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USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
SEC media names 8 Florida Gators to preseason All-Conference teams
The SEC media named eight Florida Gators as preseason all-conference players, following the annual voting at the SEC media days. All-American center Jake Slaughter and third-year starting offensive tackle Austin Barber land on the first team, followed by defensive lineman Caleb Banks on the second team. Edge defender Tyreak Sapp is a third-team selection. The special teams duo of kicker Trey Smack and long snapper Rocco Underwood landed on the second team, and returners Jadan Baugh and Eugene Wilson III tied for the all-purpose special teams spot on the third team. The media also picked Florida to finish sixth in the conference this season, with two voters projecting the Gators as SEC champions. First Team O-Line Jake Slaughter's All-American junior year makes him a natural selection for any preseason accolade list. He's among the best offensive linemen in the game and is likely the best center coming into the season. A repeat performance will land him a first-round contract in the spring, but this is a guy who never considered the draft coming out of a career year. He's all team and the anchor of the offensive line. Austin Barber started all 13 games last year at left tackle and was the team's best pass blocker, according to Pro Football Focus data. Expectations are high for him coming into his final year. Finishing the season as a first-team all-conference player is more important for him than going into it as one. Defensive Line Duo Caleb Banks was a breakout star at the end of last season and he's expected to be one of the SEC's best defensive linemen in the conference this year. He could very well end up a first-rounder if he lives up to expectations, but there are a lot of talented defensive linemen in the SEC. Tyreak Sapp's return is big for Florida, and he's hoping to take a dramatic step forward and improve his draft stock. He led the team with seven sacks and 13 tackles for loss last season. Another PFF data darling, Sapp is a proven vet that should lead the defense in Gainesville this fall. Special Teams are Stacked Ignoring Georgia's sweep of the six first-team spots available, Florida is well-represented among the specialist preseason honors. Trey Smack went 18-of-21 on field goals last year, hitting from as far as 55 yards out, and made all 44 extra points for Florida. He's got NFL potential, and he's being recognized for it coming into his final season. Rocco Underwood earned an AFCA All-American second team nod last year and has been a staple of the special teams unit all four years of his Florida career. Long snappers are often unsung heroes, but Underwood is getting his due. Jadan Baugh and Eugene Wilson III aren't typically regarded as special-teams players, but their collective playmaking ability gives Florida two lethal options in the return game. Hopefully, both end up on the offense side of these lists at the end of the year. 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.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida football QB DJ Lagway speaks at 2025 SEC Media Days
It was the Florida Gators' turn at the podium on Wednesday afternoon in Atlanta during the 2025 SEC media days event, and among the members of the Orange and Blue to take the stage and field questions from the press was starting quarterback DJ Lagway. The topics on hand ranged from Lagway's offseason recovery from some nagging injuries to expectations for the upcoming campaign. He also discussed his relationship with the coaches and fellow team members, including fellow SEC media days representatives Jake Slaughter and Caleb Banks. Below is a look at an abridged transcription from Lagway's moment in the spotlight at the 2025 SEC media days event, focusing on his responses most germane to the Orange and Blue. Where are you looking to grow personally — whether a mechanical or mental perspective? "I'm definitely looking to improve on more coverage recognition and knowing where the defense is going to be and truly knowing their responsibilities and also knowing my teammates' responsibilities better." Last year, LSU came into the Swamp. You basically helped lead them with one good leg. What do you remember about that game? "I remember that whole week it was a lot of ups and downs mentally, just figuring out what's the plan going to be, if I'm going to even be able to be out there. But once we hit Thursday, it's time to lock in — we've got to go get this W, doesn't really matter. "Playing against a great LSU team, they were good last year. And I'm excited to go to Death Valley this year, and it's going to be fun." What were the most challenging things about getting on the field in the SEC as early in your career as you did? "I would say the most challenging thing was really just time management, going from being in high school and then going to SEC, big-time college football, it's a big difference. Especially where I'm from a little town,Willis, Texas, it's a big difference. "Once I got adjusted to that and adjusted to knowing the offense and knowing where my people were at, that's why I'm excited for this year because I know where my people are at. Now I can know where the defense is at and get better at that." What do you remember about that Texas A&M game? How much are you looking forward to playing this year at Kyle Field? "I'm definitely excited to go back play at Kyle Field. I've been in, like, a lot of games at Kyle Field. For me to be able to play in one that's going to be surreal, having all my family, my teammates, my classmates, my coaches, teachers all of them being at the game, it's going to be fun." As a freshman, most players don't come in thinking they have to kind of put the world on their shoulders. But when you were kind of thrust in there, that's exactly what happened. For sure. How much did speculation about Coach Napier and his job status actually impact you? "When I'm out there playing, I'm just thinking about playing ball. I'm worried about trying to figure out, my freshman year, trying to figure out where my guys were going. Every time I step on the field, that's when life just kind of stopped for me. It's, like, playing ball and just being just in the moment. "My biggest thing last year, I always wanted to get into some kind of flow state. Flow state is where you're just moving, it's just natural, everything happens naturally. That's where I wanted to be at every game." What is it like to play in front of the fans in the Swamp? "Words can't even explain it, playing in the Swamp. The fans bring it each and every Saturday. I'm just thankful to be a part of it, and be able to be in the Swamp, and they're rooting for us and chewing us and giving us that true advantage." How much confidence does your first-half performance against UGA last season give you going into this year's matchup? "It gives me a lot of confidence that, you know, it doesn't matter who really is out there. It's all about us. It's all about how we prepare and how we go out there and treat the week. "Watching that game, after I got hurt, it was the hardest thing. I hated that. I just wanted to be out there with my guys. That's all I want to do is just play football. Seeing that, it was hard. But definitely giving me the confidence for next year to go out there and play." Having guys like Jake and Caleb return, having that continuity with upperclassmen, does that raise internal expectations for you? "I'd say not expectations. We're not really worried about that. We're just worried about one day at a time and just loving on each other, getting better. That's really what it's about. And the brotherhood that we've built and the camaraderie that we have is just amazing. I'm excited just to showcase it to the world." How will Jadan Baugh play a role in the offense this season? "Jadan Baugh is a huge part of the offense. I'm excited for him. He's been working his tail off this offseason. He's definitely going to help us a lot this year." Aside from something like leadership, what do you think your best attribute is as a quarterback? Do you have anybody that you model yourself after? "My best attribute as a quarterback is really just — I'd say just my, as people would say, I guess my aura, confidence, and just the way I portray myself on game day. My teammates always joke around about, like, they say that I'm a totally different person on game day. It kind of oozes out of me. And it's just great to be able to be that formy guys." Looking around the conference at some of the other quarterbacks, how would you evaluate the level of play at the quarterback position? "There's a lot of good quarterbacks in the SEC right now. It's just great to see, to be able to competeagainst some of them and to watch them further their careers and stuff like that down the road. I'm excited for them. Always praying for them." How do you manage the pressure of being the starting quarterback at UF, especially after the way you played last season? "I always say that pressure is a privilege. Once you have privilege, that means people are counting on you to do big things. I'm always excited when people say pressure. That's why I just love the game day atmosphere because it feels like all eyes are on you and you've got to put on a show. That's what I'm excited for." How do you internalize and handle that pressure? "The way I handle pressure and all that stuff, I kind of prepare during the week like crazy. And preparation leads to confidence. So once I get to Saturday, I already know that I put all the work in and did what I needed to do. And kudos to the coaching staff. "They prepare us like crazy, Coach O'Hara and Coach Napier, they put together a plan for the quarterbacks and the team in general. When we get out there, we already know what's going to happen, dang near. So it's great." How do you think your faith helps you as a leader, especially through the ups and downs of a typical football season? "I definitely say faith is a huge part of my life. Having God as the foundation has been wonderful because, as you said, there's a lot of ups and downs on the football field, even in life, but having that foundation tokeep me strong is beneficial." 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. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida Football: DJ Lagway answers questions at 2025 SEC Media Days
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
DJ Lagway among trio of Florida football players repping UF at SEC Media Days
Next Wednesday, Florida football will show itself off to the SEC world at the conference's media days in Atlanta. The Gators will do so with a diverse package of players. The conference announced Tuesday that QB DJ Lagway, OL Jake Slaughter and DL Caleb Banks will represent UF in Atlanta. Media days will run from Tuesday, July 15-Friday, July 18. The three players – along with head coach Billy Napier – will speak Wednesday, along with Alabama, Mississippi State and Oklahoma. Advertisement Lagway is the national draw of the Gators this season. The sophomore is being ranked as one of the SEC's top QBs and appeared on the deluxe cover of NCAA Football 26. He threw for 12 TDs and 1,915 yards in the 2024 season in 12 games played. Slaughter, a senior and Ocala native, is one of the nation's top offensive lineman. A first team All-American in 2024, Athlon Sports and Walter Camp named him preseason for the same title in 2025. Banks, a redshirt senior, amassed 21 tackles in the 2024 season. He helps lead a revamped Gators defensive line that will be relied on heavily in the 2025 season. Follow the Sun for live coverage of Florida's appearance next Wednesdy. Advertisement UF kicks off its 2025 season August 30th at home vs. Long Island University. Noah Ram covers Florida Gators athletics and Gainesville-area high school sports for The Gainesville Sun, and the USA TODAY Network. Contact him at nram@ Follow him on X @Noah_ram1. Read his coverage of the Gators' national championship basketball season in 'CHOMP-IONS!' — a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Sun. Details at This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football: DJ Lagway, Jake Slaughter, Caleb Banks to speak at SEC Media Days
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida Makes Exciting Announcement Before 2025 College Football Season
Florida Makes Exciting Announcement Before 2025 College Football Season originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The 2025 season appears to be a promising one for the Florida Gators. With head coach Billy Napier entering his fourth season in Gainesville and phenom quarterback DJ Lagway coming off an exhilarating freshman campaign, UF's football program seems to be heading in the right direction. Advertisement On Tuesday, Athlon Sports released its 2025 preseason All-America and all-conference teams, with three Gators earning national honors and 10 being named to the All-SEC teams. Lagway, who dazzled the Florida faithful last year, going 6-1 as a starter and leading UF to four-straight victories to end the season, made one of the teams, but he may not be where you expect. Florida's starting quarterback was not named to a preseason All-American team but was given fourth-team All-SEC offensive honors. Lagway is now the undisputed No. 1 under center for the Gators, and UF fans hope he will end this season with much higher honors. Advertisement Unlike Lagway, there was no surprise with Florida's lone selection for first-team All-American with star center Jake Slaughter being named to the team. This comes after he was selected to the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason First Team Offense earlier in the day. He is entering his fifth year with the Gators after an accolade-filled 2024. The other two who were named to All-America teams were Tyreak Sapp (third-team defense) and Eugene Wilson II (fourth-team offense). Sapp led Florida with seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss last year. Wilson had an awe-inspiring freshman season in 2023, leading UF with six touchdown receptions on 61 catches and 538 yards. However, he was stricken with injuries last year, as he started only four games and was granted a redshirt. Outside of Slaughter, Sapp (second-team defense) and Wilson (second-team offense), seven other Gators were named to All-SEC teams by Athlon. This includes second-teamers Jadan Baugh and Austin Barber, who were named to the offensive team, and Caleb Banks, who made the defensive squad. Florida Gators running back Jadan Baugh (13).Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images Baugh earned Freshman All-SEC honors in 2024 after running for 673 yards and seven touchdowns, while Barber protected the left side of the offensive line for him and Lagway in the backfield. Barber started all 13 games at left tackle last season and was named SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week in Week 4. Banks locked down the middle of Florida's defensive front last season with 21 tackles, including seven tackles-for-loss and 4.5 sacks. Advertisement The final three who were named to preseason All-SEC teams by Athlon were Grayson Howard, Devin Moore and Bryce Thornton. Howard, who started the first nine games in 2024 before missing the last four due to injury, amassed 37 tackles, two tackles-for-loss and a pair of fumble recoveries. Moore played seven games last season, recording two pass break-ups and one interception, while Thornton led Florida in picks with three, including a pair against Ole Miss in Florida's upset victory. With 10 Gators earning preseason honors from Athlon, there is a lot to be excited about in Gainesville for Billy Napier's team. Related: Elite Five-Star Florida Target Sets Commitment Date This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida's starting center among 2025 Walter Camp Preseason First-Team All-Americans
The preseason All-American team nominations have begun to roll in, and among those that have been recently released are the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason FBS All-America Team rosters, which include a member of the Florida Gators on its First Team. Redshirt senior center Jake Slaughter was that person and was named to the 2025 Walter Camp Preseason FBS All-America First Team alongside some of the biggest names in the collegiate ranks. He was an AP First-Team All-American, becoming just the third Gators' center to claim a first-team All-America honor from one of the five current publications for consensus and unanimous distinction while serving as a team captain. Slaughter started all 13 games in 2024, amassing a mountain of awards, including the AP All-SEC First-Team, ESPN All-American, PFF All-American First-Team, 247Sports/CBS All-American Second-Team, CFN All-American Second-Team, Phil Steel All-American Fourth-Team and USA TODAY Sports All-SEC First-Team. He led the offensive line with 800 snaps played and owned a pass block grade of 83.9 according to PFF. What Florida coach John Decoster says about Jake Slaughter "The center is the most important part on the offensive line, you are the quarterback of the O-line. They have to get the Mike points right, (identifications) and protection. Just him settling into the leadership role, becoming an All-American, now he has the accolades to match it, the expectations rise," he offered. "You always coach the best players the hardest and that raises the level of the room, so I am challenging Jake right now to take his game to the next level, especially in the run game." Take a look below at the full roster of first- and second-team All-Americans from the upcoming 2025 season, according to the Walter Camp Award. WALTER CAMP FIRST TEAM OFFENSE WALTER CAMP FIRST TEAM DEFENSE WALTER CAMP SECOND TEAM OFFENSE WALTER CAMP SECOND TEAM DEFENSE * 2024 First Team All-America selection # 2024 Second Team All-America selection Walter Camp Award history "Walter Camp is the nation's oldest college football All-America team. Considered the 'Father of American Football', Walter Camp introduced the play from scrimmage, set plays, the numerical assessment of goals and tries and the restriction of play to eleven men per side in 1880. Nine years later in 1889, Mr. Camp, then the Yale University head coach, selected the first-ever college football All-America team. "The Walter Camp Football Foundation – a New Haven-based all-volunteer group – was founded in 1967 to perpetuate the ideals of Camp and to continue the tradition of selecting annually an All-America team. Typically announced in early December, the Walter Camp All-America teams are selected by the FBS head coaches and sports information directors." 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.
