Tag: Chauncey Bowens

Florida’s assistant running backs coach takes job downstate with Hurricanes

Florida’s assistant running backs coach just took a job with the ‘Canes doing pretty much what he did for the Gators.

Billy Napier lost another member of his army of staffers on Tuesday with the departure of assistant running backs coach [autotag]Benedick Hyppolite[/autotag], who took a job with the Miami Hurricanes as an offensive analyst working specifically with the running back corps — much like he did in Gainesville last season.

Hyppolite’s burgeoning coaching career has already had three stops on the collegiate circuit, starting as the offensive coordinator at Florida Memorial University — and HBCU in South Florida — in 2019 before joining the Hurricanes’ staff as a graduate assistant in 2020. He then got his big break with the Gators under Napier last season assisting with Florida’s successful running backs room before moving back south for a similar role in Miami.

Last season, UF’s rushing attack was among the top in the nation for most of the season thanks in large part to his efforts off the field. Transfer [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] and true freshman [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] combined for 1,560 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns, building the foundation of what should be a terrorizing ground attack for the Gators in years to come.

The departing analyst was no slouch on the recruiting trail either, shouldering a load in wooing four-star running backs [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag] and [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag], while also stepping out of the backfield to assist in the recruitment of four-star wide receiver [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag].

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1368]

[mm-video type=video id=01gw2kycgke6a6c965ek playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gw2kycgke6a6c965ek/01gw2kycgke6a6c965ek-24d2ec614ef4acfb565272783d09e5e3.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Florida RB commit visiting UF and UGA during spring

The Gators might have a verbal commitment from four-star running back Chauncey Bowens, but he’s still being pursued by other programs.

Florida has one running back under commitment from the recruiting class of 2024, four-star The Benjamin School rusher [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag], and the Gators are going to have to fight for him until the papers are signed and he’s on campus.

Bowens is set to visit both Florida and Georgia over the next couple of months, according to Gators Online. He’ll stop by Gainesville on March 30 for his second visit of the year and doesn’t yet have a date locked in for his Athens trip.

Florida’s staff has stayed in close contact with Bowens since earning his commitment. Running backs coach Jabbar Juluke is taking the lead on this one. The relationship has stayed strong so far, but anything can happen when the two-time reigning national champions choose to get involved. T

“It’s a lot to take in,” Bowens previously told On3. “Of course, them being a two-time national championship and just the success of the running backs they have. They’re always gonna be on my radar, even though, of course, I’m 110% committed to Florida. But that’s always the school where you have to look at them, no matter what ’cause they have the success; they have the really good guys in their room, plus the coaching, plus the facilities they have. They have everything.”

Bowens is a four-star recruit by ESPN, On3 and Rivals’ measure, but 247Sports thinks he’s a three-star talent. On3 thinks he’s just on the borderline of being a top-100 talent, placing Bowens at No. 104 on the site’s individual rankings. He falls to No. 240 overall on the On3 consensus, which considers all four major services equally. The consensus ranks him at No. 20 among running backs in the class of 2024.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1739]

[mm-video type=video id=01gt5e60bzfe4mmajmnt playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gt5e60bzfe4mmajmnt/01gt5e60bzfe4mmajmnt-3fac49fdb00265554e0c495596851459.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Ohio State attempting to flip Florida commit, offers running back a scholarship

The Buckeyes woke up and chose offers #GoBucks

[autotag]Ohio State[/autotag] has had plenty of success recruiting the state of Florida and Thursday morning brought news it is trying to flip a Gator commitment.

Class of 2024 running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag], who has been a Florida pledge since September, tweeted that he has received an offer from the Buckeyes.

Bowens stands 5 feet, 11 inches and weighs 220 pounds. He is a four-star on the 247Sports composite. He is the 23rd overall running back and the 292nd player nationally.

Even though it may seem like his ranking is low, his offer list is impressive, as Bowens holds them from Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State.

Bowen is also a track star, and we will see how far this offer goes in the Buckeyes’ attempt to flip his commitment to Florida.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

[mm-video type=video id=01gs6p66kwssyz6pdsrz playlist_id=none player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gs6p66kwssyz6pdsrz/01gs6p66kwssyz6pdsrz-c6789f34cf01a330d5d2ba2d4f125c75.jpg]

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Michael Chen on Twitter.

Florida getting 4-star LB on campus for first visit in spring

The Gators will get four-star linebacker Qua Birdsong on campus for his first look at the University of Florida in March.

Florida is getting Troup County (Lagrange, Georgia) linebacker [autotag]Qua Birdsong[/autotag] on campus in March, according to a report from Swamp 247.

At one point, Birdsong intended on stopping by Gainesville for one of Florida’s Junior Days in January. That trip never actually happened, though, so this will be the four-star recruit’s first look at the university in person. He told 247Sports that he’d be in town on March 16.

Florida has yet to extend him an offer, but one could be coming on this trip. Arkansas, Cincinnati, Michigan State, NC State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Pittsburgh, UCF, USC and Virginia Tech are among other programs which have already extended scholarship opportunities to him and he’s on several other Power Five teams’ radars.

Birdsong has dates locked in with Florida and Ohio State in March. Official visits are on his mind, too. The plan is to be committed by the start of his senior year, which gives him six months to make a decision.

Florida’s recruiting class of 2024 features four commitments at publishing time. Five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] leads the back with four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] also ranked in the top 50. Four-star edge rusher [autotag]Adarius Hayes[/autotag] is another top-100 guy locked in with the Gators, and four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] rounds out the pack.

Adding Birdsong to a class with Graham already in it would be a sure way to cure Florida’s depth issues at linebacker. UF brought in a pair of players at the position over the offseason after losing both starters from 2022.

The 247Sports Composite has Birdsong at No. 146 overall and No. 14 among linebackers in the class of 2024. The site’s independent ranking system is even more bullish on him at Nos. 127 and 10, respectively. The On3 consensus, which equally weights all four major services, has him at No. 157 nationally and No. 16 among those at his position.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1739]

[mm-video type=video id=01grvtjwk7r1tpmjd34e playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01grvtjwk7r1tpmjd34e/01grvtjwk7r1tpmjd34e-850bf62a7bd82e54b8559c4b237f973b.jpg]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Alabama offers 2024 RB, Florida commit Chauncey Bowens

Alabama has begun to offer running backs in the 2024 recruiting cycle with the likelihood that Roydell Williams and Jase McClellan move on to the next level after next season. One of the RBs that was recently offered is Chauncey Bowens.

Alabama has been able to flip some of the nation’s top recruits in years past. It appears that the coaching staff is already in the mix to try and flip 2024 running back Chauncey Bowens from Florida. Bowens has been committed to the Gators since September.

The Florida native competes in football, lacrosse, and track at The Benjamin School. As a 10th grader, Bowens ran a 10.90 in the 100-meter. His speed and athleticism separate him from most other running backs in this recruiting cycle.

As a junior, Bowens had 130 carries for 940 yards and eight touchdowns. At this time, he is a verbal commit to Florida. Alabama will look to change that with hopes of getting Bowens on campus for a visit in the future.

Roll Tide Wire breaks down Chauncey Bowens’ recruiting profile.

4-star LB committed to Florida after visiting for Junior Day

The Gators are off to a hot start with the recruiting class of 2024. Florida added another top-100 player to the commitment pool on Saturday.

Florida earned another commitment from the class of 2024 on Saturday as four-star Largo (Florida) linebacker [autotag]Adarius Hayes[/autotag] pledged his services to the university.

Hayes was in town for Florida’s final Junior Day of the January recruiting period and announced his decision before leaving the Swamp. He was also in town last weekend to check in with the program, according to Swamp247. Hayes told Gators Online that he always planned on being a Gator and came into Saturday’s visit knowing that he’d be joining the class.

“It was the plan the whole time. I’m blessed to be a Gator. Go Gators,” Hayes said. “I’ll be a MIKE only. They said I’ll just be a middle linebacker and come off the edge more on third down. Basically, I would be like [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag]/[autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag].”

Hayes shadowed linebackers [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] and [autotag]Derek Wingo[/autotag] on this trip and the duo did their best to reel him in. He got a glimpse of the role he’ll be playing on Florida’s defense and locked in with the Gators over Alabama, Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and others.

This is the second blue-chip linebacker Florida has reeled in from the 2024 class. [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag], who is ranked No. 30 overall on the 247Sports composite and No. 36 on the On3 consensus, picked Florida in August and seems locked in as a legacy commit.

Hayes is the No. 61 overall recruit in the nation, according to the 247Sports composite. He’s also No. 7 among edge rushers in the class and No. 12 among prep players from the Sunshine State. On3 is even more bullish on him, ranking Hayes at No. 55 overall on the consensus rankings and No. 33 on the site’s independent list.

Florida now has four players under commitment in the class. In addition to Hayes and Graham, UF has five-star quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] on board as well. The Gators jumped to No. 3 overall on the 2024 On3 consensus football team recruiting rankings and No. 8 on 247Sports’ equivalent list.

[mm-video type=video id=01gqnamtcc7z2cq9yqtw playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gqnamtcc7z2cq9yqtw/01gqnamtcc7z2cq9yqtw-3ba3911def3cdc2d1ce2a297e4e42620.jpg]

[listicle id=100372]

[listicle id=100384]

[vertical-gallery id=100370]

[listicle id=100245]

[vertical-gallery id=100370]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Florida to host over a multitude of prospects on recruiting visit this weekend

The Florida Gators will host a multitude of recruits this weekend before the NCAA’s dead period in February.

Arguably the biggest change from the [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] era has been the importance placed on recruiting. [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has been vocal about how important he values recruiting, and this weekend has the potential to be another big weekend for the Orange and Blue.

The Gators have had players on campus throughout January’s “contact period” but this weekend looks to be their busiest. With national signing day coming up on Feb. 1, Florida’s staff still has time to add players to their 2023 class. In regards to players in the 2024 class and younger, January is the last time that coaches and staff can have contact with recruits before February’s dead period.

The recruits that Napier and his staff want on campus the most have to be prospective transfer players. The deadline to register and enroll players in time for them to participate in spring practices is rapidly approaching. That makes former Kentucky offensive lineman Kiyaunta Goodwin the top priority this weekend.

The 6-foot-8-inch, 350-pounder has three years of eligibility remaining and is deciding between the Gators and Louisville. Goodwin played in 12 games as a true freshman last season and was the No. 38 overall player in the 2022 class. He would be a massive addition to a group that saw its leaders [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] declare for the NFL draft.

In addition to Goodwin, the Gators will have 2024 commits [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] and [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] on campus. They join uncommitted 2024 prospects Adarius Hayes, Joseph, Phillips, Caleb Odom, Kylan Fox, Malik Blocton, Travaris Banks, and Cameron Keys as 2024 visitors. In addition, underclassmen prospects Anthony Rogers (2025), Tarvos Alford (2025), Gavin Nix (2025), Naeem Burroughs (2026), and Bryce Perry-Wright (2026) will also be in attendance this weekend.

[mm-video type=video id=01gq8f68zrjr7sx4qjwd playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gq8f68zrjr7sx4qjwd/01gq8f68zrjr7sx4qjwd-ed69ee20f1d73383a9f730aadda3bbd4.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=99981,99948,99946,99940,99935]

[listicle id=99906]

[listicle id=99843]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

2024 RB commit locked in with Florida, return visit planned

Four-star running back Chauncey Bowens is still locked in with Florida after nearly four months committed to the Gators.

Florida isn’t in danger of losing a commitment from four-star The Benjamin School (North Palm Beach, Florida) running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag] after earning a pledge from him back in September. Communication between the Gators and Bowens is as strong as ever and he is planning a trip up to Gainesville to attend Florida’s Junior Day, according to Gators Online.

Bowens says that he’s still being recruited as if he weren’t under commitment and the special treatment has him feeling like a priority for the Gators.

“Me and the staff are in constant communication,” he said to Gators Online. “That was another main reason why I committed. Committing was exciting because it was like joining a new family. A few months later, it still feels like we are a tight family and always recruiting the next big-time Gator together.”

Getting Bowens on campus went a long way in keeping the relationship with the university strong. It makes plenty of sense then that he’s already locked in Jan. 21 as his next planned trip to the Swamp for the team’s camp.

Bowens is one of three recruits from the class of 2024 Florida has under commitment. Elite quarterback [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] and four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] headline the class alongside Bowens.

The On3 consensus ranks Bowens at No. 256 overall and at No. 24 among running backs in the class. The 247Sports composite agrees with that assessment, ranking him slightly lower at No. 276 nationally but at No. 23 among those at his position.

[mm-video type=video id=01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg/01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg-c640babe687004c896ec7a3af514c1b9.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=99199,99197,99191,99167,99136]

[listicle id=99134]

[listicle id=99082]

[listicle id=99040]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

UGA football offers 4-star Florida RB commit

Elite running back Chauncey Bowens has already committed to the Florida Gators, but that does not stop UGA from recruiting him

Four-star running back recruit Chauncey Bowens is one of the top players in the class of 2024. Bowens plays high school football for The Benjamin School in North Palm Beach, Florida.

Bowens committed to the Florida Gators in Sept. 2022. Now, Georgia football is pursuing the talented running back. Kirby Smart, Dell McGee, and company recently offered a scholarship to the four-star running back.

The 5-foot-11, 220-pound running back is the No. 276 player in the class of 2024. Bowens is the No. 23 running back and the No. 42 player in Florida.

Bowens is a three-sport athlete. He runs track and field and plays lacrosse in addition to football. The Benjamin School star has good speed and maintains balance through contact.

Chauncey Bowens has scholarship offers from Tennessee, Duke, Florida State, USF, and Florida among others.

The four-star announced his scholarship offer from Georgia football via Twitter:

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbz2y40j067srkf player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=]

[listicle id=82325]

[lawrence-auto-related count=4]

Gators land huge commitment from this 2024 5-star quarterback

Florida just got its quarterback of the future. DJ Lagway, a five-star, dual-threat talent, committed to the Gators over Baylor, Texas A&M and USC.

Florida landed its quarterback of the future on Wednesday. Five-star prospect [autotag]DJ Lagway[/autotag] committed to the Gators over Baylor, Clemson, Texas A&M and USC on ESPN2.

“The coaching staff has been amazing,” Lagway said. “Great communication. They told me they’re building something special, Coach (Billy) Napier and (offensive analyst) Coach (Ryan) O’Hara. I’m just excited to get to work.”

Lagway’s goal is to bring the No. 1 recruiting class to Gainesville and he’s ready to lead the effort and help recruit during his senior year. Florida currently has two other verbal commitments in the class of 2024 from four-star linebacker [autotag]Myles Graham[/autotag] (No. 30 overall) and four-star running back [autotag]Chauncey Bowens[/autotag].

247Sports logged a pair of crystal balls in favor of Florida ahead of the decision, and it’s easy to see why there was some confidence in Lagway choosing Florida. He wasted little time during his ceremony and exclaimed “you already know, let’s do this” as his little brother busted out the orange cap.

Florida appears to have a true leader under commitment with Lagway’s announcement out of the way and it couldn’t have come at a better time for the Gators. [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] has declared for the NFL draft after just a season as the starter and experience under center.

The hope is that Ohio State transfer [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] or incoming freshman [autotag]Jaden Rashada[/autotag] will fill the gap, but Florida shouldn’t have any problems fielding a quarterback once Lagway gets in town. In fact, the timeline could allow for him to redshirt as Rashada’s understudy in 2024 or 2025 and then takeover the following season.

Lagway is ranked 24th overall in the class of 2024 on the 247Sports composite and is No. 4 among quarterbacks. On3 agrees with that assesment, ranking Lagway at No. 21 nationally and No. 3 among those at his position. ESPN lists him as the top-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the class.

[mm-video type=video id=01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg/01gdg3yhc6d6jb3c59xg-c640babe687004c896ec7a3af514c1b9.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=97492,97486,97481,97475,97461]

[listicle id=97276]

[listicle id=97254]

[listicle id=97242]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!