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Post by Deleted on Mar 20, 2017 13:17:25 GMT -5
3.20.2017
Mac's Monday presser as reported by floridagators.com:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida head coach Jim McElwain was back in front of the microphones a short while ago to discuss his team's progress in spring camp.
The Gators are in their third week of camp this week after holding two practices prior to UF's spring break and then returning to action following a week off.
Here is a quick-hit notebook of items McElwain discussed today when not talking about the UF men's basketball team's run to the Sweet 16.
"Mike's got those guys playing unselfish,'' McElwain said. "Can't say enough good things there."
Now, back to football:
*****
--Redshirt freshmen quarterbacks Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask "executed at a high level" in a recent situational-drills practice, which McElwain was clearly pleased about. He wants to see more of the same this week leading up to Saturday's scrimmage. Meanwhile, quarterback Luke Del Rio continues to recover from shoulder surgery and McElwain said he is upbeat and doing a good job of staying involved with the young quarterbacks.
--McElwain confirmed redshirt freshman offensive lineman Brandon Sandifer, who signed with the Gators in 2015 out of Northside High in Warner Robins, Ga., is no longer on the team. McElwain did not disclose a reason. Sandifer played as a reserve in two games last season.
--Speaking of the offensive line, McElwain said new position coach Brad Davis has instilled a "renewed sense of how they go about it" and that has improved the O-Line's performance in camp. Meanwhile, Tyler Jordan and Brett Heggie are taking reps behind starting center T.J. McCoy. "Trying to create some depth,'' McElwain said.
--Receiver Dre Massey, coming off knee surgery after getting hurt on the opening kickoff last season, has not lost any of his trademark speed from what McElwain said he has seen at practice. In addition, other than those ruled out at the start of spring camp, only offensive linemen Kavaris Harkless (leg) and walk-on Nick Villano (high-ankle sprain) are hampered by injuries according to McElwain.
--Redshirt junior defensive tackle Taven Bryan has always had an impressive skill set for a player who is listed at 6-foot-5, 293 pounds. With Caleb Brantley departed, the Gators look for Bryan to fill some of that void. So far, so good according to McElwain. "He has been our most consistent day-to-day in drills," McElwain said. "He's counted on now. He's got to fill those shoes. So far, he is doing a good job."
--Meanwhile, fellow defensive lineman Cece Jefferson will play inside and outside again this season. No surprise there. "He just loves to play,'' McElwain said of the junior from Baker County. "He's not too cool for school. His day-to-day approach is good."
--Running back Mark Thompson had an inconsistent first season at Florida after transferring from a Kansas junior college. However, he finished the season strong with a big touchdown on a screen pass in Florida's victory over Iowa in the Outback Bowl and appears to have maintained some of that momentum in spring camp. "I've been really happy with Mark Thompson,'' McElwain said. "He's taken some maturity steps."
--McElwain voiced a positive tone for all the offensive position groups on Monday, which is a good sign considering for the program to reach the next level, an increase in offensive production is a must. McElwain said the players on offense are focused. "They got a little bit of a chip on their shoulder," McElwain said. "I think they are tired of hearing [the criticism]. That's a good thing."
--Freshman tight end Kemore Gamble joins a position group that is deep with C'yontai Lewis, DeAndre Goolsby and Moral Stephens. But the early enrollee from Miami has made a favorable first impression. "His toughness has really shown up,'' McElwain said.
--Last but not least, McElwain said the running backs and receivers have been arguably the most competitive position groups in camp. He also pointed toward the linebackers with the loss of Alex Anzalone and Jarrad Davis, plus sophomore David Reese out this spring due to wrist surgery. McElwain said Jeremiah Moon is expected to receiver a redshirt for missing most of last season with an injury and has been a factor at the position midway into camp.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 25, 2017 9:03:27 GMT -5
3.25.2017
Zach A. recruiting update from SEC Country:
Friday visitors
A day after hosting Kentucky quarterback Jarren Williams (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and offering him, Florida had four recruits on campus Friday.
The top visitor was Iverson Clement from Mount Holly, N.J., a 4-star athlete according to the 247Sports composite. The Gators are recruiting him as a running back, and this was his second trip to UF. Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State are the other schools in the mix.
Another running back, 3-star recruit Jashaun Corbin from Melbourne, Fla., visited as well. Corbin has had a big recruiting month, landing offers from Florida, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame and South Carolina in March.
The Gators also hosted a pair of 2019 teammates in wide receiver Jashawn Sheffield and athlete Jaylin Simpson from Saint Simons Island, Ga. Both hold offers from Florida, and Sheffield is considered an elite recruit for 2019.
Junior day
UF will hold another junior day event Saturday, and a handful of top prospects are expected to attend.
The biggest name in town will be William Barnes, a 4-star offensive tackle from Apopka, Fla. He’s visiting Florida for the second time in as many months and also favors North Carolina and Miami.
Barnes was impressed by new Gators offensive line coach Brad Davis on his last trip.
“It was my first time talking to Brad Davis face-to-face,” Barnes told SEC Country. “I can see that he’s a great coach and he’s looking out for me. After talking with Coach Davis, I definitely feel a bond with him coming on.”
Amari Burney visited UF in January and is returning Saturday. The 4-star safety from Clearwater, Fla., will announce his decision on June 1 between Florida and Ohio State.
Burney likes the Gators’ track record with defensive backs.
“They send DBs to the NFL every year,” Burney told SEC Country. “I can see myself playing in that secondary. Going to the NFL has been my No. 1 goal since I was little, and I can do that with a school like Florida.”
The Gators are the team to beat for 4-star defensive end Malcolm Lamar (Seffner, Fla.) and 3-star linebacker Caleb Johnson (Columbus, Ga.), and both will visit Saturday.
UF is also expected to host 4-star wide receiver Joshua Moore (IMG Academy) and 3-star running back Leddie Brown (Smyrna, Del.), who received an offer from the Gators last month.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 27, 2017 13:57:15 GMT -5
Notes from Zach A. about the scrimmage last Friday - this was a bit late being reported as Mac was in New York City to support Mike White and the Gators basketball team:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida football team held its first scrimmage of the spring Friday.
Gators coach Jim McElwain assessed the performance of quarterbacks Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask during his Monday press conference.
“Both quarterbacks had some real explosive throws, and yet, I think our sense of urgency needs to pick up a little bit at that position,”
McElwain said. “They did a great job throwing the deep balls and we missed some intermediate seam throws. I thought that was good by the defense in their disguise and what they rolled to.
“Then we came back on Saturday and it was good I think to see them get it corrected. I was disappointed we threw an interception in the red area that can’t happen, absolutely not, so we’ve got to learn from that. Good play from the defense, but obviously we can’t do that — take away points. We have to do better at that.”
McElwain said wide receiver Tyrie Cleveland made a “pretty good catch” against cornerback Chauncey Gardner, who was able to respond after giving up the big play. McElwain also singled out some other players from Friday’s scrimmage.
“There were some really, really good performances and things that stood out, both good and bad, and yet it was the first time I’ve kind of seen ’em fight through,” said McElwain, who added that no new injuries occurred. “They played hard throughout the scrimmage. I thought some guys that showed up defensively, I thought Jabari Zuniga is a guy who has really taken that next step. We all saw flashes of it a year ago, but I think he is turning into a dominant force on that defensive front."
“Kylan Johnson really got after it in his last scrimmage, really does some good things. It was good to see Chauncey is playing real well. A good catch Tyrie made on him, but he bounced right back. He got a pick. Secondary wise, the consistency of those safeties has been really good working together. Duke (Dawson) is doing a really good job and really is comfortable back at corner.”
McElwain also praised several linemen for their effort Friday, particular in the red zone. He is pleased with the progress at the position under new offensive line coach Brad Davis.
“The guys on the inside — our tackles are playing good, don’t get me wrong at all, I’m happy with that, the expectation is there and they’re playing up to it — I think we’re developing (at center and guard),” McElwain said. “Tyler Jordan, this was the first time I’ve seen him really engage and play throughout with a fire. T.J. (McCoy) was good. Brett Heggie is doing a really good job, along with (Nick) Buchanan. I thought Fred (Johnson) took some big strides, both at guard and tackle. That’s a good thing. I was happy to see that.”
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2017 14:34:06 GMT -5
UF picked up the commitment of a 4 star safety out of south Florida. Looking at his reported size, I could see him playing safety or growing into an OLB. This from Zach A. at SEC Country:
GAINESVILLE — Florida has landed its third commitment for the Class of 2018.
C.J. Smith, a 4-star safety from West Palm Beach, Fla., pledged to the Gators on Tuesday. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound prospect visited UF on Saturday. He is ranked the nation’s No. 17 safety and No. 209 overall recruit in the 247Sports Composite. Smith also held offers from Alabama, LSU and Michigan.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 30, 2017 13:12:10 GMT -5
Glad to see Taven Bryan is up to 300 and doing good. Also glad to see Khairi Clark is doing good. JMHO, Bryan won't be as good as Caleb Brantley, but Khairi Clark will be more dependable in regards to injury and will perform better than Joey Ivie. The starting DTs should be about a wash compared to last season. Considering Brantley is going early second round, maybe late first round depending on which team wants him, in the NFL draft and Joey Ivie is going to be drafted in the later rounds based on his NFL combine and UF pro day performances, that's pretty good:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Before Taven Bryan had made any impact at Florida, he already had the best nickname on the team.
The “Wyoming Wild Man” is the moniker defensive line coach Chris Rumph gave him back in the summer of 2015.
Back then, the most identifiable thing about Bryan’s collegiate football career was the hometown listed next to his name on the roster — Casper, Wyoming.
Florida doesn’t usually draw players from Wyoming, obviously. Nor do most college football programs on the eastern half of the country, for that matter.
But if Bryan is going to keep that nickname heading into his redshirt junior season, he’s going to have to earn it.
“I’m not going to give him any nicknames. … Right now he’s just Taven,” Rumph said last week, aiming to convey that Bryan has not exactly delivered on his full potential to this point.
The 6-foot-5, 293-pound defensive tackle will readily admit that, and it’s a narrative he plans to change this year.
“Honestly, I think with how much more mature I am this year, I’ll play a lot better than I have in the past,” Bryan said. “I mean, they’ve told me I have tons of potential, but like I said, it doesn’t mean anything unless you use it. It doesn’t matter if you’re big, fast and strong if you’re just standing there.”
Bryan also readily admits that he’s been a headache at times for Rumph, who jokes that he had an afro when he started coaching Bryan and that their time together has led to his current bald or clean-shaven look.
“Uh, how many seasons have I been here? Two years. Pretty much for two years straight,” Bryan said.
Again, he aims to change all that this year. After watching Jonathan Bullard and Caleb Brantley depart from the middle of Florida’s defensive line after the last two seasons, turning themselves into highly-coveted NFL prospects, Bryan sees 2017 as his turn.
In all seriousness, which is a state of mind Bryan is looking to further embrace, he actually played very well at times last fall. He finished with 17 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss and 1 sack at a position not always glorified by numbers. Heading into Florida’s bowl game last season, Pro
Football Focus had him graded as the third-best defensive lineman on the team at 77.7 (on a 1-100 scale) and had him marked down for zero missed tackles.
But he knows he hasn’t reached his peak potential yet, and it starts with that aforementioned mindset, he said.
“They’ve always been trying to get me to be more mature. I’ve been causing a lot of blood pressure rises for Coach Rumph, I know that,” he said. “But mostly what it comes down to is I started realizing the time — I don’t have much time left, you know. I’ve been here for three years and I haven’t really done much so I really need to focus on my goals.”
So how did Florida’s previous coaching staff find Bryan all the way out in Casper, Wyoming, as a raw 3-star recruit?
“I don’t really know. People just started showing up, you know. They’d ask, ‘Where is Taven at?’ And they’d come down to the weight room, and I started getting offers,” he recalled. “It started with most of the Pac-12, then the Big Ten then the SEC and I just kind of got found out.”
Was he surprised that SEC teams were visiting Wyoming looking for him?
“Not really. I’m kind of an easy-going guy, so like, if it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t,” he said.
Bryan started out at defensive end with the Gators before moving inside to tackle. He says he’s gained 30-40 pounds since then. While listed on the roster at 293 pounds, he says he’s at about 300 now.
His strength is what stands out the most, though. If one were to mold an ideal SEC defensive tackle from scratch, it might end up looking something like Bryan.
That physical potential, first and foremost, is surely what drew the Gators to Casper, which sits in the middle of Wyoming and as far off the beaten recruiting path as can be.
“What it comes down to at places like that is … it’s like you’re going shopping, you’re going shopping for one item there. You’re not going to be able to get a bunch of players,” Bryan said. “If you go down to Texas, you can hit like 50 schools in like 20 feet and there’s probably like 70 great players. Same thing with Florida. But in Wyoming, where you’re kind of spread out, we’ve only got like a million people so …”
So the Wyoming Wild Men are few and far between.
The Gators’ interior defensive line lost two key cogs in Brantley, who projects as an early-round NFL Draft pick, and Joey Ivie, who also hopes to play at the next level.
They were a pair of wrecking balls inside, either pressuring the quarterback themselves or taking on extra blockers to free up Florida’s linebackers to make big plays. Brantley, in particular, finished with 31 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks, though again, those numbers don’t come close to reflecting his impact.
Bryan moves into that spot now while fellow redshirt junior Khairi Clark replaces Ivie at the nose. Both guys played significant snaps last season, but the expectation is greater now.
“It feels pretty good. Try it out. Try on some bigger shoes,” Bryan says.
How close can he come to matching Brantley’s production, though?
“We’ve got to beat him! There’s no settling for second, right? We don’t like those participation trophies,” Bryan says.
The early reports out of spring practice have been overwhelmingly positive.
Gators coach Jim McElwain brought up Bryan specifically last week when asked which players had impressed him so far.
“He has been our most consistent player, day-to-day in all drills. Which is something he kind of lacked was consistency a little bit,” McElwain said. “He has probably taken as big a step as anybody on the team as far as consistency and performance. It doesn’t matter the drill. He did some flash things before, but he and Khairi Clark both have done a really good job inside. That’s huge for us.
“It’s something we talked heavily about in the offseason. He had kind of a luxury, so to say, because you had Bullard and Caleb (ahead of him), you know what I’m getting at. He’s counted on now. He’s got to fill those shoes, and so far … he’s doing a good job.”
Even Rumph is raving about Bryan’s approach this spring. He says it took some time to get used to the hulking defensive tackle’s personality, and perhaps vice versa.
Maybe they haven’t always been on the same page, but they are now and he likes what he sees.
“Man, he’s been pretty dominant. It’s been hard blocking him, and he’s shown up, not just (in) spots. It’s been every drill, every situation you see this guy making plays,” Rumph said. “He’s demanding a double-team, so offenses (are) going to have to gameplan for this guy if he continues to get better as he is now. …
“He’s a very smart guy and he’ll come off sometimes like he’s being cocky, but that’s just Taven. He’s just carefree. That’s just who he is. But he loves the game. It took me a while to figure him out and for him to figure me out. He’s bought in and he’s learning and he’s up in the office, doing the same thing Brantley did toward the end of the year last year.”
The praise is coming from Bryan’s teammates as well.
Center T.J. McCoy highlighted Bryan’s “mental aspect of the game,” and his ability to recognize formations and call out to the defense what the offensive line is about to do. He goes so far as to say the carefree class clown from Casper is bringing leadership to the defensive line. Fellow offensive lineman Tyler Jordan gave a similarly strong scouting report.
“Explosive, quick, very quick twitch and he’s one of the stronger guys I’ve played,” he said. “He comes out with that mentality every day that he’s going to try to beat you on every single snap — he’s not going to take a play off.”
Rumph may not be ready to reinstitute the nickname, but just maybe, Bryan can be the Wyoming Wild Man yet.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2017 8:24:02 GMT -5
3.31.2017
SALISBURY, N.C. – Mick Hubert, the longtime Voice of the Gators, has been named the National Sports Media Association (NMSA) Florida Sportscaster of the Year, NSMA executive director Dave Goren announced in March. Hubert along with 106 other State Sportscasters and Sportswriters will be honored during the 58th annual NSMA Awards Weekend, June 25-26, in Winston-Salem, N.C.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2017 12:34:22 GMT -5
Hey Darrell, Kemore Gamble is listed by UF at 6'3"/241. It doesn't look like he's a tweener at all. Cool. Keep feeding him. As I said before I hope he has a wonderful career up there. Spring practice update on Kemore Gamble - definitely a TE and definitely another player Miami didn't want By Robbie Andreu Staff writer Published: Friday, March 31, 2017 at 1:32 p.m. Recruits who commit to a school 10 months early and never waver have a tendency to get somewhat overlooked when national signing day finally rolls around. That’s what happened with Miami Southridge tight end Kemore Gamble, who made his pledge to Florida a year ago and then quietly became a member of the 2017 class in February with little or no fanfare. Overlooked then, the early enrollee is getting all kinds of attention now for his performances on the practice field this spring. The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Gamble is pushing veterans DeAndre Goolsby, C’yontai Lewis and Moral Stephens for playing time — which it appears he is going to get in the fall. At least that’s the indication this spring. “The things that Kemore has come in and done as an early enrollee has been exceptional,” tight ends coach Greg Nord said. “He’s really going to be a good player for us and he’s brought a little bit of competition to those other guys and making them giddy up as well. “You see a good player like him out there playing at your position, you know you better improve your game as well or he’ll get your snaps. He’s a very talented athlete and I think there’s going to be great things happening for him here at the University of Florida.”
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Post by canefan on Apr 1, 2017 17:11:05 GMT -5
Cool. Keep feeding him. As I said before I hope he has a wonderful career up there. Spring practice update on Kemore Gamble - definitely a TE and definitely another player Miami didn't want By Robbie Andreu Staff writer Published: Friday, March 31, 2017 at 1:32 p.m. Recruits who commit to a school 10 months early and never waver have a tendency to get somewhat overlooked when national signing day finally rolls around. That’s what happened with Miami Southridge tight end Kemore Gamble, who made his pledge to Florida a year ago and then quietly became a member of the 2017 class in February with little or no fanfare. Overlooked then, the early enrollee is getting all kinds of attention now for his performances on the practice field this spring. The 6-foot-3, 241-pound Gamble is pushing veterans DeAndre Goolsby, C’yontai Lewis and Moral Stephens for playing time — which it appears he is going to get in the fall. At least that’s the indication this spring. “The things that Kemore has come in and done as an early enrollee has been exceptional,” tight ends coach Greg Nord said. “He’s really going to be a good player for us and he’s brought a little bit of competition to those other guys and making them giddy up as well. “You see a good player like him out there playing at your position, you know you better improve your game as well or he’ll get your snaps. He’s a very talented athlete and I think there’s going to be great things happening for him here at the University of Florida.” LOL!!! As I said before, I hope he does well. What I will never understand is why, when Gamble says himself that he committed to Golden and decommitted because Richt and company did not recruit him at all, you refuse to believe him.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 3, 2017 12:35:01 GMT -5
UF's QB battle could get real interesting this summer if the SEC changes the grad rule from 3 years to 1 year. This from SEC Country:
Former Notre Dame QB Malik Zaire may be able to become a Florida Gator after all.
The graduate transfer quarterback is a “major target” for Florida, according to 247Sports’ Thomas Goldkamp. Though SEC rules about graduate transfers currently mean Zaire wouldn’t be able to join the Gators, Florida is optimistic the rule could be changed this spring.
Two previous graduate transfers to land at Florida — OT Mason Halter and LB Anthony Harrell — didn’t meet academic requirements during their time in Gainesville. As a result, the SEC rule restricted the Gators from taking any more graduate transfers for three years, starting in 2016. However, if the league amends the restriction to one year, Zaire could be free to enroll at Florida and compete for the starting quarterback job this fall.
Redshirt freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask are currently competing for the No. 1 job. Luke Del Rio, who’s currently recovering from a shoulder injury, could be a factor in the competition as well after winning the job last year.
Zaire announced his intention to transfer in November, and Florida was considered among the early favorites to land him. He is expected to make his decision in mid-April.
The transfer quarterback has a career completion percentage of 59.2 with 816 passing yards, 6 touchdowns and no interceptions. He also has 324 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns in his career.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 14:16:00 GMT -5
Looks like UF will be getting a bigger version of Rex Grossman (Feleipe Franks) at QB for 17. This from Pat Dooley at the Gainesville Sun:
By Pat Dooley Columnist Published: Monday, April 3, 2017 at 8:19 p.m.
So Jim McElwain said Monday the quarterback situation is sorting itself out, but he’s not going to tell us who has taken the lead (Feleipe Franks). You can understand he wants to keep both quarterbacks hungry and paying attention (Feleipe Franks). After all, in two seasons at Florida, he has yet to get through a season with one quarterback and even though he’d like to (Feleipe Franks), he knows the second and possibly third guy have to be ready (not Treon Harris). I think there are a lot of people in the national media who are going to really study the Florida situation and realize the Gators have an offensive line that looks like an SEC offensive line, one of the best sets of wide receivers in the conference, a couple of running backs who are only going to get better and know that if Florida has a quarterback (Feleipe Franks) who is solid it should be UF and not Georgia that we should be picking to win the East when we go to Hoover, Alabama in July. Florida just might get some of that summer lovin’ we talk about. Hope not. Leave that for the Kardashians.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 6, 2017 14:20:57 GMT -5
O&B Game Friday Night On SEC Network:
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Gators head coach Jim McElwain and his staff will set the final details at a meeting later this week.
However, McElwain said Monday the format of Florida's annual Orange & Blue Debut should resemble last year's game.
"Become a made-for-television event, so we've got two hours -- actually an hour and 57 minutes to get everything in,'' McElwain said. "We'll do our best to trip that time frame."
The game will be televised live on the SEC Network on Friday night, the second straight year the Gators will cap spring camp under the lights. Last year's game drew an estimated 46,000 fans.
McElwain said the game will consist of four 12-minute quarters.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2017 16:11:22 GMT -5
With Jeremiah Moon healthy, Florida defense adopting 3-linebacker sets Zach Abolverdi SEC Country Staff
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida defensive coordinator Randy Shannon signed eight 3-star linebackers during his time with the Gators, and three of them showed promise as freshmen.
Then there’s Jeremiah Moon, who could be a breakout player in 2017. Moon is the only 4-star linebacker signed by Shannon in the past three recruiting classes. Moon played in the first two games of 2016 — making 3 tackles — before a season-ending injury.
Moon injured his left thumb in practice before the North Texas game. During a turnover drill, he reach down to scoop up the football and lost his balance.
“I was about to fall and I was trying to catch myself. I felt it pop,” Moon said. “I thought it was jammed and then it started swelling up. I knew something was wrong.”
While sidelined, he watched David Reese, Kylan Johnson and Vosean Joseph blossom late in the season, with Reese earning Freshman All-America honors. Moon was happy for the success of his classmates but frustrated about not having the same opportunity.
“I was mad,” Moon said. “But at the same time, it was humbling just to know that the game can be taken away from you. It’s really (about) cherishing every moment you have out there. I’m all right now. It’s a new year, so I’m ready to get out there.”
Moon returned to action this spring and had a game-high 5 tackles in the Orange & Blue Debut, including a jarring hit on running back Mark Thompson. At 6-foot-4 and 228 pounds, Moon is rangy and can handle multiple responsibilities.
“He’s really versatile,” Gators coach Jim McElwain said. “He can rush the passer, he can play some nickel actually against certain matchup teams, which is really going to help us because of how long he is. He’s guy that really understands the game.”
Alex Anzalone bestowed that knowledge on Moon last year. Jarrad Davis, meanwhile, helped him put on weight. Moon reported to Florida at 216 pounds and wants to reach 240.
Anzalone and Davis, Florida’s starting linebackers in 2016, taught Moon a lot during his medical redshirt season.
“Definitely Jarrad, the physical part. He was always in the training room and always lifting weights,” Moon said. “From Alex, the mental part. Probably one of the smartest players I know.”
Moon played with the second-team defense in Florida’s spring game, but he is competing with Johnson for a starting job. With Johnson, a former safety, and the athletic Moon, Shannon plans to use three linebackers instead of inserting a defensive back for nickel packages.
“If the nickel is not in the game, I’ll be the cover guy,” Moon said. “The coaches have a little bit of faith in me. I’ll go out there and cover. … That’s the fun part. I just take it as a challenge.”
Moon and his fellow linebackers will be trying to replace Anzalone and Davis, which is a challenge. But Moon is confident in himself and his position group.
“We can be amazing. We can be as good as we want to be,” Moon said. “It was good to just get mental reps from guys like Jarrad Davis and Alex Anzalone and all them boys.
“I felt like I could have had a better spring just because I was trying to get in the groove of things. Now I need to prove that I’m here to do what they recruited me for.”
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2017 10:34:12 GMT -5
Kyle Trask to have surgery - will be out 4 to 6 weeks
Written by Nick de la Torre, April 12, 2017, 0 Comments,
Florida Gators redshirt freshman quarterback Kyle Trask will have surgery Wednesday to repair a torn meniscus, sources told Gator Country. Trask is expected to be sidelined 4-6 weeks after surgery, but should be back in time for the start of fall camp. Trask injured the knee late in spring camp, approximately two weeks ago, and played the Orange and Blue Debut last Friday with the injured knee.
Trask has been battling fellow redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks for the starting quarterback job. The two split reps throughout spring camp before Franks started to receive more of the first team reps. Franks played exclusively with the first team offense during the spring game, going against Florida’s second team defense. Trask played with the second unit and struggled somewhat, but quickly drove the offense down for a touchdown when he got his lone opportunity to quarterback the first team offense.
“I think just keeping my head low and just keep grinding,” Trask said after the Orange and Blue game. “It’s going to be a dogfight until the very end. So all I’ve got to do is keep working my tail off.”
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Post by Deleted on Apr 19, 2017 20:08:52 GMT -5
Excellent article on TJ Slaton by Zach A. at SEC Country. My hunch is he can be as good as he wants to be at DT, but it wouldn't surprise me to see him at LT on offense protecting the QB's blind side. He can probably make bigger bucks at LT in the NFL. It's a luxury for UF that he relates to wants to play DT instead: www.seccountry.com/florida/next-generation-t-j-slaton-florida-blind-side-story
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Woah, this is a default personal text! Edit your profile to change this to what you like!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2017 9:25:58 GMT -5
Gene Ellenson's LetterIn the 2017 season, Texas A&M is coming to Gainesville for the first time in 55 years, since 1962, this time as an SEC opponent. In 2012, UF welcomed the Aggies to the SEC in their first SEC game when the Gators went to College Station. UF came away with a CBS nationally televised hard fought 20-17 victory. In recognition of the coming 2017 game and the memory of the late Gene Ellenson, UF defensive coach in 1962 and later the defensive coordinator, the following will link you to a story by former UF historian Norm Carlson at floridagators.com to read a letter written by Ellenson for the players before the game in 1962. Enjoy! floridagators.com/news/2004/1/21/6445.aspxCarlson embellished a bit about Texas A&M as they weren't a good team based on their record in 1962 although they did get beat by several top 10 teams. The final was also 42-6, not 42-7. UF beat Vanderbilt 42-7 the following week, not Auburn who they beat 3 weeks later. The 17-7 win that year over Lambert Trophy winner Penn State, the best team in the East, in the Gator Bowl was made famous when UF wore the Confederate Battle Flag on their helmets. The South won that Civil War as UF finished the season with a 7-4 record: I'd mount the letter next to Tim Tebow's Promise.
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