his moves (or lack Juan, his uncle. “You see these pictures his sophomore year, and he thrived December. Well aware of the problems den of having a father at war weighed minique began waving the fl ag. At thereof, depending on who you ask) with this angry face on. That’s com- because of his size and surprising in 2010, Will Muschamp called Domi- on them. fi rst, the process was ordinary, tradi- from his mother, Carine. She is of Hai- pletely different from how he is off the quickness, a product of his time on the nique into his offi ce when the coach “They really wanted (David) to be tional. Then, he started dancing. tian descent and, to hear Dominique’s fi eld. He may try to put up a front.” basketball court. fi rst arrived. here,” Juan said. “There were a lot of Here is Dominique Easley. father describe it, traditional fam- A former teammate calls him “Big Dominique originally committed Dominique had a fresh start. crazy things happening (in the war). Contact Tyler Jett at tjett@alligator. ily get-togethers often transform into Baby.” His Little League coach calls to Penn State. Then he decommit- It was nuts. I was worried myself. I org. dance parties. him “a big, sweet teddy bear.” His fa- ted. Then he leaned toward Oregon. ere is the scrapbook. The book didn’t talk about it because I didn’t Standing at the line of scrimmage ther calls him “Popeye,” a fi tting name Then he went to the Under Armour with pages of headlines and want to make them even more un- on Saturdays, waiting for the oppos- for the boy who had to grow into his All-American Game in January 2010. photos and articles. The book easy.” ing offense to break its huddle, Do- bulky arms and legs. Then he picked Florida. Hwith evidence that Staff Sgt. David As Dominique progressed on the minique will be swiveling his hips, He had not even taken an offi - Easley’s boy was making a name for fi eld, Juan kept David in touch. When tapping his feet, pumping his arms ere is the photo. The photo cial visit to Gainesville. The news himself, even as David collected clips OUT the Staten Island Advance mentioned CB Jeremy Brown (knee) — even in the rare moments when David Easley still has from surprised recruiting analysts. They while working in Iraq and Afghani- Dominique after a game, Juan told his neither the stadium PA nor the band about 11 years ago. The photo weren’t the only ones. stan. brother to look up the article online. H He fi rst shipped out to Iraq in Other family friends started mailing 2004, when Dominique was in middle him the actual newspaper clippings. UF defense vs. Alabama offense school. David served in the transpor- The scrapbook now sits in David’s tation fi eld, starting as a truck driver home in Goose Creek, S.C. Even now QUESTIONABLE S S before moving into a management that he’s in the United States, now LB C.J. Mosley (elbow) position in which he oversaw supplies De’Ante that he can watch games on TV or in Matt Elam and people being transported, among Saunders person — “a precious sight” — David PROBABLE other duties.

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