GAINESVILLE — For a second consecutive year, Florida all-around standout Grant Holloway is a finalist for The Bowerman, collegiate track and fi eld’s highest individual honor and the sport’s equivalent to the Heisman Trophy, as announced Thursday by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Holloway, who was a finalist last year as well, is the fourth multi-time finalist in the award’s history, joining him with Arizona’s Lawi Lalang (2013-14), and Oregon’s Ashton Eaton (2009-10) and Edward Cheserek (2014-16). The Chesapeake, Va., native’s record breaking junior season has him in prime position to become Florida’s second The Bowerman winner. Marquis Dendy captured the 2015 award, while Christian Taylor were finalists in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Horizontal jumper Yanis David was named a women’s finalist for The Bowerman Wednesday, giving Florida a men’s and women’s finalist for the first time in program history. Aside from the Gators and LSU this season, only three other years saw one school have a men’s and women’s finalist – Arizona (2013) and Oregon (2014, 2015). The Bowerman will be presented during a formal ceremony at the annual USTFCCCA Coaches Convention. This year’s presentation will be December 19 at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grand Lakes in Orlando, Fla. Joining Holloway as men’s finalists are LSU’s Mondo Duplantis and Texas Tech’s Divine Oduduru. Holloway, the USTFCCCA National Men’s Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year, won four individual national titles, set three collegiate records and an American record, and put his name all over the collegiate all-time top 10 lists. Holloway won his third consecutive 110-meter hurdles national title in 12.98 seconds, breaking Renaldo Nehemiah’s 40-year-old collegiate record of 13.00 seconds and tying Americans Mark Crear (1999) and Jason Richardson (2012) for the No. 18 ranking on the world all-time list. The victory also made Holloway the only collegian in history to sweep the indoor and outdoor high hurdles titles three consecutive years. The same day, Holloway ran the third leg for Florida’s collegiate record breaking 4×100 relay team, which won the NCAA Outdoors title in 37.97 seconds. And he capped it all off with a 43.75-second split for Florida’s 4×400 relay team, which finished second and tied the fourth-fastest time in collegiate history (2:59.60). At the NCAA Indoor Championships, Holloway demolished his own collegiate record and broke a 32-year-old American record to win the 60-meter hurdles, crossing in 7.35 seconds. The time was the fourth-fastest in history and made him the No. 3 performer on the world all time list. Holloway also won the 60 meters title, beating fellow The Bowerman finalist Divine Oduduru and becoming the third man in Division I history to complete the straightaway sweep. Even more impressive, he did it with the fastest single-day combined time in the sport’s history (13.85 seconds).

The UAA Board of Directors passed a budget proposal of $140.9 million for the 2019-20 athletics season, a 3.9 percent increase over the previous year. Florida’s new operating budget for the upcoming year has been approved by the University Athletic Association, the school announced Monday. The UAA Board of Directors passed a budget proposal of $140.9 million for the 2019-20 athletics season, a 3.9 percent increase over the previous year. That figure will give UF one of the highest operating budgets in the country. “It’s going to continue to support our student-athletes at a high level,” Gators athletics director Scott Stricklin said of the new budget. The percentage increase is actually the lowest it has been over the last four years, according to operating budget documents on Florida’s team website. UF had a 5.9% year-over-year increase in 2018-19, a 7.0% increase in 2017-18 and a 5.6% increase in 2016-17. The average annual cost of a UF scholarship for student-athletes is valued at $68,438, consisting primarily of the cost of the scholarship (44 percent), travel (31 percent), sports medicine and health (13 percent), academic support (7 percent) and equipment (5 percent). According to Florida’s team website, football (59 percent) and men’s basketball (8 percent) continue to be the primary sources of revenue for the UAA’s athletic programs. Another 25 percent of the $140.9 million budget will be generated by royalties and sponsorships.

Good things come to those who wait, as Florida wide receiver Trevon Grimes found out last year. GAINESVILLE — Good things come to those who wait, as Florida wide receiver Trevon Grimes found out last year. The former 5-star recruit transferred from Ohio State to UF after the 2017 season and the NCAA granted him immediate eligibility last August. However, there would be no immediate impact from Grimes in 2018. He caught three passes for 50 yards and a touchdown in the season opener, but made just one reception in four of the next five games. Grimes understood why the ball wasn’t coming his way early on. “We have a lot of great weapons,” he said. “Van Jefferson, Tyrie Cleveland, Josh Hammond, there are a lot of great receivers on our team. I knew my time would come whenever it does. “You can’t be stingy. You have to let the ball go where it goes. If it doesn’t come to you one game, it might go to you the next. I always had the mentality if the ball comes to me, I do what I do.” Florida coach Dan Mullen knew there would be an adjustment period for Grimes, but had no hesitation about adding him to the roster. Mullen said Grimes came highly recommended from the Buckeyes coaching staff. “He has great size and he’s a mismatch with size. But he has some speed on top of that to run away from people,’ Mullen said. “I didn’t think we had great receiver depth. And that’s something for me, we like to have receivers out there on the field and I like to roll guys through. “To me, I don’t like guys having to play more than 40 plays a game at the receiver position because of how fast and how hard we expect them to run on every play. To have the opportunity to get a highly-recruited guy that was a great high school player — even though we didn’t know past that where he was at — that was big for us.” Grimes proved his worth during the final month of the season. After making 13 receptions for 147 yards through the first eight games, he caught 12 balls for 219 yards in the last four weeks. His breakout performance came in the regular season finale at Florida State. Grimes was propelled to the starting lineup following the injury to Tyrie Cleveland, who broke his right collarbone in the first quarter. The Ohio State transfer stepped up in his absence. He had a career day against the Seminoles, hauling in five passes for 118 yards and a touchdown in UF’s 41-14 win. His 22-yard score in the third quarter put the Gators up 27-7. Grimes was the first and only Florida receiver with a 100-yard game last year, and it served as a confidence booster for him. “It helped me a lot,” Grimes said. “I was never down at any time during the season. I guess you could say I always knew my time would come, just had to stay patient. But having a game like the Florida State game really did help me a lot going into the next season and coming into this spring.” Grimes continued his dominant play in the Orange & Blue Game on April 13. He had a 64-yard touchdown and finished with four catches for 195 yards, breaking Dallas Baker’s spring-game record from 2004 (176 yards). “I give all the glory to the coaches,” Grimes said. “Coach [Nick] Savage, Coach [Billy] Gonzales, Coach Mullen, all of them stay on me every day. Even when I have bad practices, they hold me to a high standard. “I feel like I’ve made the most strides mentally, getting in the playbook, diving into coverages, learning different route concepts and coverages shifts. That has helped me out a lot.” According to his fellow receivers, Grimes’ performance in the Orange & Blue Game was just a glimpse of what he did in practice all spring. Seniors Freddie Swain and Van Jefferson expect big things from No. 8 this fall. “He went crazy in the spring game,” Swain said of Grimes. “You can tell that during spring practice he finally understands what he is doing and why he is doing it. It shows that he has tremendous ability to be a great athlete.” Jefferson added, “He had an awesome spring and he’s been doing extra work. We’ve been getting that in together. You can see that unfolding this spring and he’s going to transition that into fall camp.” From his injury-plagued season at Ohio State to his mother’s health issues that led to him transferring, Grimes said he’s had to overcome a lot of obstacles over the past two years. He feels those “barriers” are now behind him. “I’ve learned a lot about myself mentally,” Grimes said. “I didn’t really play that much my freshman season. My sophomore season was all right. I hold myself to a high expectation, so I really just had to get off a couple of mental barriers. “And now that I feel like I’ve overcome those, I’m going out there and having fun with my teammates and brothers. There’s nothing that me or our team can’t accomplish this year.”

Top to bottom, it’s the deepest unit in the SEC and perhaps nationally. GAINESVILLE — Tyrie Cleveland took to Twitter Tuesday to share a photo of his position group, considered Florida’s best WR corps in more than a decade. “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much,” Cleveland said in the tweet. Top to bottom, it’s the deepest unit in the SEC and perhaps nationally. And that’s in spite of a top-50 overall WR recruit from the Sunshine State spurning the Gators for four consecutive recruiting cycles (2014-17). It started in 2014 with 5-star wideout Ermon Lane, who flipped from Florida to Florida State late in the process. The following year, the Gators lost another head-to-head battle with FSU for 5-star receiver George Campbell. UF rebounded in the 2016 class with five WR signees, highlighted by Houston’s Tyrie Cleveland. However, the Gators missed on their No. 1 overall in-state target, Nate Craig-Myers, who signed with Auburn. That trend continued in the 2017 cycle, as top-50 overall recruits and South Florida products Trevon Grimes (Ohio State) and Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) both passed on UF and chose to go out of state for school. The Gators did land James Robinson on signing day that year, but a heart condition ended his career before it started. Florida finally found success with top-100 receivers from the Sunshine State in the 2018 class, but Jacob Copeland redshirted as a freshman and Justin Watkins was dismissed from the team last summer. Three of UF’s five WR signees from 2017-18 have been lost to attrition, yet the position is now the strongest it’s been since 2008. How? Veteran coaching, player development and a pair of impact transfers have transformed Florida’s WR corps in just one year. “You always try to recruit … but our job here is to develop depth,” co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Billy Gonzales said. “There’s a lot of places that might want to play one or two people and that’s it. That’s what they play, and then four years later you’ll hear it’s somebody else. We’re trying to develop depth, and I think it’s paid off for us.” The proof is in the pudding. Under the tutelage of Gonzales, Josh Hammond, Freddie Swain and Kadarius Toney made significant strides and changed the dynamic of Florida’s slot position. The addition of transfers Grimes and Van Jefferson gave the Gators more weapons out wide with Cleveland, and freshman tight end Kyle Pitts also switched to receiver. The development of that depth did indeed pay off in 2018. Eleven different Gators caught a touchdown pass (28 total scores), marking the first time since 2009 at least that many players had a TD reception. All UF pass catchers combined for just 10 touchdowns in 2017. Florida’s receivers accounted for 23 of the 28 scores last season, and the entire group returns this fall. “If you look, we have some guys now, with all of our receivers back, ” head coach Dan Mullen said. “It’s the same guys, but now you’re talking about another year in the program and understanding the offensive scheme and understanding how to make plays within the offense. These guys are bigger, faster, stronger. I think you see that growth in Year 2 of what they are able to.” Heading into 2019, Cleveland is no longer the only proven player at the position. Jefferson led the team in receptions (35), yards (563) and touchdowns (6) last season, and Grimes emerged late in the year with his breakout performance at FSU. It’s pick your poison in the slot with Hammond, Swain and Toney, whose expected to see his touches expand in the “Percy” role. And with Copeland now healthy and Pitts’ permanent position change, good luck trying to cover Florida’s WR corps. “You’ve seen a guy like Trevon stepping up and being a mismatch out there on the field,” Mullen said. “You want to roll the coverage over to Trevon, you’re leaving Van or Tyrie one-on-one. Then you’ve got Kyle Pitts with size, Freddie and Josh and those guys inside — it’s great to cause mismatch problems. “That’s what I want from the offense. You don’t want to design where you’re always trying to get the ball to a guy. We want to be able to just run the offense and take what the defense gives us. Having the depth at the receiver position, and the talent, allows you to do that.” Many Florida fans complained about WR recruiting after four straight years of striking out on a top-50 recruit from the Sunshine State. Things have still worked out for the Gators despite those misses, especially in hindsight. Lane never lived up to his 5-star billing at FSU, switching from receiver to safety and going undrafted in 2018. Campbell didn’t pan out with the Seminoles either, catching 11 passes in four years before leaving for West Virginia. Craig-Myers regressed during his time at Auburn and decided to transfer mid-season, landing at Colorado State last December. This isn’t to suggest stars don’t matter — the Gators have top-100 WR Leonard Manuel committed for 2020 — but landing elite players is just one part of the equation. Not every 5-star recruit will become a sure-fire starter in college. They must be coached up and developed. Judging by last year and his first stint at UF, this group is in good hands with Gonzales.

The Florida Gators enter year five under head coach Mike White who will be feeling immense pressure this upcoming season because expectations are higher than ever for this Gator squad. The Florida Gators enter year five under head coach Mike White who will be feeling immense pressure this upcoming season because expectations are higher than ever for this Gator squad. White is returning three young starters for next season along with bringing in the No. 7 recruiting class in the nation. Not only that, but during the offseason the Gators landed the best big man on the market in Kerry Blackshear Jr. These offseason moves have put UF in position to make a legitimate tournament run in March. While Blackshear was the shining prospect acquired in the transfer market it is important not to overlook transfer Anthony Duruji, a junior from Louisiana Tech. Duruji will have two years of eligibility but will not be available until the ‘20-21 season due to transfer rules. When able to play, he will be a solid presence on the floor standing at 6ft 7in and weighing 211 pounds. Duruji provides solid defensive pressure with his ability to block shots and as a sophomore posted 12.2 ppg and 6.2 rpg. The big splash this offseason came with Kerry Blackshear transferring from Virginia Tech. He will be eligible immediately next season as a grad transfer and will produce right away. Blackshear will start most likely at the center/power forward position. He adds much needed versatility as a big man who averaged 14.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last year at an efficient 50% field goal rate. When playing he will be able to spread the floor and allow shooters with space to shoot through his unique passing abilities. This was a huge win for Mike White and the Gator squad heading into next season. The 2019 recruiting class had 6 players in total highlighted by three top 50 players in Scottie Lewis, Tre Mann, and Omar payne. Lewis and Mann will have the best opportunities to showcase their talents right away in Gainesville. Scottie, a 5 star SF, has explosive bounce with lightning quick speed and will for sure be highlighted on sportscenter for his wild dunks and crazy athletic plays. While he does need to develop his jump shot more, Lewis projects as a one year player who will most likely jump into the draft due to his talent and upside. Tre, a 5 star SG, will be used for his ability to shoot the ball as he shot 36% from behind the arc and 53% from 2pt range in highschool. His raw talent will earn him solid playing time next year alongside sophomore guards Nembhard and Locke. Omar, a 4 star C, has tremendous upside and will have the chance to develop behind Blackshear, Gak, and Basset. With Payne not starting immediately he will have the chance to learn the system as well as get some minutes off the bench allowing him to have a larger contribution in a year. Finishing out the class is Jason Jitoboh, Ques glover, and Alex Klatsky; all are projects that will most likely not see important playing time for a year or two but add depth at the center and guard positions. The talent from this class gives the Gators the necessary assets to contend for an SEC title and make a deep run in the NCAA tournament. The Gators return Andrew Nembhard, Noah Locke, and Keyontae Johnson. These three sophomore starters will be expected to produce at a high level of play behind there strong freshman seasons. The main dilemma Mike White will face this year will be how to maximize the talent in the rotation. It will be interesting to see how he mixes the lineup together throughout the year to put the team in the best position to win. A new way-too-early top 25 done by Jeff Borzello, a writer for ESPN, has Florida jumping up all the way to No. 4 in the rankings. With the SEC having so many talented teams UF will be put through the gauntlet during the regular season. They must consistently shoot from 3pt range and improve on the defensive side of the ball if this team wants to win the SEC. The past couple season Florida has been crippled by poor depth from the PF and C positions. Inexperience and injuries really hurt this teams chances the past couple seasons and Mike White knows that he needs high production from Blackshear to have a successful year. Coach White is not on the hot seat right now, but he cannot continue to coast on 20 win seasons. Gator fans are eager for championships and with how this upcoming season looks Mike White must deliver. With the mix of talented young players and veterans don’t be surprised if you see this team in the Elite 8 or maybe even in the Final 4 this year.

The Kerry Blackshear Jr. race is over. After visiting 4 SEC schools (Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky), Blackshear Jr. has officially chosen the Gators as his destination for the 2019-2020 season. The Kerry Blackshear Jr. race is over. After visiting 4 SEC schools (Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kentucky), Blackshear Jr. has officially chosen the Gators as his destination for the 2019-2020 season. The 6’10” F became this summer’s most discussed college basketball player after removing his name from the NBA Draft and announcing his transfer from Virginia Tech after 3 seasons. This past season, Blackshear Jr. averaged 14.9 PPG and 7.5 RPG, while shooting 33% from downtown. Blackshear was also a key part of the Hokies team that made it to the Sweet Sixteen and gave Duke a scare with a down-to-the-wire finish falling just short. His unique skill set, a dominant paint force as well as a solid shooter and strong face-up scorer, made him a highly sought after talent in the 2019 NBA Draft. But ultimately, Blackshear Jr. decided to use his last year of eligibility to boost his draft stock and find college success. His decision to leave Virginia Tech comes after the announcement that former head coach Buzz Williams accepted a new position at Texas A&M, as well as the departure of teammates Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Ahmad Hill to the NBA. This move couldn’t have come at a better time for Florida. Blackshear Jr., an Orlando native, will add desperately needed size to the Gators lineup. The Gators recruiting class in 2019 was one of the best that they’ve had in years, landing big players like Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis. However, both of these additions are guards, and with Keyontae Johnson and Andrew Nembhard showing incredible skills last season, the backcourt seems to be the strongest part of the Gators lineup next season. The addition of Blackshear Jr. gives some more depth to the Gators frontcourt, hopefully taking some pressure off of Dontay Bassett and freshman Jason Jitoboh, while also allowing freshman Omar Payne to play his natural power forward position instead of being forced to play center. Not only that, but Blackshear Jr. will be able to add to the win-now mentality UF should have in this upcoming season. With two possible one-and-done talents in Tre Mann and Scottie Lewis, plus the ever-rising draft stock of Keyontae Johnson and Andrew Nembhard, the Gators are not promised this young and talented lineup forever. This is the year for the Gators to win and step up, and Blackshear Jr. is the perfect addition to achieve that goal.