Latest news with #Gators'
USA Today
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Three Florida football legends land on 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot
Three Florida football legends land on 2026 College Football Hall of Fame ballot Three former Florida football greats are among the nominees for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame class. The National Football Foundation announced on Monday that defensive linemen Alex Brown and Brad Culpepper, along with wide receiver Percy Harvin, are part of a star-studded ballot that includes 79 players and nine coaches from the Football Bowl Subdivision, along with 100 players and 35 coaches from the divisional ranks. Ballots are distributed to more than 12,000 NFF members and current Hall of Famers. Voting closes July 1, with the 2026 class to be officially announced early next year. Brown, a dominant pass rusher from 1998 to 2001, was a consensus All-American and two-time first-team All-SEC selection. He ranks second all-time in career sacks for Florida and played a critical role in the Gators' 2000 SEC Championship run. Brown later enjoyed a successful NFL career with the Chicago Bears. Culpepper anchored the Gators' defensive line in the early 1990s and earned consensus All-America honors in 1991. Known for his strength and intelligence, Culpepper was also a finalist for the Outland Trophy and the recipient of an NCAA postgraduate scholarship. He played nine seasons in the NFL and remains involved in advocacy for athletes post-retirement. Harvin, one of the most electrifying players in college football during his time, was a key figure in Florida's national championships in 2006 and 2008. The versatile receiver and return man scored 32 total touchdowns in just three seasons, earning All-American honors before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2009 NFL draft. With this trio under consideration, Florida continues to assert its historic legacy within the sport. The Gators boast multiple inductees in the College Football Hall of Fame, including Steve Spurrier, Emmitt Smith and Tim Tebow. Urban Meyer was the latest Gator to be inducted as part of the 2025 class. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida football DL Caleb Banks named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List
Florida football DL Caleb Banks named to Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List Florida football defensive lineman Caleb Banks has been named to the 2024 Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List, an honor that recognizes the nation's top defensive player who excels both on and off the field. Banks, a redshirt senior from Detroit, Michigan, is one of 42 student-athletes nationwide selected by the Lott IMPACT Trophy Board of Directors for consideration. The award–named after Pro Football Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott–spotlights players who demonstrate Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community and Tenacity. The Lott IMPACT Trophy winner will be announced in December during a nationally televised ceremony in Newport Beach, California. After transferring to the Florida Gators in 2023, Banks quickly became a force on the Gators' defensive line. In the 2024 season, he recorded 21 total tackles, including seven for loss and 4.5 sacks. Banks' disruptive presence up front earned him SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors following a dominant performance against the Ole Miss Rebels, where he notched 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also forced and recovered a fumble in Florida's win over the LSU Tigers, finishing the game with a career-high 64 snaps and the top PFF grade of his season. Off the field, Banks is a two-time member of the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, underscoring his commitment in the classroom. His leadership, both vocally and by example, has made him a foundational piece of the Gators' defensive identity entering the 2025 season. Originally from Southfield A&T High School in Michigan, Banks joined the Orange and Blue after two seasons with the Louisville Cardinals. He is expected to play a significant role for Florida's defensive front this fall as the Gators look to make some noise in the SEC. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
New York Times
27-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
C. Notes: Brady Singer's Florida Gators reunion, what players do with giveaway items
A total of 61 scouts representing all 30 MLB teams were at the University of Florida's Perry Field for the showdown between the Gators' Brady Singer and Auburn University's Casey Mize in April 2018. Mize was the consensus No. 1 prospect in that year's draft and Singer was expected to go in the top 10. Advertisement Among those in attendance were Dick Williams and Chris Buckley, the two members of the Cincinnati Reds' front office who would decide which player the team would take with the fifth pick that year. At the time, Williams was the team's president of baseball operations and Buckley was the director of amateur scouting. Mize, who would indeed be taken No. 1 by the Detroit Tigers two months later, struck out 10 in seven innings, while Singer struck out eight in seven innings. But it was Jonathan India who would steal the show, hitting a two-run home run off of Mize in the first inning to lead the Gators to a 3-2 victory over the Tigers. 'Off his splitter, cutter, whatever it was, it was something soft,' India recalled this spring. 'Line drive to left. It was a good one.' Brady trying to put on a show, works a 1-2-3 first inning in front of the 6️⃣1️⃣ scouts we had check in for tonight's game. Lots of 👀👀 on this matchup. #MLBDraft — Florida Gators Baseball (@GatorsBB) April 26, 2018 India said he remembered seeing a row of radar guns behind the plate from his spot at third base, but he wasn't surprised. It may have been the most scouts he'd seen at the Gators' home field, but he was used to seeing a group of middle-aged men in polo shirts, khakis, hats and sunglasses pointing radar guns at the mound. 'They prepare you for that to begin with,' India said. 'Florida did a good job of disciplining you and telling you why they're doing it.' After the game, Williams and Buckley went out to get drinks and India and his family happened to be at the table next to theirs. The Reds' contingent talked with India and his parents that night, a bonus for their scouting report. That night, India went from a potential first-round pick to a player the Reds would take with the fifth pick in the draft. Singer would go to the Royals with the 18th pick that year. Advertisement The two Gators have remained friends over the years and Singer knew the Royals had interest in acquiring India the last few years, so there was a hope that the two would be teammates again. While India is now a Royal, Singer is a Red. The two friends were traded for each other last November. 'It's insane,' India said this spring. 'He was trying to get me over here. When they traded for me for him, he couldn't believe it.' The two friends will face off again Tuesday night in Kansas City. India has faced off against Singer six times, with a pair of singles, a walk and no strikeouts. Every time the Reds have a giveaway item, players will find two of the items on the chair in front of their locker when they come to the ballpark. So what do they do with them? 'When I got a bobblehead, I got a ton of them because my parents wanted them,' utilityman Spencer Steer said. 'My family wants all of that stuff.' Last year, the Reds gave away a Steer bobblehead, something everyone in his family wanted. 'It's weird, honestly,' Steer said. 'I dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I never dreamed of having a bobblehead. It's kind of a weird moment, but cool for sure.' Steer's twin brother is a big Star Wars fan, so he made sure to give him one of the Clone Trooper bobbleheads the team gave away for Star Wars night earlier this month. Last year, the Reds also gave away replica jerseys with Steer's name and number. 'I just send a big box of that stuff home,' Steer said. 'It's like Christmas in summer.' Closer Emilio Pagán has an office at home and he likes to group the bobbleheads together from the six different teams he's played on. The rest of the giveaways go to family, friends or kids at church in Charlotte, N.C., where he lives in the offseason. Unlike Steer, Pagán has never had his own bobblehead. While he's closing games for the Reds this year, middle relievers rarely get honored with bobbleheads. Advertisement 'I've never had one. It'd be sick to have one,' Pagán said, 'but I'm not going to hold my breath on it.' Coming off a sweep of the Cleveland Guardians, the Reds dropped two of three in Pittsburgh against the last-place Pirates and lost two of three to the first-place Chicago Cubs after the bullpen couldn't hold on to late leads. The Reds bounced back with a holiday victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday. The Reds will finish their series in Kansas City on Wednesday before a day off Thursday, then a chance to gain ground against the Cubs in a weekend series at Wrigley Field. • OF Jake Fraley (left calf tenderness) started his rehab assignment Sunday with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. Fraley was 0 for 4 Saturday with a strikeout and 1 for 4 with a home run on Sunday. • IF Christian Encarnacion-Strand (low back inflammation) started his rehab assignment Sunday with Louisville, with a double and walk in four plate appearances. • IF Noelvi Marte (left oblique strain) was expected to have an MRI on Tuesday. Originally scheduled for next week, the MRI was moved up because of the progress he's made. • LHP Wade Miley (Tommy John surgery) gave up four runs on five innings, recording just two outs on 29 pitches. Last Tuesday, he threw a rain-shortened, five-inning shutout with two hits. • RHP Rhett Lowder (right forearm strain, left oblique strain) had his rehab assignment paused after injuring his oblique last week. Lowder has been shut down completely for a couple of weeks and said it was too early for any kind of timeline, but he would not return soon. Urbaez drives in CES to bring us within two! — Louisville Bats (@LouisvilleBats) May 25, 2025 • Triple-A Louisville (24-26): 2B Francisco Urbaez had two hits Sunday to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. Urbaez, 27, is hitting .323/.369/.457. Not only has he hit in 13 straight, he's had multiple hits in each of his last five games and in six of the last seven. • Double-A Chattanooga (22-22): RHP Chase Burns faced the Rocket City Trash Pandas twice last week, beating them both times. In both games, he went five innings and allowed a run. On Tuesday, he allowed two hits, one homer, and struck out seven with a walk. Sunday, he allowed three hits, struck out 10 and didn't walk a batter. Since being promoted to Chattanooga, Burns is 4-1 with a 1.86 ERA, 45 strikeouts and three walks over 29 innings over six starts. Advertisement • High-A Dayton (17-28): RHP Easton Sikorski is 2-1 with a 0.75 ERA in 12 appearances out of the bullpen, including five saves. Over his 24 innings, he's allowed just two earned runs (five total) with 36 strikeouts and five walks. • Class-A Daytona (20-25): RHP Cole Schoenwetter struck out eight in four innings in Sunday's win. A fourth-round pick in 2023, Schoenwetter is 0-3 with a 7.90; while he has struck out 30 batters in 24 2/3 innings, he's also walked 27. (Photo of Brady Singer: Denny Medley / Imagn Images)
USA Today
13-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida baseball's first-year right-hander earns third SEC Freshman of the Week award
Florida baseball's first-year right-hander earns third SEC Freshman of the Week award Florida baseball's first-year right-handed starting pitcher Aidan King was named the SEC Freshman of the Week, the conference announced on Monday afternoon. It is the third such honor for the young hurler out of Jacksonville, Florida. King earned a decisive victory over the then-top-ranked Texas Longhorns on Sunday afternoon thanks to seven shutout, two-hit innings. From the opening pitch to his final salvo the true freshman dominated, striking out a career-high nine batters against just a trio of walks, while setting personal bests in innings and pitches (110). The victory helped clinch the Gators' penultimate series of the 2025 regular-season campaign and gave the 'Horns their first home series defeat this spring. With just one series left on the regular-season schedule, King has amassed a 5-2 record thanks to a 2.90 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 64-to-19 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 59 innings pitched. The young gun has been peaking at the right time too, allowing just a single earned run in 14 1/3 innings over his last three starts, giving the Gator a 0.63 ERA through that stretch. Florida baseball's 2025 SEC Weekly Award Winners Aidan King – Freshman of the Week (May 12) Hayden Yost – Player of the Week (May 5) Brendan Lawson – Freshman of the Week (April 21) Aidan King – Freshman of the Week (April 14) Aidan King – Pitcher of the Week (March 3) Brendan Lawson – Freshman of the Week (Feb. 24) Brody Donay – Player of the Week (Feb. 17) Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
10-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Oregon 5-star commit tabbed as SEC team's top newcomer for 2025 season
Former Oregon 5-star commit tabbed as SEC team's top newcomer for 2025 season When you look back at the 2025 recruiting class, it's pretty hard for Oregon Duck fans to be upset. They landed several 5-star players, including Dakorien Moore, the No. 1 ranked wide receiver in the nation. They finished in the top five national recruiting rankings and set a record for the best class in program history for the second straight year. But when you consider who the Ducks had but lost, it's understandable that some Oregon fans might look back with a tinge of upset. One of the marquee members of Oregon's 2025 signing class was 5-star WR Dallas Wilson, who signed a letter of intent with the team and was announced as an official member on early signing day. One of the longest-tenured members of the Ducks' 2025 class, Wilson was expected to come to Eugene alongside Moore and take over as the next wave of elite WR talent. Instead, Wilson later requested a release from his letter of intent and signed with the Florida Gators instead. There are no shared feelings, as Wilson made a decision that was the best for himself. However, looking at what he did in Florida's spring game, it's easy for Duck fans to think about what could have been. In the Gators' Blue and Orange game, Wilson stole the show with 10 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns. It's no surprise that ESPN recently listed him as the most important newcomer on Florida's roster going into 2025. "What to expect: Big production from the true freshman. Wilson amassed nearly 2,500 receiving yards as a high schooler and didn't wait long to make a resounding first impression, catching 10 passes for 195 yards and two scores in Florida's spring game with Louisville transfer quarterback Harrison Bailey at the helm. He's a matchup nightmare with his size and speed combination and he's ahead of the curve in regard to the understanding of route concepts. He has impressive speed with a 6-foot-4, 190-pound frame, running in the 4.5s in high school." It will be fun to watch Wilson develop alongside Gators' QB DJ Lagway, who has the talent to be among the best passers in the nation over the next couple of years. Of course, whenever Wilson does something spectacular, which looks like it could be often, Oregon fans might think about what could have been once again. Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
