We are coming together currently to support Patric and his growing family as he continues to recover and transition to Craig Rehab Hospital in Englewood, CO. As many of you know, just two weeks before his wedding, Patric was involved in a horrible car accident on June 29 while in Nebraska. (https://www.news4jax.com/sports/2022/07/04/former-providence-gators-forward-patric-young-recovering-after-car-crash/) This was devastating news for all of us to experience and we thank each of you for being there for him in your special way. We are happy to share that in the middle of this difficult time, his spirit and work ethic are still 100% in true Patric fashion. He is improving every day and advancing well with his physical therapy. However, he has a long recovery ahead. Join TEAM PATRIC! I just donated to this GoFundMe, https://gofund.me/843bcb1f. Would you be interested in supporting it too? The Hospital address is Patric Young, patient c/o Craig Hospital 3425 S. Clarkson St. Englewood, CO 80113 This is where we ask for your help. We are raising funds to support some of his medical bills that are not covered by insurance. (Most of his treatment will be covered, however some items are not covered). Kindly consider donating to help him and Whitney cover costs for the airlift from the site of the accident to the hospital in Sioux Falls. This air lift unfortunately is out of network for his insurance plan. Funds will also be used to help purchase a shower buddy chair, getting his vehicle adapted with arm controls so that he can drive, and adaptive ramps and doorways in their home. All dollars raised will go directly to medical bills and medical devices. Thank you for all your prayers and support at this time. Keep them coming! Please note: We will post updates on this page to keep you informed on his recovery and growing family life. Even a small donation could help Bright Meyer reach their fundraising goal. And if you can't make a donation, it would be great if you could share the fundraiser to help spread the word.

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning: NAPIER’S TURN AT THE PODIUM IN ATLANTA TODAY Billy Napier will take his turn at the podium at 1 p.m. today in Atlanta, his first time dealing with the horde or writers, reporters and broadcasters who make SEC Media Days the best covered event of its type every year. It will rank among the greatest upsets since Samson slew 1,000 from Team Philistine with a donkey’s jawbone just to make it sporty if Napier says anything remotely controversial. He will sound well prepared and quite business-like, not the least bit awed by the stage he’s on, and he will give a very straightforward account of just how far the Gators have come since he arrived on the scene last December and how far they have to go before the season opener with Utah on September 3. It won’t be sit on the edge of your seat waiting for the next zinger like it was in the Spurrier days nor the almost rock star presence of Urban Meyer. It will be straight football. No Free Shoes U. No school out west. No my dog Clarabelle. Spurrier was naturally funny. Meyer made you think he could will opponents into submission. Jim McElwain, it seems, wanted us to believe he could have been Paul Lynde’s stunt double on Hollywood Squares. Billy Napier is none of those things. He does have a personality and it’s rather pleasant although he doesn’t allow himself to stray too far outside the white lines of the football highway. If you’re expecting to be entertained you might want to renew that subscription to Hulu to watch reruns of The Gong Show. If you want to feel like your Florida football coach is extremely well prepared and knows exactly what he’s doing, then you might want to tune in. SANKEY ON THE NEED TO EXPAND Following Greg Sankey’s State of the SEC address in Atlanta Monday we can connect the following dots: 1. The SEC is quite content to remain at 16 teams and feels absolutely no urgency to get the drop on the Big Ten to see whose is bigger. 2. With the additions of Texas and Oklahoma to what is already the best sports league in the country, Sankey says the SEC is already “a super league” and is in a “position of strength.” 3. Without saying so and by offering an expanded 8-team, all at-large playoff possibility it was a clear endorsement for Notre Dame to remain independent. 4. Any move the SEC makes will be dictated by what’s in the best interests of the SEC and not a reaction to any move made by the Big Ten or any other conference. 5. Sankey and Notre Dame hold all the cards when it comes to conference realignment, contraction, expansion. Kevin Warren can hold his breath, turn blue and wait for the paramedics before Sankey or Notre Dame will let him dictate anything. NOTRE DAME SETS THE BIDDING HIGH FOR ITS NEXT MEDIA RIGHTS CONTRACT Two things to wrap your arms around: (1) Notre Dame controls its own destiny when it comes to independence or joining a conference and (2) the Irish will get MORE than the $75 million they’ve floated out there for renewing with NBC. First things first. Notre Dame is still Notre Dame. Their desire is to remain independent rather than join a conference. If someone meets their media demands they stay independent. If not, they will contemplate joining whichever conference makes the most sense in every way. Staying independent is not going to damage their ability to make the College Football Playoff. Secondly, NBC will not be the only bidder for Notre Dame football. That was just the first salvo. CBS, which may get into the bidding for the Big 12, is thought to have an interest and streaming services such as Amazon and Apple TV both want to get into college sports. Notre Dame is a rather juicy plum for all of them. Odds that Notre Dame will get less than $75 million: 1-5 percent. Odds that Notre Dame gets $75 million or more: Go with the over. COACHES COMMENTS FROM SEC MEDIA DAYS Nick Saban “We’re one of the haves. Don’t think that what I’m saying is a concern that we have at Alabama because we’re one of the haves. But everybody in college football cannot do these things relative to how they raise money in a collective or whatever, how they distribute money to players. Those are the concerns that I have in terms of how do we place guidelines around this so that we can maintain a competitive balance?” Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin “If you have boosters out there deciding who they’re going to pay to come play and the coach isn’t involved in it, how does that work? They could go pick who they want, pay him however much. Are the boosters going to tell you who to play, too? When they don’t play, how is that going to work out? … I'm sure other people said it. I said day one, you legalize cheating, so get ready for the people that have the most money to get players. Now you have it. It is what it is.” LSU Coach Brian Kelly “I don't feel like we're being out-bid by anybody. I don't think that's the place of NIL anyway. So if we were being out-bid, then we're going to be out-bid if we have $50 million in our collective.” The Pirate, Mississippi State coach Mike Leach “Go up to your next favorite NFL guy, say, ‘Hey, I heard in the NFL they're going to have unmitigated free agency, 365, 24/7. And, by the way, there's not going to be any salary cap or draft, you're just going to have bidding wars.’ Just watch the expression on their face. Don't look at anything else or write down any notes because the expression on their face will be well worth it.” South Carolina coach Shane Beamer “I didn’t come here to South Carolina to be 7-6 every year. We have higher expectations than that.” Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea “We know in time Vanderbilt football will be the best program in the country. As I said a year ago, there are no cheat codes, shortcuts, no hacks that will allow this to happen overnight. This is still about going the long, hard way, independent of the trends and headlines generating the most attention right now in college football. We are engaged in what has become a unique form of team building. We are a relationship-driven, student-athlete-focused program that values the holistic development of our people over all else. To us, this isn't an antiquated concept. It still matters. When you do the right things, the right way, with the right people, with respect and appreciation, you will not be denied.” THOMPSON, BARCO, FABIAN AND SPROAT GONERS; RIOPELLE WILL BE BACK Barring some sort of snafu between their agents and the teams that drafted them, Sterlin Thompson, Hunter Barco, Jud Fabian and Brandon Sproat will never suit up for the Florida Gators again. Taken by the Colorado Rockies with the 31st pick in the Major League Baseball Draft, Thompson has a slot valued at $2.43 million. Barco, taken with the 44th pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates, is slotted for a $1.78 million bonus. Fabian, taken with the 67th pick by the Baltimore Orioles is slotted for a $1.03 million bonus while Sproat, who went to the New York Mets with the 90th pick, has a slot value of $691,000. First baseman Xavier Isaac (Kernersville, NC East Forsyth) was taken by the Tampa Bay Rays with the 29th pick in the first round. He has a slot value of $2.55 million. Mercer transfer Colby Thomas was taken with the 95th pick by the Oakland Athletics. He has a slot value of $641,000. Isaac will almost certainly sign. Thomas has two seasons of eligibility remaining so he has leverage to say no to Oakland. Catcher BT Riopelle, who went undrafted, announced he will be back for his senior season. Third baseman Colby Halter was draft eligible but also went undrafted. Two Florida signees were taken in the draft: pitcher Magnus Ellerts (Florida Southwestern State College) by the Chicago Cubs in the 11th round and pitcher/first baseman Yoel Tejada (Calvary Christian HS) by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 19th round. Ellerts is expected to sign while Tejada is expected to enroll at UF. As it stands today, here are Florida signees and transfers expected to make it to campus: Yoel Tejada Jr., P/1B (Davie, FL Calvary Christian); Luke Heyman, C (Altamonte Springs, FL Lake Brantley); Jake Clemente, RHP (Coral Springs, FL Marjory Stoneman Douglas); Cade Fisher, LHP (Dalton, GA Northwest Whitfield); Chris Arroyo, LHP/OF (Coral Springs, FL Marjory Stoneman Douglas); William Ross, RHP/1B (Winter Garden, FL West Orange); Salvador Alvarez, C (Miami, FL/Montverde, FL Montverde Academy); Erik Blair, OF/LHP (Fort Lauderdale, FL American Heritage); Tyler Shelnut, 2B (Lake City, FL Santa Fe College); Clete Harzog, RHP (Panama City, FL/Dothan, AL Wallace Community College); SS Alex Ulloa (Miami, FL/Prescott, AZ Yavapai College); and Dale Thomas, 2B (Orlando, FL Mercer transfer). ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The Atlantic Coast Conference media days begin this morning in Charlotte with the state of the ACC address by commissioner Jim Phillips. I wonder if Phillips will have the guts to tell the media that he was part of one of the more colossal goofs in the history of sports when he joined with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff to form “The Alliance,” whose only accomplishment was to torpedo expanding the College Football Playoff. Expanding the playoff, by the way, might have saved the Pac-12 from extinction and prevented the ACC from becoming the poor kid on the block. Pac-12 media days will be next week, ample opportunity for Kliavkoff to discuss the buzzards circling his league thanks, in large part, to his (a) stupidity and (b) trusting Kevin Warren. His league is just waiting for the fork and the declaration they’re done. Wednesday morning is Phillips’ chance to explain how he dismissed the several hundred million dollar lifeline the expanded playoff would have provided him. People who know him say Phillips is a very bright guy. He might have a hard time convincing athletic directors and boosters in the ACC who see their league doomed to college sports’ equivalent of third world status. To be perfectly clear, you can’t lay ACC poverty at the feet of Jim Phillips. No, that mantle has to be assumed by John Swofford, who spent decades cultivating an image of one of the really smart guys in college sports only to prove he’s not with this media deal with ESPN that includes an iron-clad grant of rights provision that will hamstring the league until 2036. How bad is it? ACC schools are expected to collect their first $40 million media rights paycheck in 2025, the same year the expanded SEC will be knocking down something like $80 million per. Due to grant of rights, any ACC school that wishes to bolt will have an enormous buyout plus owe all its media money UNTIL 2036 to the ACC. So, you can see where having an extra $150-200 million to distribute from an expanded playoff could have come in rather handy. And you see why Phillips isn’t exactly going to be the nominee for Miss Congeniality (hey, we live in a world where you can name your own gender, remember?) among the movers and shakers in the ACC. In the immortal words of Walter Cronkite (he actually said this), “Never trust a fart.” That’s what the so-called alliance was, nothing more than a fart that left a bad stink before it dissipated into nothing.

A few thoughts to jump start your Friday morning: UF BASKETBALL PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS They say you only get one chance to make a first impression. First impressions of the way Florida first year basketball coach Todd Golden conducts his practices get very high marks. Here are a few observations from a Thursday workout that Golden allowed the media to watch: Quick, quick, quick: Everything is done at a breakneck pace. There isn’t time for a lot of standing around. Golden steps in, gives a concept, explains it in detail and expects his guys to pick it up and go with it. All the drills are conducted full speed and once one drill is complete, it’s on to the next, which will also be conducted at the same fast pace. Point guard: Unlike the last two seasons in which the Gators have had a shooting guard in a point guard’s body running the offense, Golden has two pure points in Kyle Lofton and Trey Bonham. Lofton, who transferred in from St. Bonaventure where averaged 13.9 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.2 assists for his career, is a grown man. He plays with elite speed yet he’s fully under control. He is a difference maker at both ends of the floor. Bonham, who averaged 13.6 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists last year at VMI is waterbug quick. He has an extra gear that we haven’t seen since Chris Chiozza. Off guard: Belmont transfer Will Richard is impressive. He’s long and very athletic, deceptively quick. He’s got a very nice stroke. How is it he hit only 32.6 percent on his 3-pointers last year? He handles the ball well and is very intense defensively. Myreon Jones seems to have regained the shooting touch that he had at Penn State but went AWOL last year. When his feet are set and his shoulders are square, his shot looks great from the moment that it leaves his hand. Wings: Kowacie Reeves has added about 10-15 pounds of muscle. He looks quicker and isn’t so tentative handling the ball. Every shot he takes looks like it’s going in. LSU transfer Alex Fudge is another one who has added some muscle not to mention an inch to his frame. He’s a legit 6-9 now. He is long and explosive. Thunder dunker. He could wind up being a stretch four. Niels Lane is making shots. No, he’s not going to be mistaken for the next great pure shooter, but the ball tracks nicely off his hands. During the defensive drills he’s an absolute stud. Bigs: Colin Castleton is still rehabbing from surgery to repair his torn labrum. Jason Jitoboh looks to be in the best physical condition he’s been in since arriving on campus. He no longer looks soft and fluffy. He’s listed at 300 pounds on the UF roster, but he looks to be 20 or so pounds lighter than that and he is moving his feet quite well. Shot the ball well. I know it was just practice and not a scrimmage, but this was the best I’ve seen CJ Felder since the season began last year. He was under-utilized last year. He’s 240 now, far more defined physically and has much better lateral quickness. Coaching: Golden is very hands on in his approach. He’s very vocal and gets maximum work in a short period of time. He emphasizes spacing, quick, accurate passing, ball movement and taking very good shots on offense. Defensively, the concepts are very sound and straight out of the Bruce Pearl handbook. Lots of emphasis on communication and rotation. Assistants Carlin Hartman and Kevin Hovde were very active. I like the way the staff interacts with players. Everybody from the coaches to the players to the managers seems to have fun yet plenty is accomplished. GOLDEN COMPLETES ROSTER WITH ALEKSANDER SZYMCZYK The final piece of the 2022-23 roster puzzle has been completed by the addition of Polish born power forward Aleksander Szymczyk (6-11, 240) who was developed at the international basketball academy in Munich and played for the Fraport Skyliners and the TSV Oberhaching Tropics under-19 teams. He’s grown an inch and put on 30 pounds (mostly muscle) in the past year or so. He had ankle surgery that sidelined him for four months midway through 2021. Szymczyk has the typical European range on his jumper, which means he’s not afraid to launch a 3-ball, important in the Todd Golden offense, but reports out of Europe say he’s not afraid to mix it up underneath and rebound the basketball. He will be a freshman at UF in the fall and will be draft eligible in 2024. UF roster as of July 14, 2022 Bigs (4): Colin Castleton (6-11, 240, GR); Jason Jitoboh (6-11, 280, SR); CJ Felder (6-7, 240, SR); Aleksander Szymcsyk (6-11, 240, FR) Wings (4): Niels Lane (6-5, 215, JR); Kowacie Reeves (6-6, 190, SO); Will Richard (6-4, 206, SO); Alex Fudge (6-9, 194, SO) Guards (5): Myreon Jones (6-3, 177, GR); Kyle Lofton (6-3, 186, GR); Trey Bonham (6-0, 170, JR); Denzel Aberdeen (6-5, 180, FR); Riley Kugel (6-5, 185, FR) GAME THREE, SOUTH FLORIDA: SCOUTING THE BULLS Team rankings: Lindy’s 102; Athlon 100 Head coach: Jeff Scott (3 years, 3-18); Offensive coordinator: Travis Trickett; Defensive coordinator: Bob Shoop Last year vs. Power 5 opponents: 0-2 Last year vs. ranked opponents: 0-5 Last 10 years vs. Power 5 opponents: 7-20 Last 10 years vs. ranked opponents: 0-28 Last year’s offense: 23.2 points; 350.9 yards total offense; 158.5 yards rushing (3.91 per carry); 192.4 passing yards (6.5 per attempt); 25 sacks allowed; 21 turnovers (9 fumbles, 12 interceptions) Last year’s defense: 34.7 points; 471.4 yards; 207.25 rushing yards (5.8 per carry); 264.2 passing yards (8.3 per attempt); 9 sacks; 17 turnovers forced (7 fumbles, 10 interceptions) Top returning offensive players: QB Timmy McClain (1,888 passing yards, 7.2 per attempt; 5 TDs, 7 INTs; 238 rushing yards (1.93 per attempt, 4 TDs); RB Jared Mangham (160-671 rushing yards, 4.19 per attempt, 15 TDs); RB Kelley Joiner (78-480 rushing yards, 2 TDs); WR Xavier Weaver (41-715, 17.44 per catch, 2 TDs); Jimmy Horn Jr. (30-408 receiving, 13.6 per catch, 1 TD); LT Donavan Jennings (6-5, 327); LG Demetrius Harris (6-3, 309); C Brad Cecil (6-4, 302) Top returning defensive players: MLB Antonio Greer (92 tackles, 3 INTs, 2 sacks, 2 fumbles forced); OLB Dwayne Broyles (68 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 fumbles forced); CB Daquan Evans (59 tackles, 3 pass breakups); NB Vincent Davis (69 tackles, 3.5 TFL); SS Matthew Hill (50 tackles, 1 INT); FS Mekhi Lapointe (59 tackles, 2 INTs; 3 pass breakups); CB TJ Robinson (31 tackles, 3 pass breakups) This is year three for Jeff Scott, who won two games last year but had the Bulls competitive in five others, a serious upgrade from the previous season. Rebuilding the Bulls is not an overnight task but they are expected to at least double their win total from last season and be competitive in most games. Through good recruiting and nice use of the transfer portal, Scott has South Florida perhaps one year away from a winning record. The Bulls run a spread offense that Scott brought with him from Clemson a couple of years ago. It incorporates a lot of the passing concepts of Chad Morris but it’s a bit more run heavy. Defensively, the Bulls will run out of a 4-2-5 set. Last year’s anemic offense is expected to be far more productive thanks to an experienced offensive line where all five starters return and transfer quarterback Gerry Bohannon. The left side of the line – LT Donavan Jennings, LG Demetrius Harris, C Brad Cecil – is quite solid. Bohannon was the starter for 11 games at Baylor before he went down with an injury. He threw for 2,194 yards (7.9 per attempt) and 18 TDs (7 picks) while running for 323 yards (4.25 per carry) and nine TDs. He will be throwing to veteran wide receivers in Xavier Weaver and Jimmy Horn Jr. but the guy who turned heads during the spring was Clemson transfer Ajou Ajou, a fast and physical 6-3, 220. The running game is in solid hands with the 1-2 punch of 220-pound power back Jared Mangham, who ran for 15 TDs last year, and speed back Kelley Joiner, who averaged 6.15 yards per carry. The defense has two serious issues that have to be resolved if the Bulls are to make real progress on that side of the ball: stopping the run and getting to the QB. The Bulls had issues stuffing the run in 2021 when five opponents ran for 250 or more yards. In their loss to Florida, the Gators were good for 363 yards and 8.25 per carry. They’re hoping that North Carolina transfer (former 4-star recruit) Clyde Pinder Jr. (6-0, 300), Missouri transfer Jatorian Hansford and Wake Forest transfer James Ash can bring some toughness and run-stopping ability up front. The Bulls have a decent pair of linebackers in Antonio Greer and Dwayne Broyles. All five starters return in the secondary, which could be good news or bad news. They were bad last year. The hope is that an improved pass rush (only 9 sacks last year) can reduce the number of big plays in the passing game from a year ago. USF is still a work in progress. The Bulls are at a distinct disadvantage since they have below par facilities and play their home games off campus at Raymond James Stadium. Plans have been approved to build an on campus stadium that will seat 35,000. The school will be open for bids to design and build the new stadium later this summer with the plan to have it ready to go on or before the 2026 season. The question is will Jeff Scott be around to coach the Bulls in their new digs? Although he’s just 3-18 through his first two seasons, he seems to have more than adequate support from the administration which is determined to get the football program on sound footing. The Bulls will be better this year, but seven or eight losses seem to be inevitable. STERLIN THOMPSON SHOULD GO FIRST ROUND SUNDAY In their latest mock Major League Baseball draft, ESPN has Florida outfielder/second baseman going to the Toronto Blue Jays with the 23rd overall pick in the first round. Prospects Live has him at No. 25 to the New York Yankees, while MLB.com sends him to the Milwaukee Brewers at No. 27. The Athletic has Thompson at No. 29 to the Tampa Bay Rays. Thompson is listed No. 34 to the Arizona Diamond Backs which means he would be in the competitive balance portion of the first round. Prospects Live has UF righthander Brandon Sproat going No. 50 overall (second round) to the Colorado Rockies with center fielder Jud Fabian going No. 67 to the Baltimore Orioles. Baseball America has UF lefty Hunter Barco going No. 53 to the San Diego Padres. The first two rounds plus competitive balance and compensation selections will be Sunday evening with round 3-10 on Monday and the final 10 rounds on Tuesday. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: When it comes to Big 12 Media Days, which got a head start on everybody else this week, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy wonders out loud why Texas and Oklahoma are even allowed to participate much less attend meetings in which business is discussed. That’s rather odd since Texas and Oklahoma are not only leaving for the SEC within a year or two, but as Matt Hayes of Saturday Down South writes, “Multiple sources told SDS in May that Texas and Oklahoma have been part of SEC business meetings since their admittance to the conference.” You can’t blame Texas and Oklahoma on this one. Blame it on the Big 12, which should have bit the bullet months ago to negotiate a ransom payment for Texas and OU to leave the league. Texas and Oklahoma don’t lack for money. Neither do the SEC and ESPN, which both could have been in the room negotiating the exit. The Big 12 could have picked up $100 million or so in cash while shrewdly getting ESPN to dial up a media rights deal for its newly reshaped league. Had the Big 12 been smart, it could have used its media days to announce that Texas and Oklahoma shouldn’t let the screen door hit them in the backside on the way out while announcing a partnership with ESPN for television broadcasts starting in 2023. Instead, all folks can talk about is the SEC, which is exactly what you are talking about these days when you discuss Texas and Oklahoma.

Toney is a student of the “Creeper” defense made popular by retired NFL assistant coach Dean Peas, former, college assistant Joe Lee Dunn and current Baylor defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. PART 1 OF A SERIES ON GATOR FOOTBALL By LOREN MEADOWS GatorBait.com Football Analyst For the 2022 Gator football season, no one could be under more scrutiny than new Gators defensive coordinator Patrick Toney. He replaces Todd Grantham, whose brash and aggressive style of defense did not hold up well in Gainesville for the long run. Grantham spent the better part of his last two seasons under scrutiny for defensive calls and alignments that seemed to confuse his own side of the ball more than the opponents. Many times, the Florida defense under Grantham showed a lack of discipline, technique and understanding. In many cases defensive alignments and calls to the front of the defense seemed to rarely match what was being called in the secondary, causing gaps and areas to be ignored in defending both the run and the pass. Toney is a student of the “Creeper” defense made popular by retired NFL assistant coach Dean Peas, former, college assistant Joe Lee Dunn and current Baylor defensive coordinator Ron Roberts. Falling under what coordinators would call “safe pressures” this defense however is not as much as a “package” but more of a “part.” The term “Creepers” involves bringing what would be identified as a non-traditional pass rusher (linebacker, defensive back) to rush the quarterback while dropping a traditional pass rusher (defensive tackle or end) into coverage. Couple that with “simulated pressures,” which simulate the “overload” or “all out” blitz while disguising which defenders are rushing. And you have a defense that can make -- as Toney puts it-- “different things look the same” and “same things look different.” Ultimately this means that while the presentation is to bring more defenders than the offense can account four in essence you are rushing the quarterback with no more than five defenders as to not sacrifice coverage. The flexibility of the defense to utilize both three and four down linemen will give the Gators the option to utilize their personnel based upon their strengths in certain situations. In any plan -- particularly in the game of football -- putting theory into practice can be a daunting task. With that said, we will look at the pros and cons of the “Creeper” and the major players that will bring this plan to reality this season. Pros of the Florida Defense: Post Snap Confusion: With offenses lining up quickly a defense can be forced to tip its hand while allowing the offensive coaches to call the perfect play based on pre-snap alignment. By shifting after the snap, the pressure is now on the quarterback to process information quickly while facing a pass rush. Offensive Line Difficulties: While offenses utilize zone schemes to manage stunts and blitzes of defensive fronts. Many offenses utilize similar approaches to protect the quarterback. Both creepers and simulated pressures can give the illusion of more defenders rushing than offenses have blockers. This will cause lines to slide to an anticipated side while the free rusher could come from a gap or side of the formation not anticipated by the protection. Safe Coverage: In most cases you will see less blitzes that allow for free receivers running through open areas vacated by a blitzing defender. In Toney’s defense a second level rusher (Creeper) will most certainly be replaced by a first level defender. This will allow Florida to play coverage behind the pressure taking away the ability of the quarterback to release the ball quickly or step up and complete a pass for a big play. While Florida will play both man and zone behind simulated pressures, in theory areas vacated by rushers will be replaced by others based on down, distance and offensive tendencies. No Mo RPO’s: The Run-Pass-Option has become the “in” things for many of today’s college offenses. The quarterback identifies and reads a defender and chooses his next steps based upon whether that defender rushes or drops. With “Creepers” and “simulated pressures” the mystery of either who is rushing or that rusher being replaced by a defender will put immense pressure on the signal-caller to process information on a consistent basis over 55-70 snaps when an offense relies on this philosophy. This could disrupt timing in both the running and passing game. Cons of the Florida Defense: Versatility and Depth Is Key: While Florida’s roster features several players who fit the hybrid mold of defenders who fit Patrick Toney’s system, many have found themselves moved around or underutilized during their time under the previous staff. The Florida defense will put even more pressure on certain defenders to rush the passer as well as effectively play in space and cover. While these players exist there are many players on the roster that are unproven and Toney’s defenses in the past have utilized anywhere from 10-12 different combinations up front so the development of depth will be key. Have Time Will Travel: While this defensive style can cause confusion it is also vulnerable to the fact that in most cases regardless of personnel the defense is only rushing four defenders. A capable experienced offensive line with a solid quarterback can put together a game plan to minimize confusion by using a back out of the backfield or multiple receivers to spread the defense and identify rushers more efficiently. With time to throw any offense can be effective and create problems for the defense. Up Front Push: Florida’s defense was plagued last season by an inability to get a solid push in the middle of the defense. In both the run and pass game opponents were able to dictate their plan with the ability to get blockers to the second level and quarterback easily stepping up to avoid pressure. As Florida looks to create confusion with “Creepers” and “simulated pressures” it will be the job of the defensive tackles to push the pocket and eliminate escape routes for the quarterback. Once again while the system can create post-snap confusion, in many cases it is still a four-man pressure. Defending Dynamic Playmakers: With most offensives moving to multiple personnel sets and formations, Florida’s defense could struggle as teams counter by putting their best players in space against defenders that may not be as accustomed to playing in space. Hybrid tight ends and slot receivers who are nightmares for linebackers can be extremely effective if the defense in unable to get hands on and disrupt the patterns of elite playmakers. Who Will be Creeping? Gervon Dexter, Defensive Line--Dexter will be counted on to provide the push to allow the “creepers” the opportunity to disrupt the quarterbacks thought process. The ability to win one on one matchups in the running game particularly will be key on early downs to put opposing offenses in situations that make these pressures most effective. Brenton Cox Jr., Outside Linebacker--Possibly Florida’s best all-around defender. Cox possesses elite pass rush skills, along with the ability to cover in space when dropping. Look for him to dictate how imaginative Patrick Toney can be with his defensive packages. Amari Burney, Linebacker--Burney has played Jack backer, Star, safety, and inside linebacker during his time at Florida. One of Florida’s smartest defenders, he could be used in several different positions and situations. Ventrell Miller, Linebacker--Miller played in only six quarters of the 2021 Football Season due to injury. For that, the run defense suffered immensely. While limited in pass coverage, Miller gives Florida a solid run stopper and leader of the defense as a new system is installed. Diwun Black, Linebacker--Like Burney, Black is a versatile athletic defender who spent the spring at inside linebacker after playing star (nickel) in 2021. Possibly the best athlete on the team, look for Black to lineup all over the field and be a major part of the “Creeper” calls. Trey Dean III, Safety--Patrick Toney has vowed to eliminate the pre-snap confusion that sometime plagued Florida last season. Dean has expressed how simple Toney’s defense can be, but how hard the Gators can make it for opposing offenses. The communication from the sideline to the back half of the defense will depend a lot on the relationship between the two. Dean will look for a standout year after turning down an invite to the NFL Combine. Jason Marshall, Cornerback--The Florida defense will use a number of analytic strategies to take away what opposing offenses want to do most. Many will look to get the ball to their best receiver. Marshall could be asked to “travel’ with that player and eliminate the ability for him to dictate the game on the perimeter. Tre’Vez Johnson, Nickelback--Possibly the most important player in the defense. The Nickelback or star can be the key to the mirage presented by the defense. Johnson will be asked to rush, cover, and disguise on most of the defensive calls of 2022. His ability to play with poise and focus could determine the success of the defense on a weekly basis. Well-known Ohio high school football assistant Ken Amblin once said, “You don’t practice defense, you play defense.” The Florida Gators will go into every game with a plan that is sound, efficient and effective on paper. What is yet to be seen is the ability to take that plan and apply it to plays on the field. Early test against three of the nation’s top QB’s will give an early indication to what impact Toney and the other defensive assistants will have had on this unit.

“I feel like it fits what I do well because of my playing style. I feel like I’m very active in playing Star. That’s the position you get that you activate, play whether it is in run coverage blitzing or drop back in coverage.” – Kamar Wilcoxson By KYLE CURTIS GatorBaitMedia.com Kamar Wilcoxson is a 6-fooot-1 corner/safety who plays on the back end of the defense. Wilcoxson is from Lithonia, Ga. who spent a year in Bradenton, where he had a stint at IMG academy. He spoke with GatorBait on the Gator Collective Corner/Buddy Martin Show recently. Question: “Where are you most comfortable position-wise on the field?” Answer: “Wherever my coach needs me to make the team better” Question: “How much have you learned from a guy like (assistant head coach-defense/cornerbacks) Corey Raymond?” Answer: “I've learned a lot from Coach Raymond, but actually me playing I have been playing more safety and Star now so I have actually been playing more under Coach (Co-defensive coordinator) Toney, so I deal with Coach Toney more than Coach Raymond, but during this parts of practice where we come together to work so I still get to learn from both of them. I say I learn a little more from Coach Tony.” Question: “Can you tell us a bit about Coach Tony, what’s it like to play for him?” Answer: “He’s a very precise coach, he wants stuff the way he wants it done. He teaches very well; I feel like the whole time I’ve played football he’s probably the best when it comes to breaking down everything.” Question: “How do you end up at IMG?” Answer: “In eighth grade, I had a 7-on-7 tournament down there in the springtime and the coaches ended up seeing me. They ended up trying to get me to go there every year of high school, and then I finally ended up going from my junior year going into my senior year. I only ended up going the last semester and enrolling early, but never actually ended up playing there.” Question: “How does the Star position fit what you do well?” Answer: “I feel like it fits what I do well because of my playing style. I feel like I’m very active in playing Star. That’s the position you get that you activate, play whether it is in run coverage blitzing or drop back in coverage.” Question: “Talk about your blitz packages and if there is a certain technique that you use?” Answer: “I feel like I’m pretty good at blitzing and I’m going to have a good number of sacks this year. I work with Brenton Cox who I feel is the best pass rusher in the country.” Question: “Talk about some of the guys and how good they are and how good they can be?” Answer: “We have a bunch of ballers across the board. We have a talented deep roster. I would say collectively as a defense, we have a very good defense.”

“Sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand” – Luke Jackson (played by Paul Newman) after bluffing his way to winning a very large pot in a Texas hold ‘em game at a Florida road prison in the movie “Cool Hand Luke” Now that Southern California and UCLA have defected from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, the stakes have never been higher in this version of no limit Texas hold ‘em that is being played out for the whole collegiate athletic world to see. Four of the five commissioners of the power conferences and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick are waiting for someone to blink. The only one who isn’t sweating it out is SEC commissioner Greg Sankey. Nobody knows what his two-hole cards are and that’s what makes the other five at the table very, very nervous. Whether he has a pair of aces that he’s not showing or something like a three and seven, Sankey and the Southeastern Conference have the very cool hand. The additions of Texas and Oklahoma – most likely sooner than later – give an SEC that is already the strongest league in the country two of the biggest and most recognizable brands in all of college sports, but especially football. He will have a 16-team league that has geographic continuity, an already large media rights contract that will be torn up and rewritten when Texas and Oklahoma join the league which will mean annual payouts of $80 million or more to each league member, and built-in rivalries that will make the SEC must-see TV every Saturday during the college football season. At 16 teams, Sankey has the perfect scheduling model that ensures every school in the SEC will be home and home with every other school in the league at least once every four years whether it’s football, basketball or baseball. That makes for a very happy fan base and happy television executives who know there will rarely be a Saturday without multiple rivalry games that attract the viewers. The Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC and Big 12 can’t offer that. With assets like that, Sankey doesn’t have to show his hand nor is there any reason to be nervous. He can sit tight at 16 teams and let the other conferences fight it out over who stays and who goes or even if leagues survive or die. There is only one reason for the SEC to expand. If Notre Dame decides it wants to be a member of the SEC, then Sankey will welcome the Irish into the league with open arms, at which point there will be the need to add more teams. Then and only then will the SEC think about poaching schools from the nearby ACC that make geographic sense for the league footprint. In reality, there is no other reason to add more teams to the SEC. Despite all these predictions of a super conference of 20 or 24 teams that only happens if Notre Dame makes a move to join the SEC. Sankey can sit at the table with a straight, unrevealing face knowing he is in a win-win situation no matter what happens. That can’t be said of the other four conferences or Notre Dame, all of whom have reasons to sweat. After losing Southern Cal and UCLA to the Big Ten, the Pac-12 is on the endangered species list, something commissioner George Kliavkoff never envisioned a month ago when he thought his alliance with the Big Ten and ACC was a united front against the big, bad SEC and that mean old Greg Sankey. Kliakoff’s league has been gutted by the two defections and now he’s forced to do whatever he can to save the Pac-12 from extinction. He essentially has only two options at his disposal, neither of which is particularly appealing or a guarantee of success: (1) Convince the remaining 10 teams in the Pac-12 to hold on while he attempts to gut the Big 12 of its six most important members; or (2) raid the Mountain West and bring in schools that have neither the preferred academic profile nor the market clout to drive a decent television contract to replace the current shoddy deal that expires after the 2023 academic year. Option one is a Hail Mary that would require some network giving Kliavkoff a guarantee that he could sell to Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Baylor and Texas Tech. There is no reason for those schools to budge from a stable situation unless Kliavkoff can prove ahead of time that he has unmatched value. None of those teams match the TV drawing power of Southern Cal or UCLA on the football field, but it would give the league a footprint in Texas, the nation’s second largest state, while adding basketball powerhouses Kansas and Baylor, which have won the last two NCAA championships. The odds that Kliavkoff could pull this off aren’t very good but right now it seems to be the most lucrative possibility. Option two would kick in only if the Big 12 rejected invitations to join a left coast league. It would involve the Pac-12 cherry picking the Mountain West. San Diego State would be a must as would UNLV. If he wanted a 16-team league, Kliavkoff would have to add Air Force, Boise State, Fresno State and Colorado State. Of those six schools, only Air Force moves the academic needle. None of them bring anything to the table as far as television ratings nor do any of them strengthen the league substantially when it comes to football or basketball. A TV deal could be had, but it would be one that would ensure the Pac-12 is the pauper among the power conferences. When you think Pac-12, think of a league that is hooked up to respirators. There is every good chance the plugs are going to be pulled and the respirators turned off. The ACC is sweating because it is hogtied to a rotten TV deal that won’t expire until 2036 and one that ESPN won’t re-negotiate unless Notre Dame elects to join the ACC. What should frighten ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and his member institutions the most is that SEC bottom feeder Vanderbilt is likely to be earning $50 million more from its SEC deal than two-time national champ Clemson will from its yearly ACC payout. How long before Clemson, which has won two national championships in football and has a truly SEC atmosphere at Death Valley, hires some hotshot lawyer to poke holes in the league’s buyout and grant of rights agreements so it can defect? How long before Florida State and Miami do the same thing because they’re falling $50 million a year behind their cousins in Gainesville? Those problems would likely be solved if Notre Dame would join the ACC and it would be such a natural move for the Irish, who are ACC members in all sports except football (independent) and ice hockey (Big Ten). Notre Dame to the ACC wouldn’t create an SEC-level contract the re-negotiated deal with ESPN would almost certainly bump the yearly payout to something like $50-60 million. That would likely satisfy the likes of Clemson, Florida State, Miami, Virginia Tech and North Carolina and convince them to remain in the ACC. Of course, this hinges on Notre Dame joining the ACC and right now Swarbrick and the Irish are committed to remain independent. To avoid joining any league, Notre Dame will have to command a contract from NBC, CBS or a streaming service such as Amazon or Apple that would pay something like $50-60 million a year. With a contract like that, Notre Dame would be able to reject the overtures that are sure to come from the Big Ten and the ACC. Currently, Notre Dame pulls in around $25-30 million a year from NBC and the ACC. The Irish pick up about $14-15 million from NBC for broadcast rights to every home Notre Dame football game and anywhere from $10-15 million from the ACC, which is guaranteed five games with the Irish every year. That deal expires in 2025 and it’s a well-known fact that Notre Dame is already shopping for a deal that will make the current rights deal with NBC obsolete. The Notre Dame brand is strong so there is confidence that a deal will be struck, enabling the Irish to remain independent. But, if there is no deal to be had, the Irish will be forced to join a league. The Big Ten will offer a much larger paycheck plus the Notre Dame campus is four hours or less from the campuses of Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Indiana, Northwestern and Illinois. Joining the Big Ten will keep the long-standing rivalry with Southern Cal intact as well as Stanford, if Stanford is invited to join the Big Ten, which seems likely. Joining the Big Ten would also mean Notre Dame is subjected to accept Kevin Warren as it’s boss and that might be an unacceptable proposal. If Notre Dame were to join the ACC, even with a re-negotiated media deal, the payout wouldn’t be nearly what the Big Ten or the Southeastern Conference could offer but the path to an expanded College Football Playoff would be far easier. Lest we forget, when Florida State was offered membership in the SEC in 1992, the choice was the ACC because the pathway to national championships was easier. Here we are 30 years later, and if the Irish believe they are pushed into a conference membership corner the ACC will definitely offer the path of least resistance to the playoff. It should be noted that SEC membership is an option for Notre Dame although Sankey and the SEC won’t push for it. If it’s membership in the SEC Notre Dame wants, it will have to be on its own volition. Sankey is fully supportive of Notre Dame’s desire to stay independent so there will be no pressure from Birmingham to join a league. While it is true that Notre Dame basically has four options available, independence is the preference and conference membership is only if the Irish can’t land a vastly improved media deal. So, even though there are options, Notre Dame has reason to sweat until the ink dries on a new media contract that keeps the Irish competitive. The Big Ten has options, too, but its paths up ahead aren’t without major speed bumps. Right now, the league is on hold at 16 teams after the acceptance of UCLA and Southern Cal but there is no doubt there are plans to expand further and that starts with Notre Dame. The Big Ten has made no secret that it wants to add Notre Dame, but Notre Dame has had chances to join more than once (1990 and 1999 most recently) and each time it has chosen to remain independent. Additionally, the folks in South Bend have never forgotten how Notre Dame was denied membership in the Big Ten once around 1911 and the other time in 1930. Both times Michigan was the road block. While the Big Ten sweats Notre Dame’s decision it has to balance that with the possibility of Oregon, Washington, Stanford and California growing impatient for an invitation to join the Big Ten. By adding those four schools, the Big Ten would offer some geographic balance and logistical relief to the two LA-based schools. What happens if Notre Dame elects to join? The Big Ten would have to add teams because it couldn’t exist as a 17-team league. Would it stop at three more – say Oregon, Washington and Stanford – or would it be necessary to expand the league to 24 teams? Further expansion is a problem whether it’s to 20 teams or 24. If Notre Dame rejects the Big Ten bid, the Big Ten may feel the necessity to expand further but further expansion means more problems as well as the public perception that the Big Ten is so greedy that it is willing to completely destroy another power conference that just a month ago was thought to be in lockstep. It’s one thing for the SEC to expand by adding Texas and Oklahoma since they fit both the geographic footprint and all-sports strength of the SEC. Expanding to the left coast is a nightmare scenario any way you look at it and despite adding markets in California, viewers are going to watch the best games. Those will be in the SEC. Southern Cal and UCLA don’t move the television needle sharply in the Big Ten’s direction. The Big 12 basically has only one worry and that is if six of its schools get poached by the Pac-12. Now, odds are that this won’t happen, but until a few more dominoes fall, new Big 12 commisioner Brett Yormac will be sweating the next move. Yormac made it perfectly clear at Big 12 media days earlier in the week that the league will take a deal that will allow Texas and Oklahoma to leave for the SEC after the 2023 season. Of course, such a move isn’t without some sort of payback for the generosity, most likely a $100 million (or more) ransom exacted from the two schools, the SEC and ESPN and assurance by ESPN of a new television contract. Now, the new deal won’t entail SEC or Big Ten money, but it will be more than Big 12 schools are currently paid (a little less than $40 million) and it might be enough that four or more Pac-12 schools offer their services. Yormac can elect to stay put at 12 teams in a newly constituted Big 12 that won’t be all that bad in football with the additions of BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati, and will be the best basketball league in the country. Kansas and Baylor have won the last two national titles while Houston and Texas Tech have both made the Final Four in the last three years. A 12-team Big 12 with TV markets in all the major cities in Texas, plus Kansas City, Orlando and Cincinnati will have some clout. There is no urgency for the Big 12 to expand so Yormac can afford to wait for the shoe to drop on the Pac-12. Kliavkoff is trying to negotiate a media deal but there is reason to believe he won’t come up with anything decent, therefore defections will be in the cards and the Pac-12’s four southern schools may have one foot out the door already. If Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado offered their services to the Big 12 it is a virtual certainty they would be accepted with open arms because it would mean the league gains the Phoenix, Tucson and Denver television markets. With 16 teams Yormac would have an ideal scheduling arrangement. Whereas the Big 12 can afford to remain patient and wait for the Pac-12 to implode, it still has to sweat out the possibility of losing six teams in the unlikely event the Pac-12 does come up with a decent media deal. Of course, the Big 12 may have a decent deal in hand by then so anything Kliavkoff could come up with might be dead on arrival So, everyone seated at this high stakes Texas hold ‘em table has reason to sweat. That is, everybody but Greg Sankey. He has an ideal situation of a 16-team league that has won 13 of the last 17 national championships in football, a league whose Saturday games will easily be the most viewed in the country. All the SEC schools will be making plenty of money, too, so there is no financial incentive to add more teams. Notre Dame is the only team that moves the TV needle but Sankey is committed to help the Irish remain independent, therefore no need to expand. Even if the Big Ten expands to 20 or 24 teams, the SEC will remain the most powerful brand in all of college sports and that is without expanding beyond 16 teams. Sankey can sit at the table with everybody else and wait patiently for everyone to show their cards. It doesn’t matter if he’s got aces or just a nothing hand. He’s going to win either way. Sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand and Greg Sankey and the SEC are the coolest of the cool.

By KYLE CURTIS GatorBaitMedia.com After a solid start to July, Billy Napier and his staff have the Gators climbing the recruiting leaderboard in the midst of recruiting season. They made a quantum leap last week with the acquisition of a trio of 4-star players. Marcus Stokes got the ball rolling when the four-star flipped his commitment from Penn State to Florida. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound dual-threat quarterback out of Ponte Vedra Beach, will be a piece Napier builds this recruiting cycle around. Within the same hour of Stokes’ commitment, Napier struck again with the commitment of Treyaun Webb. Webb, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound running back out of Jacksonville is the fifth-best player at his position according to 247Sports. Shortly thereafter another 4-star joined the group: Athlete Eugene Wilson of Tampa Gaither, a speedy receiver/return man. Marcus Stokes: An unexpected flip, nonetheless, Stokes is a outstanding addition to this recruiting class. Stokes also shut down the possibility of any other interests in other schools when he took Twitter and said his recruitment is “completely shut down.” According to 247Sports, Stokes is the No. 22 quarterback with a four-star rating. Stokes attends the high school of former Gator legend, Tim Tebow. In an interview with On3 Sports Stokes had this to say about Florida: “Ever since I and my family moved to Florida, we all agreed not to leave. Florida is home and has always treated me and my family well. If things are going great, why leave? Also, I believe in what coach Napier and the whole Florida staff are doing here and I want to be a part of it.” Stokes is a true pocket passer with a natural arm. His size allows him to be elusive throughout the pocket and is a more than capable runner. Stokes will look to keep the tradition of Nease quarterbacks in Gainesville alive. Treyaun Webb Webb, who most had predicted going to Penn State to join Stokes, committed to Florida after the commitment of Stokes. Webb has been on the recruiting scene for quite some time when he received his first offer in just seventh grade from Miami. Recently committed to both Georgia and Oklahoma, Gainesville is the place Webb wants to call home. A run focused attack in Napier, this was a focused player for him since arriving on campus. A true low-to-the-ground, bell-cow running back, Webb will be a player that can have an immediate impact in a historically strong Gator running back room. Eugene Wilson Eugene Wilson lll is the most recent addition to the #D23AMTEAM recruiting class. Wilson, a 5-11 165-pound athlete from Tampa Gaither, is a true utility player. He is likely to play the slot position and be able to be creative with such a versatile player. Wilson is a four-star, the 45th-ranked player in the state of Florida. He holds 23 offers including Alabama and Texas A&M among others. A do-it-all player in high school, Wilson is the true definition of an athlete. A utility player Billy Napier can be used in different schemes which allow his creativity to really blossom and put the ball in the hands of guys like Wilson. In a relatively thin wide receiver room, Wilson could compete for snaps on day one. Where UF Stands Billy Napier now has Florida in the top 20 for the 2023 recruiting rankings, currently sitting at 19 in the latest 247Sports rankings. The Gators seem to have a lot of momentum with room for more moves to be made. Napier and his staff are making their presence felt on the trail. Recruits to Watch For: ● Cormani McClain, 5-star Cornerback ● Joenel Aguero, 5-star Safety ● Cedric Baxter Jr., 4-star Running Back ● Malik Bryant, 4-star Linebacker ● Monroe Freeling, 4-star Offensive Tackle

Lost in all this is the obvious: You gotta see the forest. And the Main Thing must always be the Main Thing. No matter how else you say this, the gift of Anthony Richardson is paramount. By BUDDY MARTIN GatorBaitMedia.com Editor It’s the time of the year we ask: What do we see? They call it The Eye Test. In football, it’s an ocular evaluation of a team, group or individual with regard to present and future potential. All hardcore football fans claim the gifts of expertise in such matters. Some Gator fans cling to it as a birthright superpower. Who are we to say otherwise? The football magazines and websites are teed up. In a matter of hours, SEC Media Days will commence. This season, the forecast is cloudy with a chance of meatballs for the new coach, his “army” of minions and the somewhat cobbled-together roster of willing subjects and promising candidates. Not without talent or experience, but limited in number. Pure and accurate evaluation are a challenge because of so many unknowns. However, this is what we do this time of year. Actually, I think it is a Gator season that could be spectacular in speculative nature because expectations are limited, rankings are somewhat low and it’s always a smoother ride under the radar. Besides, it would do us well to remember that the fortunes of our favorite teams ride entirely on the quality of play by competition. What the other guys do does matter. Lost in all this is the obvious: You gotta see the forest. And the Main Thing must always be the Main Thing. No matter how else you say this, the gift of Anthony Richardson is paramount. Let’s stop hedging our bets, dilly-dallying around the declaration and refusing to acknowledge the good fortune. There are missing pieces, but one of them is not the quarterback. With exception of an accidental star born out of desperation three seasons ago in Kyle Trask, it’s been a long drink of water between statue-worthy mentionables at quarterback. Maybe there is one living in the neighborhood. Maybe, I said. The other day I had a debate with a friend who knows more about quarterbacks than I ever could in three lifetimes. It was not even a difference of opinion about skill set – more about when it’s an appropriate time to ask your quarterback to step up centerstage. Now seems the right time to me for Richardson to grab the mic. Unveil and anoint him. He’s going to be the face of your franchise. If Richardson is your guy, put him on display and let him lead at SEC Media Days. At that time, he’d not been tabbed for duty in Atlanta next week. How do we know great when we see it? At first light, if they put a Picasso in front of our face, would we even know it? What is there about our infernal ego that deludes us into thinking we are experts about art, music, athleticism – or even food, fine wine or natural beauty? Usually it’s because something resonates with our soul. Or taste buds. Frankly, I never cared for Picasso. But I know what a perfect pitch of harmony sounds like. And what a good Cabernet and juicy filet tastes like. I can even spot the compelling charm of the morning sun glinting against the mountain landscape. I can feel the power of a perfectly crafted word mosaic. And maybe I can see greatness being given birth in sports. Anyway, I don’t need to be told. It’s been my life. I can recognize the gifted ones. I think I’ve caught my fair share of glimpses at greatness. I say now is the time to ride with Anthony Richardson. All in. Yes I realize there are missing pieces. In particular, another receiver with speed. Offensive and defensive linemen. They need to find them, rather quickly. Procurement is not likely to help now, even from the portal. Squad development is critical between now and Sept. 3 when the Florida Gators play what is as tough a home opener as I can ever remember. Beating Utah may be the key a highly successful season for Napier. You can provide your own scaling, but right now projections are all over the place for Napier’s team – from 6 to 9 wins. By the end of next week, I expect the SEC Media contingent to poll them no better than third in the SEC East – perhaps fourth – behind Georgia, Kentucky and maybe Tennessee. Right in there with Missouri. I can see better. Rather than roll out the litany of reasons why or why they won’t be successful, let me stick to the team’s best assets – on what I see here and what I think I know. Three things: 1) Better coaches with acumen for teaching fundamentals. Fewer repeated mistakes. Certainly not a nightmare of illegal motion penalties like we saw vs. Kentucky. 2) A sense of purpose and direction. Plus a complete organization that feeds off each others’ efforts. Everybody knows everything that others are trying to do, and when. 3) Collective will. (See below.) Over the past six months, in hopes of understanding more about the nature Name/Image/Likeness and how it’s being processed by the players, my partners and I took on the task of interviewing and conversing with 20 Gator Collective athletes. While there is no conclusive data to prove any findings, allow me to conclude what I think I learned anecdotally with several observations. We feel Napier and his staff has won the hearts and minds of his players. With the rare exception, perhaps, of one player who was invited to leave the team (we cannot surmise this of Fenley Graham), there was a heartfelt response of approval. Universally they feel like they are being heard, well trained, conditioned and afforded opportunity to excel. Lifestyle conditions have improved considerably. They approve of how they’re being led and who’s leading them. And they seem convinced that the talent level is much higher that we all think. “Ballers,” insisted one defensive player. “We got ballers ya’ll don’t know about yet.” That is what I meant by the aforementioned “Ear Test.” Some players are spoken about in reverent terms. Anthony Richardson (who by the way, did get chosen to appear at SEC Media Days). Ventrell Miller. Brenton Cox. Gervon Dexter. But Richardson is in a special category. His teammates are sometimes awed. It is his time. This is only July, way too early for certainties, like trying to buy stock on an original offering, but the train is about to come through town and you might want to consider buying a ticket to ride. Don’t blame us if you don’t.

A few thoughts to jump start your Thursday morning: HINT, HINT: TEXAS AND OU TO THE SEC IN 2024 While talking about how his main goal is to create a serious new brand for the Big 12 Conference, new commissioner Brett Yormak said he is “not against” negotiations for Texas and Oklahoma to leave for the SEC early. He added, “But it’s got to be in the best interests of the conference, obviously.” Translation: The Big 12 is already negotiating the terms of the a Texas-Oklahoma buyout with the SEC, ESPN and both Texas and Oklahoma. Mark 2024 on your calendar as the year they join the SEC. Bet the farm on it. The new ESPN contract with the SEC is set to kick in for the 2024 football season and since the SEC will need to renegotiate its 10-year deal with the SEC once Texas and Oklahoma join in, it’s the network’s best interests to get a buyout done now. Yormak knows this. He can hold onto the Big 12 until the current media deal expires in 2025 and get nothing or negotiate a buyout that may be less than what’s on the books – in excess of $160 million for the two – and have the money to strengthen the Big 12. And, by doing a solid for the SEC and ESPN, he almost certainly will get a decent media deal for the Big 12, whose rights with ESPN and Fox expire in 2025. This is a pretty good yardstick: Texas and Oklahoma will each pitch in with $25 million, the SEC will throw in $25 million and ESPN will toss in $25 million plus a contract that brings Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC in 2024. This deal will be worth more viewers to ESPN than the Big Ten will get by adding Southern Cal and UCLA. You can etch that in stone. WEEK TWO, KENTUCKY: SCOUTING THE WILDCATS Preseason rankings: Lindy’s 24; Athlon 21; Phil Steele 35 Head coach: Mark Stoops (9 years, 59-53); Offensive coordinator: Rich Scangarello; Defensive coordinator: Brad White Last year: 10-3, 5-3 SEC; beat Iowa 20-17 in the Citrus Bowl Last year vs. non-SEC Power 5 opponents: 2-0 Last year vs. ranked opponents: 2-1 Last 10 years vs. non-SEC Power 5 opponents: 9-6 Last 10 years vs. ranked opponents: 6-28 Last year’s offense: 32.3 points; 424.1 yards; 199.54 rushing yards (5.23 per carry); 224.5 passing yards (8.0 per attempt); 25 sacks allowed; 23 turnovers (10 fumbles, 13 interceptions) Last year’s defense: 21.7 points; 340.7 yards; 122.08 rushing yards (3.96 per carry); 218.6 passing yards (7.1 per attempt); 29 sacks; 12 turnovers forced (3 fumbles, 9 interceptions) Top returning offensive players: QB Will Levis (2,812 passing yards, 8.0 per attempt; 23 TDPs, 13 INTs; 107-356 rushing, 9 TDs); RB Chris Rodriguez (225-1,379 rushing, 6.13 per carry; 9 TDs; 13-61 receiving, 3 TDs); RB Kavosiey Smoke (81-416 rushing, 5.14 per carry; 4 TDs); WR Izayah Cummings (14-195 receiving, 3 TDs); LG Kenneth Horsey (6-3, 300); C Eli Cox (6-4, 293); PK Matt Ruffolo (84 points, 10-13 field goals) Top returning defensive players: LB Jacquez Jones (85 tackles, 4 pass breakups, 3 QB hurries); LB DeAndre Square (80 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 1 INT); LB Jordan Wright (30 tackles, 6 pass breakups); LB Trevin Wallace (32 tackles, 2 sacks); S Tyrell Ajian (46 tackles, 1 INT, 4 pass breakups); CB Carrington Valentine (61 tackles, 5 pass breakups); P Colin Goodfellow (45.94 per punt) It has taken Mark Stoops eight years to turn the Wildcats into a consistent, respectable program. With his second win of the 2022 season he will have moved past Bear Bryant as the school’s all-time winning coach. That is a record that has stood for 80 years. They should erect a statue of Stoops outside Kroger Field. The Wildcats have gone to a school-record six consecutive bowl games. Until a year ago, Kentucky’s offenses were unimaginative, easy to predict. That’s when the Wildcats added some creativity to the passing game by bringing offensive coordinator Liam Coen from the NFL and quarterback Will Levis from Penn State. Coen has gone back to the pros but his successor – Rick Scangarelo – is another NFL type and Levis is back with the weight of first round NFL Draft expectations on his shoulders, but is he as good as the hype he’s getting? It should be noted that in eight SEC games last year, Levis only exceeded 200 yards one time and that was against a Tennessee pass defense that ranked dead last in the SEC. Against the Gators in Lexington, Levis only threw for 87 yards and 41 of those yards came on one play to Wan’Dale Robinson, who has departed to the NFL. The Wildcats hope transfer Tayvion Robinson can provide the same kind of explosiveness as Wan’Dale Robinson did, but his 113 catches in three years at Virginia Tech averaged only 13.76 per catch, good but hardly what you would call explosive. While Levis tries to find a go-to guy to fling it to, the Wildcats still have Chris Rodriguez, a 224-pound beast between the tackles who comes into the season with 2,740 rushing yards nad 26 touchdowns in his career. For a change of pace, the Wildcats have Kaviosiey Smoke, who has run for 1,306 yards and 12 touchdowns. Kentucky’s ability to run the ball the past three years was predicated on a big, powerful offensive line but graduation and the NFL have depleted the ranks to the point that there are question marks this year. Left guard Kenneth Horsey and center Eli Cox are solid players but they aren’t the caliber of departed Luke Fortner or Darian Kinnard. There are serious questions at the tackles. Can the Wildcats protect Levis from speed rushers coming off the edge? When the Wildcats need to move the chains, can they go ground and pound? Defensively, the Wildcats run a 3-3-5 scheme that returns five starters, but the front three is brand new and there are a couple of holes that have to be filled in the secondary. The inexperienced newbies on the front will have to be able to provide pressure while still holding their own against the run if the Wildcats are to have any success. There is very little experience behind Justin Rogers, Octavious Oxendine and Tre’von Rybka so if there are injuries, UK could be in trouble. Linebacker is the strength of the defense with four experienced, quality players led by leading tackler Jacquez Jones and hard-hitter DeAndre Square. Jones and Square are exceptional against the run and both are proven pass defender. Jordan Wright and Trevin Wallace are young but they are stars of the future. The Wildcats lost plenty of experience in the secondary to the transfer portal, but they loaded up in the portal themselves and hope they can find three newbies to play alongside corner Carrington Valentine and safety Ty Ajian. The best of the transfers is Keidron Smith, who picked off a couple of passes and had 64 tackles at Ole Miss last year. Because they won 10 games last year and return Levis and Rodriguez, expectations are very high in Lexington, but are they realistic? There are a lot of holes that must be filled and the schedule includes road trips to Florida, Ole Miss and Tennessee along with tough home games against Mississippi State and Georgia. It is realistic to think the Wildcats can win seven or eight games this year. To do better than that, they will have to catch a few breaks along the way, find a receiver who is capable of stretching the field, find three new starters on the offensive line and hope the young guys on defense get the job done. Kentucky plays the Gators in Gainesville in week two. Should the Gators knock off highly ranked Utah in game one, you can bet the farm they will be nationally ranked when the Wildcats arrive for Saturday Night in the Swamp. It should be noted that Kentucky is only 6-28 against ranked teams in the past 10 years but two of those wins were against the Gators (2018 when UF was No. 7 and last year when the Gators were No. 10). SEC BASEBALL AND THE TRANSFER PORTAL Here is a team-by-team rundown of which SEC teams have lost the most and which ones have gained the most in the transfer portal so far. Alabama: Of the seven lost to the portal, the most difficult to replace will be third baseman Zane Denton (13 HR, 48 RBI, to Tennessee) and outfielder Owen Diodati (8 HR, 26 RBI, to Oregon). Shortstop Edward Johnson (.367, 14 HR, 55 RBI) from Tennessee Tech was a big pickup as was Florida catcher Mac Guscette. Arkansas: Thirteen have transferred out but relief pitcher Heston Tole (2-0, 3.77 ERA) to Texas will be felt. Former Creighton outfielder Jered Wagner (.348, 11 HR, 52 RBI) is a significant pickup. Auburn: The Tigers have lost eight to the portal, none of them a crushing blow to the program. All-America righty Jonathan Brand (8-2, 1.40 ERA, from Miami, Ohio) is one of the better transfer pickups in the country. Outfielder Justin Kirby (.323, 15 HR, 45 RBI, from Kent State) is significant. FLORIDA: The Gators are big winners in the portal with the additions of All-America righty Hurston Waldrep (6-2, 3.20 ERA) from Southern Miss, second baseman Dale Thomas (.284, 13 HR, 49 RBI) from Coastal Carolina and Mercer outfielder Colby Thomas (.325, 17 HR, 45 RBI). Thomas could go in the first two rounds of the MLB Draft. Seven have departed the Florida program including Guscette (to Alabama) and RHP Nick Pogue (4-3, 4.81 ERA, to Ole Miss). Georgia: The Bulldogs lost seven to the portal and they’ve gained two good ones in shortstop Will David (.303, 5 HR, 29 RBI, Samford) and reliever Zach DeVito (4-1, 5 saves, Tulane). Kentucky: It’s three out and nine in for UK. The best of the newbies are first baseman Hunter Gilliam (.281, 13 HR, 43 RBI, Longwood) and outfielder Kendal Ewell (.361, 14 HR, 61 RBI, Eastern Kentucky). LSU: Ten Tigers have transferred out and six in with the two best outfielder Tommy White (.362, 27 HR, 74 RBI, North Carolina State) and RHP Dylan Tebrake (8-2, 2.71 ERA, Creighton). Mississippi State: None of the 13 transfers leaving were significant. The Bulldogs added eight quality transfers including outfielder Colton Ledbetter (.318, 16 HR, 57 RBI, Samford) and righty Landon Gartman (7-1, 3.56 ERA, Memphis). Missouri: First baseman Torin Montgomery (.365, 7 HR, 49 RBI) was the only important loss among the 17 transferring out. Three have transferred in. Ole Miss: Nine are leaving including righty Jack Washburn (5-3, 3.35 ERA). Pogue and Columbia righty Sean Higgins (6-3, 5.34 ERA) are the only additions so far. South Carolina: It’s eight out and seven in for the Gamecocks. The two incoming transfers of note are outfielder Caleb Denny (.331, 11 HR, 57 RBI, Oral Roberts) and first baseman Jacob Compton (.291, 11 HR, 55 RBI, Memphis). Tennessee: Three have transferred out and two in. The two new guys are All-Big 12 shortstop Walter Ahuna III (.357, 8 HR, 48 RBI, Kansas) and catcher Jack Alexander (.346, 14 HR, 55 RBI, Austin Peay). Texas A&M: The Aggies have seen 10 transfer out while six have transferred in, the most impressive of which is righty Carson Lambert (6-3, 3.46 ERA, Southern Cal). Vanderbilt: So far 17 have departed and there have been no incoming transfers. The biggest loss is righty Christian Little (1-2, 3.72 ERA) to LSU. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: I know this will rub some people the wrong way, but when Florida, Florida State and Miami were all good on the football field at the same time, the best recruits weren’t leaving the state in droves as they have been for the last decade. Look at the won-loss records of Florida’s big three from 1990-2002: FSU 137-24-1; Florida 130-32-1; Miami 127-29-0. During that time Florida’s big three won five national championships and played for another five. It should be noted that it was rare for Florida, FSU and Miami to lose more than a handful of outstanding recruits to out of state schools. That happens on a regular basis these days. Florida had a dominant stretch of recruiting from 2006-10. FSU had a strong stretch from 2011-25. Miami has dropped off the charts. It is my contention that if UF, FSU and Miami had all been winning and contending for national championships on a regular basis as they did from 1990-2002, that we wouldn’t be seeing Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan and others landing so many of the state’s top recruits. I want the Gators to be the best team in the entire state every single year, but I’m aware that when Florida’s big three are all competing for championships every year, it’s very difficult for out of state schools to come in here and cherry pick the best recruits.

A few thoughts to jump start your Wednesday morning: WHAT’S UP FRONT WILL BE IMPROVED IN 2022 It’s worth repeating the Gators’ rushing numbers from 2021: (1) The Gators ran for 244 yards (5.67 per carry) and four touchdowns on Alabama; and (2) the Gators ran for 161 yards (4.13 per carry) on Georgia, by far the most yards anyone ran on that elite defense. Sure, there were some rotten games like South Carolina (82 yards) and Missouri (93 yards) but both those games were after Dan Mullen checked out on his team and his team checked out on him. Despite those two rotten games, the Gators still averaged 208.69 yards per game on the ground and 5.48 per carry. Additionally, the Gators gave up only 14 sacks in 13 games. The yards per carry and sacks allowed were best in the SEC and top five nationally for 2021. That was with an undisciplined offensive line that shot itself in the foot with silly penalties far too often. Remember the Kentucky game when the Gators killed themselves with false starts and holding penalties in a 20-13 loss in which the defense allowed only one offensive touchdown? By midseason, the offense became far too predictable because Mullen, for reasons we may never know, took a trip and never left the farm. There were glaring inconsistencies in those final six games. The Mullen who called such brilliant games against Alabama and Tennessee just couldn’t seem to get it together after the loss to LSU. A lot of fingers pointed at the O-line, particularly after Mullen fired Hevesy after the Gators lost to South Carolina, but it wasn’t the fault of the linemen as much as it was Mullen and his O-line coach. Fast forward to 2022. Mullen is gone as is John Hevesy, replaced by head coach Billy Napier and a two-headed approach to coaching the offensive line in Rob Sale, who spent last year coaching the O-line for the New York Giants, and Darnell Stapleton, a former Rimington Trophy finalist (2006), who started Super Bowl XLIII for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008. Florida’s offensive line returns 55 career starts among the five returnees – LT Richard Gouraige (6-5, 308), LG Ethan White (6-4, 331), C Kingsley Eguakun (6-3, 301), LG/RG Josh Braun (6-6, 346) and RT Michael Tarquin (6-5, 295). That is a solid core that is joined by O’Cyrus Torrence (6-5, 347), who played for Napier, Sale and Stapleton at Louisiana where he made All-Sun Belt twice and freshman All-America in 2019. If the season were to start today, the starting five would be Gouraige, White, Eguakun, Torrence and either Braun or Tarquin at right tackle. There is every good reason to believe that when the Gators open the season against Utah on September 3 that Braun or juco transfer Jordan Herman (6-8, 370) will be the right tackle. Adding depth are backup center Richie Leonard (6-2, 308) and redshirt freshman Kamryn Waites (6-8, 373), who transferred in along with Torrence when Napier accepted the Florida job. That is eight offensive linemen. To make it through an SEC season, it takes 10 so Sale and Stapleton will have to add some depth in August. Still, this will be a better coached O-line and the new offensive scheme Napier is bringing in is very run-friendly so we should expect improvement. A year ago, inconsistent play from starting quarterback Emory Jones contributed mightily to the Gators finishing with a losing record. Nothing makes an O-line look worse than a quarterback who holds the ball too long or gets rid of it too quickly in the passing game and misses too many opportunities to get the ball in the hands of capable running backs by taking the ball himself. That was Jones last year. If Anthony Richardson makes good decisions this year, we are likely to be amazed at just how much better than offensive line is. They weren’t that bad in 2021. They should be vastly better in 2022. WEEK ONE, UTAH: SCOUTING THE UTES Preseason rankings: Lindy’s 7; Athlon 8; Phil Steele 6 Head coach: Kyle Whittingham (17 years, 144-70); Offensive coordinator: Andy Ludwig; Defensive coordinator: Morgan Scalley Last year: 10-4, 9-1 Pac-12, Pac-12 champions; lost 48-45 to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl Last year vs. non-Pac-12 Power 5 opponents: 0-1 Last year vs. ranked opponents: 2-3 Last 10 years vs. non-Pac-12 Power 5 opponents: 4-3 Last 10 years vs. ranked opponents: 8-23 Last year’s offense: 36.1 points; 431.5 total yards; 217.21 rushing yards (5.58 per carry); 214.3 passing yards (7.5 per attempt); 13 sacks allowed; 15 turnovers (8 interceptions, 7 fumbles) Last year’s defense: 22.6 points; 344.1 total yards; 121.79 rushing yards (3.71 per carry); 222.3 passing yards (6.9 per attempt); 42 sacks; 16 turnovers forced (6 fumbles, 10 interceptions) Top returning offensive players: QB Cameron Rising (2,493 passing yards, 20 TDPs, 5 INTs; 499 rushing yards, 6 TDs); RB Tavion Thomas (204-1,108 rushing yards, 5.43 per carry, 21 TDs); RB Micah Bernard (87-529 rushing, 6.08 per carry, 6 TDs; 26-251 receiving, 2 TDs); TE Brant Kuithe (50-611, 6 TDs); TE Dalton Kincaid (36-510, 8 TDs); WR Devaughn Vele (23-389, 1 TD); LT Braedon Daniels (6-4, 300); LG Keaton Bills (6-4, 313) Top returning defensive players: CB Clark Phillips III (62 tackles, 2 INT); S Cole Bishop (55 tackles, 3 sacks, 5 pass breakups); DE Van Fillinger (41 tackles, 5.5 sacks); DT Junior Tafuna (33 tackles, 4.5 sacks); LB Karene Reed (45 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) There is no deception in what Utah wants to do. They line up one back, two tight ends and two wide with an O-line that averages 6-5, 308 and ram the ball down opponents’ throats. When opponents go one-high and load the box, they throw it over the top, particularly down the middle of the field to tight ends Brant Kuithe and Dalton Kincaid. The Utes run the ball 57.5 percent of the time. In terms of yardage, it’s one of the most balanced offenses in the country. It’s the scheme of Andy Ludwig, who coordinated the worst offenses in the SEC during his years (2015-18) working for Derek Mason at Vanderbilt. He has better people to work with at Utah. In quarterback Cameron Rising, Ludwig has the perfect game manager. Rising is nimble enough in the pocket that he rarely gets sacked and he is a serious threat once he breaks contain. Against Ohio State in the Rose Bowl, Rising ran 11 times for 103 yards, mostly in scramble situations. It’s not a high risk passing game and there really isn’t a legitimate deep threat among the outside receivers. Running back Tavion Thomas is a 238-pound battering ram who isn’t going to wow you with speed and moves. He’s a downhill guy who runs over people. In 204 carries last year he was only stopped for -22 yards in losses. The change of pace guy is Micah Bernard, who is also their third and plus yardage guy because he’s an excellent receiver. Defensively, the Utes go with a 4-2-5 scheme that relies heavily on zone blitzes. The Utes run a lot of cover three. The idea is to stuff the run and force opponents to throw on third and long against enormous pressure that comes from all angles. They aren’t afraid to put corner Clark Phillips III out on an island. He is probably the best on-on-one cover guy in the Pac-12. Safety Cole Bishop gets a lot of pressure on delayed blitzes up the middle. The Utes are excited to have former Gator Mohamoud Diabate (89 tackles for UF last year) playing the strong side where he is the replacement for Devin Lloyd, who had eight sacks and 22 tackles for loss while making first team All-America last year. The Utes get a lot of pressure on the left side of the D-line from Van Fillinger and Junior Tafuna, who combined for 10 sacks last year. Everyone has high expectations for the Utes this season. This is not a team that beats itself with silly penalties and turnovers. They know their identity and for the most part, they stick with it. Whittingham, who was Urban Meyer’s defensive coordinator before Meyer left Utah for the Florida job in 2005, is more conservative than Meyer ever was offensively. Whittingham wants the offense to grind and control the clock to keep his defense off the field as much as possible. As spread offenses have become more pass happy, Whittingham has used the power running game as part of his defensive philosophy. Opponents can’t light up the scoreboard if they can’t get their offense on the field. Utah has only ventured east of the Mississippi River once in the last 10 years and that was to face a Michigan team that finished with a 5-7 record. The Florida game will be Utah’s toughest season opener since the 2004 team faced 20th-ranked Texas A&M in Salt Lake City. UF BASKETBALL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE WILL BE CHALLENGING There aren’t many cupcakes on the non-conference basketball schedule for first year head coach Todd Golden. Florida’s 13-game non-conference schedule includes road trips to Florida State and Kansas State (SEC/Big 12 Challenge) as well as three games in Portland as part of the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament. In addition to UF, the tournament field includes Duke, Gonzaga, Oregon State, Portland State, Purdue West Virginia and Xavier. The highlight of the non-conference home schedule is a December 7 matchup with UConn at the O-Dome. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: A few days ago, right after Southern Cal and UCLA were announced announced as members of the Big Ten starting in 2024, Iowa athletic director Gary Barta told The Athletic’s Scott Docherman, “At this point, the Big Ten is not seeking members.” Key words: At this point. Having added a logistical nightmare to the conference in the form of two teams from Los Angeles, it seems likely that the Big Ten is going to feel the need to add some west coast schools so that every road trip for UCLA and Southern Cal isn’t such a grind. Oregon benefactor and Nike founder/multi-billionaire Phil Knight is willing to spend untold millions to get Oregon in the Big Ten and it is thought that Washington and Oregon are joined at the hip. Adding Stanford and California along with Oregon and Washington would give the Big Ten six schools that have a history of competing and the high academic profile that snooty Big Ten commissioners demand. They are all on hold while the Big Ten waits for Notre Dame to announce its intentions and for the 10 remaining schools of the Pac-12 to go through the motions of a TV contract that seems more unlikely by the day. Figure Notre Dame says thankee but no thankee to its chance to join the Big Ten, choosing instead to remain independent, and for the Big Ten to pillage what’s left of the Pac-12 by adding Washington, Oregon, Cal and Stanford. Meanwhile, the SEC doesn’t have to make a move even if the Big Ten does. The league has a strong 16-team presence when Texas and Oklahoma join and there is continuity to the league’s geographical footprint. The other league sitting pretty in all this chaos is the Big 12, which adds Houston, UCF, Cincinnati and BYU in 2023. The Big 12 is in a strong enough position that it doesn’t have to worry that a wounded Pac-12 will come raiding four or six of its members. When the Pac-12 implodes – and it will – the Big 12 will have a nice TV package from ESPN waiting for Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. Meanwhile, the ACC will be dying on the vine. Don’t you know Miami and Florida State are kicking themselves for not joining the SEC when they had the chance? Don’t you know Clemson and North Carolina are squirming? This is rich. It’s better than watching the re-runs of SOAP.

A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning: THREE REASONS TO LIKE FLORIDA’S OFFENSE IN 2022 1. The Obvious, Anthony Richardson: Everybody talks about what might happen if Anthony Richardson ever gets all that talent under control. We’ve seen him get outside the tackles and turn on the jets like he did against Florida Atlantic and South Florida, plus we’ve seen him roll out to his left and with a flick of the wrist throw an absolute dart 40 yards down the field, the kind of throw most NFL QBs can’t make. So, we know he’s got it in him to do magnificent things. The question is can he harness it all and go from wildly inconsistent to someone who can play under control? Can he make all the right decisions or at least enough of them to be a difference maker? The thought here is that Billy Napier is just the right coach at just the right time to bring out the best in Anthony. Sometimes it just takes the right person believing in you. If Anthony is a true difference-maker, then Florida’s offense will be dynamic. Of course, he has to stay healthy but this is a contract year and it’s amazing how many players go injury free when they know they’re on the NFL clock. 2. The offensive line, Montrell Johnson and Lorenzo Lingard: For all the complaints about Florida’s offensive line last year, the Gators did average 5.48 yards per rushing attempt which was best in the SEC and fourth best in the entire country. The Gators also allowed only 14 sacks, also the best in the SEC and tied for fifth in the country. Actually, that should be third since No. 1 Army and No. 3 Air Force combined to throw just 222 passes. Now, some of the success of the O-line has to do with having a mobile quarterback, but the numbers are impressive just the same and indicative of the fact UF’s offensive line wasn’t nearly as bad as some folks claimed it to be. Yet, the offensive line will be BETTER this year, perhaps substantially because the coaching from Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton is a step up. Also, from all reports coming out of strength and conditioning, this UF O-line is going to be physically stronger and have more mobility than it had last year. O’Cyrus Torrence at right guard is going to be an All-American. Etch that in stone. We shouldn’t be shocked if a leaner (345, down 20 pounds), meaner Josh Braun is quick enough to move out to right tackle. Now, add Anthony Richardson at QB with pile driver Montrell Johnson and a finally healthy Lorenzo Lingard at running back and that UF running game will be improved, not to mention the fact it will serve a dual purpose. First, it will mean the Gators can keep the defense off the field by grinding when they need to. Secondly, because the running game will be improved and more explosive, defenses will be forced to choose which is their poison. Do they load the box to stop the run? Do they risk UF going over the top for big gains in the passing game to take advantage of one-high safety when the box is loaded up? 3. Underestimate the Florida receivers at your own risk: Every preseason magazine and pundit has said Florida’s receivers don’t have a lot of speed, that there isn’t a single deep threat in the entire group. They base that on Jacob Copeland leaving for Maryland and the fact the UF receivers averaged a very pedestrian 12.47 per catch and that was with Copeland. Here are a couple of things to think about. Emory Jones was famous for an inconsistent trigger finger throwing the ball. Too often he unloaded too quickly or waited too late, but it was rare that he hit a receiver on the break. He also completed 13 passes to the other team. If you watch the film closely, you’ll notice Justin Shorter, for example, spent the 2021 season open. I joked with him a month of so ago that I was happy he was over COVID. He raised his eyebrows as if to wonder where I came up with that. Before he could speak, I said, “You must have had COVID because you ran wide open in the secondary and no one would cover you plus the quarterback wouldn’t throw you the ball … they thought you were contagious.” He laughed and shook his head in agreement. He does not have blazing speed but he is plenty fast enough and if gets the ball on the break, he’s got the size and power to make very big plays. Xzavier Henderson had to be frustrated as well. He runs well, but it seems the only time he got the ball last year was on bubble screens. We haven’t seen him run a lot of those 14-17-yard routes that were the staple of the Spurrier offenses way back when. That’s straight out of the Sid Gillman playbook and they are devastating. Just so everybody knows, Napier loves those routes. Don’t forget the tight ends, either. Dante Zanders may wind up as Florida’s shock the world guy and Nick Elksnis is going to be really, really good. THREE REASONS TO LIKE FLORIDA’S DEFENSE IN 2022 1. The linebackers will be very, very good: Start with Ventrell Miller back in the middle and healthy. A healthy Miller and I believe the Gators would have beaten Alabama, Kentucky and LSU. He meant that much to the defense, both in terms of on the field productivity and the ability to get everybody in the right place. He is a difference-maker. Put him on the field with Brenton Cox Jr., Derek Wingo, Amari Burney and Diwun Black, then throw in kids like Antwaun Powell-Ryland and Chief Borders and the Gators are going to show vast improvement. Freshman Shemar James didn’t come here to sit. Brenton Cox Jr. is healthy for the first time in two years. He knows this is a contract year. No one should be shocked if he’s first team All-SEC and gets some All-America consideration. He has that kind of raw talent. 2. There is plenty of talent in the secondary: Jason Marshall Jr. at one corner is a lock. The other corner will be Avery Helm, Jaydon Hill or Jalen Kimber. They all have exceptional cover skills and they will be better coached by Corey Raymond, the guy who put the DB in the LSU DBU for years. What a concept. Well-coached corners. We haven’t seen that in awhile. Don’t laugh but Trey Dean III could wind up being one of the truly surprising players in the SEC. He has responded well to the coaching by Patrick Toney. It has never been a lack of talent on his part. There is speed and depth at safety. Kamar Wilcoxson is one to watch now that he’s healthy and well-coached. Kids Devin Moore (CB) and Kamar Wilson (S) are too talented to ride the pine. The talent is there and so is the coaching. Dan Mullen was plagued by poor coaching in the secondary his entire tenure at UF. Billy Napier has remedied the coaching situation. 3. Better scheme will get better results: It’s called The Creeper, the brainchild of Ron Roberts, who is now Dave Aranda’s defensive coordinator at Baylor. Roberts taught The Creeper to Patrick Toney. To break down a creeper defense in simplistic terms, the concept involves getting four pass rushers on every throwing situation only not from traditional spots on the field. The idea is to bring people from different spots and angles, rarely from the same spot twice. If executed properly it can be devastating since the QB never knows who to read. The second concept is to have seven capable of dropping into coverage, even though it often means a quick defensive end or traditional edge rusher playing out in space to guard the flat or drop into a crossing lane. How effective is the creeper against the pass? In the final three years Napier was at Louisiana, the Ragin Cajuns held opponents to fewer than 200 yards and 6.9 or fewer yards per pass attempt (5.8 in 2020). THE BIG LIE: THE BIG TEN WAS WORKING ON EXPANSION FOR MONTHS Surely you haven’t bought into that sorry explanation by the Big Ten that Southern Cal and UCLA sort of dropped right into their laps and they had no choice but to accept them as new members. Read this from ESPN, describing that this move was months in planning: “Unbeknownst to nearly everyone in attendance [at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics convention in Las Vegas], Bohn (Southern Cal athletic director) and others had been working quietly for months on a move that would throw the future of the college sports landscape into flux. USC, which joined the Pacific Coast Conference in 1922 and had been in the league that would become the Pac-12ever since was set to uproot and join the Big Ten. The Trojans would leave with crosstown rival UCLA, a Pac-12 member since 1928.” Here is what college football writer Matt Hayes wrote in his Monday column regarding how the Big Ten used it’s Alliance with the ACC and Pac-12 to hide its true intentions: “It took merely 7 months for the Big Ten to reveal the purpose of the Alliance all along: a simple diversion tactic … So the Big Ten, desperate to slow the behemoth SEC, came up with a plan and somehow sold it to the Pac-12 and ACC: The Big Ten was a pauper, just like the Pac-12 and ACC … They, too, were pushed into a position of weakness by the big, bad SEC – nevermind the fact that the Big Ten’s media rights deal was worth as much or more as the ACC. They had to form an ‘Alliance’ to keep the SEC bully at bay – and keep it from gaining multiple at-large spots in the expanded Playoff. And everyone bought it.” ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: If you can get past the however many pages Phil Steele uses of his annual college football magazine to tout how marvelous he is – perhaps Phil feels that if he doesn’t tell everyone then how will they know? – then there is a lot of information that you won’t find anywhere else. His new magazine is out and the Florida Gators hold down the No. 32 ranking. Steele’s opinion is right there with those of the prognosticators at Lindy’s (No. 31) and Athlon (No. 33). Here is Steele’s top 40: 1. Alabama; 2. Ohio State; 3. Georgia; 4. Clemson; 5. Michigan; 6. Utah; 7. Notre Dame; 8. Oklahoma; 9. Texas A&M; 10. Oregon; 11. Pittsburgh; 12. Miami; 13. North Carolina State; 14. Baylor; 15. Oklahoma State; 16. Southern Cal; 17. UCF; 18. Texas; 19. Wisconsin; 20. Iowa; 21. UAB; 22. Penn State; 23. Michigan State; 24. Wake Forest; 25. Cincinnati; 26. BYU; 27. Tennessee; 28. UCLA; 29. Air Force; 30. Ole Miss; 31. Boise State; 32. FLORIDA; 33. Louisville; 34. Houston; 35. Kentucky; 36. Arkansas; 37. Minnesota; 38. Kansas State; 39. Appalachian State; 40. Fresno State. The Gators are probably where they should be, particularly when you consider they finished 6-7 last year and Billy Napier is rebuilding the program from the ground up. Napier will probably sell the lower expectations as an insult and use play the disrespect card as often as he can. Of course, if the Gators open the season by whacking No. 6 Utah then following it up with a win over Kentucky, perceptions will change and that will play into Napier’s hands when it comes to recruiting. When you’re trying to rebuild the recruiting base, there is nothing like the momentum of a couple of good wins to get kids excited about the possibility of making a commitment.

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: FUNNY HOW A COUPLE OF 4-STARS CAN CALM THE MASSES Just a week ago this time there were plenty of Gator fans thinking Billy Napier was leaning way too far over his skis, some thinking the first-year Florida football coach was about to crash and burn even before he’s ever coached a single football game at UF. Now here we are a week later and by landing quarterback Marcus Stokes and running back Treyaun Webb, some of the skeptics are willing to give Billy a chance. How nice of them. I wrote last week that Billy Napier knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s not going to do it the way you and I perhaps believe it should be done, but after more than 50 years of writing about college football and studying how some of the greatest of all time achieved their success, I’m convinced that it’s just a matter of time before this guy has the Florida program back among the nation’s elite. Napier is not some bottle rocket that’s going to light up the sky and then fall back to earth. We’ve seen too many of those coaches come and go in the SEC. He’s in it for the duration and if folks will simply let him do his job, he’ll deliver in a big way. Count on it. Patience, Grasshopper. GATORS AND THE MLB DRAFT It’s a big week for current Gators and UF baseball signees as the countdown to the Major League Baseball Draft enters its final stages. There are four mortal locks – current Gators Sterlin Thompson, Brandon Sproat, Jud Fabian and Hunter Barco – to go early in the draft and sign. All four have the option to return but current expectations are they will be gone by the third round at the latest. The way Colby Halter is swinging the bat and handling the rigors of shortstop up in in the Cape Cod League (.306, 4 HR, 10 RBI) could move him up to fourth or fifth round which would make him likely to sign. Among the other nine on the most likely to be drafted list, first baseman Xavier Isaac and Mercer transfer Colby Thomas will probably go no later than the third round. Another to watch is juco transfer and righty Magnus Ellerts, who has the big fast ball and sharp slider that is moving him up. Here are the 14 who are most likely to be drafted: Current Gators Sterlin Thompson, RF/2B: His draft stock is rising. MLB Pipeline has him No. 29 but he could be a top 20 pick. He’ll go first round or in the compensation pick between the first and second. Helped himself enormously by showing a great glove when he was moved to second base midyear. Great power to the gaps and potential to be a 25-30 homer guy if he makes it to the bigs. Brandon Sproat, RHP: Seventh round pick by the Rangers a couple of years ago. He’s rated No. 50 by Baseball America. He could slide into the first round as a compensation pick. Throwing 98-99 after 90 pitches against South Carolina in the SEC Tournament and Central Michigan in the regional moved him up. Jud Fabian, CF: He turned down $2 million from the Red Sox last year. He won’t say no this time. Second rounder for sure because there isn’t another center fielder who can cover the gaps the way he does in the draft. Great power although the scouts wish he would lay off that low and away slider. Hunter Barco, LHP: Barco seemed certain to go in the first round until he had Tommy John surgery. It’s a 12-18 month recovery so he’s dropped down a bit. Second or third round is likely since many pitchers come back stronger after the surgery. He’s committed to the draft but has the option to return if the money isn’t right. Colby Halter, SS/3B: He’s listed as the No. 241 prospect by Baseball America, but his stock is rising because he’s showing he can play shortstop and he’s on a tear playing for Falmouth in the Cape Cod Summer League. He’s likely first 10 rounds but could sneak into rounds 4-5. BT Riopelle, C/1B: He probably gets drafted after the last five rounds. Swings and misses too much. If he’s drafted it’s almost certain after the 10th round and if that’s the case he needs to come back and learn to make consistent contact. Josh Rivera, SS: He’s got nice power but inconsistent at the plate. Makes the spectacular play but boots routine grounders. If he’s drafted it’s almost certain well after the 10th round. Needs to come back and work on his consistency at the plate and in the field. Signees/transfers likely to be drafted in the first 12 rounds Xavier Isaac, 1B (Kernersville, NC East Forsyth): He is the best pure left-handed power hitter in the draft. He hits moon shots. The only knock on him is he will have to play 1B or DH. Currently ranked No. 94 by Baseball America, No. 113 by MLB Pipeline. He’s expected to go second or third round. Figure he signs. Colby Thomas, CF (Mercer transfer): He’s moved way up the charts. No. 81 by Prospects Live, No. 95 by MLB Pipeline. He’s probable in the first four rounds. About the only thing that could push him later is that torn labrum which required surgery. Two seasons of college eligibility remaining so he has options. Jake Clemente, RHP (Coral Springs, FL Marjory Stoneman Douglas): Baseball America has him No. 364 but Prospects Live has him No. 182. Throws consistently in the 92-93 range but can heat it up to 96 on occasions. He seems committed to UF but if he’s first five rounds figure he signs. Cade Fisher, LHP (Dalton, GA Northwest Whitfield): Good fast ball and a slider that really moves. He throws strikes. Baseball America rates him higher than Clemente. Rounds 8-12 seem likely. It might take a strong six-figure offer to sway him from coming to UF. Magnus Ellerts, RHP (Woodbridge, VA/Fort Myers, FL Florida Southwestern): Strikes out a lot of hitters and doesn’t walk many. His draft stock is rising. No. 234 by Prospects Live. It’s 50-50 whether he signs or comes to UF. Luke Heyman, C (Altamonte Springs, FL Lake Brantley): The No. 191 prospect by MLB Pipeline. Injured as a senior and that has diminished his draft stock. He’s probable outside the first six rounds. Plus power and strong arm when healthy. Seems likely to stay with UF. Yoel Tejada Jr., 1B/RHP (Davie, FL North Broward Prep): He has great size (6-7, 220), throws hard when he’s on the mound and hits for power. His big frame makes scouts think he will add mph to his fast ball (consistent 91). Pull hitter all the way. He’ll get drafted but the scouts probably hope he stays with UF to figure out if he’s going to pitch or play in the field at the next level. UF GYMNASTICS: NYA REED IS BACK; LEAH CLAPPER PROBABLE A week ago Trinity Thomas announced she’ll use her COVID year to come back for one more chance to hoist the big trophy. Now Nya Reed has tweeted that she’s also coming back. There is every good chance Leah Clapper will announce she will be back in the next week or so. What this means is Florida will have the most loaded lineup in all of collegiate gymnastics next season if Jenny Rowland can keep everyone healthy. Consider Florida’s lineup next year: Thomas is the national gymnast of the year with 20 perfect 10s in her career; Reed is a 6-time All-American with two 10s; Clapper is an All-American with a 10 on the beam; Savannah Schoenherr is a 3-time All-American; Leanne Wong is an 8-time All-American (as a freshman) with two 10s and is a former silver medalist at the world championships; Sloane Blakely had a 10 as a freshman last year; Riley McCusker won a gold medal at the world championships with the US team; Ellie Lazzari (injured last year) is a former All-American and SEC balance beam champ; Morgan Hurd (injured last year) won the all-around gold and silver on beam at the 2017 world championships; and incoming freshman Kayla DiCielo, a former bronze medalist all-around at the 2021 world championships is competing for the US national team at the Pan American Games. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The college football world as we know it is not coming to an end. Step back off the ledge. Breathe deeply. Everything is okay. For now. This isn’t to say that there will be some serious realignment taking place in the next couple of months but if there is, odds are it won’t be in the Southeastern Conference or the Big Ten. Unless, of course, Notre Dame decides to join a conference. If the Irish decide they’re going to join a conference, all bets are off, all hell will break loose and nationally pundits will be split equally among those predicting the end of the world as we know it and those thinking this is the most substantial breakthrough in the course of human events since Ray Kroc took fast food to the masses. For now, however, the SEC and Big Ten are going to hold steady at 16 teams and wait for Notre Dame to decide what is in its best interests. The Irish, meanwhile, have options: (1) Remain independent; (2) become a full-fledged all-sports member of the Atlantic Coast Conference; (3) join the SEC or (4) join the Big Ten. Option one is ideal. Options two and three are, believe it or not, probably more enticing than option four and here is why. Notre Dame’s deal with NBC ends in 2025. If NBC intends to keep Notre Dame beyond that, it will have to start negotiating now and bring its checkbook. CBS and streaming services such as Apple and Amazon have deep pockets. While Notre Dame won’t get SEC or Big Ten money to remain independent, the Irish have never made money the single determining factor in any deal they do. Something in the $50-60 million a year range might be all it takes to keep the Irish independent. The ACC, which desperately wants to re-negotiate the most brain dead deal in college sports, only gets a new deal with ESPN if Notre Dame decides to take its football to the simplest and easiest path to the College Football Playoff. Winning the ACC will be easier than winning the SEC or Big Ten so that may make the ACC the destination of choice even if the money won’t be anywhere close to what the Irish could make elsewhere. Then there is the SEC. Why the SEC over the Big Ten? Because Notre Dame likes Greg Sankey and the SEC better than they like Kevin Warren and the Big Ten. Also, because Sankey and Swarbrick are going to be buddies when it comes to pushing once again for the College Football Playoff to expand. You remember the 12-team proposal? There won’t be any problem ramming that through now that the nimnuls (ACC commish Jim Phillips, Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff) understand their leagues can’t afford to throw another temper tantrum and join Kevin Warren to nuke a lucrative deal. Here is another reason why Notre Dame might choose to join the SEC if it goes with a conference. Sankey is happy with a 16-team SEC. He will not push Notre Dame to join the SEC and will only agree to add the Irish if they come to him and ask to join. Meanwhile, the ACC has to figure out how to stay afloat with a rotten media deal that will leave the football serious schools such as Clemson, Florida State, Miami and Virginia Tech paupers compared to their cousins in the SEC and Big Ten. The Pac-12? Kliavkoff says he’s going to negotiate a media deal. Really? Who’s going to buy it? The Big 12 holds more cards than the Pac-12 because it can offer Colorado, Utah, Arizona and Arizona State football that’s as good as what they have in the Pac-12 and a chance to join what is already the best basketball league in the country. So, while Notre Dame patiently plays its waiting game, the SEC and Big Ten can only wait to see what’s next. The Big 12 will do fine but the ACC and Pac-12 can only pace the floor and wait to see if there are enough crumbs to survive.