Three Generations of Gators In Sports: George, Bennett and Aaron. Photo and story By UF Journalism/Communications Alumni George Solomon and his son Aaron have made their mark in the sports world. Grandson and current student Bennett is sure to follow. George Solomon, B.S. Journalism 1963, was the Assistant Managing Editor for Sports and sports columnist at The Washington Post from 1975-2003, the longest tenure of any department head in the history of the newspaper. After leaving the Post, George taught sports journalism at the University of Maryland from 2003 to 2020 and started and ran the Shirley Povich Center for Sports Journalism at the university from 2011 to 2020. Aaron Solomon, B.S. Telecommunication 1991, has worked in broadcast television for over 30 years. He has been the coordinating producer of ESPN’s Around the Horn for 19 years and has worked on the show since its birth in 2002. Before that, Solomon worked on various projects for ESPN, including Sunday Night NFL, the Stanley Cup Finals, SportsCenter, the X Games, and more.] Bennett Solomon is a Journalism sports and media junior and the president of the Sports Media and Society student organization. He is also sports coordinator for ESPN Gainesville. All three appeared on a panel at the UF School of Journalism & Communications on Friday.

Without validation this day won't mean as much. (Loren Meadows Photo) RAINING ON YOUR PARADE: Whatever goodwill was achieved in College Station will go up in smoke if an overconfident, listless Gators team takes the field against South Carolina. By CARLTON REESE GatorBaitMedia.com Columnist Was Florida’s victory Saturday at Texas A&M a monumental “turning of the corner,” a sign that coach Billy Napier’s patience is finally paying off? Or was it just a big sigh of relief while we all wait with white knuckles for wait possible travails await upon the arrival of the South Carolina Gamecocks? Parade – consider it being rained upon here. While the 41-24 victory over the Aggies certainly gave hope and optimism where it had been fading rapidly and the fan base seems to be more energized and enthused over the possibilities that were hinted at in College Station, in the end this was a win against a reeling program and an embattled coach who cannot seem to find the right answers or correct buttons to push. Texas A&M is not as bad a team its record would indicate, but seriously folks, the Aggies aren’t very good. To have lost, even at a raucous Kyle Field, would have been a monster punch in the gut to the Florida program. So, as it were, that punch was merely avoided, which beats a kick in the teeth. Just about everything that happened Saturday falls into the positive, hooray for everything, up with people, we are so great, the world is my oyster milieu. Every Gator fan should have slept well Saturday night and all nights since, peaceful in the notion that things are not that bad after all and actually something wonderful may be spawning here. First things first: Beating the Aggies is not so special, and that defense in the first half, well, made Haynes King look like Joe Montana just as it did Jayden Daniels, just as it did Hendon Hooker, and just as it did Gunner Talkington (yes, that Eastern Washington guy). The first half defense at College Station seems more the rule than the exception for these Florida Gators, but let’s suppose that second half emergence is for real and that the Gators defense can now be trusted with the keys to the Camaro. Then there’s nothing to worry about Saturday when the Gamecocks come rolling into Gainesville. In South Carolina, there resides validation for everything that took place last Saturday. A breakdown in the Swamp takes us back where we were sitting at 4-4 and a future of the unknown. Are we all convinced that Spencer Rattler won’t be able to achieve the success enjoyed by Gunner Talkington (yes, that Eastern Washington guy)? These Gamecocks dismantled the same Kentucky team that strolled into the Swamp and walked away victorious. Beyond that, there is nothing pointing toward the Gamecocks being able to push around the Florida Gators, so if they do, we’ve got major trouble. There is something about that dull gray color and bizarre helmet logo that signals apathy from the Florida Gators. Last year, USC humiliated the Gators; in 2020 the game was competitive in Gainesville when Florida was ranked No.3 in the country. They played No. 9 UF to a competitive defeat in 2019 and collapsed monumentally at the Swamp the year before that. The point is that in all these games, the Florida Gators should have had no problem with South Carolina yet losses seemed to loom large every time. Whatever goodwill was achieved in College Station will go up in smoke if an overconfident, listless Gators team takes the field against South Carolina. In that case, a loss is coming down the pike and perhaps some infighting, something the departure of Brenton Cox may have hopefully alleviated. As an old dude, thoughts go back to similar moments in Gator history, which keep us all wondering if the worst scenario is also the most realistic. The year was 1988 and the Emmitt Smith-led Gators had just pounded LSU in Gainesville to run their record to 5-0. Up to that victory, there weren’t many true believers in that team, but afterward thoughts of Sugar Bowls were dancing in everyone’s head and no one could wait for the Georgia game and a rare second-straight win over the Dawgs. Then lowly Memphis State came to Gainesville. Emmitt went down with an injury. We all saw just how bad this Gators offense was and the Tigers upset the Gators and whatever air that had been in Florida’s balloon retreated at a rapid pace. Such is the fleeting moment of good feelings in the world of college football. One moment you are smiling on the red carpet and the next you are a walk-on in a B-movie. In 2007, the undefeated and defending national champion Gators hosted the Auburn Tigers, already losers to South Florida and Mississippi State. Auburn did not belong on the field with its own backups, much less the fourth-ranked Gators. Yet, from nowhere Auburn managed to pull off a monumental upset in Gainesville (it wasn’t the defense’s fault – UF lost 20-17). We learned at that moment, the Florida team was not what we thought or at least hoped. Every year there are losses, but some of them completely destroy our whole image of the program and where we thought it was or was headed. In 1988 it was LSU, in 2007 it was Auburn. Now, we all have that warm feeling again about being Gator fans after one win against a mediocre Texas A&M team. Those feelings mean nothing if Florida does not show up against South Carolina, which like Memphis State in 1988 and Auburn in 2007, does not belong on the field with the Florida Gators. But this is college football, overconfidence can kill, and in the case of the Gators has done so many times in the past. By 7:30 p.m. Saturday night we will all know if this program is truly headed in the direction we all believe after that one nice day in College Station. For now it’s just a feeling; on Saturday it will be a reality. In Gainesville, there will never be a shortage of wet blankets to pass around.

A Florida win makes the Gators bowl eligible and avenges an embarrassing 40-17 loss at the hands of an undermanned South Carolina team which was the beginning of the end of the Dan Mullen Era. Loren Meadows Gatorbatmedia.com, Football Analyst The Florida Gators welcome the South Carolina Gamecocks to The Swamp for an SEC showdown with big postseason implications. The Gators (5-4) are coming off a huge road win at Texas A&M, which saw its defense play its best half of football since Week 1. Along with the superb second-half effort of the defense, quarterback Anthony Richardson played turnover-free football for the third straight week while accounting for four touchdowns in the Gator win. South Carolina will arrive in Gainesville at 6-3, coming off an 11-point victory at Vanderbilt. The winner Saturday will be in position to finish in third place in the SEC West and set themselves up for a solid matchup in one of the SEC’s better bowl games. A Florida win makes the Gators bowl eligible and avenges an embarrassing 40-17 loss at the hands of an undermanned South Carolina team which was the beginning of the end of the Dan Mullen Era. South Carolina will be looking for its first two-game win streak against the Gators since consecutive victories the 2013 and 2014 seasons. With the opportunity to spend the holidays at home, Florida has plenty to tune in for on Saturday afternoon. South Carolina Offense: Much of the Gamecocks success and failure has hinged on the play of quarterback Spencer Rattler (#7, 6-1, 215). Rattler who transferred from Oklahoma has been up and down in his first season in Columbia. Rattler is completing 64.5 percent of his passes but has thrown only eight touchdown passes against nine interceptions. The former top rated QB and reality TV star was solid in last outing going 18 for 26 and three touchdowns against Vanderbilt. While Rattler has been inconsistent his top target has been junior receiver Antwane Wells Jr. (#3, 6-1, 207. Wells Jr. a former FCS All-American at James Madison, transferred to South Carolina as one of the Dukes most prolific receivers in school history and lead the team with 41 catches and four touchdowns including two touchdowns last week against Vanderbilt. Despite the ability of Rattler and Wells Jr., the Gamecocks' two best players could be the running back tandem of MarShawn Lloyd (#1, 5-9, 212) and Lake City native Jaheim Bell (#0, 6-3, 232). Lloyd is a stout back with “make you miss finishing speed,” according to Billy Napier. Lloyd leads the team in scoring this season with 11 total touchdowns but was unavailable last week against Vanderbilt with a thigh contusion. Lloyd returned to practice this week and will look to go against the Gators. In his absence Bell, who has also spent time at tight end filled in to carry the ball 16 times for 56 yards. While not over productive Bell was key in protecting Spencer Rattler and allowing the Gamecocks to move the ball through the air. South Carolina is 5-0 when this season when rushing for over 100 yards. The Gators are giving up over 185 rushing yards per game. This could most likely be the ultimate key to victory. Rattler has been prone to throw the ball to the other team when the offense is put in 2nd and Long, and 3rd and Long situations. Without Lloyd the Gamecocks were still able to generate 208 yards rushing last week, if he returns look for South Carolina to get him involved early. How much he is limited will certainly be a factor. Defensively the Gators are coming off of their best half of football allowing only 106 yards and zero points in the second half at College Station. If they are able to pressure the mistake prone Rattler, Florida will be able to generate turnovers, which is what they do best. Leading the SEC in takeaways with 18. Ventrell Miller hopes to pen up a Rattler. (Chris Spear Photo) South Carolina Defense: The Gamecocks are a middle-of-the-road defense that has produced mixed results this season. Despite injuries in the secondary, South Carolina is giving up less than 200 yards through the air this season. Nickelback Cam Smith (#9, 6-0, 188) is as future NFL draft pick who has battled injuries all season but was a second team All-SEC pick in 2021. Smith will be a game time decision on Saturday. With the injuries in the secondary, true freshman Nick Emmanwori (#21, 6-4, 218) has filled in to lead South Carolina in total tackles (60). Emmanwori, a linebacker in high school is very comfortable in the box and could be tasked with the responsibility of keeping eyes on Richardson should he leave the pocket. The Gamecock secondary will also get a boost from Central Michigan transfer Devonni Reed (#3, 5-11, 200) who returns after missing last week’s contest. Reed started 41 games in the MAC and is a veteran presence in the secondary. In the front seven Jordan Burch (#6, 6-6, 275) and Gilbert Edmund (#8, 6-5, 255) have combined for 5.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss off the edge. At linebacker, sixth-year senior Sherrod Greene has returned from an injury plagued 2020 and 2021 seasons to accumulate 43 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. The Gators will look to build upon its strong showing last week that saw them generate 492 total yards off offense in College Station. The Gators will look to play “complementary football” and once again establish the run with the duo of Montrell Johnson Jr., and Trevor Etienne. South Carolina is near the bottom of the SEC against the run while the Gators feature the third best running game in the conference. Who can impose their will upfront could be the determining factor in this matchup of like-minded teams. Florida is starting to see its depth tested at the receiver position as Keon Zipperer and Ja’Quavion Fraziars are out and Justin Shorter has been limited. However, Richardson seems to be finding a rhythm with Ricky Pearsall who averaged over 21 yards per catch last week. Shorter should return this week, and with Pearsall and Xzavier Henderson is building a solid receiver trio for the Gators. Xzavier Henderson is becoming a go-to target for Anthony Richardson (Chris Spears photo) The Skinny: Many thought that the Gators as they currently are constructed would be lucky to win six games and make it to a bowl game. A win against South Carolina this Saturday would make that thought a reality. However, a win on Saturday allows for the Gators to make a run towards what others thought could be a possible eight or nine-win season. Richardson is coming off arguably his best performance as a Gator as well but has yet to have a signature performance in an SEC game at home. On Saturday, Richardson will give the seniors and the Gator faithful what they have been waiting for. Billy Napier has played the long game with this football team allowing them to use wins and losses as individual opportunities for evaluation and improvement. On Wednesday, Napier stated that he is not sure his team “will ever play the perfect game” but likes the effort they make in search of it. Rattler will challenge the Gator defense, but this opportunistic bunch has found a way to steal an average of at least two each game. Florida bends but doesn’t break and has its best performance defending the run against a limited Gamecock backfield. Richardson and company continue to grow offensively, Pearsall and Henderson score one each and the Gamecocks go to 5-1 when rushing for 100 yards. Prediction Florida 38, South Carolina 27

We will never forget Ventrell Miller. (Chris Spears Photo) "I think the good thing I see from our players is we’ve got a group that wants to send this group out the right way.” By: KYLE CURTIS GatorBaitMedia.com With the Florida football season coming to a conclusion, the seniors are set to be honored in Saturday’s home game as the Gators host the South Carolina Gamecocks. In addition to celebrating the seniors, the military and first responders will also be appreciated Members of the University of Florida ROTC will serve as the honorary Mr. Two Bits in recognition of their service. Eighteen players are set to be celebrated on Senior Day. Here are a few of the significant contributors who have impacted the program throughout their time in Gainesville. Billy Napier stressed earlier in the week how important it is to make sure the seniors get the message on their way out that they are appreciated and want to give them the best goodbye possible. “Certainly always an emotional time for those players, in particular,” Napier said. “So, I think the good thing I see from our players is we’ve got a group that wants to send this group out the right way.” Ventrell Miller Celebrating a sixth season in the orange and blue, Ventrell Miller has established himself as not only a defensive leader but also a team leader. In his time, Miller has been SEC defensive player of the week twice while also being the leader of the defense. He has accumulated over 200 total tackles along with 7.5 sacks during his time with the Gators. Just recently, Miller gave an inspiring halftime speech during the Texas A&M game that fired up the locker room. During his time in Florida, he has often been the light in aee sometimes dark room. Richard Gouraige A redshirt junior out of Tampa, Richard Gouraige has been a key piece to the Florida running game throughout the past few years. Gouraige has started in each of the first-nine games game on an offensive line that is allowing just one sack per game. Florida is also top-25 in rushing efficiency in the nation. Gouraige has one more year left of eligibility, although there is speculation he may take his talents to the NFL after earning his bachelor’s degree in Sociology in the Spring of 2022. He said in his presser this week that he may very well return to UF. Trey Dean Trey Dean enters Senior Day as a starter after in interchanging the past few games. The true senior enters Saturday’s game versus South Carolina with a respectable career. In his five years at Florida, Dean was name All-SEC dFreshman Team in the 2018 campaign along with being a four-time SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll member. On the field, Dean made four interceptions, 19 pass deflections and five sacks during his time as a Gator. Additionally, Dean has been a leader in the secondary for the Gators over the past two seasons. Amari Burney Someone who did not really begin an impact until their sophomore year, Amari Burney has stamped himself in the Florida history book. Most notably for his game-sealing interception against Utah. Starting every game this year, he leads the team in several defensive categories, including interceptions. The senior has accounted for 195 tackles, seven sacks and four interceptions, including the one against Utah. Alongside Ventrell Miller, these two have been a force to be reckoned with and have proven to be the rock within Florida’s defense. Additional players being honored for senior day include: ● QB Jack Anders* ● P Jack Brady* ● WR Justin Curtis* ● QB Kyle Engel* ● K Travis Freeman* ● OL Will Harrod ● TE Noah Keeter* ● RB Lorenzo Lingard ● WR Jordan Pouncey ● WR William Sawyer* ● WR Justin Shorter ● P Tyler Waxman* ● LS Chase Whitfield* ● WR Trent Whittemore ● RB Nay’Quan Wright

What secrets are Billy and the HBC sharing? (Freddie Wehbe photo) ‘Sometimes some of your best teams don’t win championships.’ – Steve Spurrier When history speaks and we don’t hear it, we instead choose to learn the hard way, by trial and error. Which in the end is really the only tried and true way. Confusing? Of course! Which is another way of saying that there ARE such things as good losses. Ask any successful coach. Ask Billy Napier, who’s had several so far in this 5-4 season. What I’m hearing more and more from smart coaches is that it’s a mistake to judge progress by just the W’s. Napier himself has said it, so has Nick Saban. They want their teams to play hard and smart, believing in the end, if you do it right, success will come in the long run – even if delayed temporarily. And it will be Built To Last, So there are these “Tweener” or “Interim” years when you’re just planting crops for the future, chopping and stacking the wood for long winters ahead, building and transitioning from one era to the next. Not all for naught. Sometimes things start out that way. That is exactly how I view this new program under a bright, new, intelligent coach who looks to me like he’s on the right course. He’s already had his “good losses” and could be heading toward an even better-than-projected season by knocking off South Carolina on Senior Day, punctuating this “mini-run” toward a ranked FSU team and possible eight-win season. Maybe eight wins is not the most spectacular result for impatient Gator fans who became gluttons for championships under Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, but hold on and listen up, because it looks like the proper trajectory. Lift this season up to the light and see it through experienced eyes of wisdom. “Sometimes we tend to undervalue some of our better teams because they didn’t win championships,” Spurrier said. Bingo! And we’d best not sidestep that valuable lesson, which comes as the celebrations will be held this weekend for two teams that didn’t make it to the top. As winner of 6 (or 7) SECs and a natty, the HBC should know. Among his very best teams were the undefeated (regular season) 1995 squad that got squashed by the Nebraska juggernaut in the Fiesta Bowl; and the 2001 team that got hijacked out of an SEC title opportunity when their game vs. Tennessee was moved to the end of the season due the 9/11 disaster and the Vols caught the Florida rushing defense napping. Rex Grossman’s two-point conversion pass to Jabbar Gaffney was no good and the Vols scored late to win, 34-32. That was Spurrier’s last game as Gator coach on a field that would be named after him. Napier’s final game of his first season will be on that grass and could go a long way toward defining his season and his future as Gator Coach. One of the seasons when HBC was an SEC champion (UAA Photo) What Spurrier is doing Saturday during the game against his old team from Columbia is paying homage to a pair of less fortunate teams which don’t have any meaningful commemoration in the trophy case. Matter of fact, one of the two Spurrier’s teams being honored Saturday (1992 and 1997) somewhat mirrors this current 2022 Napier squad. The ‘92 team, quarterbacked by Shane Matthews, lost four games. There is still time for Napier’s team to equal the record of Spurrier’s '92 Gators with a 9-4 mark. That team started off 1-2 before running off seven straight wins and then losing to a No. 1 ranked FSU team and to Alabama in the SEC Championship game. The effort and fight were there, said Spurrier, “and they gave it their all – but it just didn’t work out.” There’ll be no SEC game for Napier’s team, but these Gators will have a shot at the ranked Seminoles on Friday night after Thanksgiving. Expectations were much higher after beating No. 7 Utah in the opener. “That’s exactly how it happens sometimes,” Spurrier said. “University of Tennessee is having one of their greatest years – ever! Since ‘98 when they won everything … but not much since. But they’re not going to win anything, even the division. “So they’re going to look back on this season and say they had a great year. They got a chance to win a bowl game and have a wonderful season. And that’s what happened to our ’92 and ’97 teams. They were on each end of those four SEC champions teams in a row. (He counts 1990 as one.) And they sort of get left out of the conversation.” As for the comparison of the ’22 Gators’ season the nine-win team of 30 years ago – should Florida in these next three plus a bowl -- the HBC acknowledges, “it could be…it just depends on how things work out. So it’s a big one this weekend. And a big one for South Carolina.” Make no mistake about Spurrier’s loyalties when it comes to his old team, where he became the all-time winningest coach, while he wishes the Gamecocks the best, he doesn’t wish them luck this weekend. “They’re already bowl eligible, but if they want to win nine games this season, they’d better get ready, because they’ve got Tennessee and Clemson after us.” How you value a season besides in just victories? There’s no stat for it, but those “good losses” matter. To go 8-4 with losses to four ranked teams – three of them currently in the seven – has to count for something. That’s why Gator fans should be encouraged, even if a bit disappointed in their dreams for a better result. So what has been learned this season? In listening to some of the participants in the upcoming Senior Day walk, this team has bonded in recent weeks and has helped lay the foundation to what could be a promising future. Depending, of course, on recruiting and what the old New York sports writers called “Dame Fortune.” I like her odds.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY By Franz Beard A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning: SATURDAY VS. SOUTH CAROLINA IS A VERY BIG DEAL A win Saturday over South Carolina (6-3, 3-3 SEC) would give the Gators (5-4, 2-4 SEC) their sixth win of the season and take the mystery out of bowl eligibility. Getting to six wins just a couple of weeks after a second straight loss is very important. For one thing, it takes the pressure off the Gators’ shoulders. Six wins with two games to go gives UF a chance to finish 8-4. All things considered, an 8-4 regular season in which all the losses were to ranked teams is a rather nice achievement for year one of the Billy Napier Era at the University of Florida. Getting bowl eligible is important as is sending off Florida’s 18 seniors with a win in their final home game in The Swamp. Senior Day should be special and the kind of celebration that resonates with the entire team and the fan base. Can anyone ever forget Vernell Brown on his Senior Day in 2005, hobbling out on crutches while the sellout crowd let out a roar that may have come close to moving the seismograph on campus. If Vernell’s Senior Day didn’t move the seismograph, then Tim Tebow’s surely did. Almost as high a priority as winning the game will be impressing what promises to be a very large contingent of recruits including at least one 5-star and perhaps a couple of prominent commits to other schools that might be teetering on the verge of a flip. “We’ve been very intentional about working hard to get them [recruits] in here,” Napier said. “The tropical storm is affecting that a little bit relative to a lot of these [high school] games being moved to Saturday, so, but there’s no question we’re hustling to get them here. It’s out last opportunity. I think we’ve got … we’re hopeful we’ll have a good group there. Certainly it being a sellout, it has a chance to be a very special game.” The Gators currently have the No. 8 recruiting class in the nation. If they can build some momentum over the next couple of weeks, there is every chance they could finish a couple of places higher in the rankings, which would help set a strong foundation for the future. Richard Gouraige on Senior Day emotions Left tackle Richard Gouraige isn’t 100 percent sure if he will cry or not when he makes his way out of the tunnel at Senior Day Saturday, but he’s certain the tears will be blowing from his mom and his little brother – “He’s a crybaby as well,” Gouraige said Wednesday. If Mom cries, as he is certain she will, Gouraige knows what he will be saying to her: “A little bit, like c’mon Mom, we can cry a little later whenever we’re not here. I know she’s going to have her moment, knowing it’s going to soak in, knowing – hopefully – knowing it’s going to be my last time on this field, hopefully to have a chance to come out with a win with my brothers. There’s nothing else I could ask for.” Amari Burney on Senior Day emotions Linebacker Amari Burney went through Senior Day last year, but decided to use his COVID year for one more chance to play for the Gators. That, of course, means a second Senior Day and this one is likely to turn very emotional. “I’m not the type of person to cry but I’m just going to feel some type of way going to feel some type of way knowing that this is my last game in The Swamp,” Burney said. “The freshmen that came in, they are like brothers to me already. I told Shemar (James) I’m going to cry, maybe cry but I feel like five years have been … I’m just happy to have been here for this long and just want to go out for a bang.” Florida’s 18 seniors: Jack Anders, Jack Brady, John Curtis, Trey Dean III, Kyle Engel, Travis Freeman, Richard Gouraige, Will Harrod, Noah Keeter, Lorenzo Lingard, Ventrell Miller, Jordan Pouncey, William Sawyer, Justin Shorter, Tyler Waxman, Chase Whitfield, Trent Whittemore, Nay’Quan Wright. Florida depth chart for South Carolina (starters in bold face) WR: Xzavier Henderson; Marcus Burke or Daejon Reynolds WR: Justin Shorter or Caleb Douglas; Kahleil Jackson WR: Rick Pearsall; Thai Chiaigkhaio-Bowman or Trent Whittemore LT: Richard Gouraige; Kamryn Waites LG: Ethan White; Richie Leonard IV C: Kingsley Eguakun; Jake Slaughter RG: O’Cyrus Torrence; Richie Leonard IV; Jalen Farmer RT: Michael Tarquin or Austin Barber TE: Dante Zanders; Jonathan Odom QB: Anthony Richardson; Jalen Kitna; Jack Miller III RB: Montrell Johnson Jr.; Trevor Etienne; Nay’Quan Wright or Lorenzo Lingard Defense DE: Princely Umanmielen; Justus Boone NT: Desmond Watson; Chris McClellan; Jalen Humphries DE: Gervon Dexter Sr.; Jalen Lee or Tyreak Sapp JACK: Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr.; Lloyd Summerall III or David Reese LB: Ventrell Miller; Derek Wingo or Scooby Williams LB: Amari Burney; Shemar James; Diwun Black STAR: TreVez Johnson; Jadarrius Perkins CB: Jason Marshall Jr.; Jalen Kimber; Jordan Young S: Rashad Torrence II; Kamari Wilson; Corey Collier Jr. S: Trey Dean III; Donovan McMillon or Miguel Mitchell CB: Jaydon Hill; Avery Helm Special Teams KO: Adam Mihalek; Travis Freeman PK: Adam Mihalek; Travis Freeman P: Jeremy Crawshaw; Jacob Watkins LS: Rocco Underwood; Chase Whitfield H: Jeremy Crawshaw; Chase Whitfield KOR: Trevor Etienne; Xzavier Henderson or Jason Marshall Jr; Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman PR: Xzavier Henderson; Jason Marshall Jr. or Trevor Etienne Injuries: Ja’Quavion Fraziars (out); Justin Shorter (questionable); Keon Zipperer (out); Devin Moore (out); Trey Smack (out); Marco Ortiz (out); Ethan White (questionable); Arlis Boardingham (out); Nick Elksnis (out) Gators sign No. 1 softball recruiting class Tim Walton signed what many experts are calling one of the greatest softball recruiting classes in history that includes the top two pitchers in the country – Keagon Rothrock and Ava Brown – and the top position player in second baseman/shortstop Mia Williams, daughter of former UF basketball star and NBA player Jason Williams and track All-American Denika Williams. Rothrock was the 2022 Gatorade National Player of the Year while Brown was the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year. The rest of the class was filled out by infielder Alyssa Hovermale; catcher/utility Ariel Kowalewski; and outfielder Cassidy McClellan. Lacrosse signs 10: Alyssa Deacy; Ashley Dyer; Lea Flobeck; Frannie Hahn; Makena Harrington; Samantha Hughes; Cate Isaacson; Gabbi Kouri; Delaney Radin; and Keira Rooney. Volleyball signs three: Madi Gravlee (6-4); Kira Hutson (6-3); and Kennedy Martin (6-6) Men’s golf signs three: Jay Brooks; Rylan Shim; and Jack Turner Gymnastics signs four: Skyle Blakely (will defer to 2025 to focus on the 2024 Olympics); Gabby Disidore; Skylar Draser; and Anya Pilgrim Soccer signs eight: Lena Bailey; Paris Bice; Elyse Campbell; Sami Fisher; Megan Hinnenkamp; Amelia Malkin; Paloma Pena; and Avery Upton. Lane Kiffin on talk that the Alabama dynasty is ending Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who was Nick Saban’s offensive coordinator in the 2015 national championship season, says it is “ridiculous” talk by Paul Finebaum and others that the Alabama dynasty is crumbling, particularly after two losses on the last play of the game. “Dynasties are over when you start to see people outcoached, outplayed, losing by 21 points. You’re talking about tow of the hardest places [to play at Tennessee and LSU] versus two real elite teams who were at the time as hot as anybody in the country when they went into both places and elite quarterbacks. That’s not coming down to one play.” ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Eight and counting. That’s where we are now that South Florida’s Jeff Scott has joined the Extinct Species List. Eight coaches down, no telling how many more will get the pink slip by the time championship game weekend rolls around. Rumors about who’s going where as replacements but so far no hires have been made. Someone is going to take the plunge and hire someone. Countdown to firing day: Week 10 Extinct Species List Scott Frost, Nebraska: Apparently the coaching search at Nebraska has turned to three candidates: Former Baylor and Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule, former TCU head coach Gary Patterson and Army head coach Jeff Monken. Monken would be an interesting choice since his option offense out of that funky offense that was invented by the late, great Tom Perrin of Clermont and Lake Weir fame would drive defensive coordinators batty trying to prep for it in a week. At Nebraska he would get better athletes to run it than he gets at Army. Pay attention to Rhule. Herm Edwards, Arizona State: Deion Sanders would be the home run hire but there are some whispers that the coach will be either Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham or Mike Norvell at Florida State. They’re both former ASU offensive coordinators. Dillingham is a former ASU quarterback. Geoff Collins, Georgia Tech: It’s not going to be Prime Time. Alabama OC Bill O’Brien has traction but two new names getting vetted are Coastal Carolina’s Jamey Chadwell and East Carolina’s Mike Houston. If Collins says no, think Chadwell. Karl Dorrell, Colorado: With $15.5 million banked from his Auburn buyout, Bryan Harsin wouldn’t have to get a mega-deal. If they don’t go after an experienced head coach, then Ryan Walters, the Illinois DC probably gets the job. Eric Bienemy almost certainly remains in the NFL. Paul Chryst, Wisconsin: They’ve hired a coaching search firm. What that tells us is they haven’t a clue. It also tells us that Lance Leipold has probably said something like, “You’re kidding me, right?” Will Healy, Charlotte: No money, a 15,000-seat stadium and no tradition. They’ll go with somebody’s assistant. FSU O-line Alex Atkins or UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo are early names in the clubhouse. Bryan Harsin, Auburn: Prime Time would kill it but would he take the Auburn job given the crazy boosters? Bill O’Brien and Hugh Freeze are probably higher on the list. Hugh probably realizes his gig at Liberty is way too good to leave for Auburn insanity. Figure O’Brien. Jeff Scott, South Florida: The rebuild necessary is so massive that Jeff Scott did a lot of good things and still only went 4-26. No on campus stadium kills recruiting. The fans want Jon Gruden, who lives in Tampa. Donkeys will fly first. Would they bring back Willie Taggart or Jim Leavitt? On Life Support Neal Brown, West Virginia: He needs to go. They want him gone. Can they come up with the $16 million it would take to fire him and then all the money it would take to hire someone new? Ken Niumatalolo, Navy: If he loses to Army, he’s probably a goner. If he wins, they probably give him one more year to right the proverbial ship. Tom Allen, Indiana: The Hoosiers are 3-6 and they go to Ohio State Saturday. Things are so bad that QB Jack Tuttle, who said he will enter the transfer portal in December is starting. Endangered Species List: Willie Taggart, Florida Atlantic: The smart thing for Willie would be to beg the South Florida people to let him have his old job back. Even if he wins out, the potential at FAU isn’t nearly what it is at USF. David Shaw, Stanford: He’s the winningest coach in school history so while they may want him to go, they’ll probably give him another year. He won’t leave unless pushed out the door. Danny Gonzales, New Mexico: He’s 7-21 overall, 0-5 in Mountain West play this year. Patience wears thin. Odds are good he finishes the year 2-10. Justin Wilcox, California: The Bears have lost four straight and five of the last six. Nobody was happy when he got a raise to $4.75 million and a contract extension back in May. Boosters want him gone but are they willing to buy him out? Jeff Hafley, Boston College: He got the public vote of confidence from athletic director Blake James. Sometimes that’s a sign that firing is inevitable. Phil Montgomery, Tulsa: The reason he’s not going to get fired is because they can’t afford (a) the buyout, (b) the buyout of his assistant coaches, and (c) the cost of hiring a new HBC and staff.

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY By Franz Beard 1. The parallels between 2018 and 2022 are startling for Billy Napier. In his first year on the job at Louisiana in 2018, the Ragin Cajuns were 4-4 after they lost to perennial Fun Belt power Appalachian State. They won three of the next four to finish the regular season 7-5, and by virtue of their win over Arkansas State, they had the tiebreaker to go to the Fun Belt Championship Game. Napier lost to App State in the league championship game and also lost to Tulane in the bowl game, but a 7-7 finish was pretty remarkable considering this team was outscored and outgained for the season. So here are the Gators, 5-4 now but they were 4-4 after losing to Georgia. Currrently the Gators average 31.2 per game while allowing 29.2. They’ve been outgained by nine opponents, 3,973-3,874. They’ve got three games remaining against South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Florida State. Win one and they go bowling. Win two and they finish 7-5. Three? We’ll cross that bridge when we get to Tallahassee, but right now the Gators are trending in the right direction. 2. On the Ole Miss trio of Quinshon Jenkins (27), Zach Evans (25) and quarterback Jaxson Dart (22) have more explosive running plays than Florida’s Montrell Johnson Jr., Trevor Etienne and Anthony Richardson. Johnson’s 17 explosive runs include five plays that gained at least 30 yards. Etienne has three runs that gained at least 20 yards and Johnson has four runs that have gone for 40 or more yards. The three Gators have combined for 1,508 yards and a 6.1 average per carry. Overall, the Gators have 55 running plays that have gained 10 or more yards this season, which is tied for fifth in the SEC. Florida has 12 carries of at least 30 yards, eight of which have gone for more than 40. 3. As a team the Gators have run for 1,883 yards (5.92 per carry) and 24 touchdowns. With three regular season games and a bowl game remaining, the Gators are within 888 yards of the 2018 Gators, who gained 2,771 yards (5.27 per carry) and 23 TDs in 13 games. A year ago, the Gators gained 2,713 yards on the ground (5.48 per carry) and scored 26 touchdowns. 4. This is going to be a fun Florida basketball team to watch this year. Todd Golden has a lot of interchangeable parts that will allow him to match up well with nearly every team the Gators play this year. The three mortal locks to start every game barring injury are Colin Castleton, Kyle Lofton and Will Richard but the rest of the lineup could change game-by-game depending on the other team’s lineup. The Gators are going to be more explosive offensively, deeper and more physical on the defensive end. Golden believes this is going to be an NCAA Tournament team. From what we saw game one, it’s hard to argue. 5. After a remarkable Heisman Trophy season last year, there was no question Bryce Young was the best quarterback in the Southeastern Conference, but the way it stands right now, he may not even make All-SEC. If the voting for All-SEC were held today, it would be a three-way race between Stetson Bennett IV (Georgia), Hendon Hooker (Tennessee) and Jayden Daniels (LSU). Bennett has the most average stats of the bunch (2,606 passing yards, 8.9 per attempt, 11 TDPs, 130 rushing yards and 6 TDs), but he’s the only one who has won a national championship and could be the first QB to win back-to-back titles since Tommie Frazier did it for Nebraska in 1994-95. 6. The Big 12 will be signing a media deal with ESPN and Fox, contracted to begin in 2024. The deal will assure each of the 12 teams in the league a base of something in the neighborhood of $31.66 million a year. That will expand to something in the $50 million a year distribution once the College Football Playoff expands to 12 teams. It’s nothing like SEC or Big Ten money, but it isn’t that much less than they’ve been making with Texas and Oklahoma in the league. The four newbies – UCF, Houston, Cincinnati and BYU – will get a substantial raise. The question that lingers is what about Texas and Oklahoma? Will they remain in the league until 2025 or will the Big 12 negotiate a buyout ransom from the SEC and ESPN for an early release? Georgia takes over top spot in College Football Playoff poll It’s a clean sweep for Georgia this week. The Bulldogs are the No. 1 team in the country in both the Associated Press and AFCA Coaches polls and now they’ve taken over the top spot in the second College Football Playoff poll. Last week’s No. 1, Tennessee, dropped down to No. 5 after falling to Georgia, 27-13. LSU moved from 10th to No. 7 after beating Alabama, while Alabama dropped down to No. 9. Ole Miss (11th) and Kentucky (24th) are the other SEC teams in the poll. CFP rankings (SEC teams bold face): 1. Georgia 9-0; 2. Ohio State 9-0; 3. Michigan 9-0; 4. TCU 9-0; 5. Tennessee 8-1; 6. Oregon 8-1; 7. LSU 7-2; 8. Southern California 8-1; 9. Alabama 7-2; 10. Clemson 8-1; 11. Ole Miss 8-1; 12. UCLA 8-1; 13. Utah 7-2; 14. Penn State 7-2; 15. North Carolina 8-1; 16. North Carolina State 7-2; 17. Tulane 8-1; 18. Texas 6-3; 19. Kansas State 6-3; 20. Notre Dame 6-3; 21. Illinois 7-2; 22. UCF 7-2; 23. Florida State 6-3; 24. Kentucky 6-3; 25. Washington 7-2 SEC football No. 10 Alabama (7-2, 4-2 SEC): Former Alabama QB and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy says, “There needs to be a legitimate effort from Nick Saban to bring in coaches that understand what this program once looked like and what this program needs to look like.” Arkansas (5-4, 2-3 SEC): For the Hogs to knock off No. 7 LSU, they’ll have to get the job done in the secondary where they rank next to last in the SEC in pass defense (302.1 yards per game; 17 TDPs). Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC): Oregon HBC and former Georgia DC Dan Lanning says he’s not interested in the Auburn job. “The reality is the grass is not always greener and the grass is damn green in Eugene.” No. 1 Georgia (9-0, 6-0 SEC): The Bulldogs are third nationally in total offense (514.2 yards per game) and fifth in total defense (265.2). Georgia is second in scoring defense (10.8 points per game), fifth in rushing defense (86.33 yards per game) and 15th in pass defense (179.1). Kentucky (6-3, 3-3 SEC): The Wildcats have allowed 36 sacks in nine games. That’s 128th out of 131 Division I teams nationally. No. 7 LSU (7-2, 5-1 SEC): Despite his mobility (619 rushing yards and 10 TDs), Jayden Daniels has been sacked 32 times. Saturday opponent Arkansas has 28 sacks, which ranks 14th nationally. Mississippi State (6-3, 3-3 SEC): Can Mississippi State’s dink and dunk passing game (6.5 yards per attempt) against a Georgia defense that gives up only 5.7 and is coming off a game in which it limited Tennessee’s high powered passing game to 195 yards (5.9 per attempt)? Missouri (4-5, 2-4 SEC): Amid calls for HBC Eli Drinkwitz to replace QB Brady Cook with true freshman Sam Horn, Drinkwitz says Cook “gives us everything we got.” No. 11 Ole Miss (8-1, 4-1 SEC): Can the Rebels run the ball effectively against Alabama? The Rebels average 267.22 yards per game (5.71 per carry), which ranks second nationally. Alabama’s run defense gives up 104 (3.01 per carry), which is 11th nationally. South Carolina (6-3, 3-3 SEC): Cornerback David Spaulding is done for the year while safety BJ Gibson and running back MarShawn Lloyd are practicing but listed day-to-day for Saturday’s game at Florida. No. 5 Tennessee (8-1, 4-1 SEC): Hendon Hooker’s Heisman stock dropped considerably after the loss to Georgia, but his numbers are still outstanding: 71 percent completions, 281.4 yards per game, 10.1 yards per attempt and 21 TDPs. He’s also run for 355 yards and four TDs. Texas A&M (3-6, 1-5 SEC): The computer models say the Aggies have only a 23 percent chance of winning their last three games to make a bowl. Vanderbilt (3-6, 0-5 SEC): Vanderbilt suspended defensive backs coach Dan Jackson while the school investigates a comment he made on social media defending Kanye West … Freshman quarterback AJ Swann is out for the Kentucky game but HBC Clark Lea says he may return this season. Our SEC orphans in the Big 12 Oklahoma (5-4, 2-4 Big 12): No. 18 Texas (6-3, 4-2 Big 12): SEC basketball South Carolina (1-0) 80, South Carolina State 77 Keyontae scores 13 in K-State win over Rio Grande Valley Playing his first game since he collapsed on the court at Florida State December 12, 2020, former Gator Keyontae Johnson scored 13 points to go with two rebounds and four assists as Kansas State blew out Texas-Rio Grande Valley, 93-59. Keyontae hit 4-8 of his shots including 3-5 from 3-point range. He hit both his free throws. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: We will have another four-team College Football Playoff this year. Based on the rankings released Tuesday night, the only newbie to the party would be TCU. Now, if the playoff were to expand to 12 teams this year – the six highest-ranked conference champions and six at-large teams – this is what the playoff would look like. We still don’t know where the games would be played. If first round games are played on campus, the four teams that get a bye would then have to play at a neutral site, probably at current bowl locations. Would the top four teams be happy playing at a neutral site when the next four highest seeded teams get a home game? Those are questions that will have to be answered later, but for now, here are the teams and the games that would be played based on Tuesday night. Conference champions (automatic bid): Georgia (SEC), Ohio State (Big Ten), TCU (Big 12), Oregon (Pac-12), Clemson (ACC) and Tulane (American Athletic) At-large: Michigan (Big Ten), Tennessee (SEC), LSU (SEC), Southern California (Pac-12), Alabama (SEC) and Ole Miss (SEC) First round byes: 1. Georgia, 2. Ohio State, 3. Michigan and 4. TCU First round games: 5 Tennessee vs. 12 Tulane; 6 Oregon vs. 11 Ole Miss; 7 LSU vs. 10 Clemson; 8 Southern Cal vs. 9 Alabama Second round games: Georgia vs. Southern Cal-Alabama winner; Ohio State vs. LSU-Clemson winner; Michigan vs. Oregon-Ole Miss winner; TCU vs. Tennessee-Tulane winner.

By Buddy Martin Montrell Johnson Jr. said in a Gator football presser what many Gator fans have been thinking: about Anthony Richardson. "Bring him back!" It looks like this is going to be a hot topic for a while. Richardson is projected as a No. 1 pick, perhaps the third of fourth quarterback chosen. And he certainly didn't hurt his value on Saturday. While we won't know about A.R.'s decision to declare for the NFL for a while, his sparkling performance in the 41-24 win at Texas A&M, with two touchdowns running and two passing, certainly caught the eyes of scouts. Especially his 60-yard scoring run. Montrell's quote: "I've just seen him approach practice with more confidence. He's very -- how can I say this? He's more, like, shaking to the program, if you know what I mean. He's gotten more comfortable in the program since he's played a couple of games. He knows the offense a little bit better. And you can see him growing throughout games. And he's going to be great. We need him back another year."

THE GOLDEN ERA BEGINS: GATORS HOST STONY BROOK By Franz Beard Years ago when he was the football coach at North Carolina State, Lou Holtz was thought to be the logical successor to his former boss, Ohio State legend Woody Hayes. Asked one day after practice if he had thought about the possibility of following in Hayes’ footsteps, Holtz replied, “I would never follow a legend, but I wouldn’t mind following the guy who follows the legend.” There is some relevance to that statement with the Florida basketball program. Mike White chose to follow in the footsteps of Florida’s only basketball coaching legend, Billy Donovan, who won two NCAA titles, got the Gators to the Final Four four times, the Elite Eight seven times and won six SEC championships. White never won a conference championship and though he got the Gators to the NCAA Tournament four times in his seven seasons, only once did UF get past the first weekend. After seven years and a 142-88 record, White resigned abruptly and within a matter of a couple of days was named the head coach at Georgia. Enter Todd Golden, the guy who replaced the guy who replaced the legend and who makes his head coaching debut at Florida tonight (8 p.m.) against Stony Brook as part of an opening night basketball doubleheader. Kelly Rae Finley and the Florida women will face Florida A&M at 5:30. Golden believes everything is in place here at Florida to turn the Gators into a program that expects to get to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament yearly and is capable of competing for Final Four appearances. Although the Gators have been predicted a middle of the pack finish in the Southeastern Conference this season, Golden expects the Gators to make the NCAA Tournament this year. After years of a program whose transmission seemed to be jammed in neutral under White, Golden brings a fresh approach. As the head coach at San Francisco, Golden went 57-36 in three seasons, taking the Dons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1998 last season when they went 24-10. That’s a tough 24-10 because San Francisco plays in the same West Coast Conference as perennial Final Four and national championship contender Gonzaga as well as highly respected west coast powers Saint Mary’s, Santa Clara and BYU. White’s offenses were unimaginative and regularly hit stretches of four or five minutes in games when the Gators couldn’t throw the ball in the ocean from the end of the pier. Golden favors a very fast paced offense where the floor is spread and the ball moves quickly. There is a lot of pick and roll action that’s designed to get people to the rim off the bounce or wide open shots, particularly from beyond the 3-point line. The base set will have one big guy surrounded by three capable shooters who can hit 3-pointers. In All-SEC center Colin Castleton (6-11, 250, 5th YR), Golden has one of the nation’s elite big men. The other key to this offense will be point guard Kyle Lofton (6-3, 188, GR), a three-time All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection at St. Bonaventure. The way this offense spreads the floor, it will be difficult for opponents to double down on Castleton, particularly with Lofton able to deliver the ball to shooters on the perimeter. Golden has 13 scholarship players on the roster: six he inherited from last year’s team, four who transferred in and three true freshmen. Florida expected starting lineup: Colin Castleton (6-11, 250, 5th YR); CJ Felder (6-7, 240, SR); Kowacie Reeves (6-6, 192, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SO); Kyle Lofton (6-3, 188, GR) Stony Brook expected starting lineup: Frankie Pollicelli (6-7, 215, GR); Keenan Fitzmorris (7-0, 235, GR); Tyler Stephenson-Moore (6-3, 186, SR); Dean Noll (6-2, 180, GR); Aaron Clarke (6-1, 185, GR)

“We feel like we can play with anyone in the nation,” Johnson said Monday afternoon. “We’ve just got to tie things together, put it in piece-by-piece. Put the pieces into place and we’ve got to continue to play team football and that’s the main focus.” Montrell Johnson, whose transition from the Louisiana of the Fun Belt to the SEC has resulted in 549 rushing yards, eight touchdowns and a gaudy 5.97 yards per carry, sees another transition in the making for the Florida Gators. This one isn’t physical. It’s between the ears. “We feel like we can play with anyone in the nation,” Johnson said Monday afternoon. “We’ve just got to tie things together, put it in piece-by-piece. Put the pieces into place and we’ve got to continue to play team football and that’s the main focus.” The piece-by-piece bit isn’t physical. Sure, the Gators don’t have near the depth as teams like Georgia, Tennessee, LSU and Alabama, but they’re proven in stages that they’re a very capable team. Right now they’re trying to make the transition from a team that scares the bejabbers out of whoever they play into one that wins those games. A couple of weeks ago, the Gators fell behind badly at the half to No. 1 Georgia but instead of getting blown out by epic proportions, the Gators won the second half. Sure, Florida ended up losing the game by 22 points, but UF spent the second half looking like a team that was very capable of playing competitively with the Bulldogs. There is no question the Gators could have and probably should have beaten both Tennessee and LSU except for all the chunk plays given up by the defense. Those chunk plays are the difference in a Florida team that could be 8-1 right now and one that still needs a win to become bowl eligible. Consistently giving up the chunk plays is a sign of a team that doesn’t always have it going between the ears. So are turnovers, although the Gators (5-4, 2-4 SEC) seem to have found the cure-all for that plague. With the exception of Georgia, the other three losses were winnable if turnovers and chunk plays had been avoided. The Gators didn’t turn the ball over against Georgia but they did give up nearly 400 yards in chunk plays. The third quarter against Georgia when the Gators scored 17 unanswered points and the second half in last Saturday’s win over Texas A&M show what happens when the chunk plays are eliminated but that is only a part of the equation. There is still the matter of getting stops, takeaways and eliminating turnovers. The Gators forced three Georgia turnovers and they got two in the second half to destroy any hope of a comeback by the Aggies. Texas A&M was 1-8 on third down, so the defense got stops. It has been three games since the Gators turned the ball over. These are signs of good things going on between the ears. Even though we don’t know if the Gators are going to be able to build upon the recent good fortune, we’ve seen enough to know that they’re capable if only they can find a way to sustain the confluence of focus, preparation and execution for longer periods of time. When it all came together in the second half against Texas A&M it marked the longest stretch the Gators have played well in all phases of the game all season long. Now it’s true the Aggies aren’t exactly one of the better teams in the league and certainly they aren’t anywhere near the same level as LSU, Georgia or Tennessee, but no matter the opponent, when offense, defense and special teams eliminate the mental errors, the Gators can be a very tough out for any opponent. Against Texas A&M, the UF offense put up 492 yards and five touchdowns. Anthony Richardson didn’t have to throw much – just 28 attempts (17 completions) for 201 yards – because the Gators were able to pound out the yards on the ground (292) and eat up clock time. That kept the defense off the field and helped their efforts to pitch a second half shutout while allowing the Aggies only 106 yards. A heavy second half pass rush led by Princely Umanmielen and Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr., who got to the QB and forced fumbles, made the job of the secondary so much easier. Special teams contributed a pair of field goals, a 44.7-yard average per (SEC Sports Graphic) punt by Jeremy Crawshaw with zero return yards allowed, and a pair of punt returns for 35 yards by Xzavier Henderson, one for 28 yards that set up a TD. “We had a 156-yard advantage in special teams, hidden yards there that was huge in the game,” Napier said. We’ve been waiting on this and while it took until game nine to see tangible results of Napier’s weekly commentary about complementary football, it’s better late in the season than never at all. With South Carolina, Vanderbilt and Florida State still on the schedule and bowl eligibility hanging in the balance, the Gators are going to need complete games. Can they do it? That’s the $64,000 question that we’ll have to hold our collective breaths while waiting an answer. As much as Napier would like to see the Gators sustain that second half effort against the Aggies and play with consistency the rest of the year, he knows this is still a work in progress. “I still think we’re chasing that,” Napier said. “Can we put it together possession after possession? I think we are taking care of the ball better on offense, which is, really, if you look at our teams, that’s just the way we play. We’re getting takeaways. “We’ve got a lot of work to do and I really believe – I know you guys don’t like to writer about this – but it’s the human element part of the game. That’s just who we are right now. We’re working on that component on our team. The football, I think, will take care of itself as that becomes more of who we want to be.” The human element is what Napier talked about after the Georgia game when he said he saw a team ready to turn the corner. Florida has some very good players, an offense that ranks fourth in the SEC in yards per play (6.83) and second nationally in yards per carry (5.92). In Richardson, the Gators have a physically gifted quarterback who seems to be coming into his own. The offensive line is big, strong and efficient, led by O’Cyrus Torrence, who will make some All-America teams. There are so many pieces to the puzzle that are starting to fit together, particularly if the defense can start getting stops on a consistent basis. Of course, this is where the human element that Napier discusses comes into play. He knows the war it has been to get the Gators this far and isn’t naïve enough to think that just because some battles have been won that the fight is over and done with. “We've spent a ton of time on scheme, fundamentals, situational football,” Napier said. “We lift weights. We run. We focus on all different forms of development physically, but I think that team dynamic – the quote/unquote culture or brotherhood, however you want to describe that; the expectation from each other, the accountability at the player level, actually I'm not necessarily worried about my coach getting on me, but I'm worried about letting my teammate down … For an elite team, you've got to have that. And I think that's what we've been working hard on. You're starting to see some of that show up, I think.” Montrell Johnson understands. It’s about everybody focused on every single play. When that happens he knows this will be on its way to being the team they want to be. “We’ve got to be one,” Johnson said. “Defense can’t have a good game and the offense have a bad game. We’ve all got to have a good game, play together as one and complement each other. That’s what it’s going to take.”

THOUGHTS OF THE DAY By Franz Beard A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning: When Alex Klatsky nailed a 3-pointer from the corner with 46 seconds remaining in the game and Jack May followed his own shot with a layup 32 seconds later, the entire Florida bench and the O-Dome crowd of 7,377 roared approval. “The highlight of my night,” Belmont transfer guard Will Richard said. He wasn’t kidding. Even though he scored 15 points and grabbed three rebounds in his debut, Richard has a keen appreciation for the two walk-ons, who bust it daily in practice and never complain. Klatsky (redshirt junior) and May (redshirt sophomore) have been with the Florida program for years, yet prior to Monday and Florida’s 81-45 season opening win over Stony Brook, neither of them had ever scored a point. But they show up every day at practice and give their best effort to help make their scholarship teammates better players. The effort doesn’t go unnoticed. “Those guys work really hard, everybody knows it,” Colin Castleton (13 points, five rebounds, four blocked shots, two assists and one steal) said. “Even though we all joke about it and stuff, everybody’s really appreciative of what the walk-ons do and they should get a share of their appreciation and how we appreciate them so it meant a lot. They got a little piece of the pie tonight.” That the walk-ons could share in the win made Todd Golden’s debut as Florida’s that much sweeter. The Gators had a good, but not great, first game offensively, but defensively, they played at a very high level, especially for a first game. The Gators held Stony Brook to just 30.8 percent shooting for the night and only 6-28 from the 3-point line. Stony Brook caught the Gators by surprise when they not only opened the game in a zone but stayed in it nearly the entire 40 minutes. The zone and some quick triggers were responsible for the Gators bogging down after getting off to a 22-3 lead in the first half, but the second half saw a more efficient offense. “I think we did a really good job of playing with purpose for 40 minutes,” Golden said. “They obviously went zone for 40. We weren’t expecting that. We thought they would show it but we weren’t expecting it for 40 minutes. It just changed the complexion and kind of the way the game was started.” Golden said the Gators did a much better job in the second half because they took good shots. After a 3-15 first half from the 3-point line, the Gators went 7-10 in the second. “All of our threes in the second half were off catch and shoots,” Golden said. That’s a sign of the ball moving unselfishly to open shooters. Florida’s defense seemed to get better as the game wore on. Alex Fudge, who came off the bench to lead the Gators with 16 points believes the Gators will be an elite team on the defensive end this season. “I feel as if we take pride in defense and that’s something that we want to pick up in this program,” Fudge said. We want to build on that and probably be one of the national leaders defensively. It’s a good thing when you’re playing defense.” The Gators will play host to Kennesaw State Friday night at the O-Dome. UF women open with 83-55 win over FAMU A 20-0 run in the fourth quarter broke open a tight game as the Gators (1-0) opened their season with an 85-53 win over Florida A&M. St. John’s transfer Leilani Correa came off the bench to lead the four Gators in double figures with 18 points. Correa also had five rebounds, two assists and four steals. Also in double figures were Jordyn Merritt, KK Deans and Ra Shana Kyle, all three with 15 points. Merritt was Florida’s leading rebounder with 10 while Deans had three rebounds, five assists and three steals. While pleased with the overall effort for the first real game, UF coach Kelly Rae Finley thought the Gators “weren’t as sharp as we needed to be, or as we have been in practice with our transitions.” Still, the Gators were solid defensively, holding the Rattlers to 5-18 shooting from the 3-point line while forcing 28 turnovers. The Gators will be at home Sunday against UNC-Asheville (2 p.m., SEC Network). NFL scout: Richardson is a first round lock A National Football League scout tells Matt Hayes of Saturday Down South that folks who think Anthony Richardson isn’t first round material aren’t playing with a full deck. The scout told Hayes, “He has played 10 games. It’s absolutely crazy that I hear people say he’s not a natural quarterback or that he should play tight end in the [NFL]. Anyone who tries to play this kid at tight end should have their head examined. He’s a quarterback. He’s a quarterback who is still growing and understanding passing game concepts and he’s dealing with a number of injuries right now. He’s also dealing with a lack of talent on the outside. Think about what Florida had for (Kyle) Trask two years ago and compare that to now. His release is rare and he has the talent and physical ability to be a good, maybe great, starter in this league. He needs to stay one more season, but I’m not sure he will. If he comes out, he’s a lock first-day pick.” Florida running back Montrell Johnson knows how talented Richardsoni is but he most definitely wants AR to come back again. “I've just seen him approach practice with more confidence,” Johnson said at Florida’s Monday press conference. “He’s very – how can I say this? – he’s more like shaking the program if you know what I mean. He's gotten more comfortable in the program since he's played a couple of games. He knows the offense a little bit better. And you can see him growing throughout games. And he's going to be great. We need him back another year.” With three games remaining in the regular season, Richardson is 131-235 passing (55.7 percent) for 1,839 yards (7.8 per attempt) with nine touchdown passes and seven interceptions. Richardson is 74-492 (6.65 per carry) running the ball for eight touchdowns. Torrence named SEC O-Lineman of the Week Florida guard O’Cyrus Torrence was named Southeastern Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week after a dominating day in the trenches during the Gators’ 41-24 win over Texas A&M. The Gators ran for 291 yards, averaging 5.8 yards per carry. The Aggies only got to UF quarterback Anthony Richardson for one sack for -5 yards. Torrence is the highest rated offensive guard in the country by Pro Football Focus, grading out at 88.6 percent and 91.4 percent on running plays. He hasn’t allowed a quarterback sack or even a quarterback hit in the eight games he’s played and started. UF coach Bill Napier says, “The guy’s 6-5. He’s 335 pounds. He’s got 11-inch hands. He’s got long arms. He’s got more lean mass on his body than any player on our team. He’s a big time player. More importantly is he has discipline. He has character. He’s tough. He’s a very consistent worker. He’s durable and football comes easy to him. He processes really well. He’s a good communicator.” SEC football No. 10 Alabama (7-2, 4-2 SEC): Regarding quarterback Bryce Young’s tender shoulder, Nick Saban said Monday, “He is telling us he is fine. He said he was fine in practice relative to what he did. We need to do a better job around Bryce.” Arkansas (5-4, 2-3 SEC): Following their Saturday night arrests for disorderly conduct, defensive backs Myles Slusher and Anthony Brown have been suspended for at least one week. Auburn (3-6, 1-5 SEC): Auburn starting left tackle Paul Troxell will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a knee injury. No. 1 Georgia (9-0, 6-0 SEC): Kirby Smart says the Mississippi State cowbells, which the Bulldogs will hear loud and clear Saturday, present a “huge competitive advantage.” Kentucky (6-3, 3-3 SEC): Punter Colin Goodfellow suffered a season-ending injury on a play that resulted in a roughing the kicker penalty against Missouri. No. 7 LSU (7-2, 5-1 SEC): Following Jayden Daniels’ touchdown in overtime and then again after his overtime pass to Jason Taylor for the game-winning points against Alabama, the seismograph on the LSU campus moved. Mississippi State (6-3, 3-3 SEC): The Bulldogs are 16.5-point home underdogs to Georgia. Missouri (4-4, 2-4 SEC): Former 3-star cornerback recruit Davion Sistrunk will be transferring out. No. 11 Ole Miss (8-1, 4-1 SEC): After hearing Paul Finebaum’s comments about the curtain starting to close on Nick Saban, Lane Kiffin said, “I texted [Paul] Finebaum on the way over here when I saw his quotes when he normally does and he says the Nick Saban dynasty is over and all that. Every time he says this – which I tell him – all he does is, I call it, like, GOAT fuel. The opposite of rat poison. You’re just like, giving the GOAT fuel, which for him, that works. He goes and proves them wrong every time.” South Carolina (6-3, 3-3 SEC): The Gamecocks are optimistic that leading rusher MarShawn Lloyd will be healthy enough to play this week. Lloyd didn’t play against Vanderbilt. He has 569 yards and 10 touchdowns this season. No. 5 Tennessee (8-1, 4-1 SEC): Reece Davis of ESPN believes the Vols won’t slide too far when the College Football Playoff rankings are released tonight. “I think they’ll hang in there at No. 4 but we’ll see,” Davis tweeted. Texas A&M (3-6, 1-5 SEC): Freshman Connor Weigman will be the starting QB at Auburn. Vanderbilt (3-6, 0-5 SEC): Although they lost to South Carolina, the Commodores ran 226 yards and averaged 5.51 yards per carry. Our SEC orphans in the Big 12 Oklahoma (5-4, 2-4 SEC): A lack of discipline has been killing the Sooners, who rank dead last in the Big 12 in penalties. They were flagged eight times in their loss to Baylor. No. 18 Texas (6-3, 4-2 Big 12): Although TCU is unbeaten and ranked fourth nationally, Texas opens as a 7-point favorite in Austin Saturday. SEC basketball No. 20 Alabama (1-0) 75, Longwood 54 No. 10 Arkansas (1-0) 76, North Dakota State 58 No. 15 Auburn (1-0) 70, George Mason 52 Georgia (1-0) 68, Western Carolina 55 No. 4 Kentucky (1-0) 95, Howard 63 Mississippi State (1-0) 63, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 44 Missouri (1-0) 97, Southern Indiana 91 Ole Miss (1-0) 73, Alcorn State 58 No. 11 Tennessee (1-0) 75, Tennessee Tech 43 Texas A&M (1-0) 87, Louisiana-Monroe 54 Memphis 75, Vanderbilt (0-1) 67 Our SEC orphans in the Big 12 Sam Houston 52, Oklahoma (0-1) 51 No. 12 Texas (1-0) 72, UTEP 57 ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: South Florida dismissed head football coach Jeff Scott Sunday after going 4-26 in a little less than three full seasons. Scott had a rather brilliant reputation as an assistant coach when he was the co-offensive coordinator at Clemson. It seems the Clemson offense and Scott’s career have taken a nosedive since he left. Given Clemson’s diminished offensive production in the past couple of seasons, Dabo Swinney definitely needs to hire Scott back although there is no question he will have his choice of coordinator jobs. So where does South Florida turn? The program has been on a downward spiral ever since 2017 when they finished 10-2 and were within a last minute fumble of upsetting UCF. There is no on campus football stadium although there is a plan to build one that will open in 2026 at a cost of more than $300 million, but that’s three seasons from now. And who’s going to pay for it? USF will remain in the American Athletic Conference which has media deal worth less than $7 million per school. This is a bad situation that could get worse.

Miller (#51) on bottom of pile: "Tough Love" halftime talks were key. (UAA Photo) If nothing else, the big second half comeback victory – Napier’s first as Gator coach – validated some things Billy and his staff have been teaching. Aided by a fiery halftime talk by coaches and players. By BUDDY MARTIN GatorBaitMedia.com Editor Despite the image we have of a fire-breathing, ass-kicking tyrant who browbeats athletes into submission and brainwashes them into believing they have superpowers, football coaches must learn the patience of farmers. Plant it, grow it and, when it is ready, it will blossom. Or it won’t. Yes, football coaching success sometimes must rely on organic farming. It took 10 months and 8½ games for Billy Napier’s crop to yield. Then it happened in Southeast Central Texas on an early November Saturday afternoon, at halftime of a game in which his Florida Gators trailed 24-20. Like a good farmer, Napier found the secret in the dirt, pulling out an impressive 41-24 victory. If nothing else, the big second half comeback victory – Napier’s first as Gator coach – validated some things Billy and his staff have been teaching. Aided by a fiery halftime talk by coaches and players. I saw a new energy and better coaching in the second half, inspired some of the refocused thinking from players and coaches alike. As Ventrell Miller said, they asked for more and better — and they got it. “I think it had to do with the halftime speech from some of the coaches and players,” said Miller. “We started off flat-footed and just taking ownership of that. It got dem boys motivated in the second half, and everyone came out and did their job, and we showed them how the Florida Gators defense could play.” Napier’s team at Florida had never won after trailing at halftime. The Aggies led 24-20 and were receiving the second half kickoff. I don’t know what all was said at halftime, but it enticed a fresh perspective. Everybody seemed to have received wake-up calls and it’s almost like a light bulb clicked on overhead. After an embarrassing first half on defense, the Gators found some answers. I saw a new defensive scheme with more stunts which put more pressure on the QB. Some sparks flew. “In the second half, we told everyone to fly around to the ball. Missed tackles don’t show up when everyone is flying to the ball, so that was definitely something that was going on in the second half,” said Miller. On the halftime speech ... “It was a little bit of tough love, like ‘let’s go!’ It’s still a game and we aren’t playing like how we are supposed to play. We told dem boys to ‘shut it out,’ and dem boys stood on that. So I’m definitely proud of dem boys.” They also got better play-calling. Last week I criticized the offensive coaches for their “uninspiring” game plan vs. Georgia, coming out of an open date. But they did find some juice in the third quarter, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to one score. Even though they did not close the gap in the fourth, I felt the Gators began to discover resolve and direction that might become something to build on. Then after losing to Georgia, Brenton Cox was booted for conduct unbecoming, and we wondered how that might impact leadership. Napier found out in the third quarter vs. A&M. They not only changed the direction of the season, but found new leadership. And according to AR, it may have changed his life. “Coach Nape (Napier) told me that this is going to be a turning point of my career and my life. I kind of see that because I think I am getting better with my leadership. That’s how I’m keeping cool.” And on offense, which had been pretty much vanilla, I saw a few new wrinkles I’d hoped for last week — including a jet sweep reverse and flea-flicker. Mostly what I liked was the poise and leadership. And the arrival of some new faces like Ja’Quavion Fraziars, Lloyd Summerall, Antoine Ryland-Powell, Caleb Douglas, etc. Organically, however, the key to what have been a quantum leap for Napier’s Gators was the fresh new personality of Richardson, whose life lesson not only will make him a better quarterback for Florida, but for somebody in the NFL. What he learned was how to communicate with others. And he learned it right there in the heat of battle. “It’s a challenge trying to be a leader,” Richardson admitted. “Sometimes you got to fight through those challenges and try to grow. As a leader, I haven’t always been the type of guy to communicate a lot. I just try to lead by example and just show guys how to do things. But I see that that’s not the only way you can be a leader. You can lead by example and then communicate with guys and connect with them. It makes a lot easier for you to lead people.” (UAA Photo) See how he did it. https://twitter.com/secnetwork/status/1589012138445754376?s=46&t=_tk7t2mXBR5vZmLIzIWpOw Napier talked about his heart-to-heart at halftime. "I told Anthony there late in the game – I think Anthony’s going to play this game for a long time – I think he’ll look back and this will be one of those days that he will say was kind of a pivotal day,” Napier said after the game. ”I think just playing with confidence, (I) thought he started fast. Really thorough in his prep during the week. He’s a 20-year-old, first-year starter in a new system. And I think, again, I really believe Anthony’s problems aren’t physical. It’s about development. It’s about getting comfortable in a role. Being a leader, being vocal. Improving as a communicator.” That should make South Carolina and how many other future teams A.R. will face in college football afraid. Very afraid. And the next time you Gator fans start grousing over your QB, get that clip of AR rambling down the field for a 60-yard touchdown run. That’s a 6-foot-4, 225-pound man running like a deer, smoothly and skillfully. The same guy whose touch on a TD pass to Fraziars earlier landed like it had butterfly wings. No matter how long you disenchanted fans grouse, you’re never going to get that in your next box of Cracker Jacks.