Tag: Mohamoud Diabate

This Gator named to Butkus Award preseason watch list

Ventrell Miller has been named to the Butkas Award watch list. The redshirt senior LB is the only Florida Gator on the list.

Florida football redshirt senior linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] has been named to the Butkus Award’s preseason watch list.

The Butkus Award is assigned annually to the nation’s best linebacker. Since its inception in 1985, it has been given to 36 different players, with Oklahoma‘s Brian Bosworth the award’s only multiple-time winner (1985 & 1986).

The watch list includes 51 different players, honoring Dick Butkus’s number during his playing days. Miller is among 12 players from the SEC named to the watch list, the most of any conference in the nation. The only Florida Gator player on the list, Miller is looking to become the first player in Florida football history to win the Butkus award.

The Butkus Award committee will announce its semi-finalists on October 31 with the finalists named on November 21; the winner will be announced on or before December 7. Typically, the award is announced live at the College Football Awards Show in December. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award.

Former Gator and current Utah Ute [autotag]Mohamoud Diabate[/autotag] was also named to the watch list. Diabate transferred to Utah this offseason after [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] replaced [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] as head coach of the Florida Gators. Diabate will return to Gainesville to make his Utah debut on September 3 at 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN as both the Utes and the Gators will open the season on primetime television.

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Here’s where Florida’s incoming transfers stand, per 247Sports

The Top247 transfer rankings have been finalized and there are five incoming Gators on the list.

It’s no secret that Florida has seen a decent amount of movement through the transfer portal this offseason, and there’s reason to be excited about the new names and faces coming to Gainesville next season.

247Sports finalized its Top247 college football transfer portal player rankings, and five incoming Gators made the cut. Offensive guard [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] leads the way at No. 33 overall and is joined by fellow Louisiana-Lafayette offensive line transfer [autotag]Kamryn Waites[/autotag] at No. 41.

Torrence was a three-year starter for the Ragin’ Cajuns and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] decided that his skill set fit the needs of his new team. Playing his final year in the Southeastern Conference should help his draft stock rise, assuming he takes the step forward he’s expected to. Waites only played one year at ULL, but Florida needed offensive linemen and he’s got the size (6-foot-8-inches, 358-pounds) to compete at the highest level in college football.

Next up is former Georgia cornerback [autotag]Jalen Kimber[/autotag] at No. 49 on the list. Kimber was targeted by cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] after playing just three games in two years at UGA due to a shoulder injury that limited him for most of 2021. He likely would have seen plenty of playing time with the Bulldogs this season had he stayed, but now he’ll compete for a starting job at Florida instead.

[autotag]Montrell Jonhson[/autotag], the third Lousiana transfer to make the cut, is ranked No. 70 among transfers and has a shot to be a major contributor in his first season with the Gators. He knows Napier’s playbook and was the Sun Belt Freshman of the Year in 2021 after rushing for 838 yards on 162 attempts (5.17 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns.

Finally, there’s the newest addition to the team, Arizona State transfer [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] at No. 155 on the list. He was one of the best receivers in the Pac-12 last season and gives the Gators some depth at a position where they don’t have much experience from returning players to rely on.

Of course, Florida did lose its share of Top247 talent as well. The Gators lost linebacker [autotag]Mohamoud Diabate[/autotag] (No. 42) to Utah, receiver [autotag]Jacob Copeland[/autotag] (No. 60) to Maryland, linebacker [autotag]Ty’Ron Hopper[/autotag] (No. 86) to Missouri, EDGE [autotag]Khris Bogle[/autotag] (No. 88) to [autotag]Michigan State [/autotag]and tight end [autotag]Kemore Gamble[/autotag] (No. 135) to UCF.

Quarterback [autotag]Jack Miller[/autotag] is the only incoming transfer not ranked by 247Sports. [autotag]Emory Jones[/autotag],[autotag] Carlos Del Rio-Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Gerald Mincey[/autotag] comprise the list of outgoing players that failed to make the Top247.

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Florida’s season opener among ESPN’s most-anticipated games in 2022

Florida has one of the most highly anticipated matchup to start the 2022 campaign.

Florida football is on the cusp of its annual Orange and Blue spring game — despite a two-year hiatus due to COVID — but that does not mean it is too early to look ahead to next fall when the Gators officially return to the gridiron. Among the many in the media scoping out the autumn schedule is ESPN, which recently published a roundtable discussion regarding the most anticipated matchups on the college football schedule in 2022.

ESPN’s Chris Low was most excited about the Florida-Utah game, as it represents a rare opportunity to see a game between the SEC and Pac-12 on one of the schools’ campuses. He also noted the many storylines that accompany the game, including the debut of the Gators’ new head coach.

He offered the following about the logic behind his selection.

Any time the SEC and Pac-12 square off — on somebody’s campus — sign me up. There’s just something about one school and its fans trekking all the way across the country to play another school with a different culture and different group of fans. There are tons of storylines to the Florida-Utah season opener in Gainesville on Sept. 3. For one, it’s [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]’s debut as Florida’s head coach and Gator Nation is hungry to see him get off to a rousing start. The schedule is a daunting one for Napier in his first season. There are trips to Tennessee (Sept. 24), Texas A&M (Nov. 5) and Florida State (Nov. 25), not to mention the annual clash with Georgia in Jacksonville (Oct. 29). So if the Gators are going to win 10 or more games in 2022, they need to take care of business in the opener. For a Utah team ranked in the top 10 of some early season polls, it’s a chance to beat an SEC foe on the road, which would bolster the Utes’ College Football Playoff résumé if they can repeat as Pac-12 champions. Moreover, former Florida linebacker [autotag]Mohamoud Diabate[/autotag], second on the team in tackles a year ago, transferred to Utah and will be going up against his old teammates.

It should be a fun one for the Gator Nation when Napier’s squad opens up the 2022 schedule early next September. Meanwhile, there is a lot that can still happen between the outcome of the spring game as well as the team’s efforts in the transfer portal.

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Florida loses one of its top tacklers to the transfer portal

Florida is losing one of its defensive leaders to the team it starts next season off against.

Linebacker Mohamoud Diabate has committed to the Utah Utes after spending just under a month in the transfer portal, according to a post he made on social media Tuesday night.

“I’m incredibly thankful for the past 3 years here at the University of Florida,” Diabate wrote in a tweet prior to his announcement. “Thank you to all who invested their time into me during my time. I appreciate all the fans of Gator Nation and the support throughout my time here in Gainesville, I will always be a Gator.”

Diabate was the last Gator left in the portal with Emory Jones not having entered yet despite announcing his intention to. Defensive linemen Lloyd Summerall III and Dante Zanders just recently withdrew their names from the portal, so there was some hope that Diabate would stay as well.

A Rhodes Scholar candidate, Diabate likely thought long and hard about his decision. He started the majority of Florida’s games as a junior after senior Ventrell Miller went down, and finished the year second on the team in tackles. Miller is returning and expected to be the starter this year, though. That may have played a role in Diabate’s decision.

Four Gators have now committed to other programs following Dan Mullen’s firing. Defensive end Khris Bogle is now a Michigan State Spartan, Gerald Mincey is with Tennessee and Jacob Copeland committed to Maryland earlier this month.

Diabate finishes his time at Florida with 176 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception.

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ESPN names two Gators as ‘best available’ in transfer portal

Emory Jones and Mohamoud Diabate are two of the biggest names left in the transfer portal.

The one-time exception rule has changed the way college athletes use the transfer portal, and it’s created a free agency of sorts in the sport. Naturally, the worldwide leader in sports is tracking where every high-profile player that enters the portal winds up and who is the best left on the market after big names find new homes.

ESPN had two Gators listed as the best available at their position on Monday, quarterback Emory Jones and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate. Jones hasn’t technically entered the portal yet and is mulling over his future. Only Texas‘ Casey Thompson remains ahead of Jones on ESPN’s list if he does decide to enter the portal.

It’s not entirely his fault, but Jones’ first season as a starter at Florida was a complete disaster. Dan Mullen left the program without developing the headliner of his first recruiting class, and Jones now needs to find a new quarterback guru to get him NFL-ready.

Jones wants to go to a school where he can be developed, but given all the quarterbacks ahead of him in the portal he will have to be open to going anywhere — including A Group of 5 situation.

If Jones does end up leaving, Florida has already landed former Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller III. Anthony Richardson is the expected starter, but Miller will be able to compete with a very young quarterback room.

The Gators have a new head coach in Billy Napier as well, and Napier will have Anthony Richardson on the roster, as well as former ESPN 300 quarterback Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Jalen Kitna, who both signed in 2021. Everyone will have a fresh start with the new staff, but Miller has a lot of competition to earn the starting spot.

Diabate is at the top of the list when it comes to available linebackers. After Ventrell Miller went down, he stepped into a bigger role and finished the season leading the team in tackles. The folks at ESPN aren’t exactly sure where he might end up, but there should be plenty of interest for him.

Diabate is from Auburn, Alabama, so he could go home and play for Auburn if there’s interest. Florida State showed interest during his recruitment, as well as Georgia Tech, South Carolina and Ole Miss. He just recently entered the portal, so some concrete schools will surface soon.

Miller is returning next year after sitting out the bulk of this year, but it wouldn’t be crazy to see Diabate join him. Lloyd Summerall III and Dante Zanders just withdrew their names from the transfer portal, and Diabate did enter with the intention of keeping all options open. With no solid leads, Florida could get one of its top linebackers back.

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Here are all of the Gators who have entered the transfer portal

The one-time exemption rule has made the transfer portal college football’s free agency, and Florida is losing players left and right.

Florida lost several commits after the hire of Billy Napier, and a number of Gators have entered the transfer portal following the coaching change.

Players now have the luxury of a one-time transfer exemption, giving them the option to move on to a new program without any delay in eligibility. A coaching change can provoke players to transfer, and Florida is losing some of its top producers just as Napier gets settled in Gainesville.

Entering the portal isn’t a guaranteed departure from the team, though. Many players do so to keep their options open when the situation becomes uncertain. Napier could wind up wooing some of these guys back after meeting with them.

Here’s a look at every Gator that’s entered the transfer portal since Napier was hired on November 28.

Florida football loses its top tackler to the transfer portal

Here’s the latest name in the outgoing transfer portal.

Florida football lost another player to the transfer portal on Friday afternoon when junior linebacker Mohamoud Diabate announced his intent to exit the program. The news was first reported by Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports on Twitter and marks the sixth Gator to enter the portal since the end of the regular season.

Diabate played in all 12 games for Florida this year, starting 10 at the linebacker position, while leading the team with 89 total tackles. While he did not register any sacks in 2021, he did manage 2.5 tackles for losses, snagging a half tackle against the Alabama Crimson Tide while notching one in each of the final two games against the Missouri Tigers and Florida State Seminoles; he also tallied four quarterback hurries.

 

The 6-foot-3-inch, 227-pound linebacker joins wide receiver Jacob Copeland, edge rusher Khris Bogle, offensive lineman Gerald Mincey and defensive lineman Dante Zanders on the list of now-former Gators in the transfer portal. The changing of the guards on the sidelines made many of these decisions inevitable, but it is still a tough pill to swallow for UF fans to lose their team’s top tackler.

It is also worth noting that Diabate holds a 3.9 GPA and is a Rhodes Scholar candidate, making the loss a bit more disappointing to lose such a bright young man from the program.

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Linebacker update on Florida depth chart ahead of Tennessee

This week’s depth chart reflects the loss of Ventrell Miller with some updates at the linebacker position

After losing starting linebacker Ventrell Miller for the year, Florida has a new No. 1 at the position on its pregame depth chart for Tennessee.

Mohamoud Diabate, who was already getting decent playing time, is now listed as the Gators’ starter and Ty’Ron Hopper is now the listed backup for both linebacker spots. Jeremiah Moon and Amari Burney are the other two main linebackers in the rotation.

Other than Miller’s removal, the depth chart looks mostly the same as it has all year.

Quarterback Anthony Richardson was cleared by Gators staff last week to play, but coach Dan Mullen decided to keep him as a true backup and protect his hamstring. Although he was listed on the depth chart last week, Richardson looks far more likely to play this week.

Avery Helm still has the starting cornerback job opposite Kaiir Elam, but Jason Marshall Jr. is improving and beginning to see more playing time.

Kicker Chris Howard missed a point after last week that ended up being the difference between overtime and a loss to Alabama for Florida. Jace Christmann has been an “OR” option to Howard on the depth chart all season, and that remains unchanged even after the crucial miss.

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Florida’s student-athletes have plenty of NIL opportunities

Official jerseys were once just a pipe dream. Florida took a major step into making it a reality on Thursday.

Student-athletes can profit off their name image and likeness without penalty for the first time this year, and Florida is looking to capitalize. The Gators partnered with The Brandr Group on Thursday to establish group licensing for student-athletes across all 21 sports.

The partnership means that players can use the school logo in their personal endorsement deals. Three or more athletes from a team or six or more athletes from multiple sports can join the program and TBG will facilitate the licensing.

“The Florida Gators have one of the strongest brands in all of college athletics, and this agreement with The Brandr Group provides great value to our student-athletes in expanding their NIL opportunities,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “This is a win for Florida student-athletes and Gators fans, who will be able to represent their favorite players like never before.”

The big news here for Gators fans is that the door is now open to merchandise with players’ names and numbers. Fans have long desired official team jerseys but only now has that dream become a reality.

Florida fans will have more to look forward to with the launch of the Gator Collective, a fan platform founded by former Gators pitcher Eddie Rojas. The Gator Collective offers fans access to players through interviews and video conferences, and there are plans for raffles and giveaways.

Rojas lived the struggle of a student-athlete and wanted to give back to his school after hearing about the NIL changes.

Five Gators have signed with the Gator Collective: linebacker Mohamoud Diabate, linebacker Diwun Black, defensive end Zachary Carter, offensive lineman Gerald Mincey and tight end Keon Zipperer. While all are on the football team, the goal is to branch out to other sports. The group licensing agreement extending across all sports should help with that.

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These two Florida players made The Athletic’s 2021 ‘Freak List’

Florida running back Dameon Pierce and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate made The Athletic’s “Freak List”.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has highlighted some of the biggest freaks in college football since the early 2000s. Monday he dropped his “Freak List” for 2021 that includes 101 players rather than 50. Two Florida players made the cut this year: running back Dameon Pierce and linebacker Mohamoud Diabate.

Pierce entered Feldman’s list at No. 21. Here’s what Feldman wrote about him.

He led the Gators in rushing with 503 yards last season and also caught 17 passes for 156 yards. The 5-10, 215-pound senior might have the strongest lower body of any running back in college football. Pierce squats 705 pounds and vertical jumps 37 inches. He’s clocked a 4.50 40 and has just 6 percent body fat. In addition, he benches 390 pounds.

The senior running back has been known at Florida for his ability to run through defenders and break lots of tackles. He didn’t have the opportunity last year to display his skill set last season due to the Gators’ excellent aerial attack. He may not lead the team in rushing yards at the end of the year due to how deep Florida’s running back room is but expect him to get a good amount of carries.

NEXT: How Diabate stacks up

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