Thoughts of the Day: September 1, 2026

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning:

There is no shortage of talented bodies when Jon Sumrall and coordinator Brad White survey the back end of Florida’s 2026 defense. The numbers are sufficient. Experience? That’s a totally different animal. Among the projected starters in the defensive backfield is Ben Hanks III, a sophomore who played in three games a year ago. Hanks will play the corner opposite Cormani McClain, who started six games a year ago. Like Hanks, Cormani is a former 5-star recruit with enormous ball skills but only 11 starts stretched over three seasons. Behind them are Dijon Johnson, who is coming off an injury that ended his 2025 season, and J’Vari Flowers, a sophomore who had two starts as a true freshman last year.

There is more experience at safety where Bryce Thornton and Baylor transfer DJ Coleman are listed as the starters but neither have distinguished themselves as dynamic playmakers. Kentucky transfer Cam Dooley and sophomore Lagonza Hayward are the backups. At STAR, UCLA transfer Kanye Clark is listed as the starter with Baylor transfer Alfonzo Allen Jr. is the backup.

Talent is what these guys share in common, but their overall lack of experience causes concern as the Gators open the season against Florida Atlantic, which runs a high tempo offense that slings the ball all over the yard. A year ago FAU led the entire country in going for it on fourth down (41-62) and offensive snaps (80 per game) as well as pass attempts (582 in 12 games).

Sumrall knows what to expect since last year as Tulane’s head coach he earned a 35-24 win over the Owls that saw the Green Wave defense give up 472 total yards, 375 through the air where FAU threw 57 passes among its 87 snaps. From that team, the Owls return starting QB Caden Veltkamp (3,647 yards, 24 TDPs) and wide receivers Easton Messer (104 catches, 1,052 yards, 5 TDs) and Dominique Henry (40-575, 4 TDs).

“These guys, they were the fastest offense in college football last year,” Sumrall said. “They went for it on fourth down more than anybody in college football last year. I think game one, if I'm not mistaken, they went for it nine times in the first game against Maryland last year. Nine. Last year when we played them at Tulane – it was at our place – and you blinked and they're inside the red zone. Like, what happened? How'd they get here so fast? They're really good. So there's some familiarity that maybe helps. But I don't think you can simulate some of the things they do in practice no matter how hard you try. Their tempo is so fast. Whatever the fastest is, they're faster because they were No. 1 in the country.”

ELSEWHERE IN THE SEC

No. 13 Alabama (0-0): Freshman running back EJ Crowell, who was a 5-star recruit, could be available for the season opener if he gets approval from the training staff … William Sanders beat out Mal Waldrep for the starting job at left guard. Saturday’s game: vs. East Carolina (0-0)

Arkansas (0-0): Saturday’s game: In case you missed it, Ron Roberts, who was Billy Napier's defensive coordinator the last two seasons, is now the defensive coordinator for Arkansas. His 2024 Florida defense was ranked 15th in the SEC, his 2025 defense was 13th. Saturday's game: vs. North Alabama (1-0)

Auburn (0-0): Alex Golesh says the Tigers are “light years ahead” of his year one experience as the OC at Tennessee and his first year as head coach at South Florida … Auburn has sold a record 84,043 season tickets. Saturday’s game: vs. Baylor (0-0) in Atlanta

No. 3 Georgia (0-0): Defensive tackle Xzavier McCloud has left the team. McCloud says he’s done with football and officially retired from the game … Former UGa safety JaCorey Thomas, who spent time in a Carolina Panthers NFL mini-camp, plans to file a lawsuit that will enable him to play a fifth year and enter the transfer portal. Saturday’s game: vs. Tennessee State (0-1)

Kentucky (0-0): In a non-football transaction, Mark Mitchell, an All-SEC big man who had won a temporary restraining order to play a fifth year at Kentucky, did not sign with the Wildcats and instead is returning to Missouri. He still needs a TRO from the courts or else the NCAA granting him a waiver to play. Saturday’s game: vs. Youngstown State (1-0)

No. 11 LSU (0-0): Even though LSU has signed two players who were in NFL training camps, Lane Kiffin says the Tigers will abide by SEC rules Jack Pyburn was claimed off the NFL waiver wire by Kansas City Monday. Pyburn withdrew his 5-for-5 eligibility claim … Former LSU head coach and College Football Hall of Fame member Jerry Stovall died at the age of 85. Stovall was the 1962 Heisman Trophy runner-up. Saturday’s game: vs. Clemson (0-0)

Mississippi State (0-0): Jaden Rashada, the center piece of a lawsuit that in many ways defined the Billy Napier years at Florida, is a backup quarterback at Mississippi State, somehow with two more years of eligibility. Since signing with Florida in December of 2022, Rashada has done time on rosters at Arizona State, Georgia and Sacramento State. He’s 61-124 throwing the ball for 749 yards with five TDPs and four interceptions. Saturday’s game: vs. Louisiana Monroe (0-0)

No. 25 Missouri (0-0): Sounding off on all the eligibility lawsuits that have both football and basketball programs in Division I in chaotic disarray, football coach Eli Drinkwitz said, “This stuff is not good for any student-athlete – and it’s a direct reflection of our inability as leaders to come up with a plan,” Drinkwitz said. “The season has kicked off, and we do not know what the rules are for eligibility. That’s embarrassing, man.” Thursday’s game: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff (1-0)

No. 10 Oklahoma (0-0): Jake Maikkula is out for the season opener with UTEP. In his place as the starting center is sophomore Ryan Fodjie. Fodjie played more than 400 snaps last season, most of them split between tackle and guard. Friday’s game: vs. UTEP (0-0)

No. 9 Ole Miss (0-0): Louisville running back Isaac Brown, who has been battling through some lower leg issues, will be available for Sunday’s game with Ole Miss. Brown averaged 8.8 yards per carry a season ago. The Ole Miss rush defense a year ago finished 12^th in the SEC in yards allowed per game (149.07) and 13^th in yards per carry (4.15). Sunday’s game: vs. No. 24 Louisville (0-0)

South Carolina (0-0): Needing to rebound from last year’s disappointing 4-8 record, head coach Shane Beamer said, “I really like where we are right now, offensively, defensively, special teams, the progress we made, the way things have come together.” Saturday’s game: vs. Kent State (0-0)

No. 20 Tennessee (0-0): The Vols will wear a helmet sticker honoring Dolly Parton all season long … Among the upgrades at Neyland Stadium is a Champion’s Corner which will honor coaches General Bob Neyland, Doug Dickey and Phillip Fulmer.  Saturday’s game: vs. Furman (0-0)

No. 5 Texas (0-0): Steve Sarkisian weighed in on schools that are attempting to bring in players who were in NFL camps at the expense of players already on the roster Monday. Sarkisian said, "The fact that somebody out there is going to take a player off of an NFL roster and tell somebody who's been doing it for nine months to go kick rocks, that doesn't sit well with me. I think that's wrong. That, morally, is wrong." Saturday’s game: vs. Texas State (0-0)

No. 8 Texas A&M (0-0): Head coach Mike Elko responded Saturday to a question about eligibility issues that have not been resolved. Elko said, “It’s a statement about where we are from a governance standpoint that we are having conversations about what the rules are going to be regarding roster management on August 27 and we kick off… there’s games tonight, there’s games Saturday, and we’re not even really sure what the rules are around who can play on our teams this fall.” Saturday’s game: vs. Missouri State (0-0)

Vanderbilt (0-0): Temple transfer Khalil Poteat, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility by the courts, has signed with Vandy. The 6-5, 280-pound defensive end had 14 tackles and a sack last season. Saturday’s game: vs. Austin Peay (1-0)

CAGLIANONE’S SCORCHING HOT AUGUST

Former Gators Jac Caglianone offered a glimpse of things to come with a breakout month of August for the Kansas City Royals. The 23-year old who hit a school record 75 home runs in three seasons at UF, hit .411 for the month (39-95) with eight doubles, six homers and 26 RBI, raising his season total to .283 with 25 doubles, two triples, 23 home runs and 66 RBI.

Of his 23 home runs, all but three have traveled at least 400 feet. The Tampa Plant product hit home runs of 347, 368 and 393 feet. All the others ranged from 402 to 448 feet.

Also enjoying a hot August was former Gator Pete Alonso for the Baltimore Orioles. Alonso, who played high school ball at Tampa Jesuit, hit .333 for the month (35-105) with three doubles, nine homers and 22 RBI. Alonso ranks eighth in Major League Baseball with 32 home runs this season and is tied for sixth with 91 RBI. He is four home runs away from 300 for his career.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Leave it to Lane Kiffin to do a rather nifty impersonation of Eddie Haskell at the podium Monday for his weekly press conference at LSU. With a Thursday court date looming that will determine if LSU can add a pair of players who spent August in NFL traning camps, Lane did his best to act as if he’s simply an innocent bystander in this process, one who will gladly comply with the rules no matter the outcome of the hearing that pits LSU against both the Southeastern Conference and NCAA. “All we’re waiting for is clarity this week from the SEC, which can’t give clarity until Thursday’s ruling,” Kiffin said with a straight face, adding later that LSU will comply with the rules if the athletes aren’t allowed to play.

Maybe the folks in Louisiana who live, die, eat, breathe and sleep LSU football are buying this but it doesn’t sell in Sheboygan. Kiffin, through their agents, has been urging numerous players in NFL camps to consider a return to college football in the event they fail to make a roster. A Baton Rouge judge has ruled favorably for LSU, going so far as to issue an order that prevents the SEC from punishing any coach or school that signs a former pro.

So Thursday’s hearing has the feel of one of those wild west fast draw gunfights, in this case pitting Kiffin wearing the black hat and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey in the white hat of the good guys. No matter who wins the Thursday hearing, however, expect this scenario repeated as it works its way through the courts. Lane Kiffin may say he will comply with the rules, but he will also fight until the highest court in the land rules.

It is easy to point fingers at Lane Kiffin, who seems to find a way to the center of so many controversies, but the real culprit is the NCAA, which, in its infinite wisdom created these eligibility problems with inconsistent rulings and selective enforcement. The NCAA needs desperately to win this case but right now it is a tossup at best. Had the NCAA shown any reasonable sense of fairness in its rulings over the years it wouldn’t be squandering millions of dollars in billable hours to law firms scattered across the country fighting the Lane Kiffins of the world.