Tag: Jayden Rashada

Miami has a lot on the line against Florida in football season opener

Who has more to lose in the season-opener between Florida and Miami? The Athletic weighs in.

The start of the college football season is about two-and-a-half months away but the media and fans alike are already looking ahead to the opening kickoffs. One of the premiere matchups during Week 1 is the battle between the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes inside of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

The Athletic writer Jayna Bardahl recently pieced together what teams have the most to lose in key matchups this coming fall, giving the UM-UF meeting a high-intensity rating in the form of three flames. Both teams have a lot at stake, but one of them might have more on the line.

“This Week 1 showdown features two teams with immense pressure to turn things around,” Bardahl begins. “Both coaches have hot seat potential — Florida’s [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] is being sued by former signee [autotag]Jayden Rashada[/autotag]. Meanwhile, Miami loaded up in the transfer portal with QB Cam Ward (Washington State) and RB Damien Martinez (Oregon State).”

So who has the most at stake in the Swamp on the final weekend of August?

“The Canes enter this season with such high hopes — they are in the mix as ACC championship contenders — so losing in Week 1 to an in-state rival will cause chaos,” he concludes. “The Gators are already in a bad place, and although there will be disappointment, the expectations aren’t as high in Gainesville.”

Florida’s 2024 season opener

The two in-state rivals will meet on Aug. 31 in Gainesville, Florida. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.

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Jaden Rashada is suing Florida football head coach Billy Napier over NIL fraud

Jaden Rashada has filed a lawsuit against Florida head coach Billy Napier.

Jaden Rashada is suing Florida football head coach Billy Napier. The former four-star quarterback’s litigation centers around Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) promises made during his high school recruitment.

In the court filing, Rashada’s representation claims that in inducing him to flip from his commitment from Miami to Florida, NIL promises were made that were not upheld.

The amount in question is $13.85 million which was used to entice Rashada from Miami to Florida. Rashada is currently with Georgia, having transferred to the SEC program this offseason.

The complaint alleges “fraudulent inducement” and says this is typical of NIL’s involvement where “wealthy, win-at-all-cost alumni insert themselves into college football’s recruiting process.” Named in the lawsuit is Hugh Hathcock, a prominent Florida booster. The Gator Collective, an NIL initiative backing the program, is mentioned throughout the court filing.

 

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As part of Florida’s recruiting effort Rashad’s representation alleges, “Deceitful promises such as these did indeed convince Jaden to flip and sign a $13.85 million NIL deal with the Gator Collective. But once Jaden committed to UF, rather than make Jaden “rich” as promised, these people—with Hathcock leading the charge—changed their tune and went back on their word.”

In the On3 Industry Rankings, Rashada was the sixth-highest-ranked quarterback recruit and the No. 73 overall prospect in the 2023 recruiting class.

Florida responded to the court filing this morning (h/t CBS Sports):

“We do not comment on ongoing litigation, and neither the University Athletic Association nor the University are named in the complaint,” UAA spokesperson Steve McClain said in a statement obtained by CBS Sports. “The UAA will provide for Coach Napier’s personal counsel, and we will direct all questions to those representatives.”