Tag: Jeremy Foley

Florida football’s facilities among best in nation, per 247Sports

Florida AD Scott Stricklin’s master plan of “build it and they will come” is right on schedule.

The name of the game in this era of college football is recruiting and one of the cornerstones of establishing dominance when it comes to attracting the top players in the nation are everyday facilities that host the players and coaches.

The University of Florida has long been known as a top destination due to its academics and geographical location, but not too long ago, the Gators’ facilities were lacking in comparison to many of their peers. [autotag]Scott Stricklin[/autotag] made upgrading the program’s infrastructure a top priority when he took over the athletic director position from the legendary Jeremy Foley back in 2016 and appears to have made some significant progress on that front.

Brad Crawford of 247Sports ranked the top-30 college football facilities, which has Florida at No. 12 overall thanks to recent renovations that include the Bill Heavner Center.

“There’s a $400 million renovation coming very soon to iconic Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, but the Gators did get a facelift ahead of the 2022 season with a 140,000-square foot, $85 million facility with everything everyone else has — a barber shop, resort-style pool, updated weight room, recording studios and other perks.”

“Planners visited various programs for ideas and incorporated what they felt was best for Florida, per reports. The best feature might be the Gators’ new locker room, which is modeled after several recent digs at elite programs. Each player’s locker cost roughly $15,000 per unit.”

There are still improvements in the works, so expect to see the Orange and Blue crack the top 10 in the coming rankings

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Florida football legends inducted into Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame

Two Florida Gators football legendes inducted into Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame on Monday night.

Two Florida football legends were enshrined into the history books on Monday night as the 2023 Allstate Sugar Bowl inducted four new members into the game’s hall of fame.

Members of the 1996 Gators national championship team, quarterback Danny Wuerffel and director of athletics Jeremy Foley, were named to the esteemed club during halftime of this year’s edition of the Sugar Bowl.

The Florida faithful are sure to remember the championship that kick-started all the good memories, in 1996, when the Orange and Blue took down its in-state nemesis FSU, 52-20.

“All of us at the Sugar Bowl are thrilled to recognize this outstanding group,” Sugar Bowl president Richard Briede stated.

“Their collective contributions to the history of college football and the Sugar Bowl itself are legendary, and we’re so pleased to be able to honor them in conjunction with this year’s CFP Semifinal game.”

Wuerffel earned his way into the club after racking up the most passing yards in bowl game history with a total of 700. The former Heisman Trophy winner threw for 394 yards in the national championship loss against Florida State in 1995, adding to his resume by throwing for 306 yards and three touchdowns in the 1997 championship victory.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Foley was the architect behind Florida’s most successful era from 1992-2016. The Gators participated in six different editions of the Sugar Bowl throughout his 24-year tenure and helped Florida’s navigation to all three of the program’s national titles (1996, 2006, 2008).

Foley was also the mastermind to bring in former basketball head coach Billy Donovan, who boosted the Gators to back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007 as well.

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Dooley’s Dozen: 12 must-know facts ahead of Florida’s homecoming game

Pat Dooley dishes out a dozen important facts about Florida’s upcoming homecoming game against the Missouri Tigers.

Remember in the old days when Florida would play a non-SEC school on homecoming so the alumni would be sure to go home happy?

That changed in 1996 when Florida started playing SEC games on its special day.

This is the third time that Florida will play Missouri on homecoming. They also did in 2014 and 2016.

Florida will have its Hall of Fame induction the night before the game as usual with football players [autotag]Joe Haden[/autotag] and [autotag]Jeff Demps[/autotag] being inducted along with seven others including former athletic director [autotag]Jeremy Foley[/autotag].

But this is about the school that goes by “Mizzou” more than by the school name.

So, here we go with 12 things you need to know about… MIZZOU.

Florida honors former AD Jeremy Foley in new football facility

The new Heavener Football Training Center showcases the accomplishments of Florida’s legendary athletic director.

Florida football honored the greatest athletic director in the university’s history, Jeremy Foley, with his own hall in the brand new James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center. The crown jewel of the program’s push into the next era features the Foley Hall of Champions where championship banners adorn a common area for all Gator student-athletes.

“It’s hard for me to put into words how meaningful this is to me,” Foley said in a press release. “Not only the recognition, but the way it embodies what I believe and what they still believe at the University of Florida; that all sports matter and all will compete at the highest level. It just ties a bow on my career and I’m so appreciative.”

The hall will feature banners for the 45 national and 266 conference titles earned throughout the school’s history, including the 27 national titles amassed during Foley’s 25-year career in Gainesville, which ended in 2016. Now acting in emeritus status with the program, he maintains an office on the fourth floor of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium where he operates mostly in an advisory capacity.

Take a look below at a few photographs from Foley’s superlatively successful tenure as the athletic director for the University of Florida.