Tag: Caleb Douglas

Former Florida WR announces transfer to Big 12 program

After two years with Billy Napier’s Florida Gators, wide receiver Caleb Douglas is headed to join Texas Tech in the Big 12.

Former Florida wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] will play for the Texas Tech Red Raiders in 2024, according to an announcement he posted on social media Wednesday afternoon.

Douglas hinted at his departure from Gainesville on Nov. 28, three days after the regular season finale against Florida State. A day later, reports of impending transfer surfaced, and Douglas made things official when he was allowed to enter the portal on Dec. 4.

A member of Billy Napier’s transition (and first) recruiting class at Florida, Douglas became a regular contributor for the Gators as a true freshman in 2022. He started two of the eight games he appeared in, reeling in 10 catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns.

Through five games as a sophomore, Douglas added 11 more catches for 133 yards and a touchdown as Florida’s No. 2 receiver. A season-ending injury, suffered during the Kentucky game, put him one game past the threshold for redshirting. He’ll leave Gainesville with two years of eligibility remaining.

Florida still has Marcus Burke, Kahleil Jackson, Andy Jean, Aidan Mizell and Eugene Wilson III remaining in the position room and expects to add three players during the early signing period, which starts in one week.

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Florida starting WR Caleb Douglas expected to enter transfer portal

After two seasons with the Gators, wide receiver Caleb Douglas is expected to explore his options in the transfer portal.

The latest Gator to signal his departure from the program is wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag], who started five games for Florida before suffering a season-ending injury, according to Swamp247.

Douglas earned a three-star designation out of high school but quickly emerged as a dependable first-year receiver in 2022. He played in each of the team’s last eight games, finishing the year with 10 catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He added 133 more yards on 11 catches throughout the five games he played in 2023.

Florida brought in a strong freshmen wide receivers class this season, but only Eugene “Tre” Wilson III has emerged through Year 1. Andy Jean and Aidan Mizell will challenge for starting jobs next year, though, especially with Douglas departing.

Of course, Ricky Pearsall is leaving the team as well for the NFL, so at least two starting spots will be up for grabs. Douglas was the deep-threat guy, so look for Florida to add a big-bodied receiver in the portal as well.

Douglas is the eighth Gator expected to hit the transfer portal. Offensive lineman Jordan Herman and defensive back Jadarrius Perkins left the team during the regular season, tight end Jonathan Odom and kicker Adam Mihalek announced their plans to transfer, and reports have emerged on quarterback Max Brown, defensive lineman Will Norman and safety Kamari Wilson.

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Florida losing No. 2 WR Caleb Douglas for at least a month

The Florida Gators will be down their starting X receiver for at least a month as sophomore Caleb Douglas heals from an ankle injury suffered against Kentucky.

One of the brighter spots of Florida’s 33-14 loss to Kentucky on Saturday was wide receiver [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag]’ 34-yard reception over a Wildcats defender to set up a Hayden Hansen touchdown.

Unfortunately, Douglas came down awkwardly as he stretched for the end zone and needed to be looked at by trainers. Staff members helped him to the locker room for x-rays, and Douglas missed the rest of the game.

After the loss, head coach Billy Napier said that Douglas would miss a “significant chunk of time,” and he confirmed on Monday an expected timeline of four to six weeks, according to All Gators.

Through five games in 2023, Douglas has served as Florida’s primary X receiver. He’s second on the team in receiving yards and targets, totaling 136 and 15, respectively, according to Pro Football Focus.

Marcus Burke and Andy Jean are most likely to step up behind Ricky Pearsall, Kahleil Jackson and Eugene “Tre” Wilson III in the passing game. Arlis Boardingham could also see more targets if Napier decides to rely on the 12 formation more heavily.

“Andy (Jean)’s role will definitely grow here,” Napier said Monday. “It was good to see him be able to execute and to get some experience. I think that’s going to help his confidence. You can just see it. He got a chance to play in the Charlotte game and experience some success.

“Sometimes a young, talented player, when they experience some success, that kind of fuels the fire, and then they show up to practice a little bit different.”

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WATCH: Florida finds the end zone for first time in 2023

It took Florida most of the game to find the end zone against Utah, but Caleb Douglas made a nice grab for Graham Mertz’s first Gator score.

It took until the fourth quarter of Thursday’s season opener for Florida to finally find the end zone against the Utah Utes. Graham Mertz went to Caleb Douglas from 19 yards out, and the sophomore receiver went over the top of cornerback Zemaiah Vaughn for a highlight reel score.

The score was Mertz’s first passing touchdown as a Gator and was quickly followed up with a successful two-point conversion pass to Eugene “Tre” Wilson, cutting Utah’s then 21-point lead down to just 13.

For Douglas, it was his second catch of the season after hauling a four-yard pass to kick off the season.

Florida’s rushing game all but disappeared in this game, but it’s still surprising that the first touchdown of the year didn’t come on the ground for the Gators. Mertz had been passing the ball well all night, throwing just one interception thanks to a miscue between him and Ricky Pearsall.

Hopefully, Trevor Etienne and Montrell Johnson Jr. get going in Week 2.

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Florida’s sophomore WR named to Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award watch list

Caleb Douglas makes it six Florida Gators on seven prestigious preseason watch lists.

Add another student-athlete to the list of Florida football players who have been named to prestigious preseason watch lists. Sophomore wide receiver Caleb Douglas was listed among those included on the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, as announced by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce (Texas) and SPORTyler on Thursday.

The players on the watch list were picked by a selection committee consisting of broadcasters, commentators, journalists, fans and previous winners.

Douglas started in three of the eight games he appeared in during his true freshman campaign, catching 10 passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He became the first freshman since Kadarius Toney (2017) to start a game when he got the call against the South Carolina Gamecocks last fall.

The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award recognizes the top offensive player in Division I football who also exhibits the enduring characteristics that define Earl Campbell: integrity, performance, teamwork, sportsmanship, drive, community and tenacity; specifically, tenacity to persist and determination to overcome adversity and injury in pursuit of reaching goals.

In addition, the nominee must meet one or more of the following criteria: born in Texas and/or graduated from a Texas High School and/or played at a Texas-based junior college or currently playing at Texas D1 four-year college.

The list will be whittled down to 16 semifinalists on Nov. 16 before being reduced to just five finalists on Dec. 12. The winner will be announced at The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Banquet, scheduled for Jan. 10, 2024.

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Florida losing WR Xzavier Henderson to transfer portal

Florida’s third spring transfer is a big one. Wide receiver Xzavier Henderson, who started 11 games for the Gators in 2022, is hitting the portal.

Florida wide receiver [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag] is entering the NCAA transfer portal, according to a report from Swamp247.

Henderson started 11 games for Florida last year and was expected to step into a bigger role with [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] moving on to the NFL. 247Sports’ Jacob Rudner said that sophomore [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] and freshman [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] had strong springs behind Henderson, which may have influenced the decision to leave.

[autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] is the clear leader of the receiver room, but [autotag]Marcus Burke[/autotag], Douglas and Jean are all young players showing promise.

Henderson leaves Florida with 835 career receiving yards and five touchdowns on 73 catches over 35 games. His best game in the Orange and Blue came against Georgia when he hauled in five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Receivers coach Billy Gonzalez reported strong spring scrimmage performances from Henderson, and head coach Billy Napier also spoke highly of him during the spring. The transfer is somewhat surprising, but he’s not the first player to leave the team during the second portal period of teh year.

Offensive lineman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and edge rusher [autotag]Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr[/autotag]. were the first two Gators to leave the team in the spring. Following Henderson’s departure, Florida will have five open scholarship spots to hand out to transfers.

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Former Florida wide receiver stays in-state, transfers to UCF

Florida wide receiver Trent Whittemore is transferring to the University of Central Florida after four years with the program.

After four years with the Florida Gators, wide receiver [autotag]Trent Whittemore[/autotag] is transferring to the University of Central Florida to play for the Knights. He’ll have two years of eligibility remaining once he arrives in Orlando.

Whittemore is a hometown guy that played for Buchholz in high school before signing with Florida in 2019. He played several positions as a prep athlete but showed promise at receiver once reaching the collegiate level. Whittemore got chances to work at the slot in 2020 and 2021, but he never really found a spot in [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s offense once the new coaching staff took over.

He leaves Florida with 425 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns on 33 receptions through 29 games. Whittemore also threw two touchdowns and completed three of four passes for 41 yards in 2021.

At one point, Whittemore and his brother planned to reunite in the Swamp in 2022, but Creed — a three-star athlete in the class of 2023 — is now signed to Mississippi State and Trent is headed south to join UCF in its first Power Five season.

Florida has a bit of a receiver problem after losing several pass-catchers to the transfer portal and NFL draft. That problem could get even tougher if [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] opts to go pro, but he is still undecided at publishing time.

[autotag]Xavier Henderson[/autotag] is experienced out wide, but [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] might be the next best option if the Gators don’t add anyone through the transfer portal. The Gators do have a trio of incoming receivers that could fight for significant playing time as well.

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Florida WR invited to 2023 NFL combine despite undecided future

Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall hasn’t officially declared for the NFL draft yet, but he has received an invitation to the 2023 combine.

It’s currently unknown whether Florida wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] will use up his final year of college eligibility before turning pro, but there’s no question that the NFL draft is calling him.

On Monday, Pearsall posted a screenshot of his invitation to the 2023 NFL combine on Instagram with the caption, “thank you Lord,” according to 247Sports. While that post does not serve a confirmation of his departure, Florida fans should consider a reality where Pearsall doesn’t return for a second year in the Swamp.

He joined the team in spring through the transfer portal after moving on from Arizona State and served as the Gators’ starting slot receiver all year. He finished the season with 33 receptions, 661 yards and five touchdowns, while adding 113 more yards and a score on the ground. If Pearsall did return, he’d be the unquestioned leader in Florida’s 2023 wide receivers room.

Reporters questioned Pearsall on Dec. 17 about his future after Florida’s Las Vegas Bowl loss to Oregon State, and he was noncommittal at the time.

“There’s a lot of aspects that go into it,” Pearsall said. “But, you know, I’m still thinking about it, being patient with it.”

Losing Pearsall to the pros would be another major loss for the Gators after [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] declared for the draft and [autotag]Daejon Reynolds[/autotag] entered the transfer portal. It would leave [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag] as the team’s lone returning starter with [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] behind him, assuming his recovery goes as planned.

Florida’s bringing in a decent crop of freshmen receivers, but dipping into the transfer portal might be necessary if Pearsall leaves.

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Taking a look at Florida’s depth chart ahead of the Las Vegas Bowl

The Las Vegas Bowl is almost here and Florida is working with a different look roster after a busy start to the transfer season.

Florida’s depth chart for the Las Vegas Bowl looks a whole lot different from the opening-day roster, but that’s expected as players leave for the draft, enter the transfer portal and suffer injuries over the course of the year.

Starting with the offense, Florida is down players at every position but running back. [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] is making his first start at quarterback with [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] headed to the NFL, and walk-on [autotag]Kyle Engel[/autotag] true will serve as the backup. True freshman [autotag]Max Brown[/autotag] is listed as the third-string option under center.

[autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] are the only available running backs on Saturday, but that duo has the bulk of Florida’s carries over the season so it shouldn’t be a problem.

[autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] is preparing for the draft, which means [autotag]Xavier Henderson[/autotag] is the new No. 1 out wide for the Gators. True freshman [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] gets the No. 2 spot (and his second start) with [autotag]Daejon Reynolds[/autotag] in the transfer portal, and [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] is still in the slot. Despite losing some talent from the receivers room, Florida is in an okay spot heading into the bowl game.

At tight end, [autotag]Keon Zipperer[/autotag] is still dealing with an injury, meaning [autotag]Dante Zanders[/autotag] is the starter once again. [autotag]Jonathan Odom[/autotag] was productive as the team’s second tight end towards the end of the season and will get another shot to audition for next year against Oregon State.

Florida’s offensive line features a new face: Redshirt freshman [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag], who will get his first start at right guard with O’Cyrus Torrence headed to the pros. Left tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] is also going to the NFL, but he could start in the bowl game and is officially listed as an “or” option along with [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag]. [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag] and [autotag]Kinglsey Eguakun[/autotag] remain at left guard and center, and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] returns to the right tackle spot. Christian Williams could see an increase in snaps as the primary backup for either guard spot with [autotag]Richie Leonard[/autotag] injured.

Now on to the defense.

Florida’s defensive line looks the same as it was through the final few games of the season: [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Princely Umanimielen[/autotag] at defensive end, [autotag]Desmond Watson [/autotag]at nose tackle and [autotag]Antwaun Powell-Ryland J[/autotag]r. at the JACK linebacker spot. The big change in the front seven comes at [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag]’s linebacker spot which now belongs to [autotag]Derek Wingo[/autotag]. [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] is the other starting linebacker, but expect [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] and [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] to get some work in too.

In the secondary, [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] remain as Florida’s starting cornerbacks, and [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag] and [autotag]Rashad Torrence[/autotag] will get another run at their respective safety spots. [autotag]Jadarrius Perkins[/autotag] is stepping in for an injured [autotag]Tre’Vez Johnson[/autotag] at the STAR, but that shouldn’t disrupt the defense too much.

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Florida lacking receiver depth ahead of rivalry game against FSU

The Gators don’t have a ton of depth at the receiver spot this week after injuries have ravaged the position room over the past few weeks.

The Florida Gators are once again dealing with depth issues ahead of their final game of the 2022 regular season against Florida State.

After getting back starting wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] a week ago for the Vanderbilt game, No. 4 finds himself back on the injury report this week. He’s not the only starting receiver listed as “out” this week, either. The team’s No. 2, [autotag]Xavier Henderson[/autotag], won’t be playing against the Seminoles, and starting slot receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] is “questionable” after missing most of last week’s game.

Pearsall suffered an upper-body injury against the Commodores, but Billy Napier expects him to be ready on Friday. [autotag]Ja’Quavion Fraziars[/autotag], [autotag]Marcus Burke[/autotag] and [autotag]Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman[/autotag] won’t be available either.

In place of Shorter and Henderson will be redshirt freshman [autotag]Daejon Reynolds[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag]. Reynolds had a breakout game against Vanderbilt last week, leading the team with 165 yards and two touchdowns on eight catches. He dropped just one pass and made up for it two plays later with his second score.

Douglas got the start against South Carolina and hauled in three catches for 53 yards. He’s appeared in six games so far this season and has two touchdowns on the year.

Tight end [autotag]Keon Zipperer[/autotag] is still dealing with a lower-body injury that has him listed as questionable and down to the third-string spot on the depth chart. If he’s fully healthy, Zipperer could get some of his snaps back, but there doesn’t seem to be a ton of optimism that he’ll be ready to go. [autotag]Dante Zanders[/autotag] and [autotag]Jonathan Odom[/autotag] should be Florida’s two main tight ends this week. True freshman [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] is also listed on the depth chart for the first time after dealing with an injury for most of the year.

Florida has fewer depth problems on the defensive side of things. Safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag] is listed as the starter this week, but he suffered an injury during the Vanderbilt game that could limit him. Florida’s other starting safety, [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag], said that the team would be fine if either true freshman, [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] or [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag], had to step up in place of Torrence.

Finally, linebackers [autotag]Derek Wingo[/autotag] and [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] are expected to see the field a bit more often with [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] likely to miss the first half of the game after being disqualified for targeting against Vanderbilt.

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