Florida Gators Football: Strengthening Defense in Rebuild Effort

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:

Former Washington safety Asa Turner visited Florida and by all accounts, loved Gainesville, the University of Florida and the thought of playing for the Gators in 2024. He probably would have had the kind of season that would have him thinking the NFL Draft in 2023 but he was injured and played in only seven games. There is a connection with new UF secondary coach Will Harris, who was on Jimmy Lake’s Washington staff coaching the secondary in 2019. Washington led the country in pass defense that year, allowing only 142.9 yards per game and 5.4 yards per pass attempt.

Landing Turner, who has 148 career tackles and five interceptions in his career, would go a long way toward solidifying the back end of a defense that was prone to allowing chunk plays in 2023. The Gators gave up 64 pass plays of 30 or more yards including 35 that went for 40 or more.

It is all part of Billy Napier’s plan to focus year three of his Florida rebuild on the defensive side of the football. The Gators lost 10 defensive players to the portal. Six replacements have been found in the portal, plus eight 2023 defensive recruits are already enrolled including 5-star edge LJ McCray, the 4th-ranked player in the nation by 247Sports, and 4-star linebacker Myles Graham, the 9th-ranked linebacker in the nation.

The portal is still open thanks to coaching changes at Alabama, Washington and Arizona and if Jim Harbaugh decides to leave Michigan for an NFL job, the portal will extend 30 days to accommodate players who decide to find a new place to play. The February signing period is two weeks from Wednesday, plus there will be another portal period opening in May. Although there are now 85 players on the 2024 Florida roster, that situation is fluid. There is usually some attrition following spring practice, plus Napier continues to recruit the portal.

Here is what the defensive side of the Florida roster looks like as of Monday night:

D-linemen (13): Joey Slackman (6-4, 300, GR) transfer from Pennsylvania; CamRon Jackson (6-6, 360, SR); Desmond Watson (6-5, 435, SR); Jaelin Humphries (6-3, 325, RSR); Justus Boone (6-4, 265, RJR); Brien Taylor (6-6, 270, Houston, TX, JR); Caleb Banks (6-6, 320, RSO); Jamari Lyons (6-4, 305, RSO); Kamran James (6-6, 270, SO); Gavin Hill (6-3, 255, RFR); LJ McCray (6-6, 260, FR); Michai Boireau (6-5, 390, FR); D’Antre Robinson (6-4, 320, FR)

Linebackers/EDGE (15): Derek Wingo (6-1, 235, SR); Shemar James (6-1, 230, JR); Mannie Nunnery (6-1, 225, RSR); Ja’Markis Weston (6-3, 230, RJR);  Tyreak Sapp (6-3, 275, RJR); Jack Pyburn (6-3, 250, JR); Quincy Ivory (6-3, 260, JR); George Gumbs (6-4, 242, JR) transfer from Northern Illinois; TJ Searcy (6-5, 245, SO); Kelby Collins (6-4, 270, SO); Deuce Spurlock II (6-0, 225, RSO); Jalen Robinson (6-0, 230, SO); Grayson Howard (6-4, 241, SO) transfer from South Carolina; Myles Graham (6-1, 212, FR); Aaron Chiles (6-3, 220, FR)

Corners (8): Jason Marshall (6-1, 200, SR); Devin Moore (6-3, 200, JR); Ethan Pouncey (6-1, 170, RJR); Ja’Keem Jackson (6-1, 185, SO); Sharif Denson (5-11, 180, SO); Dijon Johnson (6-1, 200, SO); Teddy Foster (6-2, 170, FR); Jameer Grimsley (6-2, 185, FR) transfer from Alabama

Safeties (8): RJ Moten (6-0, 220, SR); Trikweze Bridges (6-3, 198, SR) transfer from Oregon; DJ Douglas (6-0, 205, SR) transfer from Tulane; Bryce Thornton (5-10, 205, SO); Jordan Castell (6-2, 220, SO); Aaron Gates (6-0, 200, RFR); Josiah Davis (6-1, 185, FR); Gregory Smith (6-4, 200, FR)

UF BASKETBALL: Gators need to go 2-0 at home this week

Think of what the Gators did Saturday night in beating Missouri in Columbia as stealing one on the road. That’s the way life is this year in the Southeastern Conference. It’s an 18-game conference schedule, nine homers and nine roadies. The conference is so strong that 9-9 or better is going to get you in the NCAA Tournament. Lose one at home and you have to compensate with a win on the road just to have a shot at breaking even in league play.

With one home loss already (to Kentucky, 87-85) and two road losses (to Ole Miss and Tennessee) the Gators can’t afford to lose another home game. That makes home games Wednesday (Mississippi State) and Saturday (Georgia) critical, particularly when the next three games are factored in – at No. 6 Kentucky, at Texas A&M and home against No. 8 Auburn. It is imperative that the Gators head up to Rupp next week sitting 4-3 in SEC play. Mississippi State would be a Quad 1 win per the NCAA Net Rankings and Georgia is Quad 2. Win them both and the Gators should move up at least four or five spots from their current No. 45 NCAA Net Ranking.

Statistically speaking: The Gators are third in the SEC in scoring (84.83 points per game), first in the league (and nation) in rebounding (44.67 per game), second in offensive rebounds (16.33) and second in rebounding margin (+10.17) … With 70 assists and only 17 turnovers, point guard Zyon Pullin has a 4.12-1 assist to turnover margin, best in the SEC. Pullin is second in assists per game …  The Gators have three of the top 10 rebounds in the SEC in No. 2 Tyrese Samuel (8.28), No. 3 Micah Handlogten (7.69) and No. 9 Alex Condon (7.06).

SEC basketball

Alabama (12-6, 4-1 SEC): It’s live by the three, die by the three with the Crimson Tide. When they beat Mizzou last week they hit 13-27 from distance. In their blowout loss to Tennessee, the Tide was 4-21 from the 3-point line.

Arkansas (10-8, 1-4 SEC): What’s wrong with the Hogs? Nothing that a point guard and some defense (allowing 77.56 per game) couldn’t solve.

No. 8 Auburn (16-2, 5-0 SEC): The Tigers are No. 3 in the SEC in shooting (47.3 percent) and No. 2 in shooting defense (opponents hitting just 37.8 percent).

Georgia (13-5, 3-2 SEC): Mike White improved Georgia from 6-26 to 16-16 in his first year in Athens. He has the Bulldogs at 13 wins this season and with 13 SEC games remaining, they are a legitimate threat to make the NCAA Tournament.

No. 6 Kentucky (14-3, 4-1 SEC): Now that the NCAA has finally declared 7-2 Croatian Zvonomir Ivisic eligible, the Wildcats are a legitimate Final Four contender. Ivisic can defend in the paint, shoot the 3-ball and showed with a brilliant behind the back pass from the paint to the corner to wide open Antonio Reeves that he has court vision and can deliver the rock.

LSU (11-7, 3-2 SEC): Vanderbilt transfer Jordan Wright leads the Tigers at 15.8 points per game, an improvement from the 10.6 he averaged last year at Vandy. He’s averaging 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists as well.

Mississippi State (15-3, 2-3 SEC): The Bulldogs are the best in the SEC at defending the 3-point line, allowing opponents to shoot just 27.6 percent.

Missouri (8-10, 0-5 SEC): Missouri’s issues have plenty do with their inability to rebound the basketball. The Tigers have a -5 per game deficit.

Ole Miss (15-3, 2-3 SEC): The Rebels at home and on the road are two different teams. They’re 11-0 at The Pavilion, 0-3 in SEC road games including 0-2 last week.

South Carolina (15-3, 3-2 SEC): Former Ohio State guard Meechie Johnson has been the key to the resurgence at South Carolina. He’s improved his scoring by four points per game (to 16.7), shooting by 7.2 percent (to 43.3) and he’s getting to the foul line more often where he’s shooting 81.7 percent.

No. 6 Tennessee (14-4, 4-1 SEC): Colorado State transfer Dalton Knecht was SEC Player of the Week with 64 points in the wins over Florida and Alabama. He’s had five straight games with at least 25 points.

Texas A&M (11-7, 2-3 SEC): With the Aggies, the offense is basically Wade Taylor and Tyrece Radford shoot and everybody else crashes the boards. The Aggies lead the SEC in offensive rebounding at 18.89 per game. Andersson Garcia leads the SEC in rebounding at

Vanderbilt (5-13, 0-5 SEC): The Commodores have lost all five SEC games and nine of their last 10 overall. They rank last in the SEC in scoring and next to last in both shooting and 3-point shooting.

Tonight’s games: No. 6 Kentucky (14-3, 4-1 SEC) at South Carolina (15-3, 3-2 SEC); Missouri (8-10, 0-5 SEC) at Texas A&M (11-7 2-3 SEC)

Wednesday’s games: Mississippi State (15-3, 2-3 SEC) at FLORIDA (12-6, 2-3 SEC); No. 8 Auburn (16-2, 5-0 SEC) at Alabama (12-6, 4-1); Arkansas (10-8, 1-4 SEC) at Ole Miss (15-3, 2-3 SEC); LSU (11-7, 3-2 SEC) at Georgia (13-5, 3-2 SEC)

Associated Press top 25: 1. UConn 17-2; 2. Purdue 17-2; 3. North Carolina 15-3; 4. Houston 16-2; 5. Tennessee 14-4; 6. Kentucky 14-3; 7. Kansas 15-3; 8. Auburn 16-2; 9. Arizona 14-4; 10. Illinois 14-4; 11. Oklahoma 15-3; 12. Duke 13-4; 13. Wisconsin 14-4; 14. Marquette 13-5; 15. Baylor 14-4; 16. Dayton 15-2; 17. Creighton 14-5; 18. Utah State 17-2; 19. Memphis 15-4; 20. Texas Tech 15-3; 21. BYU 14-4; 22. Florida Atlantic 15-4; 23. Iowa State 14-4; 24. Colorado State 15-3; 25. New Mexico 16-3

Coaches top 25: 1. UConn 17-2; 2. Purdue 17-2; 3. North Carolina 15-3; 4. Houston 16-2; 5. Tennessee 14-4; 6. (Tie) Kentucky 14-3 and Auburn 16-2; 8. Kansas 15-3; 9. Arizona 14-4; 10. Wisconsin 14-4; 11. Illinois 14-4; 12. Duke 13-4; 13. Oklahoma 15-3; 14. Baylor 14-4; 15. Marquette 13-5; 16. Creighton 14-5; 17. Dayton 15-2; 18. Iowa State 14-4; 19. BYU 14-4; 20. Utah State 17-2; 21. Texas Tech 15-3; 22. Memphis 15-4; 23. Colorado State 15-3; 24. Florida Atlantic 15-4; 25. New Mexico 16-3

UF TRACK AND FIELD: Women No. 3; men No. 6 in indoor top 25

Women’s USTFCCCA top 25: 1. Illinois; 2. Arkansas; 3. FLORIDA; 4. Southern California; 5. Texas A&M; 6. Tennessee; 7. BYU; 8. Oregon; 9. Texas Tech; 10. Iowa; 11. Texas; 12. Northern Arizona; 13. Oklahoma State; 14. LSU; 15. Alabama; 16. Baylor; 17. Ole Miss; 18. Kentucky; 19. Georgia; 20. Minnesota; 21. Ohio State; 22. Rutgers; 23. Washington; 24. Nebraska; 25. Colorado State

Men’s USTFCCCA top 25: 1. Texas Tech; 2. Texas; 3. Northern Arizona; 4. Southern California; 5. Kentucky; 6. FLORIDA; 7. Georgia; 8. Oklahoma State; 9. Kansas; 10. Illinois; 11. Oklahoma; 12. New Mexico; 13. Ole Miss; 14. Nebraska; 15. Kansas State; 16. Wisconsin; 17. Iowa; 18. Iowa State; 19. Alabama; 20. Auburn; 21. Stanford; 22. Louisville; 23. Miami; 24. Houston; 25. Notre Dame

UF GYMNASTICS: Gators No. 8

Top 25: 1. Oklahoma; 2. California; 3. LSU; 4. Arkansas; 5. Utah; 6. Alabama; 7. Kentucky; 8. FLORIDA; 9. Missouri; 10. Michigan; 11. Ohio State; 12. Denver; 13. Auburn; 14. Michigan State; 15. UCLA; 16. Oregon State; 17. Minnesota; 18. Georgia; 19. Arizona; 20. Iowa; 21. Maryland; 22. (Tie) Nebraska and Iowa State; 24. Clemson; 25. Illinois

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: If you’re thinking the NCAA is picking on the Florida Gators with their investigation of the Jaden Rashada-UF divorce that had everything to do with a $13.8 million NIL promise made and unkept, then think again. Matt Hayes, the very well connected college football writer who plies his trade these days at Saturday Down South, wrote Monday, “In the past 2 weeks we’ve learned that Florida State has been placed on 2 years’ probation for NIL recruiting violations and Florida is being investigated for the same. These are just the two that have become public knowledge. There are many other schools, multiple industry sources have told Saturday Down South, also being investigated by the NCAA and awaiting their fate.”  

Multiple investigations? Sounds like an attempted power grab by the NCAA, whose vague NIL guidelines could probably produce at least one violation by every single school that recruits or accepts a player from the portal.

Over the weekend, Kentucky freshman basketball player Zvonomir Ivisic was finally declared eligible, this by an NCAA that had no problems granting eligbility to Kentucky 5th-year power forward Tre Mitchell, whose basketball journey has included stops at UMass, Texas and West Virginia.

It does sound like a broken record but here goes again: College presidents are supposed to represent the best and the brightest, so when will the presidents who represent Division I figure out that it’s time to secede from the NCAA while there is still time to save college sports? If they can’t figure this out, then maybe it’s true that the college presidents aren’t really the brightest among us, just they spent more time going to school.