Tag: orange and blue game

How to watch Florida’s Orange and Blue spring game

Wanna watch the Orange and Blue game tonight? Here is how to follow the action.

For the first time in three years, Florida football will be playing in its once-annual Orange and Blue spring game on Thursday, marking the first time the fans will get a peek at the new program under nascent head coach Billy Napier. Originally scheduled for Saturday, the intrasquad scrimmage was pushed forward a couple of days to accommodate visiting prep recruits.

The downside of that move is that it will be more difficult for students and out-of-towners to attend the event. Fortunately, the action will be broadcast for the general public to watch — but if you happen to be in Gainesville and can make it to the Swamp, admission is free. Gators Fan Fest begins at 4:30 p.m. EDT and Gator Walk will take place at 5 p.m. EDT, while the gates open at 6 p.m. EDT and the game is slated to start at 7:30 p.m. EDT.

The Gators plan some giveaways during the game for the fans, with prizes ranging from a throwback football helmet to a 2022 Genuine Buddy 50 Scooter. In case you are stuck at home on Thursday night, take a look below at how to follow Florida’s Orange and Blue game.

BROADCAST SEC Network+
ESPN+
RADIO Gator Sports Network
LIVE STATS Live Stats
REPLAY April 15 at 4:30 a.m. on SEC Network
April 15 at 11 a.m. on SEC Network

[mm-video type=video id=01g0dhaw3ehvs2ycfr9w playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0dhaw3ehvs2ycfr9w/01g0dhaw3ehvs2ycfr9w-5d6b990b2197f47ce6bbee07d49dd36f.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=81675,81637,81268,81262,80163]

[listicle id=81564]

[listicle id=81628]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida announces rosters for Orange and Blue game

Who are Gators fans cheering for Team Orange or Team Blue? Florida’s spring game is this Thursday night.

Florida’s first football game under new head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] is finally here. The Orange and Blue Game is Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. EDT and can be seen on SEC Network+. Ahead of the game, the Gators unveiled their rosters for the spring game on Wednesday.

The rosters consist of 52 and 48 players, respectively, even though outside linebacker [autotag]Chief Borders[/autotag], running back [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Jordan Young[/autotag] are expected to play for both teams. Napier and Florida also divided up its on-the-field coaching staff and off-the-field analysts and staffers. Women’s basketball coach [autotag]Kelly Rae Finley[/autotag] and men’s basketball coach [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag] will serve as the honorary captains for the Orange and Blue teams.

Napier has elected to put the first-team offense and defense on opposite teams. The first-team defense will be on Orange while the first-team offense will be on Blue. Orange’s defense will be highlighted by safety [autotag]Trey Dean[/autotag], defensive tackle [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] and linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag]. Blue’s offense will be led by quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], wide receiver [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] and offensive linemen [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag].

It’s an exciting time for Florida fans because it’s their first chance to see Napier in charge and the program’s first spring football game in three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Here is a look at the rosters for both teams:

[mm-video type=video id=01g0dhaw3ehvs2ycfr9w playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g0dhaw3ehvs2ycfr9w/01g0dhaw3ehvs2ycfr9w-5d6b990b2197f47ce6bbee07d49dd36f.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=81650,81645,81641,81637,81584]

[listicle id=81564]

[listicle id=81628]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

5 things to relax about when it comes to Florida’s spring game

Pat Dooley takes a look at five aspects of the Gators’ Orange and Blue spring game that aren’t really important to the big picture.

It has been three years since Florida has played a spring game and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has assured us that this is going to be played like a real game.

Which means some of it will not be pretty.

And it won’t take long for the overreactions to begin.

Some things you see will never translate to Florida’s rugged 2022 schedule. Some of them will.

And it’s not like Napier and his staff will go off to an exclusive resort beach, put their feet up and sip frothy beers for the next month.

In fact, the next month is going to be critical for the 2022 football team because of the transfer portal.

In a perfect world, Napier will see all of the players he doesn’t think can contribute transfer out and players that can play transfer in.

But that’s for then and this is for now as the Gators get ready for their Orange and Blue debut.

Here are five things you shouldn’t worry too much about in the spring game.

5 reasons why you should care about Florida’s Orange and Blue game

Here’s why you should care about the Orange and Blue game, in case you were looking for reasons.

In some ways, when Florida takes the field for its annual spring game on Thursday this one will feel like one of the most important in a long time for the Gators.

Which says something about spring games, but that’s another story.

Florida fans with a little bit of history remember the one in Jacksonville in 1990 that paved the way for [autotag]Shane Matthews[/autotag] to be Steve Spurrier’s first starter.

That was a big one. [autotag]Tim Tebow[/autotag]’s first spring game as a starter in 2007 resulted in a huge crowd (47,500 estimated) and we saw a glimpse (three TD passes) of a Heisman season to come.

This one feels different than most spring games because it is different. In the first place, Florida fans have been deprived of spring games for the last two years because of the pandemic.

In the second place, it’s a Thursday night, a move made by [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] to hopefully enhance recruiting.

And thirdly, this is our first look at Billy Ball.

So, it does feel important. Just don’t get carried away. Here are five things that really matter about this spring game.

This top-100 DL will be in attendance for Florida’s Orange and Blue Game

Four-star defensive lineman Will Norman has set reservations to visit Florida’s Orange and Blue Game later this month.

Florida, head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] received massive news on Tuesday when four-star defensive lineman [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag] tweeted that he’ll visit them again for the Orange and Blue Game. The IMG prospect is ranked as the 86th-best prospect nationally and the 12th-best player at his position.

The Gators made major head way in Norman’s recruitment after a strong visit back on Jan. 29. They recently made his top seven that he released on March 29.

“My visit to Florida really changed things for me,” Norman said, according to On3. “It was really a fast start with the relationships. Their coaches are off to a great start with me. Florida made me feel like one of their athletes and they definitely moved up into my top five. They are one of my top schools. I will be back there.”

It’s great for Napier and his staff that Norman stuck to his word and will return for the spring game even though it’s going to be held on a Thursday compared to a Saturday.

Norman said he wants to find a place where he feels comfortable and Florida checks off that box because of Spencer, off-the-field analyst [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] and others. He likes how they are genuine with him.

He plans to visit Texas A&M this weekend and has made trips to Florida State, Auburn and Penn State so far this year. Norman has not revealed when he would like to make a decision but wants to take official visits to each one of his top five schools.

[mm-video type=video id=01fzxvey69v0kkv5sy74 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fzxvey69v0kkv5sy74/01fzxvey69v0kkv5sy74-8371b93d98d976c05215867d90cdb544.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=81258,81188,81178,81171,81151]

[listicle id=81207]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Orange and Blue spring game pushed up a couple of days

Florida and head coach Billy Napier moved its Orange and Blue game from a traditional Saturday to Thursday.

Florida’s first Orange and Blue Spring game under new head coach Billy Napier has been bumped up to April 14 from the 16. It was originally scheduled to be held on Saturday that week at 1 p.m. Instead, it’ll happen on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. EDT and can be seen on SEC Network+.

Napier told the media on Thursday that he wanted to increase the engagement from the student body, holding it a few days before they go on Easter break but mentioned he did it for recruiting, too.

“We’re going to have some of the best recruits in the entire country here to show them what the University of Florida and Gator Nation is all about,” he said.

It’s a smart and bold move from Napier. It makes sense to move the game to Thursday, so Florida and Napier don’t have to fight with other schools like Alabama and Georgia to host other top recruits that weekend.

However, it’s interesting because most Gators fans have to travel from out of town to go to games, and it’ll also be difficult for fans and prospects’ parents with full-time jobs to make the trip and back on a weekday.

So Napier is essentially counting on students to show up to create an electric environment that impresses the recruits in attendance.

[mm-video type=video id=01fy2maxxejtdhy84b8m playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fy2maxxejtdhy84b8m/01fy2maxxejtdhy84b8m-ced41a36da61f99e8d57e8619e926e7f.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=80141,80129,80122,80119,80117]

[listicle id=79715]

[listicle id=79499]

[listicle id=79407]

[listicle id=79389]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida football releases spring practice schedule

Here’s a look at Florida football’s grueling 2023 spring practice scehdule.

Florida football will host its first spring game in three years due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. The Gators will kick off spring practice on March 15 and conclude spring ball on April 16.

Spring camp can be conducted over a 34-day period with 20 hours per week of unrestricted activities, according to NCAA guidelines. Players must receive one day off per week. Florida will host 15 practices, and 12 of them can be in full pads.

Coach Billy Napier‘s team will practice every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday during the period with scrimmages on March 31 and April 9 and the final one being the Orange and Blue game.

Practices will be closed to the public, but there will be an open portion open to the media where they can view approximately the first 15 minutes of practice.

The spring game on April 16 will be Gators fans’ first glimpse at what the team looks like under Napier.

[lawrence-related id=78339,78312,78311,78306,78226]

[listicle id=63502]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida football announces date for 2022 spring game

The Gators will play their first spring game in three years this April.

The Orange and Blue Game is officially back in 2022.

On Monday, head coach Billy Napier announced that Florida will play its spring game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, April 16 at 1 p.m. EDT. Broadcast and streaming information will be announced at a later time.

This will be the Gators’ first Orange and Blue Game in three years, as the entirety of spring practice was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. In 2021, the team held spring practice but coach Dan Mullen held the final scrimmage behind closed doors instead of in front of fans.

This year, fans will get the opportunity to see the new-look team under Napier first-hand, and we will get a glimpse at the ongoing quarterback battle between returning players Emory Jones and Anthony Richardson, as well as Ohio State transfer Jack Miller.

We’ll keep you posted on all the updates as more information about spring practice and the final exhibition is released.

[lawrence-related id=69218,69198,69196,69184,69180]

[listicle id=69209]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.