After losing three players to the transfer portal in as many days, the Florida Gators dismissed junior linebacker [autotag]Diwun Black[/autotag] on Wednesday, according to Swamp247. Black seemingly confirmed the news via a Twitter post that read “I have officially entered the transfer portal.”
Black joined the program in the summer of 2021 after spending two years at the junior college level. A Florida commit out of high school, the academics weren’t there to get him on campus as a freshman. Rated the top JUCO prospect in the class of 2021, Black finally made his transfer to Florida but struggled to find playing time.
He started off at the STAR position and fought for playing time last year, but he moved to inside linebacker when Billy Napier’s staff took over. He’d fall behind starter [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag], true freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] and sophomore [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] on the depth chart, taking the field for just 38 snaps through the first five weeks of the season (most of which came on special teams).
Injury did slow him down this year, but Black returned to the depth chart last week for Florida’s win over South Carolina. However, he didn’t take the field and James got the majority of the reserve snaps.
I Have Officially enter the transfer portal.
— YN Black (@diwunblack) November 16, 2022
Black’s departure is a bit surprising but not entirely unexpected. Napier indicated that he still had much work to do before being a regular player for the Gators following the Tennesee game. Black helped Florida keep hopes alive in the game by recovering an onside kick that set up a Hail Mary attempt at the end of the game, but Napier pushed back when reporters asked if that would earn him more playing time.
Following [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag].’s dismissal, Black took to Twitter in support of his former teammate, writing “let’s be great 1” on a repost of Cox’s announcement. It’s possible
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