A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning:

Billy Napier’s third spring practice kicks off at the University of Florida this afternoon. The Gators will have 80 scholarship players taking part in spring drills, 38 on offense, 42 on defense and three on special teams.

Here are the scholarship players with their latest listed heights and weights.

Offense

Quarterbacks (3): Graham Mertz (6-2-3/4, 215, RSR); Clay Millen (6-2-3/4, 189, RJR); DJ Lagway (6-3, 241, FR)

Running backs (6): Montrell Johnson Jr. (5-11-1/4, 213, SR); Cameron Carroll (6-0, 227, RSR); Ja’Kobi Jackson (5-10-1/2, 218, RJR); Treyaun Webb (5-11, 215, SO); Kahnen Daniels (5-11-1/2, 196, FR); Jaden Baugh (6-0-3/4, 237, FR)

Wide receivers (9): Chimere Dike (6-0-1/4, 195, SR); Ja’Quavion Fraziars (6-3-1/2, 218, SR); Marcus Burke (6-3-3/4, 193, RJR); Kahliel Jackson (6-3, 215, RJR); Tre Wilson (5-10, 181, SO); Andy Jean (6-1, 191, RFR); Aidan Mizell (6-1-1/2, 182, RFR); Tank Hawkins (5-9-1/2, 170, FR); TJ Abrams (5-10, 197, FR)

Tight ends (5): Keon Zipperer (6-1-1/4, 246, RSR); Arlis Boardingham (6-3, 238, RSO); Hayden Hansen (6-6-1/4, 2672, RSO); Tony Livingston (6-4-3/4, 253, SO); Gavin Hill (6-3, 253, RFR)

O-linemen (15):  Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson (6-7, 315, RSR); Austin Barber (6-6, 316, RJR); Jake Slaughter (6-4-1/2, 297, RJR); Damieon George (6-6, 362, RJR); Kamryn Waites (6-8, 350, RJR); Riley Simonds (6-3, 308, RSR); Devon Manuel (6-7, 319, RJR); Christian Williams (6-4-1/4, 304, RSO); Knijeah Harris (6-3, 323, SO); Roderick Kearney (6-4, 302, RFR); Bryce Lovett (6-5, 325, RFR); Caden Jones (6-7-1/2, 336, RFR); Fletcher Westphal (6-8, 325, FR); Mike Williams (6-5-3/4, 313, FR); Noel Portnjagin (6-5, 322, FR)

Defense

D-linemen (7): Joey Slackman (6-3-1/2, 304, GR); CamRon Jackson (6-6, 374, SR); Desmond Watson (6-5, 464, SR); Caleb Banks (6-5-3/4, 325, RSO); Jamari Lyons (6-3-1/2, 298, RSO); Michai Boireau (6-4-3/4, 382, FR); D’Antre Robinson (6-3, 302, FR)

EDGE (10): Justus Boone (6-4, 265, RJR); Brien Taylor (6-6, 270, JR); Tyreak Sapp (6-3, 275, RJR); Kelby Collins (6-3-3/4, 275, SO); Kamran James (6-5-1/2, 274, SO); George Gumbs (6-4, 246, RJR); TJ Searcy (6-5, 254, SO); Jack Pyburn (6-3, 261, JR); Quincy Ivory (6-3-1/3, 252, JR); LJ McCray (6-6, 260, FR)

Inside linebackers  (9): Derek Wingo (6-1, 235, SR); RJ Moten (6-0, 230, SR); Shemar James (6-1, 230, JR); Mannie Nunnery (6-1/4, 227, RSR); Ja’Markis Weston (6-2-1/2, 234, RJR); Deuce Spurlock II (6-0-1/2, 232, RSO); Jalen Robinson (6-0-1/4, 233, SO); Grayson Howard (6-4, 235, SO); Myles Graham (6-0-3/4, 222, FR);  

Corners (8): Jason Marshall (6-0-1/2, 205, SR); Devin Moore (6-2-3/4, 197, JR); Ethan Pouncey (6-0-1/4, 169, RJR); Ja’Keem Jackson (6-0-1/4, 187, SO); Sharif Denson (5-11, 186, SO); Dijon Johnson (6-1, 197, SO); Teddy Foster (6-0-3/4, 178, FR); Jameer Grimsley (6-2-1/4, 187, FR)

Safeties (8): Asa Turner (6-3, 212, RSR); Trikweze Bridges (6-2-1/4, 199, SR); DJ Douglas (5-11-3/4, 212, SR); Bryce Thornton (5-10, 206, SO); Jordan Castell (6-2, 207, SO); Aaron Gates (6-0-1/2, 196, RFR); Josiah Davis (6-0-1/2, 196, FR); Gregory Smith (6-3-1/4, 209, FR)

Special teams

Placekicker (1): Trey Smack (6-1, 199, JR)

Punter (1): Jeremy Crawshaw (6-3-3/4, 205, JR)

Long snapper (1): Rocco Underwood (6-3, 228, RJR)

UF BASKETBALL: Not much chance for UF to get double bye

Tennessee (24-6, 14-3 SEC) clinched the SEC regular season championship Wednesday night with its win over South Carolina but the drama in the league is far from over. Five teams still have a shot at finishing second, third and fourth in the regular season which earns the double bye at the SEC Tournament. South Carolina, Alabama, Auburn and Kentucky are tied for second and Florida is just a game behind.

Alabama and Auburn have the easiest path to the double bye. Alabama is home against Arkansas Saturday and Auburn is home against Georgia. They should both finish 13-5 and get the extra day of rest in Nashville. Kentucky has the toughest path since the Wildcats have to play Tennessee in Knoxville. South Carolina has to play Mississippi State at The Hump in Starkville. Mississippi State has lost two in a row and is now on the NCAA bubble, so this figures to be one of the toughest games in the SEC on Saturday. Florida gets Vanderbilt in Nashville and while there is a mathematic chance to get the double bye, it might take a walls of Jericho tumbling down miracle for that to happen.

Wednesday’s scores: No. 4 Tennessee (24-6, 14-3 SEC) 66, No. 17 South Carolina (24-6, 12-5 SEC) 59; No. 15 Kentucky (22-8, 12-5 SEC) 93, Vanderbilt (8-22, 3-14 SEC) 77; Texas A&M (17-13, 8-9 SEC) 75, Mississippi State (19-11, 8-9 SEC) 69; Arkansas (15-15, 6-11 SEC) 94, LSU (16-14, 8-9 SEC) 83

Saturday’s games: FLORIDA (21-9, 11-6 SEC) at Vanderbilt (8-22, 3-14 SEC); No. 15 Kentucky (22-8, 12-5 SEC) at No. 4 Tennessee (24-6, 14-3 SEC); Georgia (16-14, 6-11 SEC) at No. 13 Auburn (23-7, 12-5 SEC); Arkansas (15-15, 6-11 SEC) at No. 16 Alabama (20-10, 12-5 SEC); No. 17 South Carolina (24-6, 12-5 SEC) at Mississippi State (19-11, 8-9 SEC); Texas A&M (17-13, 8-9 SEC) at Ole Miss (20-10, 7-10 SEC); Missouri (8-22, 0-17 SEC) at LSU (16-14, 8-9 SEC)

UF BASEBALL: Midweek woes, Gators fall to UCF, 9-6

The 4th-ranked Gators (8-4) gave up four runs in the top of the first and never recovered as they dropped a 9-6 decision to UCF at Condon Family Ballpark. The Knights lit up freshman Luke McNellie for four in the first and one in the second. McNellie was followed by three freshmen, none of whom could shut the Knights down.

Jac Caglianone, who hit his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the first, also had a run-scoring single in the third. Brody Donay hit his second homer of the season in the seventh and Colby Shelton hit a 2-run homer for his sixth in the eighth.

The Gators host Saint Mary’s of the West Coast Conference for a weekend series beginning Friday.

UF WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Gators move to 2nd round of SEC Tournament

The Gators built a 20-point lead in the third quarter, then held on as Missouri staged a furious rally Wednesday afternoon at the SEC Tournament in Greenville, South Carolina. Missouri was able to close to 60-57 with 4:00 remaining, but the Gators outscored the Tigers, 9-3, the rest of the way for a 66-60 win.

Leilani Correa scored 15 points to lead four Gators in double figures. Aliyah Matharu scored 14, Alberte Rimdal 12 and Jeriah Warren 10. It was the 25th time this season Correa has scored in double figures.

The Gators (15-14) move on to the second round where they will face Vanderbilt (22-8) at 8:30 p.m. tonight (SEC Network).

UF WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD: Parker Valby wins SEC honors

Parker Valby, the NCAA women’s cross country champion, was honored as the SEC Co-Indoor Runner of the Year on Thursday. At the SEC Indoor Championships, Valby ran the anchor leg for Florida’s champion distance medley relay team, then one day later won the 3000 meters in SEC indoor record time for her second gold medal.

Valby and both the men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams will be participating in the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston this weekend. The Florida men go into the meet ranked third nationally, while the UF women are ranked second.

UF LACROSSE: Gators hammer UC-Davis 21-7 for fourth straight win

The 11th-ranked Gators (4-2) won their fourth straight game Wednesday when they trounced UC-Davis, 21-7. This was Florida’s third consecutive game with 20 or more points, a program record.

Maggi Hall had one goal and eight assists, becoming the 12th player in UF history to reach 200 points for her career. Emily Heller scored four goals including the 100th of her career. She is the 18th Florida player with 100 or more goals. Liz Harrison had a career-best 19 draw controls.

The Gators will finish their west coast road trip Friday when they face San Diego State.

COUNTDOWN TO FIRING DAY, BASKETBALL EDITION

Extinct species list

Chris Holtman, Ohio State: The talk now seems to center around Dusty May, former Bobby Knight manager at Indiana, former Florida assistant under Mike White and current head coach at Florida Atlantic. Unsubstantiated but out there: LeBron James will have his kid transfer from Southern Cal to Ohio State if Dusty gets the job.    

Tony Stubblefield, DePaul: What’s making the rounds is Bobby Hurley resigning at Arizona State and taking the DePaul job. Makes sense. Downtown big city Catholic school. Bobby’s roots are St. Anthony in Jersey City.  

Lorenzo Romar, Pepperdine: Why no one can win consistently in the WCC at Pepperdine is a mystery. Have you ever seen the campus right across the street from the beach in Malibu?

Leonard Perry, Pacific: Bad facilities, bad location, bad pay. Bad, bad, bad, but someone will take the job.

On life support

Kenny Payne, Louisville: They’re being kind by waiting until the season ends before his gainful employment comes to an end.   

JuWan Howard, Michigan: Everybody speculates that he’s a goner, but AD Warde Manuel has made it clear no decisions about basketball will be made until the season ends. Mercifully, that will be sometime next week. The ideal replacement would be Nate Oats, the Alabama coach, who is a high school coaching legend in Detroit. Michigan doesn’t lack for money but would it write a check for $12 million to pay the buyout at Alabama?

Jerod Haase, Stanford: He can’t win in the Pac-12 which is far easier than the ACC. Stanford folks would crawl backwards through 10 miles of sewage if they thought they could land Todd Golden but he’s not leaving UF. Next choice is Kyle Smith, one of Todd’s mentors and now the head coach at Washington State.

Wayne Tinkle, Oregon State: If he keeps his job the only reason will be the uncertainty of Oregon State’s athletic future since the Pac-12 imploded.   

Jerry Stackhouse, Vanderbilt: The hot and juicy is he gets the axe right after Vandy’s first game in the SEC Tournament next week.

Mike Davis, Detroit Mercy: The Titans finished 1-31 and have posted losing records five of six seasons. People in Detroit wonder why he’s still employed.

Mike Boynton, Oklahoma State: The Cowboys are battling it out for last place in the Big 12 with West Virginia. Do they fire Boynton Saturday or wait until the Big 12 Tournament?

Endangered species list

Andy Enfield, Southern California: Southern Cal is next to last in the last year of the Pac-12.

Mike Woodson, Indiana: Jeff Goodman reported Wednesday night that he gets one more year.

Kyle Neptune, Villanova: The cardinal rule of coaching, don’t be the guy that follows the legend. Neptune made the mistake of following Jay Wright. It’s touch and go if he gets one more year.

Mike Hopkins, Washington: He’s 116-104 at Washington where folks think they should do better. There is zero in the way of tradition at a school that really doesn’t care about basketball, so can they actually do better?  

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: If you haven’t already, take the time to read Chris Low’s in-depth account of how Nick Saban concluded that the time was right for him to retire at Alabama. Whether you like or dislike Saban is irrelevant. What he has to say tells you how college football has gone off the rails a bit. If we don’t figure some things out to inject some common sense into this equation college football as we know it will surely cease to exist and what we will have is a minor league of the National Football League and the really good coaches will all flee to the NFL where at least there is structure and rules.

Here are two excerpts:

"I thought we could have a hell of a team next year, and then maybe 70 or 80 percent of the players you talk to, all they want to know is two things: What assurances do I have that I'm going to play because they're thinking about transferring, and how much are you going to pay me? Our program here was always built on how much value can we create for your future and your personal development, academic success in graduating and developing an NFL career on the field.

"So I'm saying to myself, 'Maybe this doesn't work anymore, that the goals and aspirations are just different and that it's all about how much money can I make as a college player?' I'm not saying that's bad. I'm not saying it's wrong, I'm just saying that's never been what we were all about, and it's not why we had success through the years."