Todd Golden started the offseason strong with a key addition to the front court with the commitment of Chattanooga forward Sam Alexis.

A lot of new faces were seen Saturday, although there were a lot of new ones who saw Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for the first time. Familiar faces showed out, nonetheless, a combination of transfers and young freshman made their impact and showed a glimpse of what the future may hold.

Redshirt freshman big man Aleks Szymczyk (6-10, 250) put his name in the NCAA basketball transfer portal Friday afternoon, a move that probably surprised no one. Szymczyk, who was expected to be a contributor after gaining valuable playing time at the end of the season in 2023, broke his foot in the summer, had surgery and then wasn’t on the active roster until Florida’s NCAA Tournament game with Colorado. During his year away from the active court, Szymczyk saw Florida coach Todd Golden work a successful 4-man rotation of Tyrese Samuel, Micah Handlogten, Alex Condon and Thomas Haugh. After Handlogten went down with a broken leg in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game, Golden said that Szymczyk would be available to play against Colorado, but the German import was never called on. On the surface, the transfer is most likely a win-win situation for both Szymczyk and Golden. Szymczyk didn’t play much the first half of his freshman year at UF and then sat an entire season, so he’s way behind Handlogten, Condon and Haugh and will be behind in terms of experience to transfer bigs that Golden will be bringing in. A fresh start at a school that can afford him on-the-court minutes seems exactly what Szymczyk needs. Szymczyk’s transfer opens a roster spot for Golden who has three visitors – two transfers and one high school standout – on campus now with another transfer due in the first part of the week. On campus this weekend are Chattanooga big guy Sam Alexis (6-9, 240, SO), Florida Atlantic shooter Alijah Martin (6-2, 185, JR) and Lakeland Victory Christian point guard Lorenzo Cason (6-3, 190). Coming in first of the week will be Washington State big guy Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 245, FR). Alexis averaged 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocked shots per game for Chattanooga last season when he was named to the All-Defensive team in the Southern Conference. Martin, a three-year starter for Dusty May at Florida Atlantic, averaged 13.1 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. Cason, who had a 57-point game his junior year, was committed to Florida Atlantic until May took the vacant Michigan job. He averaged 24.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game as a senior. Chinyelu averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocked shots per game coming off the bench at Wazzoo. Chinyelu, a native of Nigeria, was recruited heavily by Golden coming out of NBA Academy Africa. With Szymczyk’s departure, the Gators have seven scholarship players, three big guys and four perimeter players, allowing Golden to go after six to fill the roster to the NCAA allowed 13 on scholarship. One spot will be filled by Isaiah Brown, signed out of Orlando Christian Prep. Because there isn’t an exact timetable for Handlogten’s recovery from a fractured leg, Golden will almost certainly bring in a minimum of two big guys with experience. It is expected that he will bring in some kind of hybrid small forward/wing guard in the 6-6 to 6-8 range. On the perimeter, it’s likely Golden brings in one pure point, a combo guard and a pure shooter. FLORIDA ROSTER AS OF APRIL 13, 2024 Big guys (3): Micah Handlogten (7-1, 230, SO); Alex Condon (6-11, 230, FR); Thomas Haugh (6-9, 215, FR) Guards/wings (4): Will Richard (6-4, 206, JR); Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, JR); Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 190, SO); Kaijus Klubickas (6-2, 170, FR) Signed: Isaiah Brown (6-5, 195, Orlando, FL Orlando Christian Prep) SEC schools and the basketball transfer portal The big news for the SEC in the transfer portal Friday was the departure of All-SEC center Jonas Aidoo from Tennessee as well as two Alabama guards – starter Rylan Griffen and reserve Davin Cosby. Auburn got a commitment from Furman point guard transfer JP Pegues. Aidoo, who was also named to the SEC all-defensive team, averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 blocked shots per game for the Vols, who reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament. Griffen started 33 games Alabama’s Final Four team, averaging 11.9 points and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 39.2 percent from the 3-point line. Pegues was down to Florida and Auburn before committing to Bruce Pearl and the Tigers. At Furman, Pegues averaged 18.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Alabama Outgoing (3): SF Kris Parker (6-8, 195, RFR); SG Rylan Griffen (6-5, 185, SO); SG Davin Cosby (6-5, 205, FR) Incoming (1): PG Houston Mallette (6-5, 180, JR) from Pepperdine Arkansas Outgoing (5): PG Keon Menifield (6-1, 150, SO); F Denijay Harris (6-7, 200, SR); WG Joseph Pinion (6-6, 195, SO) to Arkansas State; C Baye Fall (6-10, 200, FR); SG Tramon Mark (6-5, 180, JR) Auburn Outgoing (3): CG KD Johnson (6-0, 190, SR); PG Tre Donaldson (6-2, 190, SO); PG Aden Holloway (6-1, 178, FR) INCOMING (1): PG JP Pegues (6-1, 165, JR) from Furman FLORIDA Outgoing (2): SG Riley Kugel (6-5, 206, SO) to Kansas; PF Aleks Szymczyk (6-10, 250, RFR) Georgia Outgoing (5): SF Matthew-Alexander Moncrief (6-7, 220, SR); PG Justin Hill (6-0, 185, SR); C Jalen Deloach (6-9, 215, JR); SG Mari Jordan (6-8, 185, RFR); WF Jabri Abdur-Rahim (6-7, 214, SR) Kentucky Outgoing (3): SG Adou Thiero (6-6, 200, SO); SG Joey Hart (6-5, 203, FR); C Aaron Bradshaw (7-0, 220, FR) LSU Outgoing (2): SF Mwani Wilkerson (6-5, 205, SO); SG Carlos Stewart (6-1, 185, JR) Incoming (2): PG Cam Carter (6-3, 195, JR) from Kansas State; PG Jordan Sears (5-11, 175, JR) from UT-Martin Mississippi State Outgoing (5): PG Andrew Taylor (6-3, 190, SR); SG Trey Fort III (6-4, 195, JR); PF Jaquan Scott (6-8, 230, JR); SG Shakeel Moore (6-1, 180, SR); PF Keshawn Murphy (6-10, 245, SO) Incoming (1): PG Kanye Clary (5-11, 192, SO) from Penn State Missouri Outgoing (2): SG Curt Lewis (6-5, 215, JR); PF Jesus Carralero (6-8, 210, SR) Incoming (1): PF Jacob Crews (6-8, 210, JR) from UT-Martin Oklahoma Outgoing (4): CG Otega Oweh (6-5, 210, SO); PF John Hugley (6-9, 240, JR); PG Javian McCollum (6-1, 170, JR) to Georgia Tech; PG Milos Uzan (6-4, 183, SO) to Washington Ole Miss Outgoing (4): PF Rashaud Marshall (6-9, 220, FR) to Arkansas State; C Malique Ewin (6-10, 240); Jacob Gazzo (6-8, 215, FR); PF Cameron Barnes (6-9, 195, FR) South Carolina Outgoing (2): PG Meechie Johnson (6-2, 184, JR) to Ohio State; CG Ebrima Dibba (6-5, 214, SR) Tennessee Outgoing (4): SG Freddie Dilione (6-5, 185, FR); SG D.J. Jefferson (6-5, 2-7, FR); PF Tobe Awaka (6-8, 250, SO); C Jonas Aidoo (6-11, 230, JR) Texas Outgoing (2): SF Alex Anamekwe (6-6, 200, SO); PG Chris Johnson (6-5, 180, FR) Vanderbilt Outgoing (6): PG Paul Lewis (6-2, 170, SO); C Lee Dort (6-10, 245, SO) to California; SG Tyrin Lawrence (6-4, 200, SR); PF Colin Smith (6-8, 220); SG Jason Rivera-Torres (6-6, 180, FR); PF Carter Lang (6-9, 235, FR) Incoming (2): PF Jaylen Carey (6-8, 245, FR) from James Madison; SF Tyler Nickel (6-7, 200, SO) from Virginia Tech UF BASEBALL: Gators drop series opener to South Carolina, 10-3 Florida (17-16, 6-7 SEC) fell behind early and never recovered Friday night, dropping a 10-3 decision to South Carolina (24-10, 7-6 SEC) before a crowd of 7,869 at Condron Family Ballpark.  It was the fifth consecutive loss for the Gators, their fourth straight in Southeastern Conference play. The Gators and Gamecocks will play game two of their series this afternoon at 4 p.m. South Carolina touched Florida starter Brandon Neely for a home run in the first and two in the fifth, adding two more runs in the sixth when they increased their lead to 5-1. Florida countered in the bottom half of the inning with a 2-run homer to right field by Jac Caglianone, his 18th of the season. The home run was the 58th of Caglianone’s Florida career and moved him into sole possession of second place behind Matt LaPorta on Florida’s all-time home run list. The Gamecocks added five runs in the ninth to close the game out. When the Gators and Gamecocks square off this afternoon, Florida’s starter could be Pierce Coppola, who has undergone back surgery and shoulder surgery since making his Florida debut in the season opener in 2022. UF SOFTBALL: Missouri rallies late to take down UF, 6-3 Held hitless through the first five innings by Keagan Rothrock, Missouri (32-10, 6-7 SEC) put together a 4-run rally in the sixth and went on to take a 6-3 win over the 9th-ranked Gators (34-8, 9-4 SEC) in Columbia Saturday evening. Florida scored single runs in the first, second and third innings. Korbe Otis doubled in Skylar Wallace in the first, Ava Brown homered in the second and Reagan Walsh singled in Otis in the third but that was all the scoring the Gators would do. Missouri scored two in the second without a hit thanks in part to a walk and two hit batters. In the sixth, the Tigers scored three on a walk, a hit batter and three singles. Game two of the weekend series will be on SEC Network today (1:30 p.m.). UF MEN’S TENNIS: Gators fall to Arkansas, 4-3 The doubles point was the difference Friday evening as the 25th-ranked Gators (11-10, 5-6 SEC) dropped a 4-3 decision to Arkansas in Fayetteville. The Gators and Razorbacks split the singles with Arkansas winning numbers one through three and the Gators taking the final three singles matches. The Gators will be home to face South Carolina Sunday afternoon. UF WOMEN’S GOLF: Gators tied for ninth after first round at SEC Florida posted a first round 8-over par 288 Friday to finish in a 9th-place tie, 13 shots off the pace of South Carolina in the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championships at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. Marina Escobar shot a first round 2-under, 68 to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place in the individual competition, two shots off the lead. Maisie Filler was one of seven players who shot a 69. Escobar and Filler were the only Gators to break par.

As spring football games go, tomorrow’s Orange and Blue Game isn’t a whole lot different than dozens of others in years past. Billy Napier will try to give the fans at The Swamp a good show while hoping nobody gets hurt. He will also be praying for a large and rowdy turnout so that however many hundred recruits in attendance will leave Gainesville with a serious case of the warm and fuzzies about the Florida Gators. Let’s not fool ourselves here. We may see a few athletic plays that lead us to believe whoever made them can be difference makers in the fall, but this game has nothing to do with the players other than keeping them healthy. Napier and his coaching staff have spent the last month watching them perform on the practice field so they know everything they need to know. Besides that, how much can you really learn in one more practice – that’s what the spring game is after all – than you knew a few days ago? The football game is merely a magnet for fans and in turn a magnet that draws some of the top recruits from the state of Florida to The Swamp. The hope Napier has is that the fans will be enthused enough that it will spill over to the recruit benches in the south end zone of The Swamp. It is there that the importance of the Orange and Blue Game is on full display. If the game does its part by exciting fans there is a reasonably good possibility that some of the recruits will get excited, also. There was a time when spring football games were rather competitive. The spring game in 1969 didn’t draw a huge crowd, but the game offered those in attendance a sneak peek of what would happen when John Reaves and Carlos Alvarez hooked up in the fall. Just 17 years ago, Urban Meyer offered the incentive of the winning team eating steak and the losing team eating beanie-weenie and hot dogs. Maybe similar incentives are in place now, but it’s highly doubtful. It's a glorified scrimmage the fans will see complete with a running clock. Get the players on and off the field so that the real work of the weekend can begin, which is recruiting. Napier already knows who has and who hasn’t had a good spring, which, in turn, gives him a fairly good idea how many of the players who dress out Saturday will be back to practice in August. That also tells him what positions need a little help, help that can only be found this time of the year in the transfer portal, which will be open for business in a few days. Currently, the Florida roster is at or near the 85-scholarship limit. In a perfect world, Napier would feel perfectly content that he has all the players he needs to win games in the fall. Well, this isn’t a perfect world so there is going to be attrition. This is the not so nice aspect of the game that every head coach has to deal with, particularly now that players can enter the portal and transfer without the need to sit a year. Most players who have been struggling in the spring won't have to be told that they have the proverbial snowball’s chance of getting on the field in the fall so they’re already making preparations to find out where the grass is actually greener than it is in Gainesville. Others will have that conversation with the head coach in which they are told if they really are interested in playing college football they need to find a new place to play football. That also means telling parents their kid either isn’t good enough or simply doesn’t fit into the plans for the future. Meanwhile, Napier has an entire department devoted to the transfer portal. They will have their wish lists from the coaches so that the moment the portal flips the switch on the open for business sign, they will be searching for just the right player to fill a void on the roster. The portal is only going to be open for 15 days so they have to move in a hurry. Because it’s spring, it will be imperative to find kids who can pick up a system quickly and fit in without the need of a spring to learn the system. First and foremost, this is a recruiting weekend so once the game is over, Napier and his coaches will be busy dealing with the high school kids. For some of the recruits, the impression they get after the game will determine if they camp at UF in June. For others, they will decide to be a fading, disappearing blip on Florida’s recruiting radar. For everyone else, perhaps the best way to describe Saturday is a day of reckoning. For some walk-ons, this might be their one and only chance to play in The Swamp before a few thousand people. Some of them will decide they’ve lived enough of the dream for one lifetime and go back to being a civilian instead of a football player. For players who see a fall spent grinding away on the scout team, this might be their last chance to play in a football game at the University of Florida because the moment the portal opens, they’ll be outta here. For others, the taste they get of Florida football will be addictive and they’ll let Napier know he can hold their spot on the scout team for August. Once Monday arrives, Napier and the coaching staff will hold meetings behind closed doors to have honest conversations that include just how confident they are that they have 95 percent or more of the pieces in place to have a winning football season in the fall. That conversation will include which players factor in the plans for the 2024 season, which players are worth the time and effort to develop, and which players will be told thank you for your contributions but someone else is going to be taking over that locker and the zero gravity chair that comes with it in maybe just a month. What resembles a football game Saturday is essentially a façade. It’s a huge recruiting opportunity and a business weekend for the Florida coaches and players cleverly disguised as football. A real game would be much more fun, but don’t hold your breath thinking something like that will happen any time soon. It doesn’t mean you can’t have a fun day at BHG soaking up rays and getting your first look at DJ Lagway, the face of Florida football in the future, but understand what the weekend is really all about. One last thought. There will be writers from all sorts of publications who will view the spring game as a hint of things to come for Billy Napier. Far too many write that Napier’s seat is warm and toasty. If the offense dominates the Orange and Blue, they’ll write that the offense should be improved with Graham Mertz in his second year as the starting quarterback, but the defense sucks again and its inability to get stops will send Napier packing. If DJ Lagway looks the part of the stud recruit, they’ll be predicting just how many games into the 2024 season before he takes the reins from Mertz and rescues Napier. If the defense dominates, they’ll write that it’s past time for Billy Napier to quit calling the plays, that he’s doomed to fail until he brings in a stud of an offensive coordinator. Essentially, there isn’t much Napier can do that will satisfy his critics, of which there are many, but you might want to take this into consideration. Billy Napier isn’t going anywhere. His seat isn’t hot. Now if he has a bad season in 2024, then 2025 will be his mandate year, but the powers that be want Napier to be successful and they’re giving him the resources and time to make it happen. UF BASKETBALL: A big recruiting weekend for Todd Golden, too Three prospects from the portal and a high school de-commit from Florida Atlantic will be taking visits to Florida this weekend. Big man Sam Alexis (from Chattanooga) and scoring guard Alijah Martin (from FAU) will be on campus starting today along with high school point Lorenzo Cason. Monday, the Gators are expecting an official visit from Washington State big man Reuben Chinyelu. Some of UF targets in the portal Big guys Sam Alexis, Chattanooga (6-9, 240, SO): He’s an Apopka kid who has put on 50 pounds of muscle since his high school days. He averaged 10.9 points, 9.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game at Chattanooga last season while making the All-Defensive team in the Southern Conference. Nobody should be shocked if he commits to the Gators this weekend. Reuben Chinyelu, Washington State (6-11, 245, FR): The Gators pushed hard to get him last year, but he signed with Washington State and one of Golden’s mentors, Kyle Smith. Smith is off to Stanford and Chinyelu is in the portal. He needs to work on his offense, but he’s a deluxe rim protector. As a freshman at Wazzoo, he averaged 4.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Tremendous upside. He should be in Gainesville next week. Amari Williams, Drexel (6-10, 227, SR): He has a similar game to Tyrese Samuel offensively and might be a bit more of a rim protector on the defensive end. At Drexel last season he averaged 12.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game. He will take visits to other places prior to UF and has his toes dangling in the NBA Draft waters but is likely to play another year of college basketball. Oumar Ballo, Arizona (7-0, 260, SR): This would be a real coup for the Gators. Ballo averaged 12.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks while starting 36 games for an Arizona team that spent the year ranked in the top ten. His recruiting visits will be Kansas State, Louisville, Indiana, North Carolina and Florida. A portal one and done. Myles Foster, Illinois (6-7, 230, JR): There hasn’t been much news about Foster since he said Florida was one of the programs he had been in touch with. He’s a banger who averaged 12.4 points and 8.1 rebounds for an Illinois team that made it to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky (7-0, 226, FR): He decommitted Kentucky prior to John Calipari leaving which tells us one of two things: (1) Either he wanted a fresh start for a new coach or (2) he wasn’t going to put off what he needed to do now. Bradshaw has been in touch with the Gators. He has three years of eligibility remaining and his skill set says he would be a good fit. Guards/wings Koren Johnson, Washington (6-2, 175, SO): He had Florida in his top six teams but Joe Tipton of On3 says he is considering other schools. Averaged 11.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and  2.7 assists while shooting 37.3 percent on 3-pointers. Frankie Collins, Arizona State (6-1, 185, JR): He was on the Pac-12 all-defensive team in a season in which he averaged 13.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His wish list includes TCU, San Diego State, SMU, California and the Gators. Alijah Martin, Florida Atlantic (6-2, 185, JR): Per Jacob Rudner of the Florida 247 site, Martin will be in Gainesville today through Sunday. He scored 1,476 points in his career at FAU, averaging 13.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists last season. High school target Lorenzo Cason (6-3, 190, Lakeland, FL Victory Christian): He was committed to Florida Atlantic, but Dusty May left to become the head coach at Michigan, so Cason opened up his recruitment. As a senior, Cason averaged 24.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.4 assists per game. As a junior he had high scoring games of 57 and 45 points, averaging 27.6 points, 8.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. Cason is on campus this weekend.

Ahead of the anticipated spring game scheduled for Saturday at 1 p.m. in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Florida has unveiled its rosters for the upcoming intra-team matchup. Photos of the roster of the 2024 Florida Gator spring game. Both photos are via X @gatorsfb. The game is slated to be broadcast on ESPN+, with radio coverage available via the Gators Sports Network from Learfield. During the game, four quarters will be played, with a 15-minute halftime break. The clock will run continuously, except for the final four minutes of each half, where it will stop for penalties, changes of possession, and scoring plays. Each team will be supported by its own offensive, defensive, and special teams coaching staff, along with various support personnel such as strength and conditioning coaches, nutritionists, equipment managers, recruiting staff, operations personnel, video analysts, sports medicine specialists, and academic advisors. Key points to note: The Blue team will be led by returning starting quarterback Graham Mertz, while DJ Lagway will helm the Orange team. Clay Millen is listed on both rosters. It's anticipated that Lagway will start for the Orange team, although the depth chart for the spring has not been released, leaving uncertainty regarding the distribution of playing time between Lagway and Millen, the latter of whom joined Florida after a season at Colorado State. The Orange team comprises Florida's second-string offense paired with the first-team defense, while the Blue team consists of UF's first-team offense coupled with the second-team defense. Despite being limited or absent during spring practice, several players are included on the rosters. Their level of participation on Saturday remains uncertain. Notably, linebacker Myles Graham, who underwent a back procedure, is listed on the Blue team roster. Offensive tackle Austin Barber, recovering from a shoulder injury, is also on the Blue team roster, alongside EDGE players Justus Boone and linebacker Derek Wingo, as well as wide receiver Andy Jean. It's unclear if these players will be able to participate in the game. Additionally, players like Jordan Castell, Trikweze Bridges, Asa Turner, DJ Douglas, Bryce Thornton, and Gregory Smith III are divided between the two teams, with Castell and fellow safeties Bridges and Turner listed on the Orange team, while Douglas, Thornton, and Smith III are on the Blue team. The Blue team will feature first-team specialists including kicker Trey Smack, punter Jeremy Crawshaw, and long snapper Rocco Underwood. Players expected to participate for both teams include offensive lineman Mark Pitts, quarterback Clay Millen, linebacker Deuce Spurlock, EDGE Tyreik Norwood, and safety Josiah Davis.

A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning:

Florida Gator softball has shown its vast improvement over last season at the halfway mark of the year. Winning their series over rival No. 7 LSU in dramatic comeback fashion, coming from behind down 5-1 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Gators walked off the victory in the 8th, 6-5.

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning: If this were the days of the wild, wild west, then Will Harris would be the hired gun, paid to bring order to an out of control town. This is football, but the concept is the same for Florida’s first year secondary coach. Will Harris is here to restore order to a chaotic situation. Harris knew what he was getting into when he came to UF from the NFL Los Angeles Chargers. He saw the film, knew all about the blown coverages, missed tackles and the many explosive plays the secondary has given up the past two seasons. He knew what the numbers say: 35 touchdown passes allowed, just 12 interceptions. When it comes to fixing Florida’s problems on the back line of the defense, Harris doesn’t waste words. “I’ll paint a picture for you,” Harris said Tuesday after the Gators finished practicing. “You go and look at it, and let’s be real you guys saw the games, we just talked about it – we  got to fix the tackling, point blank, period. That’s the emphasis for me and the rest of our staff, just make sure we get that fixed, especially in the back end we talked about that a lot. “Then just protecting the deep part of the field. When I talk to my guys there’s two things I talk about, we got to protect Gator Nation. It’s your job, my job and everybody’s job. That’s how we protect it, is make sure we have a back stop. So those are the two most significant things I saw that needed to get fixed. And like I said, at the end of the day, it just comes back to the communication part of it. I feel like our communication once we get that back on track everything will be fine.” The Gators are 11-14 the last two seasons. Consecutive losing records aren’t solely the fault of the secondary, but too many whiffed tackles and too many opposing wide running free as banshees without a Gator anywhere close is disturbing. Harris played collegiately for Pete Carroll at Southern Cal and after several coaching whistlestops, fully arrived when his Washington secondary in 2021 led the nation, allowing just 142.3 passing yards per game. That unit hit hard, didn’t miss tackles and rarely allowed a receiver to get past the back line. The same principles that worked so well at Washington will work here at Florida where there is no shortage of talent. Despite finishing lower third of the SEC in pass defense the last two seasons, there was talent but mostly young and inexperienced. Most of the kids have a year of experience under their belts and they’re supplemented by three talented transfers at safety in Asa Turner (from Washington), Trikweze Bridges (from Oregon) and DJ Douglas (from Tulane). “A lot talent, that’s the biggest thing,” Harris said. “I was telling Coach (Billy) Napier, this might be one of the most talented groups I’ve had, just as far as height and length and speed. That’s what Napier always says, which is true. I feel like the guys that we have with the experience. If you just look at it, J (Jason) Marshall has 1,910 snaps, that’s a lot of snaps. And so you just look at the experience that he has, and obviously when you go down the line with Asa (Turner) and Trikweze (Bridges) and DJ (Douglas) with the experience they have, and then having the guys that played last year as far as young guys, Ja (Ja’keem Jackson), we talk about Bryce (Thornton) and Jordan (Castell), I’m saying I think just having those guys understand, hey, coming together and bringing all that with our experience.” Talent, more experience are nice starting blocks. Then there is the third and equally important element of communication. “I always say we build connections, that’s what it’s about,” Harris said. “It’s about connections and relationships. That’s when people run through walls for each other …  Like I said, once we’re all on the same page, we’re all good. If not, you all know what that turns into - and that’s a touchdown. So that’s kind of one of the biggest things that I’m bringing with these guys is understanding, hey, communication breeds understanding. We all have to be on the same page.” UF BASKETBALL: Great expectations for Gators next season The confetti in Glendale, Arizona was still falling on national champ UConn when the first early predictions for next season started coming out. A year ago, Todd Golden and the Florida Gators weren’t even a blip on the radar. Next season the Gators won’t be sneaking up on anyone as they’re in the early top 25s for ESPN, CBS Sports and The Athletic. ESPN: 1. Duke; 2. Gonzaga; 3. Kansas; 4. UConn; 5. Iowa State; 6. Purdue; 7. Houston; 8. Arizona; 9. Tennessee; 10. Baylor; 11. Marquette; 12. Alabama; 13. FLORIDA; 14. BYU; 15. North Carolina; 16. Saint Mary’s; 17. Miami; 18. Auburn; 19. UCLA; 20. Maryland; 21. Rutgers; 22. Dayton; 23. Kentucky; 24. Wisconsin; 25.  Cincinnati CBS Sports: 1. Houston; 2. North Carolina; 3. Iowa State; 4. Kansas; 5. Duke; 6. UConn; 7. Gonzaga; 8. Auburn; 9. Purdue; 10. Alabama; 11. Creighton; 12. Arizona; 13. BYU; 14. Saint Mary’s; 15. Texas A&M; 16. Tennessee; 17. Marquette; 18. Clemson; 19. Baylor; 20. Miami; 21. Wisconsin; 22. Seton Hall; 23. Rutgers; 24. Texas; 25. FLORIDA The Athletic: 1. Duke; 2. Gonzaga; 3. Houston; 4. Iowa State; 5. UConn; 6. Alabama; 7. Kansas; 8. Tennessee; 9. North Carolina; 10. Auburn; 11. Arizona; 12. Purdue; 13. BYU; 14. Marquette; 15. Baylor; 16. Rutgers; 17. Saint Mary’s; 18. Miami; 19. FLORIDA; 20. Maryland; 21. Texas; 22. Michigan State; 23. San Diego State; 24. Creighton; 25. Kentucky UF BASEBALL: FSU run-rules Gators, 19-4 Tuesday night in Tallahassee started well for the Gators (17-15). Cade Kurland led off with his eighth homer of the year and Jac Caglianone followed with his 18th. That was the high point of the night. Florida State came back with six in the bottom of the first and another five in the second. It was 17-3 after four innings and when the carnage was over, the Seminoles had a 7-inning, 19-4, run rule win that gave them a sweep of their annual series with the Gators. Florida returns to Southeastern Conference play Friday when South Carolina comes to Condron Family Ballpark for a 3-game weekend series. UF SOFTBALL: Gators move up in all four polls Following their dramatic series win over LSU, the Gators moved up in all four polls once again, ranking as high as No. 7 with D1Softball. The Gators, who won only 38 games all of last year, go for their 35th win tonight at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium when South Florida comes to town. D1Softball top 25: 1. Texas 31-6; 2. Oklahoma 35-3; 3. Stanford 31-6; 4. Oklahoma State 33-6; 5. Duke 33-3; 6. Tennessee 30-6; 7. FLORIDA 34-6; 8. LSU 31-6; 9. Georgia 31-8; 10. Washington 26-7; 11. Arkansas 28-10; 12. UCLA 22-9; 13. Texas A&M 31-8; 14. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 15. Mississippi State 28-10; 16. Missouri 30-10; 17. Alabama 29-10; 18. Florida State 28-10; 19. Clemson 27-11; 20. Texas State 32-9; 21. Boston University 29-4; 22. Northwestern 22-8; 23. Arizona 24-12-1; 24. Louisiana ; 25. Oregon 22-13 Softball America top 25: 1. Duke 33-3; 2. Oklahoma 35-3; 3. Oklahoma State 33-6; 4. Texas 31-6; 5. Tennessee 30-6; 6. Stanford 31-6; 7. LSU 31-6; 8. FLORIDA 34-6; 9. Georgia 31-8; 10. Texas A&M 31-8; 11. Mississippi State 28-10; 12. Washington 26-7; 13. Arkansas 28-10; 14. UCLA 22-9; 15. Alabama 29-8; 16. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 17. Louisiana 27-13; 18. Missouri 30-10; 19. Texas State 32-9; 20. Florida State 28-10; 21. Northwestern 22-8; 22. Penn State 28-8; 23. Kansas 25-12-1; 24. Virginia 26-11; 25. Clemson 27-11 USA Today/NFCA top 25: 1. Oklahoma 35-3; 2. Texas 31-6; 3. Duke 33-3; 4. Tennessee 30-6; 5. Oklahoma State 33-6; 6. LSU 31-6; 7. Georgia 31-8; 8. Stanford 31-6; 9. FLORIDA 34-6; 10. Washington 26-7; 11. Texas A&M 31-8; 12. (TIE) Alabama 29-8 and UCLA 22-9; 14. Missouri 30-10; 15. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 16. Mississippi State 28-10; 17. Arkansas 28-10; 18. Florida State 28-10; 19. Clemson 27-11; 20. California 29-11; 21. Arizona 24-12-1; 22. Oregon 22-13; 23. South Carolina 28-12; 24. Boston University 29-4; 25. Texas State 32-9 ESPN/USA Softball top 25:1. Texas 31-6; 2. Oklahoma 35-3; 3. Duke 33-3; 4. Tennessee 30-6; 5. Oklahoma State 33-6; 6. LSU 31-6; 7. Stanford 31-6; 8. Georgia 31-8; 9. FLORIDA 34-6; 10. Washington 26-7; 11. UCLA 22-9; 12. Texas A&M 31-8; 13 Alabama 29-8; 14. Arkansas 28-10; 15. Missouri 30-10; 16. Virginia Tech 28-9-1; 17. Mississippi State 28-10; 18. Florida State 18-10; 19. Clemson 27-11; 20. Oregon 22-13; 21. Louisiana 27-13; 22. Texas State 32-9; 23. California 19-11; 24. Baylor; 25. (TIE) Arizona 24-12-1 and South Carolina 28-12 UF TRACK AND FIELD: Gators No. 2 in men’s poll USTFCCA men’s top 25: 1. Texas A&M; 2. FLORIDA; 3. South Florida; 4. LSU; 5. Alabama; 6. Texas Tech; 7. Southern California; 8. Mississippi State; 9. Auburn; 10. Texas; 11. Georgia; 12. Virginia; 13. Arizona State; 14. Virginia Tech; 15. California; 16. Ole Miss; 17. Kentucky; 18. Washington; 19. BYU; 20. South Carolina; 21. Arizona; 22. Minnesota; 23. Kansas; 24. Penn State; 25. Montana State USTFCCA women’s top 25: 1. Texas A&M; 2. LSU; 3. South Carolina; 4. Nebraska; 5. Texas Tech; 6. Oregon; 7. Ole Miss; 8. Arkansas; 9. BYU; 10. Texas; 11. Georgia; 12. FLORIDA; 13. TCU; 14. Southern California; 15. Tennessee; 16. UCF; 17. UTEP; 18. UCLA; 19. Baylor; 20. California; 21. Duke; 22. Virginia; 23. Notre Dame; 24. Penn; 25. Houston UF LACROSSE: Gators move up to No. 9 IWLCA top 25: 1. Northwestern 11-2; 2. Syracuse 11-3; 3. Boston College 12-2; 4. Maryland 10-3; 5. Notre Dame 11-2; 6. Michigan 13-1; 7. Loyola 11-1; 8. Johns Hopkins 10-3; 9. FLORIDA 12-2; 10. Yale 10-1; 11. Virginia 11-3; 12. Penn 8-3; 13. Denver 9-3; 14. James Madison 10-3; 15. Stony Brook 10-2; 16. North Carolina 8-5; 17. Princeton 7-3; 18. Stanford 8-3; 19. Southern California 10-3; 20. Colorado 8-4; 21. Navy 10-3; 22. Harvard 8-2; 23. Fairfield 11-1; 24. Penn State 7-6; 25. Duke 9-6 UF WOMEN’S TENNIS: Gators remain No. 13 ITA women’s top 25: 1. Oklahoma State 23-0; 2. Michigan 19-3; 3. Stanford 16-2; 4. North Carolina 17-3; 5. Virginia 18-3; 6. Georgia 15-4; 7. Pepperdine 11-5; 8. Texas 17-4; 9. California 14-4; 10. Southern California 16-6; 11. Texas A&M 18-6; 12. North Carolina State 17-7; 13. FLORIDA 14-7; 14. Auburn 14-8; 15. UCLA 14-4; 16. Ohio State 13-6; 17. Tennessee 15-6; 18. South Carolina 16-5; 19. Miami 9-5; 20. Oklahoma 14-5; 21. Duke 13-7; 22. San Diego 12-5; 23. Florida State 14-6; 24. Georgia Tech 12-7; 25. Wisconsin 16-2 UF MEN’S TENNIS: Gators crack top 25 ITA men’s top 25: 1. Ohio State; 2. TCU; 3. Virginia; 4. Texas; 5. Kentucky; 6. Tennessee; 7. Wake Forest; 8. Arizona; 9. Oklahoma; 10. Columbia; 11. Texas A&M; 12. Mississippi State; 13. Harvard; 14. Duke; 15. San Diego; 16. North Carolina State; 17. Florida State; 18. Michigan State; 19. Stanford; 20. Arizona State; 21. South Carolina; 22. Alabama; 23. North Carolina; 24. Princeton; 25. FLORIDA 11-9 UF MEN’S GOLF: Gators win Calusa Cup The Gators won their sixth tournament of the season Tuesday, taking the Calusa Cup in Naples by six strokes over runner-up Purdue. Top ten finishes were posted by Jack Turner (-4) who took second and Matthew Kress (+1), who finished eighth. Team leaderboard: 1. FLORIDA -3; 2. Purdue +3; 3. Wake Forest +5; 4. Georgia Tech +19; 5. Georgia +20; 6. Miami (OH) +26; 7. Iowa (+28); 8. Nebraska (+48). ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: John Calipari’s exit from Kentucky is official now. He will make more than $8 million a year at Arkansas with incentives that will push the total well beyond $12 million. Additionally, more than $5 million of NIL money is being made available. Meanwhile, back at Kentucky. Billy Donovan has told Kentucky thanks for calling, but no. Danny Hurley said don’t even call. Nate Oats nipped any idea he would leave Alabama in the bud as well. Apparently, the lure of Kentucky has Baylor coach Scott Drew intrigued. Multiple sources say Drew and Kentucky are engaged in serious discussions. Drew has rebuilt Baylor from scorched earth into a national power. He won the 2021 NCAA title and probably would have won it the previous year except the season was cancelled because of COVID. Whether it’s Scott Drew or anyone else, the new UK coach will have to understand one thing clearly: Until you’ve won four national championships at Kentucky, you’re just another coach.

Florida scores season high 198.325 to advance to the NCAA Finals in Fort Worth on April 18.

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning: Walter Clayton Jr. declared for the NBA Draft Monday which sent immediate waves of panic through the Gator Nation. No need. At least not yet. Clayton, who averaged 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, tweeted that he holds the option to return to college basketball and if he does that, it will be back to UF. Clayton has until June 12 to make his mind. This is not unusual. By declaring for the draft, Clayton can go to combines and work out individually for NBA teams. The feedback he receives will allow him to determine if he wants to stay in the draft or return for his final season of college basketball. The NBA Draft is two rounds in which 60 players are taken. Clayton neither listed among the top 100 prospects by ESPN nor the top 60 by Sporting News. If Clayton isn’t drafted he could sign a G-League contract where average salaries run about $42,000. Clayton allegedly makes much more than that from NIL money at Florida, so unless he gets assurances that he will be taken in the first two rounds of the NBA Draft, figure he will be back at Florida. UF SOFTBALL: Gators win in 8, take series from LSU There is no way to script what happened to the Florida Gators in eight innings Monday night at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. With the score tied at 5-5 and runners on second and third with two outs, Skylar Wallace swung and missed at strike three in the dirt. Wallace took off running but LSU catcher Maci Bergeron overthrew first base allowing Brooke Barnard to score for a 6-5 Florida (34-6, 9-3 SEC) win. Florida trailed the Tigers (21-6, 9-6 SEC) 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth but the Gators loaded the bases and pushed across a run when Ava Brown’s grounder to second was mishandled on a throw home. Two outs later, Kendra Falby tripled to left center to clear the bases and tie the score at 5-5. It was Falby who doubled with two down in the bottom of the eighth to send Barnard to third. By winning the series, the Gators remained one game behind SEC leader Tennessee. The Gators will be home Wednesday night against South Florida and return to SEC action at Missouri on Friday. SEC standings: 1. Tennessee (29-6, 10-2 SEC); 2. FLORIDA (34-6, 9-3 SEC); 3. Texas A&M (31-8, 10-5 SEC); 4. LSU (31-6, 9-6 SEC); 5. (TIE) Georgia (31-8, 7-5 SEC) and Arkansas (28-10, 7-5 SEC); 7. Mississippi State (28-10, 8-7 SEC); 8. Alabama (29-8, 6-6 SEC); 9. Missouri (30-10, 5-7 SEC); 10. South Carolina (27-12-1, 4-8 SEC); 11. (TIE) Kentucky (24-14, 3-9 SEC) and Auburn (20-12-1, 3-9 SEC); 13. Ole Miss (20-18-1, 3-12 SEC) UF BASEBALL: Gators try to end 3-game skid at FSU Fresh off a rather shocking 3-game sweep at the hands of Missouri over the weekend, the Gators will try to break two losing skids tonight (7 p.m., ESPN) in Tallahassee. First there is the 3-game losing streak at the hands of Missouri and second there is the matter of a 2-game losing streak to Florida State. The Gators (17-14) will be trying to avoid being swept by the 10th-ranked Seminoles (26-5). Despite losing three one-run games to Missouri, which came into the series with only one SEC win, the Gators remained ranked in two of the three major polls. Florida dropped won to No. 18 in the USA Today/Coaches top 25 and to No. 24 in the D1Baseball poll. USA Today/Coaches top 25: 1. Arkansas 27-3; 2. Clemson 28-3; 3. Texas A&M 28-4; 4. Tennessee 26-6; 5. Oregon State 26-4; 6. Vanderbilt 25-7; 7. Duke 24-8; 8. Kentucky 27-4; 9. Florida State 26-5; 10. Virginia 25-7; 11. East Carolina 23-7; 12. North Carolina 26-6; 13. Dallas Baptist 25-6; 14. UC-Irvine 24-4; 15. Wake Forest 21-10; 16. Virginia Tech 21-8; 17. Alabama 22-10; 18. FLORIDA 17-14; 19. UCF 21-8; 20. Coastal Carolina 22-9; 21. Nebraska 22-7; 22. Oregon 22-8; 23. Mississippi State 21-12; 24. Louisiana 24-8; 25. Oklahoma State 21-11 D1Baseball top 25: 1. Arkansas 27-3; 2. Clemson 28-3; 3. Texas A&M 28-4; 4. Tennessee 26-6; 5. Oregon State 26-4; 6. Vanderbilt 25-7; 7. Duke 24-8; 8. Kentucky 27-4; 9. East Carolina 23-7; 10. Florida State 26-5; 11. Virginia 25-7; 12. UC-Irvine 24-4; 13. North Carolina 26-6; 14. Wake Forest 21-10; 15. Dallas Baptist 25-6; 16. Virginia Tech 21-8; 17. UCF 21-8; 18. Oregon 22-8; 19. Louisiana 24-8; 20. Coastal Carolina 22-9; 21. Oklahoma State 21-11; 22. Mississippi State 21-12; 23. Nebraska 21-7; 24. FLORIDA 17-14; 25. Alabama 22-10 Baseball America top 25: 1. Arkansas 27-3; 2. Clemson 28-3; 3. Texas A&M 28-4; 4. Tennessee 26-6; 5. Vanderbilt 25-7; 6. Duke 24-8; 7. Florida State 26-5; 8. Oregon State 26-4; 9. Virginia 25-7; 10. Kentucky 27-4; 11. UC-Irvine 24-4; 12. East Carolina 23-7; 13. Dallas Baptist 25-6; 14. North Carolina 26-6; 15. Mississippi State 21-12; 16. Alabama 22-10; 17. Oregon 22-8; 18. Wake Forest 21-10; 19. UCF 21-8; 20. Virginia Tech 21-8; 21. Nebraska 22-7; 22. Coastal Carolina 22-9; 23. Oklahoma State 21-11; 24. Louisiana 24-8; 25. South Carolina 22-10 UF MEN’S GOLF: Gators lead by 11 strokes at Calusa Cup The Gators turned in a 2-under par 286 Monday to stretch their lead to 11 strokes over second place Purdue at the Calusa Cup in Naples. With a 2-day total of 139 (5-under), Jack Turner is tied for first on the individual leaderboard. Parker Bell shot a 4-under 68 Monday to move into sole possession of fifth at -2. Team leaderboard: 1. FLORIDA -7; 2. Purdue +4; 3. Wake Forest +9; 4. (TIE) Miami (OH) and Georgia Tech +13; 6. Iowa +15; 7. Georgia +16; 8. Nebraska +33 BASKETBALL STUFF: UConn men, South Carolina women, Calipari fallout The UConn men became only the eighth team in college basketball history and the first since Florida 2006-07 to repeat as national champions Monday night. The Huskies beat Purdue, 75-60, completing a dominant run to the national title in which UConn outscored its six NCAA Tournament opponents by a combined 140 points. It is the sixth national championship for the Huskies, their fifth since 2000, which makes both the UConn men and women (11 national championships, 10 since 2000) the top basketball programs in the country. Give credit to UConn coach Danny Hurley for a great game plan. The Huskies challenged 7-5 Zach Edey enough to throw him off, but their real defensive focus was on the Purdue guards. Purdue managed just 1-7 from the 3-point line. UConn went 6-22, which isn’t a great percentage, but it was an 18-3 differential. Imagine that. Fifteen points, the final margin of the game. Dawn Staley and South Carolina upheld the SEC banner by finishing off a 38-0 season by taking out Iowa and Caitlyn Clark, 87-75. Of South Carolina’s 38 wins, 34 were by 10 or more points, which is phenomenal. Kudos to Dawn Staley for recognizing how Caitlyn Clark raised the awareness of the women’s game. The South Carolina-Iowa game drew more than 18 million viewers and is the most watched women’s game in history. Clark will be in the WNBA next year, leaving a huge void that someone will have to fill in the college game. Is there a player with Clark’s charisma and ability to score in clusters? And, if Clark isn’t an instant star in the WNBA will the interest in the league fall back to current levels? Things that make you go hmmm. Meanwhile, the folks in Arkansas are thrilled beyond belief and the same folks in Kentucky who were wildly critical of John Calipari a few weeks ago are acting like a bride jilted on the altar. Let’s get real here. Nobody held a gun to UK athletic director Mitch Barnhart’s head and made him give Cal a lifetime contract with a ridiculous $33 million buyout. Cal would have been stupid to turn it down, but when Mitch didn’t sound all that enthused about Calipari staying another year on the job, it provided the incentive to move on to greener pastures. Calipari gets a fresh start in Arkansas which has the resources and the willingness to spend whatever it takes to win championships. Given the preponderance of gozillionaires in Arkansas with names like Walton, Reynolds, Tyson, Stevens, Jones and Baum and no NIL rules, figure Cal has the ammunition he needs to buy the best team in the country. Meanwhile, Kentucky is scrambling to find a coach that will light a fire under a fan base that feels entitled to win national championships. Billy Donovan is at the top of the list and I would bet the farm he will say thankee but no thankee. The next two calls will probably go to Danny Hurley at UConn and Scott Drew at Baylor. Danny Hurley coaches in a football wasteland. UConn fans live for basketball, whether it’s the men or the women. Baylor built Drew a $200 million state of the art arena in downtown, named after a couple who wrote a $100 million check as a down payment. If you bet on such things, then put your money on Kentucky going down on strikes with its first three calls. My instincts tell me that after UK whiffs three times, the focus will be on Iowa State’s TJ Otzelberger and Chris Beard of Ole Miss. THINGS PEOPLE ARE SAYING … Pat Forde (Sports Illustrated) about the troubling future of college athletics: “Something akin to the psychological concept of diffusion of responsibility is killing college athletics. When nobody is accountable for antisocial behavior – such as discreetly destroying and/or destabilizing conferences – bad things go unchecked. The entire industry is crying out for help, but nobody in the crowd is willing to act. Everyone is waiting for someone else to do the first right thing, and none of them are moving a muscle. “The NCAA is powerless to make its member conferences cooperate in a mutually beneficial way. President Charlie Baker said in a statement last year that he is concerned about realignment, but concern doesn’t equate to actual authority to do anything about it.” Kirk Herbstreit (ESPN) responding to Florida State fans: “Ya know I’ve been taking personal shots from guys like you for months. “I know there’s nothing I can say that will satisfy you but I would like to respond… “Just want you to know I’m sorry we had a disagreement about teams at the end of the year. I’ve never been a guy that tries to intentionally upset fans with my comments – I’ve always tried to be very professional and respectful to everyone with my thoughts. I do a lot of prep and just give my thoughts. If you agree or disagree it’s all good. Nothing has ever been personal towards any team or conference. Just give my opinion.” ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Since 2001 Danny Hurley has signed one 5-star prospect at UConn, Stephon Castle, who was a major contributor as a freshman in the Huskies’ run to the NCAA championship. When Zach Edey signed with Purdue in 2020, he was a 3-star prospect out of Canada and IMG Academy. The most recent (2024) signing class is ranked 13th and the first top 20 class Painter has recruited since his 2012 class was ranked 15th. Florida fans should pay attention to both Hurley and Painter, who are living proof that winning big has more to do with recruiting players that best fit your system whether high school recruits or from the portal. If it was simply about who signed the most 5-stars then Kentucky and Duke would win every national championship. There will probably come a time in the near future in which Todd Golden will sign his first 5-star recruit to Florida. The Gators are going to win a lot of games and their high-scoring style is going to be very attractive to very talented high school kids but don’t expect Golden to deviate too much from the system he has working. Florida is never going to be a magnet for the 5-star kids. They’ll choose the blue bloods like Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina, but ask yourself this question. Did Kentucky, Duke or North Carolina make the Final Four? Alabama did and results tell you Florida was a better team than the Crimson Tide. It's worth mentioning Golden’s system and approach to recruiting because the portal is wide open and Florida will indeed load up on players that are good fits to be Gators.

Calipari to Arkansas? SEC Sidelines Sports Podcast