Todd says goodbye to these two stars. But guess who's coming back? (UAA Photo) They didn’t quite pull off the double-double natty dream, but don’t let that blur the picture. This was a special group.     They will be remembered — not for what they didn’t get, but for how close they came to grabbing hold of something that borders on basketball immortality.   Todd Golden’s 2025-26 Florida Gators gave us a season to savor, a ride that felt like it might never end.   It was a team stitched together by belief, toughness and just enough swagger to make Gator Nation lean forward in its seat and whisper, “Why not us?” As it had been the year before. And for a while there, it looked like it just might be again.   They didn’t quite pull off the double-double natty dream, but don’t let that blur the picture. This was a special group. The kind that bonds through long nights, tough wins and the shared understanding that they were building something bigger than themselves.   Years from now, they’ll still be talking about this run — the bus rides, the locker room speeches, the moments when they knew they had something. You can’t ever take that away from them.   Still, it’s only natural to wonder about the “what ifs.” In those final ticks against Iowa, you couldn’t help but think about the missing piece — the one who took his talents to Kentucky. Maybe one extra play, one extra body, one extra option changes everything.   But that’s not a knock on the ones who stayed and fought. Not even close. This team earned its place in Florida lore the hard way, stacking wins and proving they were a #1 seed despite five early losses.   You could tell they were stunned when the game against Iowa ended everything so abruptly. And in their hearts, they felt this was rightfully theirs and they were on a mission to win it again. When they did not, it was a shock to their system.   Now comes the part that defines programs, not just seasons. What’s next?   Well, Todd Golden is next, on lockdown, if you believe Scott Stricklin, who dismisses the rumors about UNC and Kansas.   “Todd wants to be at the University of Florida. I wish all those programs really good luck,” Stricklin said. “Todd’s going be here for a long time.” Golden has shown he can build. He’s shown he can develop. And maybe most importantly, he’s shown he can get a team to believe it belongs on the biggest stage.   The other good news came Thursday when Boogie Fland announced he was returning. Goods news for the Gators, but good news because he should not be scapegoated as the result of the last play after he so brilliantly defended the Hawkeyes’ best player,  Bennett Stirt, the rest of the night.   I know what you’re thinking: That Boogie’s decision could prompt others to do the same. And it could. In fact more good news came rolling in at deadline: Guard Urban Klavzar will return for the 2026-27 season.   These things need to keep coming around. Otherwise we’re staring at a roster that could tilt in two very different directions.   If Micah Handlogten gets his waiver and returns to anchor the interior… if Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu hear their names whispered more in second-round projections than first and decide another year in orange and blue is the better play… then watch out. That’s not a rebuild. That’s a reload.   That’s a team with unfinished business. That’s a team that could kick the door down next March. But if those pieces move on — as players often do in this modern era — then Golden faces a different kind of challenge. Not a step back, necessarily, but a step into the unknown.   New faces. New chemistry. A new identity to be forged from the portal and the practice floor.   And maybe that’s okay, too.   Because what this past season proved is that Florida basketball is no longer searching for relevance — it’s living in it. The standard has been reset. The expectations have changed.   The Gators aren’t hoping to compete anymore. They’re expected to.   And whether it’s with returning stars chasing one more shot or a fresh cast writing its own story, the foundation is there. Strong. Steady. Built by a team that came close enough to greatness to taste it — and left the door open for the next group to walk through.   That’s how legacies are built. And in Gainesville, the climb feels far from over.   Especially after such good news about Boogie.

I know this is a website dedicated to Florida Gators sports, but I hope you will indulge me for going off topic. This, you see, is my first Christmas in 74 years without the presence of my mother, Carleta Van Sickle Underwood. She passed away 17 days ago after a rather productive run in this thing we call life. She made it 97 years and 11 days before she drew her last breath at 4:02 p.m. on December 8. My sister Donna, my brother Gregory and I were at her bedside when her soul entered the gates of heaven leaving a shell of a body behind.   Our loss, heaven’s gain. I’ve heard that at least 500 times in the last 17 days. No matter how I know that’s the truth, it doesn’t change the fact that there is a void. I don’t know how long it will be before it’s not there. For all I know, it may never depart.   I know that where she is now there is no more of the pain she endured the last 30 years of her life. Her tolerance for pain was almost legendary. Just ask the nurses that forgot to numb her back before plunging in biopsy needles in 1998. They were in tears when they realized they had forgotten yet at the same time astonished that she didn’t even flinch. A day later the tumors that showed up on an MRI 48 hours prior weren’t there. The doctors were amazed. My mom said, “See, I told you I didn’t have cancer.” They asked how she knew, she replied, “Because my family, friends and prayer group were on it.”   She was like that, a woman of immense faith that never wavered. The more difficult the circumstance, the stronger her faith grew. Adversity was almost like some high powered growth hormone for her faith.   Now, she was emotional when adversity struck. I was convinced from the time I was four or five years old that she could shed tears on demand. For years I also thought she was a sucker for every sad story on the planet, but as I matured I learned that if you were breathing then you were worth a healthy dose of her compassion, care and teardrops. One of her “children by choice” – a student from Honduras named Juan Carlos – said there was healing in her tears. The two of them cried through some very difficult times. When Juan Carlos passed away in Honduras in the aftermath of a hurricane that caused massive flooding when it made landfall, my mom’s heart was broken. The mere mention of Juan Carlos brought tears, a trickle at first, an overflowing river to follow. If she loved you, she never stopped loving you.   She loved Juan Carlos, Jose, Rafael, Hector, Koktow, Virginia, Soo Young and all those kids and young people who she mothered and mentored for the years she and my stepfather, the late Dom Underwood, ran a ministry for international students and immigrants. For nearly 25 years at First Baptist Church in Gainesville and then at Westside Baptist Church they did their best to personify Matthew 25:35 that reads “… I was a stranger and you took me in.” In their presence no one was a stranger and no one was without the need of a hug and some love.   In 1986 when I was teaching at Han Nam University in Taejon, Korea, I came across a young man who got so excited when he found out I was from Gainesville. “I’m going to school there,” he told me. I congratulated him on making such a good decision to do grad school at the University of Florida. He told me about some of the other schools where he had applied and been accepted, so I asked what was the deciding factor that led him to choose Florida.   “There is this lady there in Gainesville,” he told me. “She helps you learn all about Gainesville, takes you to get a driver’s license and invites you into her home to eat and speak English conversations. She is famous! Do you know her?”   I grinned and told him that’s my mom, her name is Carleta.   “Yes! Carleta! That’s her!” he replied. “All the Koreans in Gainesville know her and love her.” Yes, Koreans and those from about 50 other countries who came to know her.   When my mom was growing up at 313 NW 11 th Street, just three blocks from the University of Florida campus, her dream was to become a foreign missionary but the combination of World War II, marriage to my dad Francis Beard, two kids and a very successful career as an insurance agent for Independent Life, Mutual and United of Omaha, and Jefferson Standard caused her to detour. Then came the invitation from Jerry Hayner for her and Dom to begin an international ministry at First Baptist Church.   She did her Moses impersonation. “I can’t speak Spanish! I don’t have the background! I don’t have the right education!” And on and on. Jerry listened and said, “Yep, and that’s why you’ll be perfect for the job.” He knew how Carleta attacked a new task. He knew that she would rely on her faith and let God take care of the minor little details.   Minor little details. Five back surgeries. A knee replacement and another knee that needed replacing but doctors refused to due to her age and other health complications. A double mastectomy. A spiral fracture in her leg that required serious surgery and rehab. They sent her home two weeks ahead of schedule at rehab because she had surpassed the goals and expectations.   She was legally blind due to glaucoma and macular degeneration in both eyes, but even when she couldn’t see, she saw more than most. She could read a heart and that was all the sight she needed.   In her life it was God first, family second and that included all the family she adopted through the years, and the Florida Gators a very strong third place. She loved the Florida Gators. Her favorite Gators were in this order: Steve Spurrier, Danny Wuerffel, Tim Tebow, Billy Donovan, Urban Meyer and Todd Golden.   She was in the hospital at ORMC in Orlando in November of 2005. During surgery her spinal cord was nicked. For three weeks she hovered near death. A couple of days before Thanksgiving, Urban Meyer whacked me on the butt with his Gatorade bottle as was his habit after practice or press conferences. He asked about my mom and then asked if there is anything he could do. I told him how much she adored him and then asked a monumental favor.   “I know you’re busy with the Florida State game, but would you call her and wish her to get well?” I asked. “Her birthday is Sunday (November 27).”   “Consider it done,” Urban replied. “Thanksgiving morning okay?”   Absolutely. Thanksgiving morning Urban and Shelley Meyer called. They talked for 20 minutes. At the conclusion of the conversation, Urban said, “I hear you have a birthday coming up on Sunday. What would you like for a birthday present?”   My mom replied, “Well, you could beat the Seminoles.”   Saturday evening at the conclusion of the post game press conference after the Gators had whomped FSU, 34-7, Urban walked by, whacked me on the butt with his Gatorade bottle and grinned, “You think she liked that?”   She loved it and loved the 2006 and 2008 national championships in football, the back-to-back basketball championships, the softball, gymnastics, baseball, golf and track and field championships. When the Gators lost, she was disappointed for maybe a few hours, then the perpetual, undying optimism kicked in. Carleta was one Gator who never lost the faith.   In the last few years of her life when she could no longer see the Florida games on the television, I was her eyes. When I got home from games at The Swamp or the O-Dome, she expected me to give her the lowdown. She was like the Wide World of Sports signature line, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” A Gator win was a thrill. Defeat was agony, a total heartbreak.   I think most UF fans were convinced they might never see another NCAA basketball championship, but when I got home after the Gators poleaxed then No. 1 Tennessee, 73-43, she was wide awake and waiting. She had listened to the entire game with my sister filling in details.   “I love Todd Golden,” she told me as I gave her my version of the game. “I think this team is going to win the national championship.”   She was prophetic. January became February and then came March. The Gator Boyz got hot. Very hot. As I traveled to each venue of the NCAA Tournament, I called after every game to give her the personal report she expected. After the UConn, Texas Tech, Auburn and Houston come from behind wins, she told me she knew the Gators would find a way to win.   “That Todd Golden knows how to coach,” she declared more than one time. “He’s another Dean Smith. I never doubted the Gators would win those games.”   After the NCAA championship, I set out on writing my book, “The Golden Season.” I did it with constant encouragement from my mother. When we got the first copies from the publisher, she held the book to her cheek and then kissed it. She was proud of me. She was proud of Todd. She was proud of her Gators.   A month later and she was gone.   On the Saturday morning (December 6) before she passed away, I was up at 6 a.m. and by her bedside. She wanted to sit on the sofa, but that was impossible, so I volunteered to sit on the bed and lean over so she could hug me. For the next 30 minutes we talked as she hugged me tighter than ever before. It was our last lucid conversation during which we talked about the Duke game again. She was convinced the zebras stole that one from the Gators. She wanted to know what I thought about Jon Sumrall. She made me promise I would go to New York for the UConn game on Tuesday.   We talked about family and faith matters until she got tired and started to fade. She hugged me and kissed my cheek.   “You’re going to be all right,” she said and told me one more time how much she loved me. This was our last conversation. Later in the day she slipped into semi-consciousness and by Sunday she only occasionally opened her eyes.   On Monday morning, just hours before she passed, one of her favorite hymns was playing. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t sing and wasn’t conscious but her lips mouthed the words to “It Is Well With My Soul.”   At 4:02 p.m. a very well soul passed from this life on earth to a heaven where she knew she was going long before she took her last breath.   So, here it is at 1:19 on Christmas morning. It is so quiet in this Lake County condo that I call home, the place she spent the last 11-plus months of her life. For the past couple of weeks I have been waking up at 6 a.m., staggering out of bed and walking over to where her bed was only to realize that she’s not here anymore. Not here physically, at least. In my heart and the hearts of all those who knew her, she’s still very much a strong presence and will always be.   I look back on that last conversation I had with my mother and it compels me to ask a favor of those of you who read this. Take the time to tell the people you care about that you love them. If forgiveness is needed, then be bold enough to make the first step. I could not live with myself if my mother had gone to her grave with unreconciled differences with me.   If at all possible, do it today. Life is short and we never know when our time is up. Don’t go another day if you can help it without the effort to bridge old problems and give a relationship a fresh start. Merry Christmas, Franz

Isaiah Brown will compete for starter minutes next season (Photo by Chris Spears) Depending on the NCAA and NBA, Todd Golden could have a team that could very well compete for the NCAA championship next year or one with a number of new faces filling in the gaps in a roster reconstruction season. If Micah Handlogten gets a waiver from the NCAA that will allow him to play for Florida next year and if Alex Condon and Rueben Chinyelu elect to return if they get second round grades from the NBA, then the Gators will be serious contenders. If all three are gone, then it’s time to reconstruct the roster.   There are so many variables but here is a look at the players on the current roster along with transfers and international players who might figure into Golden’s plans.   SENIORS Xaivian Lee (6-4, 185): He will get a look on an NBA summer roster that should parlay into a G-League contract. His game is better suited to the Euro or Asian leagues.   * Micah Handlogten (7-1, 260): He has appealed for another year which should be granted by the NCAA. He suffered an horrendous leg fracture in the 2004 SEC Tournament championship game, missed the NCAA game and then more than half of 2024-25. Expect him back. Requested NCAA waiver   JUNIORS Alex Condon (6-11, 236): Listed 6-11, but he’s 7-0+ and guys his size who can handle the ball, pass and play defense whether in the paint or perimeter are hard to come by. Will his play the last 10 games of the season (19.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists) to push him into the first round? That’s the real question. ESPN has him ranked No. 38, which makes him early second round. He could work his way into solid first round projections with a great combo and workouts. If he’s a first rounder he has to go. If he gets solid second round grades, he should come back. He can make more money at UF than he can in the second round.   Tommy Haugh (6-9, 215): Draft evals have him going anywhere from No. 12 (lottery) to No. 20 in the first round. Say good-bye to Tommy. He can’t pass up a fully guaranteed multi-year contract. Most likely he gets selected between 12 and 16.   Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 265): He was a double-double machine for much of the season, but had some disappointing games down the final stretch. Doesn’t have a jump shot and needs to power through contact and dunk more. He will make more money at Florida than as a second rounder.   Urban Klavzar (6-1, 190): The SEC’s best sixth man is a lights out shooter who figures to start on the wing next season. He will play internationally for Slovenia in the summer, which will help prepare him for a big senior season.   A.J. Brown (6-5, 210, RJR): Took a redshirt year after transferring from Ohio U to fully recover from shoulder surgery. A real bomber from the outside who can slash and get to the rim.   Cooper Josefsberg (6-4, 195): Walk-on who is probably the most popular guy on the team. Good guy to have in the locker toom.   SOPHOMORES Boogie Fland (6-3, 185): He definitely needs to come back but is certain to test out the NBA waters to get an evaluation. He played well throughout the SEC portion of the season. He’s exceptional defensively and he can’t be pressed. Needs to become more assertive getting to the rim off the bounce and needs to become a consistent 3-point shooter.   Isaiah Brown (6-6, 210): Worked his way into the rotation and became extremely valuable off the bench. Slasher who has serious hops and a very good lefty shooter from the corner. He will compete for starter minutes. Can defend three positions.   Alex Kovatchev (6-5, 195, RSO): Australian who transferred in the summer from Sacramento State where he would have started. Very good practice player who plays defense. Unless he burns it up this summer, destined to be a role-player next season.   Viktor Mikic (6-11, 260): He has size and he’s been a good practice player for two years. He can shoot well and handle the ball but can he defend at the level Golden expects to get significant minutes? Plays for Serbia in the Euro FIBA tournaments. He needs a really good summer.   FRESHMAN CJ Ingram (6-7, 205): He’s taller than the 6-6 he’s listed – 6-7 or maybe 6-8? And he’s still growing. The way he worked to develop his jump shot he may be the successor on the perimeter to Tommy Haugh.   Alex Lloyd (6-3, 180): He can shoot the ball, but has to spend much of his summer in the weight room to get physically stronger. He has real potential as a scoring point.   Olivier Rioux (7-9, 305, RFR): He made great strides this year. He’s stronger, more flexible and more mobile. No one expects him to get serious minutes next year, but he’s developing, teammates love him, he’s got a great work ethic and you can’t teach tall.   INCOMING FRESHMAN Jones Lay (7-0, 230): A late bloomer with size, good feet and a dunk it mentality. He flew under the radar for the longest time but cracked the Rivals top 100 list.   ROSTER OUTLOOK FOR NEXT SEASON A lot of what ifs here, but based on the best information at the moment, the Gators could return as many as 12 scholarship players and two walk-ons. With the NCAA increase to 15 scholarships from 13, Todd Golden has some flexibility.   If Condon and Chinyelu receive second round grades, they would be foolish not to return for one more year. Handlogten is likely to get a waiver that will allow him to return, but it is entirely possible all three will depart. If that’s the case, then Golden will be extremely active in the portal looking for experienced big guys. The wild card on the front line is Ingram, who has grown since last summer and could wind up somewhere between 6-7 and 6-9.   On the perimeter, point guard Boogie Fland is the returning starter with backup Alex Lloyd. There is plenty of shooting on the wings so that shouldn't be a problem.   Here is what the roster will look like if Condon, Chinyelu and Handlogten return:   Big guys (6 scholarship, 1 walkon) Alex Condon (7-0, 236); Rueben Chinyelu (6-11, 265); Micah Handlogten (7-1, 260); Viktor Mikic (6-11, 260); * Olivier Rioux (7-9, 305); CJ Ingram (6-7, 210); Jones Lay (7-0, 230)   Permieter guys (6 scholarship, 1 walkon) Boogie Fland (6-3, 185); Urban Klavzar (6-1, 195); Isaiah Brown (6-6, 210); AJ Brown (6-5, 210); Alex Lloyd (6-3, 180); Alex Kovatchev (6-5, 195); * Cooper Josefsberg (6-4, 195)   * Walkon   Some international names to watch SG Ignas Urbanas (6-6, 200, Lithuania): At last year’s FIBA under-18s he averaged 11 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game. Still growing, expected to top out at 6-8. SG Nikola Kusturica (6-8, 210, Serbia): He’s just 17 and already playing for Barcelona. At last summer’s Euro under-16s he averaged 20 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. PF Lun Jarc (6-9, 215, Slovenia): At last summer’s under-16 Euros, he was good for 14.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 37.9 percent on threes. C Petar Bjelica (6-10, 225, Serbia): True power player who can dominate in the paint. At last summer’s Euros averaged 15 points, 9.7 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while impressing as a shot blocker. Just turned 17.   Interesting early names in the portal PF Kwame Evans (6-10, 235, JR, Oregon): He can score and rebound (13.3/7.4) but he’s a one-and-done wherever he goes. Very productive and efficient.   C Ben Defty (7-0, 255, SO, Boston University): He’s ready for big time after averaging 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds at BU. Plays for the German national team.   PG Chance Gladden (6-4, 185, FR, Boston University): From Raleigh so there will be a lot of ACC teams pushing for him. Averaged 14.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game as a true freshman.   PG Christian Hammond (6-4, 195, SO, Santa Clara): Excellent ball handler and scorer for a very good Santa Clara team. Averaged 15.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game while hitting 39.3 percent from three.   PF Paulius Murauskas (6-8, 235, JR, Saint Mary’s): He’s not a lock to follow Randy Bennett to Arizona State. Might be the best player in the portal. Averaged 18.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists. He’s from Lithuania. Dominator.   PG Joel Foxwell (6-1, 180, FR, Portland): Playing in the tough West Coast Conference averaged 15.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game for Portland. True freshman who can handle the ball and defend.   SF/SG Isaac Celiscar (6-6, 210, SO, Yale): He’s an excellent shooter (40.7 percent from three) who rebounds better than his size. Averaged 13.2 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.   PG Dedan Thomas Jr. (6-1, 180, JR, LSU): When he went down with an injury this past season, LSU went in the tank. There is a relationship with Florida associate head coach Carlin Hartman. Before the injury he was averaging 15.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 6.5 assists. Only one year of eligibility but may be worth it in the event Boogie goes pro or transfers.

Even before the powers that be at North Carolina bought out the contract of basketball coach Hubert Davis, Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin was busy working on a deal that he intends to take Todd Golden off the market for the Tar Heels.   Speaking to reporters after the introductory press conference for newly hired women’s basketball coach Tammi Reiss, Stricklin said, “ We've given Todd new contracts each of the last two years. He's a priority for the University of Florida, and we're going to treat him as such.”   Golden, 104-41 in four years at Florida that includes a 36-4 run to the 2025 national championship, is the fastest coach to 100 wins in Florida history. Golden received an extension and a raise after the 2024 season when the Gators made it to the SEC Tournament championship game and the NCAA Tournament. After last season’s championship he was given an extension through 2031 worth $40.5 million over the course of the deal.   The buyout on the current contract is $16 million through April 15, $11 million afterward, so a raise in pay and extending the contract would make the buyout more formidable, even for a deep pockets school like North Carolina, which has won six NCAA championships in its history. Golden’s current $6.75 million salary is the 5th-highest in the country, trailing only Bill Self (Kansas, $8.8 million), John Calipari (Arkansas, $8 million), Dan Hurley (UConn, $7.8 million) and Tom Izzo (Michigan State, $7.2 million).   At 40 years old, Golden is by far the youngest of the nation’s best and highest paid basketball coaches. Self (63) has heart issues and is rumored to be contemplating retirement. Calipari is 67 years old, Hurley (53) is a fixture at UConn where basketball is a priority over football, and Izzo is 71. Because he’s young and had such success, Golden will likely get a significant raise that could make him the highest paid coach in the country.   Matt Hayes of USA Today last week suggested that if UNC parts ways with Davis that the Tar Heels should offer “13-14 million a year over 10 years.” That would be quite an investment, made more expensive by the huge buyout.   Stricklin made it clear that he intends to make sure Golden is locked in at Florida.   “Todd wants to be at the University of Florida," he said. "I wish all those [other] programs really good luck. I'm sure they'll find a good coach out there, and I'm glad Todd's going be here for a long time."   Golden is an exceptional fit at Florida. His personality resonates not only with players, but with students who camped out even in cold weather to get into the O-Dome and with fans who turned the arena into one of the tougher and loudest venues in all of college basketball. Florida doesn’t have the longstanding tradition of North Carolina basketball and the O-Dome seats less than half the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, but since 1999, Florida has won as many national championships (3) as UNC and rival Duke. Only UConn (5) has won more.   Kentucky has always been the program by which everyone else in the Southeastern Conference is judged. While five different coaches have won eight NCAA titles at UK, the last one was 2012 by John Calipari, who got tired of the grind in Lexington and bolted for Arkansas. This year Kentucky spent $22 million on a roster and still lost 14 games. Mark Pope is thought by most UK fans to be a short-timer although he likely gets one more year.   Florida, meanwhile, has surpassed Kentucky as the top program in the SEC and other schools – Arkansas and Alabama notably – are nipping on the Wildcats heels. Carolina tradition would make that an easy place to rebuild for a coach of Golden’s considerable talent, but he elevated Florida to an elite level. Consider also the Southeastern Conference from top to bottom is a superior league to the Atlantic Coast Conference, plus there is far more money. The SEC just distributed more than $72 million to its institutions. The ACC distributed $45 million.     And, while Carolina is contemplating who’s next as its head coach, the boosters have serious money˙ issues that have to be dealt with. There is a shortfall of some $27 million per school compared to the ACC and that gap will only increase. Also, UNC’s boosters have to contemplate what to do with the Dean Dome. Conservative estimates place renovation in the $500 million range while building a new arena off campus has an estimated pricetag of some $800-900 million. Throw in the buyout for Davis ($5.3 million) plus assistant coaches will have to be compensated. Money will have to be raised to buy out the contract of a new coach who will command at least a 5-year deal plus a quality staff of assistants.   That isn’t cheap. Golden has a good thing going at Florida, which seems more than willing to price him out of UNC’s market.   So, who would Carolina go after? One prominent name that is being mentioned is former Florida coach Billy Donovan, currently the head coach of the NBA Chicago Bulls, whose front office can’t seem to put together a roster capable of competing for a championship. Donovan loves the NBA since it’s all basketball, but he might see UNC as a good landing place. There is also the possibility that Billy will hang on another year in the NBA for the possibility that there will be a conclave called in Lexington where Wildcat fans will look for three puffs of smoke to name a new pope.   Here are some other names that UNC might consider:   Brad Stevens, President of the Boston Celtics: Some say Stevens and Donovan are No. 1 and No. 1A on the list. The former Butler coach might be willing to return to college coaching but only at a true blueblood, which Carolina fits the bill. He’s 49, was 166-49 at Butler and won more than 600 games as coach of the Celtics before becoming the chief executive.   T.J. Otzelberger, Iowa State: He’s 48 years old, has a $4 million buyout and he’s in the Sweet 16 for the third time in his five years at a school that doesn’t have money or resources yet wins big in the Big 12.   Tommy Lloyd, Arizona: He has a good thing going at Arizona and may win the NCAA title this year. He’s 51-years-old and was the recruiting guru behind Gonzaga’s success when he was an assistant. Makes $5.25 million, buyout is $11 million. The Big 12 distributed $34.9 million.     Fred Hoiberg, Nebraska: He is 53, played 10 years in the NBA, and has done the impossible by making basketball relevant at Nebraska, which is in the Sweet 16. Salary is $4.75 million, estimated buyout $8 million.   Josh Schertz, Saint Louis: His teams play racehorse basketball which would be exciting at UNC. He just got a 6-year extension worth $22 million. He wins (career 451-130, 48-21 at Saint Louis) and his teams score plenty of points.   Mark Byington, Vanderbilt: Would be unfazed by UNC academics after proving he can win at Vandy. Played at UNC-Wilmington, head coach at College of Charleston, Georgia Southern and James Madison prior to Vanderbilt. Made the SEC Tournament final this year with 28 wins at Vanderbilt. Only 50 years old.   THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER … SOMETIMES   Here are a few coaches from prominent programs who have moved elsewhere.   Arizona State: After years of turning down offers to go somewhere else, Randy Bennett is leaving Saint Mary’s after 25 years and 589 wins for Arizona State. Bennett is an Arizona native so this is coming home.   Saint Mary’s: Associate head coach Mickey McConnell was promoted to head coach after Bennett departed. He played collegiately at Saint Mary’s where he was a teammate of Florida coach Todd Golden.   Cincinnati: The new coach is Jerod Calhoun who was 55-15 at Utah State. He’s a Cincinnati alum who coached for Bob Huggins.   Charlotte: Fired Cincinnati coach Wes Miller has been hired. Miller had a winning record at Cincinnati but couldn’t get the Bearcats in the NCAA Tournament. He’s a former UNC player ‘’   Syracuse: The Orange are keeping it in the family. The new coach is Gerry McNamara, the 4 th -leading scorer in Syracuse history.     Georgia Tech: Scott Cross, who has won 350 games at UT-Arlington and Troy is the new head coach. He won two Sun Belt Conference titles.   Providence: Byron Hodgson, who won the American championship in his one year at South Florida, is the new coach. Should be a pretty good fit since he’s an upstate New York guy.

Tramell looks sharp but how quick can he learn offense? (Chris Spears photo) Meyer And Gruden may address team on Friday   By EDDIE GILLEY GatorBaitMedia.com   The portion of practice that the media is allowed to see is fairly vanilla. A few drills, some stretching, a couple of periods of special teams work and some individual group work. And let’s face it, everyone looks great in the spring.   There was already a buzz about Friday’s practice as it was speculated two VIP guests will address the team. Urban Meyer and Jon Gruden are already speakers for the Florida Gators Coaches Clinic at the Condron Indoor Practice Facility.   You can extract a few general things from just looking around.   The three leading candidates as starter at the most important position — Aaron Philo, Tramell Jones, Jr., and Will Griffin — all look very similar. Coach Sumrall addressed the competition for the starting QB after practice, saying that he likes the way they are competing while still supporting one another in the room. Sumrall said they are nowhere near finish line. Watching them throw, all three can make the passes that are necessary to win at this level. Which one will start may be determined by how much of the offense Jones can master between now and the start of fall camp.   Jaden Baugh looks like he is ready to start the season and compete at a high level. Evan Pryor has the look of an SEC running back. He is someone who could be a starter at most schools and provides a quality number two running back.   Vernell Brown III is clearly the leader of the returning wide receivers. Sumrall gave a posto itive update on the health of Dallas Wilson, saying he was encouraged.   Transfers Eric Singleton Jr. , Bailey Stockton and Micah Mays Jr., all look ready to add depth as dynamic playmakers the offense — especially Singleton.   Saturday’s scrimmage will provide more of a picture of how the defense and offensive lines may have progressed in the spring. The work the media get to see doesn’t really highlight the lines and the defense.  But there are positive whispers from Coach Brad White’s camp. And there is also a buzz around new special teams coach Johnathan Galante after some recent impressive interviews that have aired.

Reiss, a three-time All-American was 138-73 as head of the Lady Rams. By Loren Meadows, GatorBaitMedia.com , Host of The Lowdown with Loren Meadows Florida has hired former Virginia great and WNBA star Tammi Reiss as it’s head coach replacing Kelly Rae Finley who led the program the previous four seasons. Reiss brings a strong resume as both a coach and a player to a Florida program that missed the NCAA tournament for the fourth straight year and is still working to find a foothold in the changing landscape of collegiate athletics.  Reiss, who was the head coach at Rhode island since 2019 had an overall record of 138-73, winning two A-10 regular season titles as well as the A-10 conference tournament this season to lead the program to their first NCAA tournament appearance since 1996. Reiss is not an unknown to true women’s hoops fans who can recall her time as the backcourt mate and roommate of Dawn Staley during their run of three Final Fours from 1989-1992 under legendary Virgina coach Debbie Ryan. A three-time All-American Reiss would remain at Virgina for three years as an assistant while playing for the WNBA’s Utah Starzz during the early years of the league. She would return to Utah to lead the Starzz in both Utah and San Antonio before coming back to the college ranks as an assistant at Syracuse and ultimately the job at Rhode Island. Her former roommate and friend Dawn Staley had nothing but praise for Reiss stating, “ Tammi and I go back to our days at Virgina, and even then you could see the passion, the toughness and the basketball IQ that set her apart.” “From sharing the court as roommates to now coaching in the same league, its special. And I know she’s going to make a strong impact at Florida." Scott Stricklin who has come under fire for what is perceived as a lack of support and investment in women’s athletics during his tenure praised Reiss’ track record and pedigree stating, "Tammi Reiss is a proven winner and an outstanding leader whose experience as both a player and coach stood out throughout this process," said Stricklin. "She brings tremendous enthusiasm, an unbelievable competitive spirit, and a relentless work ethic that will resonate with our student-athletes and our entire program. Tammi has a genuine passion for the game and for developing young women, and it was clear from the beginning how much she wanted the opportunity to lead the Florida Gators. She is also a strong recruiter with a track record of building an international pipeline, and her unique life experiences have helped shape her into a dynamic leader. We are excited to welcome Tammi to Gainesville and look forward to the energy and vision she will bring to our women's basketball program." While Reiss is indebted to the Rhode Island for their support during her tenure Reiss is fully aware of the opportunities a school like Florida can offer. “Between Florida’s academic reputation and the resources available to the program, I believe we have all the pieces to build a championship-caliber team that the university and community will be proud of and excited to support.” It will be interesting to see how Florida, who has been notably slow to adapt to the ever-changing dynamic in collegiate athletics will invest in a women’s basketball program that is the only Florida program that has yet to win won an SEC title, and notably behind in NIL funding compared to the programs that it is evaluated against.

Photo credit UAA Photo The Gators are one of those promising teams in the middle of the pack but with positive spin — mainly due to that buzz around Sumrall, who so far is coming off as a Poster Boy of Promise.     Ok, it’s time to get back to being a serious football school as Jon Sumrall ramps up intensity in spring ball.  Back to picking a QB and sorting out the players for what looks to be a challenging, promising and interesting fresh start. Put me down as Locked In.   There comes a time on every campus when the air shifts just a little — when the echoes in the practice fields sound more like purpose than practice. A football school with dirt under its nails and expectations that don’t apologize.   Jon Sumrall isn’t easing into spring — he’s cranking it up, turning knobs that have been sitting idle too long. The tempo’s different. The urgency is louder. And somewhere between the whistle and the weight room, a new pecking order is starting to take shape.   There’s a quarterback to be found, roles to be claimed, and just enough uncertainty to make it all compelling.   Challenging? Absolutely. Promising? You bet. Interesting? That might be underselling it. As for me — go ahead and write it in ink: I’m locked in as we prepare for our way-too-early SEC College football predictions. But there are some significant changes this season, so listen up.   When you peer into your crystal ball for 2026, don’t forget the SEC has added one more league game. It’s harder than ever to come out of this conference with a scintillating record because there are so many opportunities to get dinged.   Not a single SEC team is assigned a 10.5 over-under total by Fan Duel.   There’s a logjam right there, just a smidgeon over .500. All of those 6-5 projections, clumped together in the middle third, could be because of the uncertainty posed by an extra SEC game — or just plain baked-in parity.   It might turn out to be a tightwire race that creates an exciting finish for the follow-through coaches who know how to push the pedal to the metal in the second half of the season with developmental squads (see Jon Sumrall).   At the same time , everybody at 6-5 reminds me of a four wide at the Daytona 500. Is there an impending crash?   And don’t forget, fearless forecaster: Based on recent announcements, here is the "crystal ball" for 2026:  The Gators are one of those promising teams in the middle of the pack but with positive  spin — mainly due to that buzz around Sumrall, who so far is coming off as a Poster Boy of Promise.   The probable reason for this jump was due to a large number of bets being placed on the Gators’ over. This means the college football world believes Florida is better than a .500 team.   Favorites Texas and Georgia led the pack with 9.5 wins, followed by LSU, Alabama and Texas A&M — all with 8.5. Before falling into disarray, Florida did beat the Longhorns last season at home by more than a touchdown and led the Bulldogs 20-17 in the fourth quarter and many of those players return, so the potential is there. That was last season. What now?   The question becomes how soon Sumrall can restore order, an idea that is trending upward. But let’s not forget about those massive changes around the SEC.     9-Game Slate & 3 Permanent Rivals: The league moves from 8 to 9 conference games. Every team will have three permanent annual rivals and play the remaining 13 schools on a rotating basis. Rotational Fairness: The structure ensures every SEC school plays every other conference member at least twice (home and away) over a four-year period. High-Quality Non-Conference Requirement: In addition to the nine conference games, SEC teams are mandated to schedule at least one additional "high-quality" non-conference opponent from the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, or Notre Dame. No Divisions & Playoff Impact:The SEC will continue with a divisionless format, with the top two teams in the standings playing in the SEC Championship Game.   Confused? Me, too. But winning will solve that and Sumrall has already vowed that he will. Gator fans are looking for little signs of progress and encouragement. Best-case scenario, Florida hits the over on 6-5 if it can figure out the most important position on the field. If the Gators can get steady play from the quarterback position — be it Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones Jr. — the offense has enough weapons to score in bunches, but whoever is anointed as the starter must be dependable. Too early to call.   Sumrall’s early success in the transfer portal was impressive. We all know about the quarterback battle and the wide open competition but the one player I’ve heard most of about so far this spring is receiver Eric Singleton, who my friend and colleague Shane Matthews has noted as a premier playmaker capable of "taking the top off" a defense and turning short catches into big plays.   At Florida, Singleton will reunite with former Auburn wide receivers coach Marcus Davis. He’ll also be back in an offense called by Buster Faulkner, who was Singleton’s offensive coordinator at Georgia Tech.   The key to a good start this spring was Sumrall’s successful “Re-Recruitment” of his top five players:   Top "Re-Recruited" Players Jadan Baugh (Running Back): Successfully convinced to stay following his 2025 freshman performance. Jayden Woods (EDGE): A major success story, Woods withdrew his name from the transfer portal in early January 2026 after having been rated a top-10 player in the portal, deciding to stay for his second season. Dallas Wilson (Wide Receiver): Described by Sumrall as a challenging re-recruitment due to external interest, but ultimately remained with the team. Vernell Brown III (Wide Receiver): Retained, using his family ties to the school (legacy) as a factor to stay. Myles Graham (Linebacker): Retained, leveraging his status as a legacy player to keep him on the roster.    Jadan Baugh, who looks to be a mighty weapon of choice, is rightfully discussed among the best in the country at running back. And as talented as last year's receiver room was, this year may be even more explosive. High-powered offensive outings can provide margins needed to steal swing games on college football Saturdays. Big plays change games and Florida has a host of home-run hitters.   Last offseason,  Singleton Jr. was the most sought-after wide receiver in the transfer class, signing with Auburn. After one season at Auburn, Singleton pulled out of the NFL Draft opting to reunite with his former offensive coordinator. Singleton gives Florida a receiver with experience in the system and elite big play ability.   Worst-case scenario?Florida falls to the under if it lacks a pass rush that fails to disrupt opposing offenses. Last season, the Gators got below-average pressure on rival quarterbacks, but returnees like Brendan Bett are expected to take a step forward, while Jayden Woods has the tools to develop into a superlative presence on the edge.   Rushing the passer against SEC opponents who field elite signal callers like Arch Manning, Sam Leavitt, Gunner Stockton and Marcell Reed is crucial, but improved coverage won't be enough on its own.   The Gator defense is not nothing. Defensive impact players include returning linemen Kamran James and LJ McCray, linebacker Miles Graham and cornerbacks Dijon Johnson and Cormani McClain.   The defense is anchored by experienced linebackers.   •    Myles Graham (Jr.): Coming off a standout 2025 sophomore season where he recorded a team-high 76 tackles, Graham is a defensive leader. Key Returnees: Jaden Robinson (Sr.) and Aaron Chiles (Jr.) join Graham as seasoned players with significant starting experience, bringing continuity to the middle of the field. Depth & Experience: The unit also features senior transfer TJ Bullard (RSr.) from UCF and developing talents like Ty Jackson (So.) and Myles Johnson   That’s a lot to digest for one season. So you want to bet on your Gators? I looked this up:   Based on early odds for the 2026 college football season, a moneyline bet on the Florida Gators to win the SEC Championship presents high-reward odds, reflecting their status as challengers rather than favorites.   Odds to Win SEC: As of early 2026, Florida is listed at +2000 (20-to-1) odds to win the SEC Championship, according to FanDuel.   I really don’t know what kind of record I’m forecasting yet. I guess that’s why they are called the “way too early“ predictions. But I feel like something positive is trending these days.

Haugh (10) and Condon (21) battle for a held ball on the Iowa game's most controversial play (Photo by Chris Spears) TAMPA – They walked down the hallway of Benchmark International Arena in a three-man embrace. As the man in the middle, Todd Golden was the prop that Alex Condon on the right and Tommy Haugh on the left leaned on. Their heads tilted onto Golden’s shoulders, the tears of bitter defeat still wet on young, smooth faces unable to grow a decent mustache yet alone grow a full beard.   Golden’s arms tugged at their waistlines as they walked almost in lockstep. Their arms squeezed their coach tightly as they slowly made their way to the interview waiting room. Once inside they had to wait nearly 10 insufferable minutes while Ben McCollum answered the same question rephrased a couple dozen times by adoring midwestern reporters about how the Iowa Hawkeyes had pulled off a shocking 73-72 upset of the Florida Gators in the second round of the NCAA South Regional.   The wait was a cruel necessity. The NCAA brings out its vanquished warriors to answer questions after clutch your heart losses. Sometimes, like Sunday night, the wait is extended, made more painful by the words of a winning coach enjoying his moment in the sun. Once at the podium, Haugh could barely speak. He didn’t want to be there. He was still wiping tears from his swollen eyes. Neither did Condon who was better answering questions, but not by much.   Their voices barely above whisper level trembled.   What could they say? Not only did they roll snake eyes in this love-hate affair that we have with this thing called the NCAA Tournament, but their careers as Florida Gators probably reached a conclusion. The two of them are juniors, both with another year of eligibility that would allow them to come back for a chance to restore Florida’s tarnished glory after the Gators became another brick in that wall of teams that couldn’t do two-in-a-row. Duke (1991-92), Florida (2006-07) and UConn (2023-24) are the only three teams to repeat as national champs since that incomprehensible run of seven straight national titles by UCLA from 1967-73.   No one will ever win seven in a row again. Simply going back-to-back is a remarkable enough accomplishment. Nobody said it would be easy. If it were it would happen more often than three times since 1973.   So instead of leaving Florida as repeat champs, Condon and Haugh will depart having sandwiched the 2025 national title between a one-and-done NCAA appearance in 2024 and this year’s two-and-through that came to a screeching halt Sunday night. They will always be Gators, but their future basketball games will be played in NBA arenas. Haugh has played his way into lottery talk for the June NBA draft. Condon, whose draft stock seemingly tanked after the Gators lost to Auburn, has become a comet streaking across the February and March sky ever since. He’s played his way back into the first round.   If they are first rounders, which it seems they will be, they have to go. Have to.   First round contracts in the NBA are multi-year and fully guaranteed. Haugh is looking at generational wealth if he is among the first 15 players chosen, which he is almost certain to be in June. Condon’s first contract won’t be as lucrative but still worth millions and still fully guaranteed.   You go to college to prepare for life as an adult. Not everybody who leaves college will be an adult and a microscopic few – usually those bigger, taller or faster – get to leave with the promise of becoming big time depositors in Millburn Drysdale’s Commerce Bank of Beverly Hills. Haugh is 6-9, 215 pounds and this instant burst of energy who has that Larry Bird-like intangible of figuring out what the team needs most from him and then delivering every night he’s dressed out. He has skills that have been prodded along by this relentless work ethic. Scouts see a young man willing to be developed. Condon is listed at 6-11. He’s seven feet tall and possessed with passing and ball handling talent to die for. You can’t teach tall nor can you teach the kind of athleticism that is built into his DNA. With a mother who was an Olympic swimmer and a father who was an Australian Rules Football star, it’s obvious that few if any of his genes drowned in the pool.   Both of them can score, handle the ball, rebound and play defense. They can grab a ball off the backboard, put the ball on the deck and start the break. Al Horford and Joakim Noah used to do that, too. Haugh has turned himself into a reliable 3-point shooter. Inside 10 feet, Condon has moves and a floater of a shot that has become deadly.   Both of them have flaws, but that’s true of everyone who suits up. What separates them from the pack is how they have embraced this concept of hard work makes you better. There may be guys out there with more raw talent, but you can be assured there aren’t two with their willingness to be coached and pushed to find their limits.   Plus there aren’t many out there with such a winning pedigree. As freshmen they helped transform Florida from the 16-17 team in 2023 that was a first round TKO at the hands of UCF to 24-12, reaching the SEC Tournament championship game and first round of the NCAA. As sophomores, Condon started and Haugh came off the bench as invaluable cogs in Florida’s 36-4 NCAA championship wheel. They were on the floor for their defense on the last stop of Houston that required five guys, each one executing the assignment flawlessly to preserve a championship win. On the final play when Emanuel Sharp left the ball rolling on the floor after Walter Clayton Jr. did a fly-by to keep him from shooting, it was Condon who made the head first dive, beating Ja'vier Francis to the ball, securing the national championship.   Last year they had important roles that made the team click. This year they were stars. Haugh made first team All-SEC and either second or third team All-America on all the reputable teams by averaging 17.1 points and 6.1 rebounds. In the game with Iowa he had 19 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Condon should have been first team All-SEC but the coaches voted him third team and the AP to the second. He averaged 15.1 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game. In the season finale he had 21 points, five rebounds, seven assists and a steal.   Not bad for a couple of former who-dat recruits.   Haugh was Richmond-bound before Florida offered thanks to former assistant (now Columbia head coach) Kevin Hovde. Hovde, who played and coached at Richmond prior to Florida, was on Haugh when he was a skinny kid at New Oxford, Pennsylvania, which was before he started getting noticed at The Perkiomen School, a private prep school between Philadelphia and Allentown. When the Gators said come on down he did without hesitation.   Condon is sort of a bonus baby. Todd Golden was scouting the Nike Global Summit for Rueben Chinyelu when he noticed Condon playing for the Australian team. Chinyelu signed and spent his freshman year at Washington State. In serious need of someone tall – Golden’s first year at Florida was a vertically challenged team – Golden took a chance and Condon said yes. The bonus was two-fold. First of all, Condon proved capable of playing Division I basketball at a high level. Secondly, Chinyelu came to Florida after all, this time in the summer of 2024.   So, two chances taken, both of which panned out far better than anyone might have imagined when Golden first signed them. And now, unless forces that we cannot even comprehend intervene, they will be leaving.   As they sat on the podium Sunday night, both of them attempting to answer questions with broken hearts, it was clear that what happened against Iowa had the effect of a 9-inch stiletto plunging deep into their hearts multiple times. It wasn’t just losing a ball game. No, this was painful for reasons that go far beyond a W or an L in the standings.   They love Todd Golden. They love the assistant coaches and support staff that has worked with them three years at Florida. They love their teammates, who really are like extended family. They love the University of Florida, love Gainesville and the state of Florida where they go fishing in a boat they share when they have time away from basketball. There is that old Southern saying "twin brothers from different mothers." That's Tommy and Alex.   But the chance of a lifetime awaits them now and Sunday night they knew this was the last rodeo. When they hear the call of the NBA first round they will answer yes.   It would take a miracle of feeding the 5,000 proportions for them to be back for one more chance to earn another national championship ring. Don’t count on it happening but as the immortal Lloyd Christmas once said after getting a one-in-a-zillion type of answer to his question, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance?”   A chance. There’s always a chance. A billion or so years ago – give or take a million here or there – a meteor struck the earth north of Starke, Florida. Where it exploded on impact became Kingsley Lake, the greatest water ski lake known to mankind. Three miles across in any direction, 90 feet deep at its deepest point and white sand on the bottom of crystal clear water. Another Kingsley Lake event could happen again. There's always a chance but don’t count on being alive when it happens a million or so years from now.   The late, great Dan Jenkins once wrote, “A man can travel far and wide – all the way to shame or glory and back again – but he ain’t never gonna find nothin’ in this old world that’s dead solid perfect.”   Dead solid perfect would be Tommy and Alex coming back for one more go at it. Unfortunately, there’s nothing dead solid perfect.  Having those guys as Gators for three years was close, though.

Thrilling Series For Gator Softball Pays Off As They Climb In Standings By EDDIE GILLEY GatorBaitMedia.com When the number 1 team in the nation shows up in any sports, it’s a big moment. When they leave losing two out of three games, it’s a great weekend for the home team. Beating the unbeaten Vols twice to win the series advanced The Gators to number three nationally behind number one Texas number two Texas Tech. That put SEC teams in five of the top 6. That’s the weekend that happened in Gainesville as the previous #8 Florida Gators took the final two games against the #1 Tennessee Lady Vols at a packed Katie Seashole Pressley Stadium. In front of 2,455 fans, the Gators jumped out to a one-run lead in the bottom of the 2nd inning on a Kenleigh Cahalan home run off of the Vol starter Sage Mardjetko. That lead would stand until the top of the fifth inning when the Vols got a double down the left field line by Ella Dodge to score Sophia Knight from second. Alannah Leach followed with a single to score her sister Gabby Leach to take a 2-1 lead. Tennessee turned to their ace, Karlyn Pickens to save the game by going the final three innings in relief. She struck out five and gave up only one hit while walking 3 Gator batters. She was able to strike out the side after the Gators loaded the bases in the 6th and the Gators left runners on the corners in the seventh. Rothrock picked up the loss giving up only the two earned runs in 6 innings of work and only 4 hits. She walked 5 and struck out five in the outing. The ‘Hole was packed again on Saturday with the fourth largest home crowd on record with 2,635 fans. Olivia Miller picked up the win in relief allowing only two hits in 4.1 innings of work. She relieved starter Katelynn Oxley who went 2.2 innings giving up two hits and two earned runs. The Vols jumped on top 2-0 in the second inning when Elsa Morrison took an Oxley change up over the left field wall with a runner on. The Gators scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the 2nd to tie the game. Ella Wesolowski scored on a wild pitch from Tennessee starter Erin Nuwer. Taylor Shumaker scored from second on an error made by the Vol infield on a Jocelyn Erickson ground ball to tie the game. Vol Ace Pickens came into the game to start the third inning. She induced a fly out from Kendall Grover. Towsen Thomas got a swinging bunt single and moved to second when the throw from the catcher ended up in right field. Madison Walker followed with a laser beam home run that just cleared the fence in left center field to put the Gators on top 4-2. Cassidy McLellan followed with a deep bomb to right field that chased Pickens and saw the return of the starter Nuwer. Neither team would score again and the Gators evened the series with a 5-2 victory. After Keagan Rothrock was able to strand a two-out single in the first inning, Taylor Shumaker made a statement. She took a 2-1 fastball from Vol ace Karlyn Pickens and hit a towering home run to dead center field to give the Gators a 1-0 lead. An old-fashioned pitching duel between Rothrock and Pickens continued until the 5th inning. Pickens walked the first two Gator batters. Gabbi Comia reached on a fielder’s choice that moved McLellan to third base while Wesolowski was out at second. Following a Comia steal, the Vols set up to intentionally walk Shumaker. However, Pickens’ first pitch sailed wide of the catcher allowing McLellan to score and Comia to advance to third. The Vols then decided to pitch to Shumaker who made them pay with a single up the middle to score Comia. That chased the starter Pickens who entered the series with a .062 era and only giving up 5 earned runs and 2 home runs. She left Gainesville with a 1.24 era and the totals are now 11 earned runs and 5 home runs. The Vols scored two runs in the top of the 6th off Rothrock after a leadoff walk to the pinch hitter, when the umpire seemed to miss a third strike from the righty Gator. With two outs, Gabby Leach, hit the right field foul pole for a two-runshot to cut the Gator lead to one. The top of the seventh began with a routine fly ball to left that McLellan lost in the sun resulting in a double to start the inning. Rothrock induced a ground ball to first base but moved the runner to third with one out. Rothrock was able to strike out the next batter to leave the equalizer 60 feet from home. Maddi Rutan hit a line drive to right field but that’s where Taylor Shumaker plays and she made the easy catch to seal the victory for the Gators in front of 2,164 fans. The two wins move Rothrock to 17-2 on the year. The crowds were awesome over the weekend. That fact was noticed by the Gator coaches and players. Coach Tim Walton said, “Our crowd was awesome. I thought just the number of people and their ability to stay connected the whole weekend was awesome.” Rothrock said, “That is why I chose to be here. The fan base that we have and the support that they show is insane. We kind of feed into them and feed off of them, in both ways. That’s why you choose to be a Gator.” It was a series that lived up to the hype. Two outstanding teams went toe-to-toe and the Gators came out on top. To win the SEC you have to win your home series and win at least one game on the road. Both teams accomplished that goal. But I bet if you ask the Vol players they don’t want to come back to Gainesville anytime soon. One weekend of those crazy Gator softball fans is all any team wants to experience!

In morning practice Tuesday, Sumrall looks on as Philo throws. (Eddie Gilley Photo) During his presser on Tuesday, as he was jumpstarting spring practice, you could hear the passion in his cracking voice, the joy in the spirit and the intentionality of his thoughts. Jon Sumrall swears he’ll never change, which is a noble sentiment right up until the moment he has to tell a 5‑star quarterback, three boosters and half the message board that somebody’s favorite son is now the third‑team guy.   The truth is, in Gainesville, the only thing that never changes is the distance between “culture builder” and “hot seat,” and it’s measured in Saturdays, not slogans.  One thing that has differentiates him, though, is the ability to build relationships with players in a period of skepticism. “Relationships are built on trust,” he said. “One one way to build that is through getting to know their story.” And so he asks, listens and learns,. Sumrall arrived at Florida with a laminated card of values that sound like they were carved on a church pew: Attitude, toughness, discipline, love.   During his presser on Tuesday, as he was jumpstarting spring practice, you could hear the passion in his cracking voice, the joy in the spirit and the intentionality  of his thoughts. He touched on many topics, but the one that got our attention early was a quickie evaluation of his quarterbacks. He admitted, while the competition was about “dead even,”Aaron Philo could have a slight advantage over Trammell Jones in experience because he knows the system.  “But we can win with either of them,“ Sumrall said. And he’s not counting out others as well. “I like the room,“ he kept repeating. So the sermon was on script. The message was forthright. And he took all questions head-on, ducking nothing. Clearly his energy level and the vibe are already impacting this program. At Troy and Tulane, that sermon produced a 23‑4 run at one stop, a conference title game at the next, and a reputation as the guy who could walk into a fixer‑upper and have it under contract by Thanksgiving.  Gainesville, however, is less fixer‑upper and more historic home with angry neighbors and an HOA president who thinks the Spurrier years are a constitutional right.  Florida hasn’t won the SEC since 2008, has stacked losing seasons like cinderblocks and has had more “new eras” than a cable package. Sumrall keeps talking about high character, mental toughness, and “love demands sacrifice,” which sounds terrific until the sacrifice has a last name on the back of the jersey and an NIL deal on the line.  At Tulane, that kind of talk gets you a standing ovation on Freret Street; at Florida, it gets graded on a curve that starts with Georgia and ends with whoever made the playoff last season.  Sumrall says it all starts with the quarterback and the pieces around him, which in the SEC is a bit like saying it all starts with oxygen.  He inherits a room headlined by the star recruit who was supposed to be the last coach’s salvation, plus assorted contenders, pretenders and future portal entries all waiting to see how this new preacher divvies up the snaps.   In public, he’ll talk about competition and accountability, but in private, he knows the first real test of his “never change” mantra will come when the depth chart meets the donor list. Actually, he’s saying pretty much the same thing at both places. The modern quarterback battle is not just about who can make the field‑side out; it’s about who can make it to Tuesday without their camp calling his agent or a reporter.  Name a value on his ATDL board — attitude, toughness, discipline, love — and it will be pushed to the edge by a 19‑year‑old with options and a social media following.  Sumrall can preach discipline as something “you do for yourself,” but in Gainesville, discipline also shows up as how firmly you tell the wrong quarterback “no” when his camp expects “yes.” Either Aaron Philo or Tramell Jones — are possibly (but unlikely) about to experience that in a few weeks. But another thing he kept harping on was the way Philo and Jones are “working with each other – not against each other.” He believes the road to leadership is someone who builds the other person up and not tearing him down just to elevate himself. “They're challenging each other, but they're doing it in a healthy competitive way … I tell them all the time, you don't elevate by pushing someone else down,” he said. To his credit, Sumrall walked into a dispirited Florida program, thanked the kids who didn’t bolt and told them they chose Florida for something bigger than one man.  It’s a nice reminder, except this is the one place in America where they’ve spent the better part of 15 years proving one man actually does make a difference — especially if he wears a visor, calls ball plays, and hangs half a hundred on Georgia.   Sumrall’s track record suggests he can flip environments quickly; the SEC’s track record suggests it will happily flip him just as fast if it doesn’t see immediate return on investment. B He has already gone outside his comfort zone to assemble staff, then circled back to familiar faces, a classic sign of a coach trying to balance his internal compass with the external noise.   At Troy and Tulane, alignment meant everybody pulling the same direction; at Florida, alignment means getting players, staff, administration, NIL collectives  and a restless — but extremely supportive fan base pointing in roughly the same zip code.  The slogans will travel well, but the politics are stickier than Sun Belt media days. So, can Jon Sumrall stay the same man who told his teams that misfortune was just “good” in disguise and rode those values to rings at places that needed saving?  The odds say he will have to change something— his recruiting board, his patience, maybe his tolerance for fourth‑quarter analytics — but if he’s smart, he won’t change the part that actually made him worth hiring: The conviction that character and toughness are not marketing terms. If he bends his core for a couple of early wins, Gainesville will clap for a season and forget him in three; if he sticks to it and still finds a way to pick the right quarterback, build the right line and survive the first rough patch, he might actually drag Florida back to mattering.   In this league, “never change” is more myth than policy, but there is a version of this story where Sumrall stays fundamentally who he is while learning just enough of the local dialect to be understood.  The smart money says he’ll get tested early and often; the romantic money says this might finally be the man who doesn’t melt in the Gainesville glare but hardens. So, can Sumrall stay the same man who turned lesser‑resourced programs into something nobody wanted to play and still survive the Gainesville spotlight?  The hopeful answer is yes — with a few smart edits around the margins. He’ll adapt the scheme, tweak the staff, ride the portal when he has to, but he doesn’t sound interested in renting his soul just to win a press conference. He sure sounds like he can — and I am more convinced every time I hear him.  If he keeps that core intact and still finds the right quarterback, the right leaders and the right moments to bend without breaking, Florida might finally have the one thing it hasn’t had in a long time: A coach whose personality outlasts the honeymoon.  There will be rough Saturdays and louder critics, but when the dust settles, the program that bets on authenticity usually beats the one that chases the trend. If you’re a Florida fan looking for a reason to believe, here it is: For the first time in a long time, the man with the whistle sounds like he knows exactly who he is — and he’s inviting the Gators to grow into that, not the other way around.

Isaiah Brown shoots the free throw that put UF ahead 72-70 (Photo by Chris Spears) TAMPA – The simple thing is to point fingers at all the mistakes that were made in the final 8.9 seconds of Florida’s shocking 73-72 loss to Iowa in the second round of the NCAA South Regional at Benchmark International Arena. Yeah, mistakes were made both defensively and offensively. Sometimes in the heat of an intense battle assignments are blown. In this case, the Gators gave up a game-winning 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds to go and then blew a chance for a last second shot or at least a foul call that would have put UF at the foul line with a chance to rectify the defensive mistake and salvage the season.   Boogie Fland blew his defensive assignment, which is why Bennett Stirtz was able to dribble down the sideline, veer toward the top of the key and then deliver the perfect bounce pass to Alvaro Folgueiras in the right corner. Once Stirtz was past midcourt with Fland trying to catch up, it was a textbook 3-on-2 situation. Tommy Haugh had to try to cut off Stirtz and that left Folgueiras wide open.   “The idea was to keep the ball out of Bennett's hands, let them throw it to somebody else,” Florida coach Todd Golden said.” So we wanted a face guard and [to make them] throw it to somebody else and then take a foul and put one of their role players in a pressure situation, but they ran a little kind of double stagger, got him loose. We just didn't make a good enough play off the ball there to stop him from getting down the court, and then we had to make a split-second decision and we just didn't make the right one.   “Again, I think we had a good plan in terms of what we were trying to do, but we didn't execute it very well. They still had to step up and make a tough shot in a big moment, and they did that.”   On Florida’s ensuing inbounds play, Xaivian Lee dribbled past midcourt and into the paint. As two Iowa defenders tried to cut him off Lee had to make a split-second decision – shoot the ball, try to draw contact for a foul or try to pass to Haugh for perhaps a game-winning dunk. He chose to pass and the ball never got to Haugh as time expired.   “Maybe I could have shot a floater or pull up or something,” Lee said. “I was going pretty fast, and I thought I had time for the dunk in, but I don't know.”   In retrospect, the game shouldn’t have come down to either a single defensive stand or a last second shot to win by the Gators. There were mistakes made in those last 8.9 seconds, but those paled in comparison to all those made in the previous 39:51. Despite falling behind by 10 points in the first half and 12 in the second, the Gators gave themselves adequate opportunities to win the game.   In the days and weeks ahead, Florida players will be asking themselves why thousands of times. Why did I not make a closeout defensively? Why did I not secure that rebound? Why did I leave that shot short? Why didn’t I knock down that free throw?   It’s all part of the pain teams go through as seasons end in this lose and go home tournament. Already 48 teams – including Florida – have fallen by the wayside. Two weeks from now only one team will be left standing. Only one team can go 6-0 and earn the NCAA title. It won’t be the Florida Gators this year. They are the eighth NCAA champ of the last nine years that didn’t make it out of the second round.   Making Florida’s pain more intense is the fact the game-winning shot was ironically made by Folgueiras, who was involved in a controversial play that almost caused an on court melee. With 8:34 remaining in the first half and the Gators trailing Iowa 19-13, Alex Condon tried to flip in a shot in the lane from about eight feet out. When the ball caromed off the rim, Folgueiras and Condon grabbed for the ball. In the struggle for control, Folgueiras went hard to the floor with Condon still holding on. Folgueiras then pounced on top and threw a punch. In the near-melee that followed, the zebra crew of Joe Lindsay, Bert Smith and Randy Richardson somehow restored order, then spent the next five minutes viewing the monitor.   Their decision: an offsetting double technical foul and Iowa basketball on the alternating possession. No flagrant foul on Folgueiras who clearly threw a punch and a technical foul on Condon for wrestling with another player for a held ball?   Asked what he was told by Lindsay, Golden said, “Yeah, I was told that he [Folgueiras] threw a punch, but it didn't connect so it didn't go any higher than a flagrant 1. I'm not exactly sure what this means and I still don't understand why Condo got a technical. They were both fighting for the ball equally. Condo was just stronger and pulled him down to the floor, but they were both grabbing the ball. It was a confusing play and I'm not really sure how they landed on that result.”    The after-effect of this particular decision was the Gators fell further behind before they regained their composure.  The Gators were down 23-13 when their first half comeback began on a 3-pointer by Lee. That was Florida’s first make from the field since the 16:16 mark when Lee followed his own shot for a 9-8 lead. All the Gators had to show for the nearly 10 minutes before Lee popped in that three with 6:53 remaining was four free throws.    The Gators rallied to within two on a Fland-to-Condon alley oop dunk with 1:15 left in the first half that made it a 31-29 deficit. Fland tied the game at 31-31 with. 35 seconds left but Iowa got a short jumper in the paint from Kael Combs with eight seconds left for the 33-31 halftime lead.   “We were a little loose with the basketball in the first half, some uncharacteristic turnovers that you just can't make in a game like this if you want to win,” Golden said. “We had two guys step out of bounds in the first half. We threw a ball away … unforced turnovers that showed up and some bad transition defense decisions that led to easy run outs for them.”   Considering the Gators made only five of their first 20 shots, to close out the half down just by two seemed a rather remarkable achievement. That the Gators made five of their last seven shots made it seem as if they were poised to play the final 20 minutes like a team on a mission, but the warm and fuzzies of the final 4:08 gave way to more of the same old, same old to start the second half.   In the opening 5:29 of the second half, the Gators dug another deep hole to trail 51-39. The Gators were like a punch-drunk boxer leaning on the ropes to keep from being kayoed when a three from Haugh with 13:54 left snapped the Gators out of their funk and got the Florida juices flowing again.   Haugh’s three set off a 17-6 run in which the Gators went from 12 down to a one-point deficit (57-56) that got the crowd back into it. The Gators regained the lead for the first time since the first five minutes of the first half on back-to-back dunks by Isaiah Brown and Condon made it 60-58. A three by Haugh and a driving layup with 5:36 to go put the Gators ahead by four, 65-61.   The Gators had momentum that made it feel it was 2025 all over again. In both the semifinals and championship game in San Antonio, the Gators rallied from 12-point deficits to win. Texas Tech, which led the Gators by 10 late in the Elite Eight game, was in the house in Tampa awaiting a game for the Midwest Sweet 16 with Alabama. Memories of last year's Texas Tech game only fueled expectations that Florida had what it took to hammer home a win.   I thought we did a good job after they got out to that 12-point lead with 14 minutes to go,” Golden said. “Obviously we played really well the last 14 minutes, but we dug ourselves too big of a hole.”   The momentum-killer was an open three from the left wing by Cooper Koch with 4:17 left. For reasons unknown, the Gators kept leaving him wide open from beyond the 3-point stripe in the second half and he made them pay by hitting four of his five long distance jump shots.   Twice in the final four minutes, the Gators built 3-point leads but Iowa wouldn’t go away. Florida led 71-70 with 57 seconds left but Iowa’s scrambling defense left Haugh throwing up a highly contested air ball three that the Gators saved from going out of bounds with 35 seconds left. With 4.3 left on the shot clock, the Gators rushed another three off the inbounds pass.   The Gators came up with a defensive stand that forced a missed leaner in the paint by Stirtz with 8.9 seconds to go. When Isaiah Brown grabbed the rebound, Iowa fouled him immediately. It was a two-shot foul, but Brown missed the first of the two before knocking down the second one to put UF ahead 72-70.   Then came those last 8.9 seconds and two critical mistakes that ended Florida’s hopes of a repeat national championship. First there was the defensive mistake that put the Gators behind with 4.5 seconds to go but that was still manageable. In college basketball, that much time is an eternity.   When Lee passed midcourt on the dribble the better decision would have been to put up the last shot, but he deferred, thinking a dunk would have ended it with a Florida win.   "I would have preferred him to obviously get to the rim on that,” Golden said. “I thought he had a good advantage on the guy that was defending him. His defender was not in legal guarding position, so I feel like if he would have kind of jumped back into the body and shot a layup, we would have either scored it or got fouled, but a split-second decision, he's out on the floor, and he obviously played a really good game for us tonight. We've got to live with the results on that, but I thought he did a good job getting around his guy. I would have loved to have seen him go finish it."   Decisions have consequences and in this case the decision to dump the ball to Haugh doomed the chances of the Gators getting to the Sweet 16. Florida became the eighth national championship team in the last nine years that couldn’t get to the second weekend.   It shouldn’t have been that way.   SUNDAY’S NCAA SECOND ROUND SCORES South/Tampa 9 Iowa (23-12) 73, 1 FLORIDA (27-8) 72 (Iowa advances to the Sweet 16)   Midwest/Tampa 4 Alabama (25-9) 90, 5 Texas Tech (23-11) 65 (Alabama advances to the Sweet 16)   Midwest/St. Louis 2 Iowa State (29-7) 82. 7 Kentucky (22-14) 63 (Iowa State advances to the Sweet 16)   Midwest/Philadelphia 6 Tennessee (24-11) 79, 3 Virginia (30-6) 72 (Tennessee advances to the Sweet 16)   East/Philadelphia 2 UConn (31-5) 73, UCLA (24-12) 57 (UConn advances to the Sweet 16)   East/San Diego 5 St. John’s (30-6) 67, 4 Kansas (24-11) 65 (St. John's advances to the Sweet 16)   West/San Diego 1 Arizona (34-2) 78, 9 Utah State (29-7) 66 (Arizona advances to the Sweet 16)   West/St. Louis 2 Purdue (29-8) 79, 7 Miami (26-9) 62 (Purdue advances to the Sweet 16)

A Zebra Huddle: They decided to call it a double technical. (Chris Spears Photo)   There’s an old basketball testament which says you need guards to win in March. In the end their back court couldn’t make the play.   Florida had the better team. You knew that. I knew that. Iowa knew that. However, it’s not the best team that always wins in March Madness.   There was a sense that the Gators had been living on borrowed time with so many near misses, but this time of year when you’re playing basketball, you realize you’re going to be looking adversity straight in the eye on several occasions and need to survive.   This was that — down by 12 early in the second half, but battling back to take the lead and in a great place to win it on a night when they did not have their best stuff. No room for gloating on recent success.   The Gators had done that. We thought they had corrected their issues once they cleansed their pallet with the lopsided win over Prairie View. But I fear some people let their foot off the pedal.   In the past it had been a simple formula for pulling the game out: Give Tommy Haugh the ball. And with a three-point advantage having been earned earned in a brilliant comeback, that seemingly was the way to go. Except fate stepped in and took it way.   There’s an old basketball testament which says you need guards to win in March.  Backcourt had been one of the downfalls of the Gators early on, but presumably that had been fixed. In the end, however, when they needed a play from their guards from out of bounds for a chance to win the game, it was their backcourt man who couldn’t get it done.   Xavian Lee never got ball in play — he dribbled it too far and was trying to give it off to Haugh.   It should never have come down to that though. Too many things had gone wrong and it was Iowa’s night.   It was a slugfest, literally. Alvaro Folgueiras had clearly thrown a punch in the first half while battling for a loose ball with Florida's Alex Condon and was NOT ejected. Instead the zebra geniuses noodled it over and decided to assign a double technical foul.   And here’s the killer: Had they ejected him he would not have been around to put the dagger in the Gators’ hearts in the final seconds.   I’d rather foul Iowa early, preserve some time and force the shooter to make both shots just to tie.   In stead, Alvaro Folgueiras buried a corner 3 with 4.5 seconds left. Florida never got a final shot off after the Hawkeyes broke the Gators’ pressure and found Folgueiras open for the game winner.    Florida finished 27 and 8. Iowa moved on after leading for more than 26 minutes and shooting 51 percent from the floor, just enough to survive Florida’s late push. The Gators shot 50 percent themselves, but the details went Iowa’s way in the closing sequence. Florida got back in front late, then could not finish the final defensive possession or generate a closing look after Folgueiras’ shot.    Alex Condon led Florida with 21 points, five rebounds and seven assists. Thomas Haugh added 19 points and six rebounds in what could be his final college game.   I would never think my knowledge was superior to that of Todd Golden, but it seems to me his strategy was woefully  short in the final nine seconds of the loss to Iowa. Why press and leave the three open anyway? I’d rather foul him, preserve some time and force him to make both shots just to tie. We have quite a few months now to think that one over.