A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:

DJ Douglas, a former Tulane Green Wave safety, has recently committed to the University of Florida, a significant addition to the Gators' defensive back lineup. Douglas, who began his collegiate football journey as a walk-on at Alabama, garnered attention from several notable programs, including Texas A&M, Houston, and North Carolina State, before ultimately choosing to continue his career with the Gators. Douglas played  multiple positions, mostly free safety (277) but nearly that many at strong safety and also nickel corner. According to SI.com, the native of Montgomery, Ala., originally signed with Alabama as a walk-on from Thompson High School in the recruiting class of 2019. He transferred to Tulane in 2021 following two years with the Crimson Tide, joining the Green Wave on scholarship and working his way up the depth chart until emerging as a full-time contributor during his redshirt junior season in 2023. His decision was influenced by the sense of belonging and opportunity he found in Gainesville, which he expressed as a blessing. Douglas's experience and performance at Tulane did not go unnoticed by Florida's coaching staff, including head coach Billy Napier and secondary coach Will Harris. His ability to make impactful plays and bring robust defense to the team was a key factor in his recruitment. Over three seasons with the Green Wave, Douglas accumulated an impressive stat line with 80 tackles, four interceptions, and three pass breakups, showcasing his ability to be a strong presence in the secondary. The commitment of Douglas is part of Florida's strategic efforts to enhance the defensive capabilities through the transfer portal. He joins a growing list of transfers that the Gators have secured, signaling a focused effort to bolster the team's roster with experienced and talented players. As the Gators continue to build their team for the upcoming season, Douglas's addition is seen as a pivotal move that will contribute to a stronger, more competitive defensive unit.

The look on Todd Golden’s face made the words that followed almost redundant Saturday afternoon at the O-Dome. “Honestly, this was a game that I expected to win, to be honest,” Golden said after the Florida Gators (10-4, 0-1 SEC) dropped an 87-85 decision to 6th-ranked Kentucky (11-2, 1-0 SEC) in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams. “You know, I thought going into this that we would have a great opportunity to win the game.” So did John Calipari. Only minutes before, seated in the same seat in the media room, Calipari knew his Kentucky Wildcats had somehow managed to win a game they should have lost. “I’ll just say it again, Florida’s really good,” Calipari said. “We got lucky. I’m happy we won the game. I’m happy for our team, but I imagine they’re looking forward to coming to Lexington.” The Gators should have won the game Saturday. This should have been the signature win that propels Florida into the nation’s top 25 teams and gives a serious boost to the NCAA Net Rankings, but it ended up one of those close call, no cigar affairs. When Golden and his coaching staff watch the replay on tape, they will see far more reasons why this one slipped away than simply the 11 missed free throws or the 15 points Kentucky scored off Florida turnovers. From start to finish, Golden had the right game plan and it gave the Gators ample opportunities to win the game. The way the Gators shot the ball in the first half, there were moments when a blowout seemed entirely possible, but in between a barrage of 3-pointers from Walter Clayton Jr., Riley Kugel and Zyon Pullin, there were too many empty possessions and far too many defensive lapses. Even so, Florida led by as many as 11 points when Pullin hit the most remarkable 3-pointer of the day. With the shot clock about to strike zero and Kentucky smothering Clayton on the left wing, Clayton whipped a pass to Pullin just a couple steps inside the midcourt line. There was time for one dribble forward and a launch, a high arcing heave from about 35 feet away that banked off the glass and through the net. Florida 42, Kentucky 31. The O-Dome crowd erupted, nearly lifting the lid off the joint, but instead of playing those last two minutes truly inspired and sticking it to the Wildcats, the Gators were outscored 6-3 the rest of the way, settling for a 45-37 lead at the break. It should have been much, much more, but this was the story of the game for Florida. There were way too many empty possessions when the Gators got the exact shot they wanted only to see the ball clang off the iron. The game was physical throughout, enough that the Gators merited at least 10-15 more free throws but Terry Oglesby’s zebra crew swallowed their whistles far too often. Kentucky would probably say the same thing about one of the more unevenly officiated games of the year. Even with all the hard contact around the rim, the Gators got shots up that should have but didn’t find their way into the net. The Gators hit 8-20 from the 3-point line in the first half, but despite plenty of open shots in the second half, the ball wouldn’t drop. Florida hit 1-11 on 3-balls in the final 20 minutes. That was bad. What was worse was the number of missed layups. The Gators were 11-22 on layups for the game. One more 3-pointer and the Gators win. One more layup and it’s overtime. And then there was the foul line. It’s not just that the Gators were 18-29 from the line, it’s the fact they missed five in the second half that could have expanded the lead enough to the point Kentucky would have been scrambling to catch up. “We’ve been around this team for a long time, you know, that’s (free throws) obviously a shortcoming for us, so we lost the battle at the line by one,” Golden said. “The thing that’s bothering me more right now is I thought we missed some really good looks, and in the moment, a game like this, great atmosphere, the crowd was amazing, you feel like you’ve got to step up and knock some of those down. And obviously free throws are a part of that, but I’m struggling more with the 1-for-11 from three in the second half, because I thought we took really good shots.” From the outset of the second half, Florida’s energy and intensity levels dipped a bit. The Gators got a stick back by Micah Handlogten and a couple of free throws by Will Richard in the first 4:38 of the second half, but there were also five empty possessions. Kentucky, meanwhile, came out energized and Florida’s inability to counter turned the game around. The potential to score a knockout win became a street brawl. The Wildcats took the lead at 51-49 on a layup and free throw by Antonio Reeves with 15:22 left in the game, UK’s first lead since it was 10-8 in the first half. Florida regained the lead on a 3-point play by Clayton that was followed by a monster dunk on a baseline drive by Kugel, but once again, the Gators couldn’t sustain the momentum. Reeves again delivered a 3-point play, this time with 4:25 to go that tied the game at 72-72. With 1:27 to go Kentucky’s 7-1 freshman Aaron Bradshaw knocked down a 3-pointer that gave Kentucky the lead for good at 79-76. It wasn’t a case of bad defense on Florida’s part. Entering the game, Bradshaw had taken only three shots from beyond the arc all season, so odds weren’t exactly in his favor when he launched from the top of the key, finding the bottom of the net. “Yeah, he was 2-for-3 from three going into the year, so I put him in that Micah (Handlogten) category of guys that could make a shot,” Golden said. “But again, you're sitting in that game, if you would have said, ‘Hey, they're gonna need a three from their freshman big who's taking three attempts on the year to dagger you guys’ [you] probably live with that as opposed to a Tre Mitchell post up or a Reed Sheppard catch-and-shoot three. You know, against a top-10 team in the country, you gotta pick your poison a little bit and what you're willing to deal with. And credit to Bradshaw, that was a huge, huge shot. But, you know, he beat us with that shot. I don't think we beat ourselves by allowing that shot.” That was not a defensive lapse on Florida’s part to give up the bomb by Bradshaw and while Kentucky shot the ball better from the 3-point line in the second half – 4-10 after a 1-11 first half – it’s hard to fault holding a team that came into the game shooting better than 41 percent from the 3-point line to 5-20. What hurt the Gators far more than 3-pointers was Kentucky shooting 68 percent (17-25) on layups. The layups were like death by a thousand cuts for the Gators, who gave up way too many points in the paint. Take away the 5-20 shooting on 3-pointers and Kentucky shot 26-48 (54.1 percent) inside the arc with most of that on layups. For the game, Kentucky shot 45.6 percent. Although the Wildcats struggled at the foul line for much of the game, they were 8-10 in the final 1:04, finishing 20-28. “You know, a big part of our game plan was to not allow assisted 3-point baskets for them and they only had six assists on the night,” Golden said. “So when you look at that, you're like, ‘Alright, you did a good job’ but then it comes down to being able to guard your yard and play one-on-one defense, especially in the middle of the floor. And to their credit, I thought they did a really good job finishing tough layups around the rim. I would imagine they had the best two-point field goal percentage against us that anybody's had all year. “And you know, there's only so many things you do schematically at the end of the day with one-on-one defense. It comes down to are you physical enough? Are you able to keep him first far enough away from the rim? Are you able to contest the shot hard enough? So, I thought her switching was good. I thought it was really good for us when switching that Mitchell ball screen in the middle of the floor because he's such a good catch-and-shoot shooter. And he was 0-for-2 from three. They shot 45 (percent) from the field, too high of a percentage from two. I thought we did a good job limiting their threes and how good of shots they were able to get and they missed some free throws too. So, again, just one shot here, one turnover there is the difference. And that's a tough thing in a game like this when one play can change the direction of the game.” One play nearly changed the outcome with less than a half second remaining. Trailing 87-83, Sheppard inexplicably fouled Alex Condon as he tried to shoot after he gathered in long in-bounds pass at the top of the key. Condon hit his first two free throws to close the Gators to within 87-85. He deliberately missed the third free throw, but there was no miracle tip-in to be had. Kentucky escaped, probably leaving the O-Dome feeling that it had stolen one on the road. Florida left the O-Dome feeling that a perfectly winnable game had slipped away. To beat a team of Kentucky’s caliber, the margin for error is rather slim but somehow the Gators hung with the Wildcats in spite of themselves. The Gators weren’t done in by one glaring error after another. Instead it was little things. Way too many little things that proved costly. If there is a lesson to be learned from a loss other than the fact that the little mistakes keep adding up, it is that Florida is more than capable of playing with any team in the country. The next step is to not only play with any team in the country but walk away with a win. SEC basketball Saturday’s scores: Kentucky (11-2, 1-0 SEC) 87, FLORIDA (10-4, 0-1 SEC) 85; No. 5 Tennessee (11-3, 1-0 SEC) 90, No. 22 Ole Miss (13-1, 0-1 SEC) 64; No. 25 Auburn (12-2, 1-0 SEC) 83, Arkansas (9-5, 0-1 SEC) 51; South Carolina (13-1, 1-0 SEC) 68, Mississippi State (11-3, 0-1 SEC) 62; Georgia (11-3, 1-0 SEC) 75, Missouri (8-6, 0-1 SEC) 68; Alabama (9-5, 1-0 SEC) 78, Vanderbilt (5-9, 0-1 SEC) 75; LSU (9-5, 1-0 SEC) 68, Texas A&M (9-5, 0-1 SEC) 53 Tuesday’s games: Missouri (8-6, 0-1 SEC) at No. 6 Kentucky (11-2, 1-0 SEC); South Carolina (13-1, 1-0 SEC) at Alabama (9-5, 1-0 SEC); Texas A&M (9-5, 0-1) at No. 25 Auburn (12-2, 1-0 SEC); Vanderbilt (5-9, 0-1 SEC) at LSU (9-5, 1-0 SEC) Wednesday’s games: FLORIDA (10-4, 0-1 SEC) at No. 22 Ole Miss (13-1, 0-1 SEC); No. 5 Tennessee (11-3, 1-0 SEC) at Mississippi State (11-3, 0-1 SEC); Arkansas (9-5, 0-1 SEC) at Georgia (11-3, 1-0 SEC)

“I took off for a weekend last month just to try to recall the whole year; All of the faces and all of the places, I wonder where they all disappeared … It’s these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes, nothing remains quite the same” – Jimmy Buffett from “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes”

Billy Napier and his staff have made it clear that they will attack the transfer portal hard to fill gaps and improve the overall roster ahead of the 2024 season. They cashed in on another portal target, landing former Arkansas offensive lineman Devon Manuel. Manuel emerged as a major target for Napier and company as they looked to reinforce the offensive line. He made his way to Gainesville on Wednesday, concluding the trip on Friday morning ended up chosing the Gators before the day's end. The former Arkansas offensive lineman is the third transfer portal addition in the past two days for Florida. The 6-foot-9, 310-pounder does not have a great deal of experience but adds a tremendous amount of size and depth on the outside of the line. Manuel was projected to be the starting left tackle for the Razorbacks last season, which was his redshirt sophomore season, but an injury during camp derailed those plans. 2023 was supposed to be the breakout year for Manuel, but his injury forced him to be sidelined for part of the year. However, he did end up seeing action in nine games, including starts in the team's final three contests. When Manuel arrived on campus in Arkansas as a true freshman, he was nearing the 400-pound mark, but was able to work his weight down significantly during his redshirt season. Now down to near 300-pounds, Manuel is much more nimble and athletic than he was at the start of his career. Looking at the offensive line, Manuel joins a deep list of tackles, including starting left tackle Austin Barber, starting right tackle Damieon George, and Kamryn Waites (started two games at right tackle in 2023). The Gators signed two offensive lineman with the 2023 class, both of which were listed as tackles, but may move to the interior of the line. They also welcome Fletcher Westphal, Mike Williams and Marcus Mascoll from the 2024 class, with all three listed as offensive tackles. With the addition of Manuel, Florida's transfer class is now up to seven players. He joins former Penn defensive lineman Joey Slackman, former South Carolina linebacker Grayson Howard, former Oregon defensive back Trikweze Bridges, former Wisconsin wide receiver Chimere Dike, former San Diego State offensive tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson, and former Northern Illinois edge rusher George Gumbs.

Recent Florida Gators signee DJ Lagway continues to rack up hardware after a record-breaking senior season. Just weeks after being names the MaxPreps Player of the Year, the incoming freshman was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year on Friday.

Florida is set to bring on board Mark Robinson, former associate athletic director for football at Texas A&M, in a key front-office role, according to insiders familiar with the plans, as reported by Swamp247 on Friday.

A year later and the playing field with Kentucky seems far more level than it did when Colin Castleton was Florida’s only inside force and outside shooting was far more miss than hit. Despite so many glaring deficiencies that included vertical challenges and a gang that couldn’t shoot straight, only 13 points separated an NIT Florida team and John Calipari’s Kentucky team making its annual pilgrimage to the NCAA Tournament. Size certainly has something to do with Florida’s improvement. The Gators have four bigs that Todd Golden rotates with great effectiveness. Their inside presence combined with a better perimeter game and exceptional passing has turned Florida into one of the better offensive teams in the Southeastern Conference. A year ago the Gators averaged 71.6 points per game, in part because they didn’t rebound well enough to get the extra possessions and also because shooting was so erratic. This year, Florida (10-3) averages 86.3 per game, which ranks third in the SEC and 12th nationally. The Gators lead the SEC and the nation in rebounding (45.38 per game). A year ago, the Gators averaged 12.3 assists per game. This year they’re averaging 16.77. Five Gators average double figures, led by Walter Clayton Jr. (15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists per game), followed by 6-10 Tyrese Samuel (14.3 points, 8.8 rebounds), Zyon Pullin (14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists), Will Richard (11.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 38.8 percent 3-point shooting), and Riley Kugel (11.5 points, 4.2 rebounds). The Gators get 6.8 points and 7.1 rebounds from 7-1 Micah Handlogten, 8.2 points and 6.8 rebounds from 6-11 Alex Condon and 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds from 6-9 Thomas Haugh. Recently Denzel Aberdeen has played well enough at both ends of the floor to merit increased playing time. The overall talent is significantly upgraded from last year and so is the depth, which is a big reason the Gators have own 10 games prior to January 1 for the first time since the 2016-17 season. “I do think it’s our depth, our depth and our talent,” Golden said Thursday prior to the Gators practice for Saturday’s SEC opener with 6th-ranked Kentucky (10-2) at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center (12:30 p.m., ESPNU). “Obviously, we only have one year to compare it to – and we’re a lot better than we were last year. There are different guys who can do it on different nights. I think we’ve had four guys who have scored over 20 points in a game this season. The good thing for us, I feel like we didn’t peak too early. We weren’t playing our best ball in November and we found ways to get better. We’re starting to play better right now and going into SEC play is obviously good timing for that. But I would point to our depth and our unselfishness as well. We do a good job of sharing the ball.” Improvement shows in the NCAA Net Rankings and the analytics of Ken Pomeroy. Florida has the No. 48 Net Ranking nationally and they’re No. 35 at kenpom.com. Net Rankings and kenpom analytics are strong indicators of a team on its way to the NCAA Tournament in March. Joe Lunardi has the Gators as a No. 10 seed in the West Regional in his latest bracketology while Jerry Palm of CBS has the Gators a No. 11 in the South Regional. The Gators have played a good but not overwhelming schedule leading up to conference play. The Gators lost by three to Virginia and four to Baylor in neutral court games in November. In December, the Gators went 6-0 with solid wins over Richmond, East Carolina and Michigan so there is momentum heading into Saturday’s encounter with Kentucky. “I think we’re in a good groove right now,” Golden said. “As you know, with injuries and ebbs and flows of the season, that can change. The good thing is for us I think we have a number of guys who can start and are starting-capable players. We’ve had four or five different starting lineups this season. I think this group is playing well. Riley had a good game last game coming off that foot. I think he’s playing a little better. We’ve got a good team, man. We’ve got a good team and with our assist-to-turnover – I think we had 46 assists our last two games – so in terms of the comfort and sharing it we’re doing a good job that way. Hopefully, we can do it again on Saturday.” To beat Kentucky, the nation’s 4th-ranked scoring team (91.1 per game) that shoots 50.25 percent from the field overall and ranks second nationally in 3-point shooting (41.64 percent), Golden knows the Gators have to play a very physical game and win the battle of the backboards. "You know, they're an elite offensive team,” Golden said. “They play with great pace. They have multiple perimeters who can really push it and playmake. They're an elite effective field goal percentage team and they're an elite ball-handling team. They don't turn it over very much. You got to do everything you can to make them miss on that first shot and then we got to own the boards. That's got to be something that's a strength for us on Saturday because they're a good offensive rebounding team but they're not an elite offensive rebounding team and I think defensively my hope is with them traveling and us being at home, that our physicality and our pace will show up that way as well. Again, they make a lot of baskets and they don't turn the ball over. They're a very, very good offensive team." Anticipated starters FLORIDA (10-3): Tyrese Samuel (6-10, 239, GR); Micah Handlogten (7-1, 235, SO); Zyon Pullin (6-4, 206, GR), Walter Clayton Jr. (6-2, 195, JR); Will Richard (6-4, 206, JR) Kentucky (10-2): Aaron Bradshaw (7-1, 226, FR); Tre Mitchell (6-9, 231, GR)(; Justin Edwards (6-8, 203, FR); Antonio Reeves (6-6, 195, SR); D.J. Wagner (6-4, 192, FR) Game notes: Samuel has three consecutive double-doubles … The Gators already have six games with 20 or more offensive rebounds, the most of any Florida team since 1996-97 … Golden is now 83-56 in his fifth year as a head coach in Division I, 26-20 at Florida. Kentucky’s John Calipari is 802-253 overall, 399-115 in 15 seasons at Kentucky.

The Florida Gators are gaining yet another improvement to their defensive lineup with the recent commitment of Northern Illinois EDGE player George Gumbs Jr. Standing at an impressive 6-foot-4 and weighing 242 pounds, Gumbs was initially committed to Cincinnati but switched to the SEC after a compelling official visit to Gainesville this past week. During the 2023 season, Gumbs proved his worth with 34 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles for the Northern Illinois Huskies. His transition from tight end to defense proved successful, earning him attention from various programs due to his athleticism and potential. Originally a 3-star prospect and the 205th-ranked wide receiver in the 2021 class, Gumbs' high school background highlighted his athletic abilities. Additionally, serving as a team captain added to his appeal for coaching staffs. Despite facing a redshirt season, Gumbs made an impact in subsequent years, playing in 23 games for the Huskies with two years of eligibility remaining. His decision to commit to Florida adds much needed depth on the front seven after losing key contributors from last year's squad. On his official visit to Florida, Gumbs expressed his positive experience, praising Coach Mike Peterson's down-to-earth approach and feeling at home with the team. Gumbs, originally from Chicago, had prior knowledge of Peterson's impressive career in college and the NFL. In discussions with Florida's defensive coordinator, Austin Armstrong, Gumbs gained insights into his potential role as an EDGE player in the team's defense. The visit included a film session, where the Gators outlined their plans for Gumbs as a pass-rusher. Impressed by Florida's facilities, including the $86 million Heavener Football Training Center and The Swamp, Gumbs considered the program's overall offering. However, his decision to commit was primarily influenced by the relationships he built with the coaching staff over the past month, emphasizing the importance of connection and feeling at home. Ranked as the No. 36 EDGE prospect in the NCAA's transfer portal, Gumbs' commitment adds depth to the Gators' defense as they look forward to an improving season under head coach Billy Napier.

On Wednesday afternoon, the annual Under Armour All-American game for high school seniors took place. Three future Florida Gators played in the game and foreshadowed what they are capable of doing on the field in the orange and blue in the future. Led by five-star quarterback D.J. Lagway, whose day was cut short, LB Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles also showed their worth during the game.

In a significant move for the Florida Gators, linebacker Grayson "Pup" Howard has announced his transfer from South Carolina to the Florida Gators. This commitment, made public on January 4, 2024, signifies a crucial bolstering of the Gators' linebacker corps and has been met with much anticipation and excitement. Howard, a native Floridian and a four-star recruit from the class of 2023, initially committed to the Gamecocks. Despite taking official visits to Florida, Georgia, and USC and holding offers from nearly every team in the SEC, Howard's freshman year saw him playing in all 13 games for South Carolina in a backup role. His decision to transfer is a significant gain for the Gators, effectively allowing them to retroactively claim one of their top prospects from the previous year. The news of Howard's transfer has caused quite a stir in the CFB world, with social media channels buzzing with reactions and analysts discussing the potential impact of his addition to the team. Described as a strategic addition, Howard's move to UF is seen as a major boost to the Gators' defensive strategies and their overall performance prospects for the upcoming season. As the Gators prepare for the challenges ahead, the inclusion of a talent like Howard is undeniably a step in the right direction. His experience, combined with his local roots, positions him as a valuable asset to the team.