Editor’s note: With Florida’s spring practice now in the rearview mirror, we’ll clean out the notebook this week and touch on a few remaining topics.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The numbers from the spring game weren't eye-popping, but it's clear that Florida's new offense will make greater use of a deeper receiving corps.

A scheme that utilizes a lot of three- and four-receiver sets surely brings more opportunities, and that's good news for a couple of pass-catchers who were marginalized in recent years.

Juniors Valdez Showers and Latroy Pittman were given a chance at the slot position this spring, and as the offense was installed they became contributors.

"Valdez and Pitt have done a good job at that," offensive coordinator Kurt Roper said. "I think we’ve got good depth at that position from both those guys. They’ve done a good job."

Roper explained what he needs from the slot receiver.

"What you try to do is put a receiver in there that is going to be productive," he said. "I don't think I necessarily look at size. … I don't sit there and say, 'OK, here's the body type.'

"But at the same time the big body is easier to see. It’s just every year, who’s going to be productive in that position, knowing that we’re going to count on him to be physical, blocking at the point of attack on the nickel linebacker out there, and still elusive enough to catch bubbles and be good in space."

Pittman (6-foot, 210 pounds) and Showers (5-11, 190) have the size and athleticism to fit Roper's ideal slot receivers.

"It's not a big change for me," Pittman said. "I'm a big-bodied guy, so going across the middle or taking those big shots from a safety or a linebacker isn't much concern for me at all. I love that kind of physicality. That's my game."

They showed up in the spring game. Pittman had two catches for 31 yards, while Showers had one catch for 11 yards. Compared to last season it was plenty of evidence that the two are being utilized in the Gators' uptempo spread offense.

Showers, a former safety, has only played one season of offense in college football. He had 18 catches for 102 yards and a touchdown a year ago when he was more of a pass-catcher out of the backfield.

"Valdez transformed from a DB to a receiver," said senior Jabari Gorman, who used to play next to Showers at safety. "He's a dual threat. He can run the ball, he can catch it. He's got nice routes.

"I think he's happy over there. He looks comfortable over there. You've got a guy like that that can move and create different problems for other teams. He's a playmaker and we need that on our offense."

Pittman was relegated to blocking duty in first two seasons, catching just four passes in his career. He was an early enrollee two years ago, and he made waves as a spring standout. But his production never carried over to the fall.

The biggest adjustment Pittman said he's made has been in his own maturation.

"You come out of high school being that guy and it's just a real shell shock when you feel like you deserve something and you don't get it," he said. "In reality if you just sit back and relax and humble yourself, you realize that things will come when you deserve to get them."

Heading into his third year and playing in an offense that spreads the ball around, Pittman is believes his time is coming and he's ecstatic.

"Just coming in with the confidence that I have now, just knowing that the coaching staff is behind me, everything is going great," he said. "We have a bunch of guys making plays. It's just real. It's a whole different feel."