1 » Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp is set to make 10 appearances at local Gator Clubs (eight in the state of Florida and one in Atlanta, GA) as part of the team’s four-week 2013 Gator Gathering schedule. The events are open to the general public; however, tickets are sold for each speaking engagement with proceeds benefiting the individual Gator Clubs and the university. Below is the full schedule but you can check out Florida’s official release about the speaking engagements here.

April 2 – Gainesville Quarterback Club
May 1 – Titletown Gator Club (Gainesville, FL)
May 2 – Tampa/Pinellas County Gator Clubs
May 7 – Polk County Gator Club (Lakeland)
May 8 – Central Florida Gator Club (Orlando)
May 14 – Gator Club of Jacksonville
May 15 – Atlanta Gator Club
May 20 – Jacksonville Quarterback Club
May 23 – Fighting Gator Touchdown Club (Gainesville)
TBD – Daytona Quarterback Club

The Florida head coach normally speaks at 10 Gator Clubs and a couple other events. This year, four assistants will each be taking care of one Gator Club speaking engagement including three on the same day.

May 7 – defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin – Southwest Florida Gator Club (Fort Myers)
May 7 – defensive line coach Bryant Young – Panhandle Gator Club (Panama City)
May 7 – wide receivers coach Joker Phillips – Palm Beach County Gator Club
May 14 – offensive line coach Tim Davis – Space Coast Gator Club (Brevard County)

2 » Now having completed his four days at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, Gators defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd has put himself in position to be a top-five overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. Unanimously considered the best three-technique tackle in the field, Floyd interviewed with a number of teams at the event and will now visit with teams privately as they determine whether or not to select him. On the second day of his combine trip, Floyd met with the media and provided plenty of honest answers about his childhood and life as a football player up to this point.

Floyd was asked if he believes his game resembles another NFL player’s and revealed that he did not watch professional football growing up but could definitely single out one player. “I haven’t really watched the league in a long time,” he said, “I first started watching it in 2007, but I did get to know Ndamukong Suh in 2010, so we have a good relationship, and I’ve watched him play a couple times.”

He also explained why he has not watched a lot of NFL games. “It wasn’t that there was no interest, I just didn’t know nothing about it, so there was no reason to watch it,” he said. “Even when I started playing there was no interest in watching it because I liked to play it instead of sitting down and being still and watching a game while all my friends were jumping around and getting excited for no reason. It just wasn’t a preference of mine, but now it is so I watch it and play it now.” What was he watching instead? The Disney Channel and Cartoon Network, he said.

Tags: Bryant Young, combine, D.J. Durkin, Draft, Joker Phillips, NFL, Sharrif Floyd, Tim Davis, Will Muschamp

P Johnny Townsend: commit No. 30 | OL/TE Trevon Young: commit No. 29 | JUCO DT Jarran Reed: commit No. 28 | DT Jay-nard Bostwick: commit No. 27 | 30 new player bios | Video interviews with coaches | “Closing”, quarterback situation

Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp held a press conference after his coaching staff completed its 28-member 2013 recruiting class on National Signing Day. Below are the most notable quotes from that session as well as player evaluations made by other members of the coaching staff.

Opening statement:

“I’m really proud of our staff. Today is a culmination of a lot of hard work, effort, sometimes two-and-a-half, three years put together on a young man and you come down to signing day and you sit at the fax machine and hope that thing comes through. I hope it’s signed right and it’s dated and all that kind of good stuff. Recruiting is all about building relationships. We’ll know about this class in two or three years. It’s a developmental game. …

“We had a deep signing class this year, which means you’ve got to a have a larger board as far as the numbers are concerned at each position, which also to me was very appealing. At some positions we signed five wide receivers [for example]. Those are five guys that want to come in here and compete. Sometimes when you get some numbers you start getting guys looking at that depth chart and numbers and they’re not real sure about coming in and competing for the Gators. We want guys that got a lot of confidence that they can come in the SEC and play in The Swamp and play for the University of Florida.

“This class is very balanced. It’s a high-character class with toughness, all the position criteria we look for as far as size and speed and then all of the off-the-field things we’re looking for. It’s a very committed class. A lot of these guys are guys that have been committed to us for a long time and never took other visits; there was not a lot of flash in their recruiting process. That’s the kind of guys you want; you want guys that are like that. …

“The coaching process is really about four things – evaluation, recruiting, developing and coaching. I think in our two years, you’ve seen on the recruiting trail – from an evaluation standpoint and a recruiting standpoint – that we’ve got a staff that can do it at a high level. I’m very proud of the staff and the job that they’ve [done] and all of our support staff on campus. … There’s a true commitment level at this place for excellence, and I appreciate their support.”

» On commitments being the best recruiters: “They understand the importance of having good players around them. This coaching stuff is way overrated. It’s about players at the end of the day, and they want to play with other good players.”

» On if he looks at player star ratings from recruiting services: “Absolutely no consideration at all. We commit most of our guys before they ever come out, so maybe they look at our ratings.”

Read much more from Muschamp and the Florida coaching staff…after the break!
Continue Reading » Will Muschamp discusses Florida Gators’ 2013 recruiting class; coaches evaluate new signees

Tags: Adam Lane, Ahmad Fulwood, Alvin Bailey, Brent Pease, Brian White, Bryant Young, Caleb Brantley, Chris Thompson, D.J. Durkin, Demarcus Robinson, Fred Taylor, Jarrad Davis, Joker Phillips, Kelvin Taylor, Marcell Harris, Max Staver, Mike Harris, National Signing Day, Travaris Robinson, Vernon Hargreaves, Will Muschamp

A back-and-forth-and-back-again recruiting war for four-star wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (Fort Valley, GA) has finally ended with the prized prospect deciding to join the Florida Gators‘ impressive 2013 recruiting class.

Robinson, a long-time Clemson Tigers commitment, rescinded his soft verbal pledge to the school on Dec. 12 when he first flipped to the Gators. Just five days later on Dec. 17, Robinson had a change of heart and rejoined the Tigers’ class.

However, upon arriving at the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl for practice last week, Robinson said he was no longer committed to Clemson and was reopening his recruitment with Florida and Notre Dame also under consideration. Furthermore, he promised to make a decision with his mother over the weekend and enroll early at the school of his choice as a surprise on Monday or Tuesday.

Monday morning, after spending a week in San Antonio, TX practicing for the game and meeting with coaches from both schools, Robinson announced his decision via his Twitter account by writing, “#Gatornation here I come !” Minutes later he added, “I love my gators can’t wait to arrive on campus!” He also confirmed to multiple outlets that he has finally settled on the Gators.

Robinson is the third pass catcher listed at 6’2” or taller and the fifth overall wide receiver to make a pledge for Florida this cycle. The Rivals100 and ESPN 300 receiver is a big target with plenty of strength and more than enough speed to succeed in the grueling Southeastern Conference.

Arguably Florida’s most important commitment since head coach Will Muschamp took over the program, Robinson is a top talent at a major position of need for the Gators. UF’s leading returning receiver, redshirt sophomore Quinton Dunbar, reeled in 36 receptions for 383 yards and four touchdowns during the 2012 season.

Ranked as the No. 48 overall prospect nationally by Rivals, Robinson is the highest-rated receiver to commit to Florida since Andre Debose (No. 21) in 2009. He is listed as the 157th best player in the country by ESPN.

Robinson’s flip from Clemson was originally fueled, in part, by UF’s hiring of new wide receivers coach Joker Phillips, who along with Muschamp and running backs coach Brian White paid the prized recruit a visit in his home shortly before his original commitment and subsequent visit to the school.

The Gators’ newest recruiting class now consists of 26 total pledges including 25 that count as part of the 2013 cycle.

Robinson joins four-stars Ahmad Fulwood (Jacksonville, FL) and Alvin Bailey (Seffner, FL) and three-stars Marqui Hawkins (Columbus, GA) and Chris Thompson (Gainesville, FL) as wide receivers in the class.

Florida also has an offer out to three-star WR James Clark (New Smyrna Beach, FL) who visited the school over the weekend and picked up the offer directly from Muschamp. The Gators would happily take six receivers this cycle.

Tags: Ahmad Fulwood, Alvin Bailey, Andre Debose, Army All-American Bowl, Chris Thompson, Demarcus Robinson, James Clark, Joker Phillips, Marqui Hawkins, Quinton Dunbar, SEC, Will Muschamp

No. 3 Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp and No. 21 Louisville Cardinals head coach Charlie Strong met with the media on Tuesday to discuss the upcoming 2013 Sugar Bowl and their respective teams heading into the game. Below are some choice notes and quotes from the media sessions.

» Muschamp on freshman standouts: “You look at Antonio Morrison, [Jonathan] Bullard and [Dante] Fowler. Those three guys have been as productive as any freshman I’ve been around.”

» Muschamp on becoming a head coach: “It’s taking the right job. I had other opportunities before the Florida job came. It’s about taking the right job. It’s about the right situation, the right people, the right circumstances, being in a situation where you think you can be successful. All the critical factors as far as recruiting base, support from the administration, all of those things need to be in place.”

» Muschamp on Florida’s lagging Sugar Bowl ticket sales and if the numbers worry him: “Obviously right now economically we’re going through a tough time in our country. I think that certainly has affected everyone, not just Gator fans. And so that’s a tough time right now and there’s different ways to get tickets other than going through the University Athletic Association. Obviously we’re seeing a little bit of a loophole those things happening as well. … I don’t worry about that. I worry about third down and stuff like that. I let Jeremy [Foley] worry about that.”

» Muschamp on an injury update: “We’re fine. We’re good to go for the game.”

» Muschamp on playing in a dome and what the team has had to do to prepare: “Adjusting to the lights. We’ve worked it all week, as far as seeing the punt catchers and kick off and receivers working and catching the football because it’s a little different with the lights in the stadium there. We’ve worked on that. And kicking in an environment for [Caleb] Sturgis is good for us. We can probably be at the 38 yard line and be in range for a 55-yard, 56-yard [field goal] maybe even to the 40 [yard line].”

» Muschamp said sophomore cornerback Marcus Roberson will be the punt returner while sophomore CB Loucheiz Pufioy and redshirt junior wide receiver Andre Debose will both be back for kick returns.

Read the rest of what Muschamp and Strong had to say…after the break!
Continue Reading » 1/1: Muschamp, Strong talk teams, Sugar Bowl

Tags: Andre Debose, Antonio Morrison, Big East, Caleb Sturgis, Charlie Strong, Dante Fowler, Jeff Driskel, Joker Phillips, Jonathan Bullard, Loucheiz Purifoy, Louisville Cardinals, Marcus Roberson, SEC, Sugar Bowl, Teddy Bridgewater, Will Muschamp

No. 3 Florida Gators offensive coordinator Brent Pease and a handful of players met with the media after practice on Sunday to preview the 2013 Sugar Bowl against the No. 21 Louisville Cardinals and provide thoughts on the team heading into the game.

SKY’S THE LIMIT FOR JEFF DRISKEL IN 2013

Sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel, fresh off a regular season in which he led the Gators to 10 wins in his 11 starts while posting an 11-3 touchdown-interception ratio (with four more scores on the ground), is only scratching the surface. That according to Pease and his teammates, who all believe that by the time he is done at Florida, Driskel could be one of the all-time greats.

“Tim Tebow is a great quarterback, I don’t want to take nothing from him,” senior running back Mike Gillislee told the Orlando Sentinel’s Edgar Thompson on Sunday. “But I think Driskel is going to be a lot better. I think after this year he’s going to be a lot better.”

Both Gillislee and redshirt senior wide receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr. described Driskel as a humble leader who is focused not on his numbers but rather ensuring that the offense runs smoothly and everyone on the field gets involved.

“The sky’s the limit,” said Hammond, who noted that Driskel’s ability to call plays at the line of scrimmage is a big-time characteristic he already possesses. “It’s a great advantage. Having trust in the quarterback like that and knowing that he will get us guys in the right situation. When we are all on the same page and we all see it through his eyes, how he sees it, then everything starts clicking.”

Pease on Sunday called Driskel “a good kid” and “a good player” who showed that he took steps every week, increased his knowledge and became a better leader. For those reasons, he is in the position to take a huge leap in his second year as a starter as he, the players around him and the offense as a whole continues developing.

Read the rest of what the Gators had to say…after the break!
Continue Reading » 12/30: Driskel’s future, Gillislee’s present

Tags: Adrian Bushnell, Brent Pease, Frankie Hammond, Jacoby Brissett, James Wilson, Jeff Driskel, Joker Phillips, Jon Halapio, Louisville Cardinals, Mike Gillislee, Sugar Bowl, Will Muschamp

With the team beginning preparations for the 2013 Sugar Bowl against the Louisville Cardinals in New Orleans, LA on Jan. 2, No. 3 Florida Gators offensive coordinator Brent Pease – along with sophomore quarterback Jeff Driskel and redshirt senior wide receiver Frankie Hammond, Jr. – sat down with the media on Tuesday to discuss the team’s offense and how it is shaping up for the bowl game.

YOUNGSTERS SHOWING OUT IN BOWL PRACTICE

Head coach Will Muschamp has crowed all season long about the play of sophomore cornerback Loucheiz Purifoy, often mentioning how he began breaking out for the team during practice leading up to the 2012 Gator Bowl.

Asked Tuesday which players are already standing out since the team has reconvened for the Sugar Bowl, Pease, Driskel and Hammond all mentioned that freshman WR Latroy Pittman is looking really good.

“Definitely Pittman,” said Driskel when he was asked to single out a player. “Pittman’s had great bowl practices. I expect him to make some plays in the bowl game.”

Despite drawing plenty of praise in the offseason, Pittman barely contributed during the 2012 campaign. He did play in 11 games but saw most of his time on special teams, hauling in just two balls and totaling six yards on the season.

Hammond called Pittman “an overall balanced receiver,” noting that he has a big body to go along with solid speed. “There’s a lot of things you can do with him when you’re dealing with a guy that size,” he said.

Other players mentioned by Pease as those that have stood out to him thus far include freshman running back Matt Jones, walk-on freshman RB Mark Herndon, freshman guard Jessamen Dunker, freshman tight end Colin Thompson, sophomore TE Tevin Westbrook, sophomore TE Clay Burton and freshman WR Raphael Andrades. Dunker (preparedness) and Thompson (foot) are both taking redshirt seasons and will not play in the bowl game.

Read the rest of this post…after the break!
Continue Reading » 12/18: Pease, Driskel, Hammond talk offense

Tags: Andre Debose, Brent Pease, Caleb Sturgis, Clay Burton, Colin Thompson, Frankie Hammond, Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel, Jessamen Dunker, Joker Phillips, Latroy Pittman, Loucheiz Purifoy, Mark Herndon, Matt Jones, Raphael Andrades, Tevin Westbrook, Will Muschamp

No. 3 Florida Gators head coach Will Muschamp met with the media on Monday to discuss the last two weekends of practice, preview the 2013 Sugar Bowl and update the statuses as well as provide his thoughts about a number of players on the team.

INJURY UPDATES

Redshirt junior Will linebacker Jelani Jenkins (foot) and redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Ian Silberman (shoulder) will both miss the bowl game. Each player had successful surgery on his respective injury recently but will not be able to return in time. Furthermore, redshirt junior tackle Matt Patchan (torn pectoral) has been doing individual work with the team but has not been cleared to play just yet. Muschamp said there are no other players expected to be absent for the bowl game, though he did mention previously that sophomore safety De’Ante Saunders would not play.

TRANSFER CONFIRMED

Muschamp confirmed that freshman defensive back Willie Bailey, a three-star recruit who did not play this season, has decided to leave the program and pursue opportunities elsewhere. “Willie Bailey has decided to transfer. He and I met last week and felt like he wanted to move on. We will support him in that,” he said.

He also noted that there should not be any more transfers before the bowl game but things could certainly change after Jan. 2. “We’re good right now. Obviously after the bowl game you sit down and evaluate where a young man is but right now we’re good to go,” Muschamp added.

RETURNING TO PRACTICE

Florida has practiced each of the last two weekends but has spent that time mostly working on fundamentals and getting back to basics. Muschamp said that the Gators will begin preparing for the Louisville Cardinals on Tuesday. Florida will then take a break for the holidays before resuming practice in New Orleans, LA, the site of the Sugar Bowl, on Dec. 27.

One thing he has tried to do since the end of the regular season is come up with a balance for the team between resting and getting away from it all but still remaining sharp football-wise.

“It’s really important for them to get away and decompress a little bit from football. You look at bowl games, with this long of a layover, it’s a one-game season. That’s how you really got to approach it,” he said. “You got to put all of your energy into it. I don’t like focusing too early on a bowl game because I think the players get too stale with the preparation. They get tired of watching the same film over and over and over again.”

Read the rest of what Muschamp had to say…after the break!
Continue Reading » 12/17: Muschamp on players, Sugar Bowl, Phillips

Tags: Austin Hardin, Bush Hamdan, Caleb Sturgis, Charlie Strong, De'Ante Saunders, Ian Silberman, Jelani Jenkins, Joker Phillips, Louisville Cardinals, Matt Patchan, Mike Gillislee, NFL, Sugar Bowl, Will Muschamp

Less than one week after four-star wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (Fort Valley, GA) decommitted from the Clemson Tigers and pledged to join the Florida Gators’ 2013 recruiting class, the top-tier pass catcher had a change of heart and decided to rescind his promise to Florida and recommit to play for Clemson next season.

According to Rivals affiliate TigerIllustrated.com, which first reported his flip, the Gators have lost arguably their most important commitment since head coach Will Muschamp took over the program as Robinson was a top-tier talent at a major position of need. UF’s leading returning receiver, redshirt sophomore Quinton Dunbar, reeled in just 31 receptions for 306 yards and four touchdowns during the 2012 season.

Robinson was the third pass catcher listed at 6’2” or taller and the fifth overall wide receiver to make a pledge for Florida this cycle. He is a Rivals100 and ESPN 300 talent who is respectively listed as the No. 48 and No. 157 overall prospect in the nation.

A big target with plenty of strength and more than enough speed, Robinson would have been the highest-rated receiver to sign with the Gators since Andre Debose (No. 21) in 2009. His flip to Florida was believed to be fueled, in part, by UF’s hiring of Joker Phillips as receivers coach.

Robinson had been long considering a switch to the Gators and chose to do so following a meeting with Muschamp, Phillips and running backs coach Brian White last Wednesday. He met with members of the Tigers’ coaching staff late in the week and chose to make a change even after visiting Florida over the weekend.

The Gators do still have four remaining receivers committed for the 2013 cycle in four-stars Ahmad Fulwood (Jacksonville, FL) and Alvin Bailey (Seffner, FL) and three-stars Marqui Hawkins (Columbus, GA) and Chris Thompson (Gainesville, FL).

Florida now has 25 total pledges including 24 that count as members of the 2013 recruiting class. The Gators will likely look to add a fifth receiver to their class.

Tags: Ahmad Fulwood, Alvin Bailey, Andre Debose, Brian White, Chris Thompson, Clemson Tigers, Demarcus Robinson, Joker Phillips, Marqui Hawkins, Quinton Dunbar, Will Muschamp