Florida is dealing with several injuries ahead of a Week 7 matchup with Tennessee, but some key players are nearing a return.
Florida released its Week 7 availability report on Wednesday, as mandated by the SEC for all conference games.
Nine Gators have already been ruled out for Saturday’s contest, and five more are listed as questionable.
The injury bug bit Florida’s wide receiver rooms the hardest. TJ Abrams, Marcus Burke and Kahleil Jackson (season-ending surgery) are all out this week, but the good news is that the team’s No. 1 — [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] — should be available.
Wilson has missed the last three games for Florida but is nowhere to be seen on the availability report, which means he’s practicing and coaches expect him to be active. Avoiding the mid-week questionable tag should mean that very few limitations on Florida’s top pass-catching target.
Aidan Mizell is another receiver who will return to the fold this week.
Defensive Backs
The defensive backs are another skill group that are struggling with injuries; however, only cornerback Ja’Keem Jackson has officially been ruled out, as of the Thursday update. Jackson has been out since the second half of Florida’s Week 2 contest against Samford.
DJ Douglas, Bryce Thornton and [autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] are all listed as questionable this week. All three play the safety position, leaving Jordan Castell as the lone healthy regular.
Turner hasn’t played since suffering a non-contact injury against Miami. Getting a veteran presence who transferred over from Washington back could be a big boost for Florida’s defense.
Linemen
Florida’s offensive line and defensive line are both dealing with injuries.
On offense, starting left tackle [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] is questionable, and his backup, Devon Manuel, is out this week. Florida listed Barber as a captain this week, so the expectation is that he’ll be ready to play despite being limited throughout the week.
On defense, [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag] is questionable after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to repair a meniscus tear last month. The surgery is considered relatively minor and shouldn’t keep him out all year. However, a return in Knoxville is far from certain. Jamari Lyons broke his ankle in fall camp and is expected to miss the entire season.
Running Backs/Tight Ends
Running backs [autotag]Treyaun Webb[/autotag] and KD Daniels are both out for a second straight week. Their return timetables are unknown at this point, with Billy Napier declining to comment on Webb’s status specifically.
Tight end Tony Livingston is also out after missing the UCF game. He played in all four of the previous contests and could preserve a redshirt without playing the rest of the season. Livingston has made no indication that he is opting out and transferring, though.
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Florida’s top receiver Eugene Wilson III and defensive lineman Joey Slackman underwent knee surgery. Their return timelines are unknown.
Florida sophomore wide receiver [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] and graduate transfer defensive lineman [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag] underwent knee surgeries this week, according to Graham Hall of 247Sports.
Wilson entered the season as Florida’s top receiver and has received the most targets (16) of any Gators pass catcher despite playing just two of three games this season.
He was injured during Florida’s Week 2 win over Samford but tried to practice through last week. However, Wilson was ruled inactive after going through pre-game warmups on Saturday.
There is no doubt that Florida is a better team with Wilson on the field. Billy Napier said as much while taking questions on the injury. He also hinted at a fairly short timeline for his return.
“He got hurt during,” Napier said Wednesday. “So, yeah, when that happened I think he woke up the next day, and I think we’ve gotten to the bottom of what it is and all that. So, all good.”
With Wilson out for the foreseeable future, Florida turns to Chimere Dike and Elijhah Badger as its primary receivers. Napier said that Aidan Mizell is in contention for that No. 3 spot, but it’s still an open competition at this point.
Joey Slackman undergoes surgery
Slackman had arthroscopic surgery, which is less invasive than other surgeries, on the meniscus of his left knee, according to Hall.
Much was made of Slackman’s addition once he transferred from Penn, but he’s played sparingly for Florida. Slackman has played 51 snaps across two games and recorded four tackles (one assist).
He was a starting defensive tackle in the season opener against Miami but took more snaps at left end as a non-starter in Week 3 against Texas A&M. Slackman didn’t play at all in Week 2 against Samford and is listed as out for the upcoming Mississippi State game.
With true freshman Michai Boireau also out, Florida will turn to Caleb Bank and D’Antre Robinson on the defensive line. Junior college transfers Tarvorise Brown and Brien Taylor Jr. are also options.
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Graham Mertz headlines a group of Gators who are out for Week 2 against Samford.
Florida football goes into Week 2 a bit banged up against the Samford Bulldogs.
The Gators will be without several of their key starters, the most notable being quarterback Graham Mertz who suffered a concussion last week against Miami and was placed in concussion protocol.
Head coach Billy Napier said on Wednesday that Mertz was progressing but it’s just not enough time to be ready for Week 2.
“Graham did not practice today,” Napier said on Wednesday. “He is farther into the protocol, and he’s doing better but he’s not quite — he hasn’t quite passed the final test. He’s doing better, but he’s not quite there yet.”
Five-star freshman DJ Lagway will be taking the place of Mertz and start at quarterback against Samford and will get a chance to show Florida fans his talent.
Napier had plans for Jackson to be a key part of the Gators offense this season.
“Kahleil Jackson needs no motivation,” Napier said about Jackson’s mindset. “He’s self-motivated; he’s a grinder. He’s always been out to prove himself, and he’s done that. He has the respect of myself, our staff, his teammates.”
On the defensive side of the ball, Florida will be without some of their key defenders in the secondary.
Junior cornerback Devin Moore and redshirt-senior safety Asa Turner are out for Week 2. Moore is dealing with a lower-body injury and Turner has a shoulder injury.
Napier said that sophomore Dijon Johnson and redshirt-senior DJ Douglas will see playing time.
“Guys like Didi (Dijon) Johnson, will be in the rotation,” Napier said. “DJ Douglas will get more time. We’ve got some depth there.”
Napier went on to say, “So I mean, I think you just see some of those players that maybe played 12 plays, they’ll play 25 this week. We’ve got confidence in those players. I think it’s an opportunity, and they’ll be ready.”
Florida (0-1) will go up against the Samford Bulldogs (0-1) on Saturday at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on SEC Network+.
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Florida has a good amount of returning talent in its defensive line room heading into 2024 and will lean on returners Cam Jackson and Caleb Banks.
After taking a look at all of Florida’s players on offense, it’s time to check out the defense.
Florida runs a scheme, that often utilizes three defensive linemen, three linebackers and five defensive backs. That makes the defensive line a bit tricky to classify because the “EDGE” rushers can play hybrid roles, lining up on the line and as an outside linebacker, depending on the package.
That means most of the “defensive linemen” listed on the roster are interior linemen. Their jobs are to clog holes and stuff the run, rather than going after the quarterback every play.
There are some new faces in the position room, but Cam Jackson and Desmond Watson are two large and familiar faces. Some new guys in town should see the field often, too, with Chris McClellan now with Missouri.
Let’s take a look at every defensive lineman on Florida’s roster. Check out Gators Wire’s other position previews for the 2024 season below.
[autotag]Cam Jackson[/autotag] is the incumbent starting nose tackle at Florida, and he might be the only player locked into his role before the season starts. Pro Football Focus graded Jackson the highest of any Florida defensive linemen a year ago, with an overall grade of 71.3.
A deeper look reveals that Jackson was much better against the run last season, though. His run-defense grade of 76.3 is significantly better than his pass-rush grade of 59.7, and there’s some work to be done on tackling (59.2).
As the team’s best run defender, Jackson will be the go-to at nose tackle this season. With a year of SEC ball under his belt, the hope is that he’ll increase his snap count from the 281 plays he was on the field for last year.
[autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag] transferred to Florida from Penn during the offseason, and he’s expected to play a significant role for the Gators this year. Billy Napier gushed over Slackman during fall camp, noting the impact he has on the unit.
In fact, Slackman was a guy that the rest of the players wanted Florida to go and get. He’s a leader and veteran of the college game, which provides some stability for the younger guys still finding their footing.
“Look, I’m a Joey Slackman guy,” Napier said. “I think Joey brings maturity and an awareness (to the team). I think he’s extremely bright and he’s motivated, he’s driven, he’s a self-starter and he’s an alpha. I think he does a great job. He brings other things besides being a 6-3, 315-pound athlete to the table.”
From a numbers standpoint, Slackman was more productive than Jackson over the past three years, albeit in a weaker conference. If Slackman can come close to the 90.7 defensive grade he earned from PFF last year, Florida has itself a bonafide SEC starter.
Next up is redshirt junior [autotag]Caleb Banks[/autotag], who led the position room with 364 snaps a year ago. His 69.8 overall defensive grade was the second-highest for Florida behind Jackson, but Banks offers a different skill set than the other two starters mentioned above.
The 2023 Lousiville transfer is a strong tackler (72.3) and an even better pass rusher (74.2), which means defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong will find ways to get him on the field. The defensive line is a bit of a rotational unit anyway, so the starter tag isn’t everything here.
“(Banks) got significant experience last year. He played around I think it’s 300 plus plays, got banged up a little bit at times in the second half of the season. So, yeah, he’s on a mission. This guy’s got traits. He’s 6-5-and-three-quarters, 320 (pounds) and he’s learned a lot.”
Sometimes, all three of these linemen will be on the field. At other times, Florida could opt to run an edge-heavy set. It all depends on what the offense is showing, but this is the core of the position room.
Backup: No. 21 Desmond Watson (Sr.)
Matt Pendleton/Gainesville Sun
Defensive Stats:
Year
GP
SOLO
AST
TOT
TFL
SACKS
FF
FR
2021
5
2
5
7
0.5-1
0.0
0
0
2022
13
8
17
25
1.5-3
0.0
1
1
2023
12
3
8
11
1-8
1-8
0
0
Total
38
13
30
43
3-12
1-8
1
1
Fan-favorite [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] is the true backup of the group here.
At nearly 450 pounds, Watson’s conditioning can be an issue at times, but he still overpowers most linemen in front of him when he’s on the field. He’s an asset on the goal line and other short-yardage situations, but he’ll be lucky to see more than 200 snaps this year.
Over 175 snaps in 2023, Watson earned a 64.8 defensive grade from PFF, which breaks down to 65.9 as a run defender and 58.8 as a pass rusher. It’s clear which role Watson thrives in most. Now the coaches have to utilize him accordingly.
Injured: No. 95 Jamari Lyons (R-So.)
Bob Self/Florida Times-Union
Defensive Stats:
Year
GP
SOLO
AST
TOT
TFL
SACKS
FF
FR
2022
3
0
2
2
0-0
0-0
0
0
2023
12
10
10
20
2.5-7
0-0
0
0
Total
15
10
12
22
2.5-7
0-0
0
0
[autotag]Jamari Lyons[/autotag] entered fall camp in line to be a major contributor on Florida’s defensive line, but a broken ankle suffered during the first scrimmage of the season is going to keep him sidelined for the rest of the year.
Lyons played nearly 200 snaps as a redshirt freshman in 2023, earning a 64.9 defensive grade from PFF. He was the unit’s best tackler (81.0) by far, and he was the second-highest graded run defender (71.2) on the roster.
Losing Lyons before the season starts is significant, and the rest of the team knows it. Now it’s about rallying behind their brother and filling a large hole left by the injury.
“We have a number of players who have been through injuries in the past, and I think it’ll be important for those guys to help Jamari because Jamari is one of our best. He really cares,” Napier said. “It was really inspirational, to some degree, because the entire team was on the field, which I’ve never seen in my entire coaching career.”
“A guy gets hurt and everybody knows it’s a pretty good injury, but we’ve got all 132 are on the spot there to support him as he rode off the field.”
There are two first-year players in Florida’s defensive line room, [autotag]Michai Boireau[/autotag] and [autotag]D’Antre Robinson[/autotag].
Robinson was the more highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, earning a fourth star from three of the four major services, but Napier has hinted at Boireau seeing the field first.
Both were mentioned as guys who are competing for time now that Lyons is out of the cards.
JUCO Transfers: No. 33 Brien Taylor Jr. (Jr.) and No. 96 Tarvorise Brown (R-Fr.)
Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun
Florida added some depth to its defensive line room over the offseason by adding a pair of junior college transfers, [autotag]Tarvorise Brown[/autotag] and [autotag]Brien Taylor Jr[/autotag].
Brown has received more hype than Taylor over the offseason, but he’s not expected to see the field a ton in 2024. He made no appearances at Hutchinson College before redshirting and transferring and is an early addition thanks to a reclassification.
The original plan was for him to join the team next year, but Florida was able to get him on campus sooner. Training at an SEC facility for a year should help Brown progress faster in the long term but don’t expect much from him this year.
“He just kind of fell in our lap, to some degree,” Napier said. “We were recruiting him for January and then found out he was a qualifier and then it just ended up working out.
“So far, so good. I think the reps he’s taken, he’s proved to have all the functional movement, the power, the length. I mean, he’s a good athlete. … I think he’ll prove to be a good evaluation.”
Taylor is a bit of a hybrid player who is moving from the F position out on the edge to the interior. He was with the EDGEs in the spring but has since moved rooms to work with defensive line coach Gerald Chatman.
Throughout his two years at Blinn College, Taylor split time between the edge and interior, so this transition shouldn’t be too difficult.
Walk-Ons: No. 61 Nicolas Flynn (R-So.) and No. 92 Sebastian Scott (R-Fr.)
Doug Engle/Ocala Star Banner
Finally, the program has two walk-on players in the position room — redshirt sophomore Nicolas Flunn and redshirt freshman Sebastian Scott.
Flynn is entering his third season at Florida, all of which have come under Billy Napier. He has yet to make his collegiate debut. Flynn prepped at Lake Forest High in Illinois.
Scott joined the team in the summer of 2023 after playing prep ball at Cardinal Newman High in West Palm Beach. He made no appearances in his first year with the Gators.
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Defensive lineman Jamari Lyons went down with a broken ankle during Florida’s scrimmage on Saturday. He’ll miss the 2024 season.
Florida’s defensive line took a significant hit during Saturday’s scrimmage when redshirt sophomore [autotag]Jamari Lyons[/autotag] was carted off the field.
Head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] confirmed reports of the injury during his Monday press conference, adding that Lyons would miss the entirety of the 2024 season.
“We did have one injury of note. Jamari Lyons broke his ankle, and he’ll be out for the season,” Napier said. “Obviously, our thoughts and prayers are with him.
“We have a number of players who have been through injuries in the past, and I think it’ll be important for those guys to help Jamari because Jamari is one of our best. He really cares.”
Lyons lined up for 198 defensive snaps last season and recorded 22 total tackles (10 solo), including 2.5 for a loss. Pro Football Focus gave him a 64.9 grade on defense for the season, but his 81.0 tackling grade was the fourth-highest on the team in 2023.
Everyone on the field figured out quickly that Lyons was dealing with something significant. Season-ending injuries can affect a team in many ways, but Napier believes his players’ reaction to Lyons going says a lot about how they will respond.
“It was really inspirational, to some degree, because the entire team was on the field, which I’ve never seen in my entire coaching career,” he said. “A guy gets hurt and everybody knows it’s a pretty good injury, but we’ve got all 132 are on the spot there to support him as he rode off the field.
“I think that’s an indicator that these guys are doing something right, that there is that type of connection to some degree.”
Replacing Jamari Lyons on the defensive line
Lyons was working behind senior [autotag]Cam Jackson[/autotag] at nose tackle, but he also provided some position flexibility for Florida being able to fit in at end (three technique). Even though he might not have been a starter, Lyons was going to see significant time on the field. Replacing him isn’t so simple.
“The biggest thing was Jamari could play nose and end and I think that’s where we have to shuffle the deck a little bit,” he said. “We can also move Sapp over there. He’s played some end before in the past.”
Florida has 12 defensive linemen on its roster, but the options quickly dwindle to seven names after excluding Jackson, Lyons and the three walk-ons from consideration.
Penn transfer [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag] figures to be the team’s other starting tackle on defense, and [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] should continue his role as a run-stopper. That leaves JUCO transfer [autotag]Brien Taylor Jr[/autotag]., and a pair of true freshmen as the three favorites to take up Lyons’ snaps.
“You’re going to see [autotag]Michai Boireau[/autotag] more, [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag] more and then we’ve got some guys that can develop there. Brien Taylor, D’Antre (Robinson), Tarvorise (Brown). That’s an area where we got some players. There’s some depth there, but I think those roles will be a little bit different and there’ll be some adjustment.”
Collins is listed as an edge defender on Florida’s roster, but he fits into that end spot Napier mentioned putting Lyons in.
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With the 2024 college football season just over a month away, 247Sports has updated its transfer portal rankings one more time.
Bringing in a strong transfer portal haul is necessary for most college football teams these days, and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has the Floride Gators poised to bring in one of the nation’s best transfer classes in 2024.
Three of Florida’s new players made 247Sports’ recent list of the top 50 transfers heading into 2024, but the Gators also lost a considerable amount of talent to the portal.
Former USC Trojan [autotag]Jason Zandamela[/autotag] is the highest-ranked of the trio at No. 7, followed by former Colorado cornerback [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] (No. 21) and former Penn defensive lineman [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag] (No. 49).
Zandamela should compete for a starting spot on Florida’s offensive line, which struggled last year. Kamryn Waites recently moved back to the offensive guards’ room following the addition of Zandamela.
Slackman should also start, while McClain works his way into the cornerbacks rotation. Senior[autotag] Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. and junior [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag] should be the starters with sophomore [autotag]Ja’Keem Jackson[/autotag] also in the mix.
The two ranked players who left the program this offseason are defensive end [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] (Ole Miss, No. 18) and running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] (Georgia, No. 35).
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The Gators’ Ivy League transfer is PFF’s highest-graded player at defensive tackle among returning SEC peers at the position.
Florida football was able to fill some critical voids during the recent NCAA transfer portal period and one of their additions might be one of the best in the Southeastern Conference at his position.
Defensive tackle [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag], a redshirt senior who transferred from the Pennsylvania Quakers this offseason, is poised to make a huge splash with the Gators if Pro Football Focus’ grading system is to be believed.
According to PFF, 6-foot, 3.5-inch, 304-pound trench warrior is the top-graded SEC player among those who took at least 250 snaps at his position last season, with a mark of 90.5 — 9.9 points better than the next player, Kentucky Wildcat Deone Walker.
While an early injury slowed Slackman’s start on the practice field, he was still able to provide a leadership presence on the sidelines during the spring. He will be carrying a big load this fall.
Joey Slackman’s stats and accolades
Slackman has collected a fair amount of accolades during his undergraduate career, earning Second-team AFCA All-America, Third-team Phil Steele All-America, Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, First-team All-Ivy, All-ECAC Defense, Fourth-team Phil Steele FCS Midseason All-America, Second-team CSC Academic All-America, Academic All-Ivy, CSC Academic All-District Team and PhillySIDA Academic All-Area honors in 2023. In 2022, he earned Honorable Mention All-Ivy.
During his senior season, he played in nine games recording 50 total tackles (23 solo, 27 assisted) with 12 tackles for a loss (48 yards) — four of them sacks (30 yards) — along with a pass defended and a blocked kick. Over his three active campaigns at Penn, he totaled 115 tackles (56 solo, 59 assisted) with 25 tackles for a loss (91 yards), 11 of which were sacks (62 yards), plus three passes defended, two forced fumbles and a block over 28 games.
Florida’s 2024 season opener
Florida opens up its 2024 regular-season schedule in the Swamp against the Miami Hurricanes on Aug. 31. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.
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Florida finds itself in the middle of the pack among in-state FBS competition ahead of the 2024 season.
The Sunshine State has long been one of the epicenters of college football but in recent years, the in-state programs have not been quite as impressive as in years past.
Nonetheless, Florida boasts a robust rotation of seven Football Bowl Subdivision schools traditionally headlined by the Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and Miami Hurricanes. However, the collegiate gridiron landscape is in constant flux and this triumvirate of teams does not have the stranglehold it once held over the rest of the state.
The Athletic’s Manny Navarro took a look at the seven Florida FBS programs and ranked them from best to worst ahead of the 2024 campaign. FSU came out on top, while Miami is right on its tail followed by the UCF Knights.
In fourth lands the Gators, who have posted three-straight losing seasons and missed out on a bowl game last winter for the first time since 2017.
“Billy Napier faces an incredibly tough schedule, and his program is reeling after five consecutive losses to end the 2023 campaign,” Navarro notes.
“The Gators lost eight quality players via the portal: running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] (Georgia), left guard [autotag]Richie Leonard IV[/autotag] (Florida State), right guard [autotag]Micah Mazzccua[/autotag] (Nebraska), edge rusher [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] (Ole Miss), outside linebacker [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] (Texas A&M), cornerback [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] (Penn State) and safeties [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (Texas A&M) and [autotag]Miguel Mitchell[/autotag] (Arkansas).
“Florida, though, did add the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in defensive lineman [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag], a quality veteran safety in [autotag]Asa Turner[/autotag] from Washington and beefed up at receiver with Arizona State’s [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag],” he continued.
“Getting back to a bowl game is going to come down to whether or not the offensive and defensive lines have improved. Right now, it’s fair to be skeptical.”
Navarro lists the passing game and experience in the secondary as the Gators’ strengths while pointing to the run defense and the pass rush coaching as their Achilles heels. He also noted four key games on Florida’s schedule: vs Miami, at the Tennessee Volunteers, vs the Georgia Bulldogs, at the Texas Longhorns, at FSU.
Florida’s 2024 season opener
Florida opens up its 2024 regular-season schedule in the Swamp against the Hurricanes on Aug. 31. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.
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The Gators had a solid transfer portal showing this offseason but their conference peers were also very busy.
The NCAA transfer portal has become a significant part of college football roster building over the past few years and this current offseason has been no exception. Ostensibly a de facto free agency system, players are now able to seek greener pastures if they are unhappy with their current environments.
Brandon Marcello of 247Sports recently ranked the Southeastern Conference from top to bottom based on his publication’s data for transfer students, with the Florida Gators landing at No. 10 out of 16 member schools.
The Orange and Blue saw 24 departures worth an 87.81 average player rating while bringing in 15 at an 89.27 average — good enough for a plus-1.46 net gain.
“Things were actually pretty good in the portal for Florida despite all the negativity around the program and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag], and the departures of two starting offensive linemen, elite edge pass rusher [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] (Ole Miss) and running back [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] (Georgia),” Marcello begins.
“Yes, that’s quite the mouthful to swallow, but perhaps the Gators actually improved the roster via the portal this offseason? Six of the 15 additions are blue chips, though USC offensive tackle [autotag]Jason Zandamela[/autotag] is likely a year away from development. Colorado transfer [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] will grab headlines, and if he can come close to the hype out of high school he’ll be worth the risk.”
Marcello is particularly optimistic about what a particular pair of players bring to the team this season.
“The players we love in the haul include Arizona State receiver [autotag]Elijhah Badger[/autotag], who caught 135 passes for more than 1,500 yards over the last two seasons, and Penn defensive lineman [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag], the Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year. Slackman recorded 12 tackles for loss as a tackle last season.”
Florida’s 2024 season opener
Florida opens up its 2024 regular-season schedule in the Swamp against the Miami Hurricanes on Aug. 31. Kickoff time is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ABC Sports.
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Florida’s first addition through the transfer portal is a big one. Former Penn defensive tackle Joey Slackman is headed to the Swamp.
Florida still needs to find a defensive line coach for next year, but that job opening just got a lot more attractive with the addition of former Penn defensive tackle [autotag]Joey Slackman[/autotag].
The 2023 Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year will play his last year of college football in the SEC. Slackman announced his commitment Sunday night, marking Florida’s first addition through the portal this offseason. ESPN ranked him the top defensive tackle in the transfer portal.
Defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong and head coach Billy Napier led this recruitment.
“They did the best job of building that relationship with me and explaining to me how I would fit into their defense and how I can help them not just win on the field with my football play, but as a leader,” Slackman said to ESPN. “I can come in, even though it’s only a year, and really help change the program for the better and set them in the right direction over this next year.”
Slackman hopes to get to the draft next year, and playing in the SEC is the perfect audition for the NFL. Leading a Gators team that needs some direction would be a surefire way to get on the map.
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