Michael Tarquin – Page 4 – Syndication Server

Florida hosting this Miami OL on official visit after landing in top 4

After losing most of its 2022 starting offensive line, Florida is looking to replenish the trenches through the transfer portal.

With the recruiting dead period for high school seniors in place until Jan. 13, Florida is taking advantage of the Jan. 4-8 window that transfer players are allowed to make official visits. On Thursday, Miami offensive lineman [autotag]John Campbell[/autotag] will be on campus for an official visit with the Gators, according to 247Sports.

The visit is planned through Friday, but this won’t be Campbell’s first chance to check out the Swamp. He made several trips to UF during his high school recruitment but never made it to Gainesville for an official visit before committing to Miami. He played in 34 games for the Hurricanes in total, including 18 starts.

On Tuesday, Campbell released a top four of Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and USC. He’s already taken an official visit to FSU and Florida is next on the itinerary.

🦍💫 pic.twitter.com/dKyr5EsBXA

— John Campbell #LLL (@_jcamp74) January 4, 2023

With both of Florida’s starting tackles in 2022 moving on from the program, Campbell could find himself starting at left tackle for Florida if he transfers. [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] is off to the NFL and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] is in the transfer portal, leaving [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] as the lone experienced option on the team.

The Gators have already brought in a handful of transfers and expect to stay busy through the cycle. So far, Florida has added Wisconsin quarterback [autotag]Graham Mertz[/autotag], Ohio State linebacker [autotag]Teradja Mitchell[/autotag], Memphis defensive lineman [autotag]CamRon Jackson[/autotag] and Louisville defensive lineman [autotag]Caleb Banks[/autotag].

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Former Gators OT Michael Tarquin commits to USC

Another Gator has found a new home through the transfer portal. Offensive tackle Michael Tarquin is headed to Southern California.

Former Florida offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] is headed to the West Coast, according to a social media post he sent out on Friday.

Tarquin announced his plans to enter the transfer portal on Dec. 22 and has found a home just over a week later with the USC Trojans. He started the season as Florida’s first-string right tackle and ended up serving in that role for seven of his eight appearances with Florida this year. An injury forced him to sit for four games early in the season, earning [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] some significant playing time.

Pro Football Focus gave Tarquin a season pass-blocking grade of 76.4, with his strongest performance (81.6) coming against Texas A&M in Week 10. He struggled against South Carolina (56.8), but made up for it with one of his best run-blocking games of the season (73.6). He committed just four penalties during the season and allowed just six hurries on the quarterback while not allowing a single sack.

I greatly appreciate every coach that has given me another opportunity to play football at their respective school. This being said, I am very excited to announce that I will be furthering my career at The University Of Southern California. Cannot wait to get to work! Fight on! pic.twitter.com/PCJT1Crc4r

— Michael Tarquin (@Mike_Tarquin70) December 30, 2022

USC’s gain here is a major loss for Florida. The Gators are down four starting offensive linemen this offseason and need to replace what was considered the best line in the SEC this year. Tarquin was the expected starting right tackle in 2023, but now he’ll likely take over that spot for the Trojans.

There’s a chance that he shifts over to left tackle, having played some of the position during his time in Gainesville. Tarquin received a four-star grade from 247Sports as a transfer prospect and has two years of eligibility remaining.

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Another Florida offensive lineman will enter the transfer portal

Florida is now losing four of its five starting linemen to the NFL draft or transfer portal.

On Saturday, Florida left guard [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag] announced his intention to enter the transfer portal, meaning the Gators will return just one starter to the offensive line next season.

White’s announcement comes just a day after right tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] moved on from the program, and only center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] will return in 2023. White started all 13 games this season for Florida and was a major part of the team’s elite offensive line. He was expected to start again next year after an All-SEC year in 2022.

“I want to thank Coach Mullen and Coach Hevesy for giving me the opportunity to represent my home state and The University of Florida for 4 years, as well as Coach Napier and his staff for continuing my development over the past year,” White wrote in a Twitter post. “I will be entering the transfer portal.”

I want to thank Coach Mullen and Coach Hevesy for giving me the opportunity to represent my home state and The University of Florida for 4 years, as well as Coach Napier and his staff for continuing my development over the past year. I will be entering the transfer portal.

— Ethan White (@ethanwhite79) December 24, 2022

White joined the team in 2019 as a three-star recruit and saw early action, playing in six games his freshman year. An injury ended his 2020 season early and once again battled health issues in 2021 but started seven of the eight games he appeared in. 2022 was his first full season and he shined.

Replacing White won’t be easy. The Gators have four offensive linemen joining the program this year: [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag], [autotag]Bryce Lovett[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Livingston[/autotag] (a class of 2022 commit who gray-shirted and signed in December).

Of course, none of those players have taken a college snap yet, so Billy Napier might need to dip into the transfer portal himself to restock the line.

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Florida OT Michael Tarquin entering transfer portal

Another Gator has hit the transfer portal, and now Florida might have some serious depth issues on the offensive line.

The Florida Gators will need to add some more depth to the offensive line after losing another player to the transfer portal. Offensive tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] announced his decision to enter the portal on Thursday despite being a contender for a starting spot next season.

Tarquin began the year as the Gators’ starting right tackle but suffered an injury against Kentucky in Week 2 that kept him out for four games. Austin Barber emerged as an effective replacement, but Tarquin ended up playing in Florida’s final six games at his usual spot once healthy.

Some have called this the first true surprise of the transfer cycle for Florida. Tarquin was a presumed starter for next year’s club with left tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] headed to the pros. Even if the staff favors Barber, shifting him over to the left side would allow Florida to play two experienced tackles on the offensive line. Now, [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has to do some portal work of his own to replace three-fifths of the starting unit ([autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] is headed to the NFL as well).

pic.twitter.com/c7E7cHZv2p

— Michael Tarquin (@Mike_Tarquin70) December 23, 2022

Napier said that the team was looking to add more players through the transfer portal during his early signing day press conference, and the Gators have been linked to Rhode Island transfer tackle [autotag]Ajani Cornelius[/autotag].

In-house options to take over Tarquin’s spot include Louisiana transfer [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag], freshman [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and incoming freshmen [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag], [autotag]Roderick Kearney[/autotag] and [autotag]Tony Livingston[/autotag].

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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.

#Gators depth chart for the Las Vegas Bowl vs. Oregon State pic.twitter.com/PltcIFsftl

— Graham Hall (@GrahamHall_) December 15, 2022

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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This Gator was named to College Football News’ Freshman All-American First Team

Florida saw a few freshmen break out in 2022, but you might be surprised by which Gator made College Football News’ Freshman All-American First Team.

When talking about Florida’s standout freshmen in 2022, names like [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag] and [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] quickly come to mind, but it’s offensive tackle [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] who made College Football News’ Freshman All-American First Team on Tuesday.

Etienne and James received honorable mentions, but it’s Barber who has cemented himself as one of the top young offensive linemen in the country. He started the season as Florida’s sixth offensive lineman but quickly stepped into a starting role once right tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] went down. Barber ended up starting five games for UF and playing over 600 snaps this season.

Pro Football Focus gave Barber an offensive grade of 80.7, which is good for 12th best among players that aren’t draft eligible this year. The numbers say he’s a better run blocker (80.3) than a pass blocker (75.9), but he’s got at least another year to get even better. Florida’s offensive line allowed just 15 sacks this season, which is good for the second-best number in the SEC and a share of the No. 15 spot nationally.

Etienne’s honorable mention status might surprise some Gators fans, but splitting carries with [autotag]Montrell Johnson J[/autotag]r. (and [autotag]Nay’Quan Wrigh[/autotag]t early in the year) ate into his production. He finished the year with 705 yards and six touchdowns on 110 carries.

James played in all 12 games for the Gators and started three of those en route to a 40-tackle season that ranked second among SEC true freshmen. He should be a starter for the Gators next season with the departure of [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag].

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Florida G O’Cyrus Torrence listed on injury report ahead of LSU game

Florida might be without its best offensive lineman on Saturday. Here’s what Billy Napier had to say about O’Cyrus Torrence being listed as questionable:

Offensive guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] is questionable for Florida’s upcoming game against the LSU Tigers, according to the Gators’ Week 7 depth chart.

Losing Torrence for any length of time would impact Florida’s offense significantly. Pro Football Focus ranks him as the No. 1 guard in all of college football and he’s anchored the right side of Florida’s line for all six games this year. Florida’s running game might not see the same success if he can’t go on Saturday.

Head coach Billy Napier fielded questions from the media during his weekly availability Wednesday night and was optimistic that Torrence would play despite his inclusion on the injury report.

“I think we’ll be okay,” Napier said when asked about Torrence’s injury. “We’re just telling you the truth. He’s a guy who hasn’t participated 100% in practice, and we’ll make some decisions over the next couple days.”

#Gators depth chart vs. #LSU.

O’Cyrus Torrence listed as questionable for the first time this season. pic.twitter.com/prTya75OqY

— Graham Hall (@GrahamHall_) October 12, 2022

If Torrence can’t go, Florida will go with [autotag]Richie Leonard IV[/autotag] at right guard and have Jalen Farmer as a backup. UF listed Leonard as the backup left guard last week, so Torrence is clearly banged up enough for the team to make some changes to the rotation in case they are actually without him,

The good news in the trenches is that [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] is off the injury report and listed as “OR” option at right tackle with [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag], who has earned a shot to keep the starting job over the last few weeks. PFF says Barber is a top-20 tackle in the Power Five right now, but Tarquin has the better pass-blocking grade.

Torrence could end up being a game-time decision on Saturday, but he’s not the kind of player to take a game off unless he’s forced to. He’s playing himself into a first-round grade, so staying healthy is important.

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Billy Napier makes big changes to Florida’s depth chart ahead of Week 5

Trey Dean won’t play against Eastern Washington after popping up on the Gators’ injury report this week. Here’s who will start in his place.

The Florida Gators will be without safety [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag] this week, according to the Week 5 depth chart put out by the team Wednesday evening.

Dean is listed on the injury report as “out” with a lower-body injury, and freshman [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] is in his place with [autotag]Donovan McMillon[/autotag] listed as the “OR” option. Both are expected to play against Eastern Washington, and that’s far from the only change on the depth chart.

[autotag]Justus Boone[/autotag] is listed ahead of [autotag]Princely Umanmielen[/autotag] at the defensive end spot alongside [autotag]Gervon Dexter Sr[/autotag]., and cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] is in the starting spot opposite of [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. The defense will certainly look different on Sunday, and the shakeup couldn’t come at a better time.

Safety Trey Dean listed as OUT with a lower body injury on this week’s depth chart and injury report. #Gators pic.twitter.com/q4WAXARe8V

— Brandon Carroll (@itsbcarroll) September 28, 2022

Many fans were critical of Dean’s performance against Tennessee. He blew a few coverages that proved costly, but the truth is that the Volunteers carved up the defense in its entirety.

The front seven already has seen some movement with [autotag]Desmond Watson[/autotag] moving ahead of [autotag]Jalen Lee[/autotag] on the depth chart, and [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] is now firmly back in the starting 11 after dealing with his own lower-body injury over the past few weeks.

[autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag], [autotag]Marco Ortiz[/autotag] and [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] remain on the injury report, but Miller is now listed as “questionable,” which means he should return in the next few weeks. Offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] are no longer on listed on the injury report, but they aren’t on the two-deep either.

Keep in mind that Florida’s opponent this week is an FCS school. If there’s a week to rest some guys, this is it. Expect Napier to try to get some game action out of his reserves if the Gators can run the score up early.

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Big changes made to Florida’s depth chart ahead of Week 3 meeting with USF

The Gators will be down two key starters in Week 3 against the USF Bulls, according to the newest depth chart. Here’s who is replacing them.

Florida’s Week 3 depth chart confirmed what many fans had feared since the conclusion of the Kentucky game last weekend: starting linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and starting right tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] are out with lower body injuries and no public timetable for a return.

Billy Napier left things at “they won’t play this week” when asked about the severity of the injuries, but he did name their replacements on the weekly depth chart that is provided each Wednesday night before a game.

Redshirt freshman [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag] is taking over for Tarquin on the right side of the line with [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag] serving as his backup. Waites was previously starting left tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraigae[/autotag]’s backup, but Josh Braun has moved into that role for now.

Braun is best served as a backup guard, but Napier decided that he’s the best option to come in at left tackle with Barber now in a starting role. The new addition to the offensive line rotation is freshman [autotag]Jalen Farmer[/autotag] at right guard.

For Miller, Jeremiah [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] is his listed backup, and the expectation is to see true freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] get some more snaps as well.

As far as the other injured players go, the same five from last week are still listed with just one exception. Cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] has been upgraded from “Out” to “Questionable,” which is an encouraging sign for a player that missed all of last year following ACL surgery. Hill could be back in the next few weeks, which would give the Gators another weapon in the secondary to work with.

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Two Gators dealing with injuries following Week 2 loss vs Kentucky

Florida is in danger of losing two key starters after the injury bug reared its ugly head in Week 2.

Two Gators left Saturday’s contest against the Kentucky Wildcats early due to injury. Starting right tackle [autotag]Michael Tarquin[/autotag] departed during the second quarter due to a lower leg injury, and sixth-year linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] returned to the locker room in the second half with the same diagnosis.

Following the game, Billy Napier didn’t have much information to give on the two.

“Ventrell’s a little bit banged up,” Napier said. “We’ll have an update for you next week,” Billy Napier said after the game. “Obviously, two injuries in the game with Ventrell and Mike Tarquin. Both are lower leg injuries, and we’ll give you that information later next week.”

The Gators lost Miller last year after Week 2 to a torn bicep. He didn’t play for the rest of the season, which caused [autotag]Mohamoud Diabate[/autotag] to shift into the starting position. Diabate is in Utah now and it would be either true freshman [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag] or [autotag]Scooby Williams[/autotag] to step up at linebacker if Miller is out for a while.

Tarquin’s backup is [autotag]Austin Barber[/autotag], who is a fine replacement for the first-year starter. The problem is Florida only has so many offensive linemen it trusts, and adding Barber to the starting group means less depth behind him. Kamryn Waites would be the next tackle up, and then the options get pretty slim.

Hopefully, Miller and Tarquin aren’t out for too long, and Florida doesn’t have to worry about it for too long. But Miller’s injury history is concerning and Napier’s non-update isn’t very reassuring.

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