Tag: Richard Gouraige

Here are 8 Gators named to East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 watch list

East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 watch list includes these eight Gators.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is a college football tradition that stretches back nearly a full century to 1925 and is the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation. The annual event provides a venue for the top college players to show off their talents in front of NFL scouts as well as a national audience of fans, while also promoting the Shriners Children’s organization and its mission to provide excellent specialty care for children

Recently, the organization released its watch list for 1,000 of the top players on the collegiate gridiron, which included eight Florida Gators. Those named include outside linebacker [autotag]Brenton Cox Jr[/autotag]., safety [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag], offensive tackle [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag], inside linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag], wide receivers [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] and [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag], as well as offensive guards [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] and [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag].

The Southeastern Conference was represented by 141 players on the list, with the LSU Tigers landing the most with 18 bayou boys named, while the Tennessee Volunteers and South Carolina Gamecocks both had 14 and  Alabama Crimson Tide notched 12. Florida’s biggest rival, the Georgia Bulldogs, only had nine names mentioned.

The 98th East-West Shrine Bowl is scheduled to take place on February 2, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8k8mrz0j6wgrez2cj playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8k8mrz0j6wgrez2cj/01g8k8mrz0j6wgrez2cj-ab08eaf9f932bbd9e2984fc24fb4c446.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=87997,87970,87972,87960,87934]

[listicle id=87902]

[listicle id=87738]

[vertical-gallery id=87904]

Billy Napier shows personal side at SEC media days press conference

Here’s a bit on the personal side of what Billy Napier shared with the press on Florida’s SEC media day.

Billy Napier was busy on Wednesday in Atlanta. The former Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns coach made his SEC media days debut as head of the Florida Gators football program. While the annual summer event is often lively depending on who is at the podium, it was all business for the latest skipper on UF’s coaching carousel. Here are three things we learned from Napier’s time in the Big Peach.

First off, the new head coach emphasized the importance of a good culture. When talking about [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag], and [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] (the three players who accompanied Napier to media days) he said the following.

“These players represent our values. They have integrity. They’re great teammates. They have discipline in their approach. They give great effort. They’re tough. They believe. I think that comes from great preparation.

They not only contribute on the field, but they’ve done a great job off the field, as well.”

It’s clear that Napier’s primary objective isn’t in the Xs and Os (although that’s important too) but rather to create an environment that can be self-sustainable and team-oriented.

It is also of significant note that Napier has the support of the higher-ups. A program can only reach the levels the Florida fanbase expects the Gators to reach when there is synergy from top to bottom. Napier famously turned down multiple SEC head coaching jobs because of a lack of institutional structure (a rumored seven of the SEC’s 14 jobs).

The evidence is also in the massive investment made in the off-field section of the program. While in the works before Napier’s arrival in Gainesville, the new football complex shows the eagerness of the Florida higher-ups to do what it takes to win championships in the current college football landscape. Napier said it himself.

“I have been impressed with the leadership at Florida in terms of their awareness, what it’s required to be competitive at this level, their investment in the Heavener Center, the resources it took to build this new facility. I think is going to help us in recruiting, it’s going to help us acquire players, it’s going to help our player experience, our efficiency as an organization.

They were committed to our vision and our plan, right? I think we’re 20% bigger as an organization. We’ve modernized the approach. We have an incredible product.”

Then there is the narrative that Napier owes everything to his dad. He comes from a football family, and his father, William “Bill” Napier, was a legendary high school football coach in Georgia. He was the winningest coach in the history of Murray County High School football. In 2013, William was diagnosed with ALS and passed away in September of 2017. He was a massive presence in Billy’s life, and that has translated to how Billy approaches his teams. Here is Napier’s answer to a question about what he learned from his father.

“You’re trying to get me here today.

Dad showed I think sometimes when adversity strikes, you can choose character or you can choose to compromise, right? Dad did an unbelievable job. Every day he chose character. He relied on his foundation, which was his faith. He was a great example to a lot of people.

Even to this day, it’s impacting me and a lot of other people, too. So thanks for the question.”

While we may not have gotten many “football” questions answered at media days, we did, however, learn a lot about who [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] the person is. And heading into his first season as Gators head coach, with the task of overhauling a program, that’s a pretty good thing to learn.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8h7afn3sqgdpfzqsj playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8h7afn3sqgdpfzqsj/01g8h7afn3sqgdpfzqsj-7c3710c4ad4f370bf0646a78124b05f6.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=87972,87960,87934,87876,87881]

[listicle id=87902]

[vertical-gallery id=87904]

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 and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

How to Watch: SEC media days schedule for Billy Napier and players

Here’s the schedule of today’s SEC media day events for the Gators.

The big day is finally here for Florida football as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag], along with [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag], [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] and [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag], get set to take the stage at this year’s SEC media days held in Atlanta, Georgia. The Gators have an entire afternoon packed with engagements, many of which can be followed by the fans at home.

This will be the first time Florida’s new head coach steps into the midsummer fray that has historically brought plenty of entertainment to the table. It is unlikely the former Ragin’ Cajun will make many waves in the pool but he certainly will look to make his mark heading into his first season at the helm of a Power Five school

Below are the schedules for the head coach and his players. Please keep in mind that only the main stage and ESPN segments will be televised, and all times are after noon in EDT.

12 most intriguing storylines for SEC media days

Anthony Richardson headlines Florida’s representatives at SEC Media Days

The Gators will send these three players along with head coach Billy Napier to this year’s SEC Media Days.

The SEC’s annual Media Days will be held from Monday, July 18 to Thursday, July 21 in Atlanta, Georgia, with the Florida Gators participating on Wednesday, July 20.

The “Super Bowl of the offseason” as Florida legend [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag] once put it, SEC Media Days is an opportunity for coaches to address the media about the upcoming campaign. Typically, coaches select a few players to join them and have them speak to the media as a way to give the player’s perspective on the program. Joining first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] will be quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] (sophomore), offensive lineman [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag] (junior), and linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] (senior).

A coach’s decision on who to bring to Media Days says a lot about who he believes is integral to the team’s success. Napier’s decision to bring three players who held important roles under previous head coach [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] shows that he is not afraid of being compared to his predecessor. Gouraige and Miller will provide a veteran’s perspective on both sides of the ball, while Richardson is arguably the most talked about player on the Gators roster.

Napier will be joined by Georgia‘s Kirby Smart, Arkansas‘ Sam Pittman, and Kentucky’s Mark Stoops on Wednesday. The entire event will be broadcast on the SEC Network beginning on Monday, July 18 at 11 a.m. EDT.

[mm-video type=video id=01g7snqz50gqrh0pvfbb playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g7snqz50gqrh0pvfbb/01g7snqz50gqrh0pvfbb-a3924ce559622f4fd91a361d529ff83e.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=87352,87314,87308,87300,87293]

[listicle id=87353]

[listicle id=87183]

[listicle id=86978]

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 and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Revisiting Florida football’s 2018 recruiting class with The Athletic

Here’s what The Athletic thinks about Florida’s 2018 recruiting crop.

Once upon a time, Florida football was among the top destinations in the nation for college recruits, regularly bringing in some of the top classes back in the aughts. However, over the past decade since the departure of Urban Meyer, the program has been mired in a streak of mediocrity on the recruiting front that has permitted the Alabama Crimson Tide and Georgia Bulldogs to seize control of the Southeastern Conference.

Max Olsen at The Athletic recently took a look back at the top 25 recruiting classes of the 2018 cycle to reassess where he went right and wrong in his initial take four years ago. The Gators came in at No. 14 back then and, thanks in part to having the highest-picked tight end in NFL draft history along with some other solid professional talent, were bumped up to No. 13 in the update.

Utilizing a consistent scoring system based on a 0-to-5 scale, Olsen assessed scholarship players and walk-ons who earned scholarships based on their achievements over four years, rather than projecting what they could do in the future. Take a look at how things broke things down below.

Adjusted average: 2.67
Class rank in 2018: 14th
Four-year record: 35-16
Attrition: 50%

Top signees: TE [autotag]Kyle Pitts[/autotag], WR [autotag]Van Jefferson[/autotag], OL [autotag]Richard Gouraige[/autotag], K [autotag]Evan McPherson[/autotag], RB [autotag]Dameon Pierce[/autotag]

When Pitts made his decision in the summer of 2017, the four-star recruit announced his Florida pledge on a roller-coaster ride.

Three months later, the head coach to whom he committed was abruptly fired. [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] replaced [autotag]Jim McElwain[/autotag] and Pitts stuck to his pledge. Fortunately, the future All-American and Pro Bowler was able to get off the ride before it got rough.

Mullen inherited Pitts, Gouraige, Pierce and some solid players in the class. He and his staff made some big splashes by flipping quarterback [autotag]Emory Jones[/autotag] away from Ohio State and upgrading at wide receiver with [autotag]Jacob Copeland[/autotag] and touted transfers Jefferson and [autotag]Trevon Grimes[/autotag].

They helped the program win a lot of games in their first three seasons together before the Gators slid in 2021. Ten members of the class ended up leaving the program, which is not uncommon for a transition class. But it’s probably worth noting that among the 2018 signees who’ve become full-time starters, only one (cornerback [autotag]Trey Dean III[/autotag]) plays on defense.

There were a lot of familiar names in that passage, several of whom were significant contributors to the team over the past few seasons. That the program could remain steady amidst the coaching turnover that season is a positive sign for Gators fans this season as their beloved Orange and Blue are currently facing the same challenge. A recruiting class like that in 2018 would be a solid first step for new head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his staff.

[mm-video type=video id=01g3sq65b67sdvptkjw2 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g3sq65b67sdvptkjw2/01g3sq65b67sdvptkjw2-197c62ebc9982f7edd4c3c0204fbd77d.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=84358,84337,84321,84318,84311]

[listicle id=84232]

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 and comment on this story below. Join the conversation today!

Richard Gouraige set to defend Emory Jones’ blindside in 2021

Gouraige has been a starter the last two years, but now he faces the challenge of moving to left tackle.

Name: Richard Gouraige

Number: 76

Position: Offensive Tackle

Class: Redshirt junior

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 312 lbs

Hometown: Tampa, Florida

High School: Cambridge Christian

Twitter: @richardg813

Overview:

Richard Gouraige was one of the best players in the 2018 recruiting class. A four-star recruit on the 247Sports Composite, he was listed as the No. 81 player in the nation. Gouraige played on both lines of scrimmage, but he was initially recruited as a defensive end. Once he arrived at Florida, he moved to the offensive line, where he made two reserve appearances in a redshirt season in 2018.

He started making much more regular appearances a redshirt junior in 2019. He appeared in 12 of 13 games, and by the end of the season, he was the starter at left guard. He totaled five starts on the season.

Heading into 2020, Gouraige was once again projected to be a starter at left guard, and he indeed appeared and started in all 12 games as part of the offensive line whose protection allowed Kyle Trask to have a record-setting season through the air.

Gouraige saw considerable action at left tackle, as well, last season, and after the departure of Stone Forsythe, he’s the favorite to take over that starting spot. He has a difficult task ahead of him manning the most important position on the offensive line, but he’s a very experienced player. The Gators will hope that experience pays off in 2021.

[lawrence-related id=49585,48560]

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

Gators OL coach praises Richard Gouraige’s transition to tackle

Gouraige has reportedly improved a lot this offseason, especially in pass protection, as he makes the move to left tackle.

Florida has the incredibly difficult task of replacing two starters on an offensive line that struggled quite a bit last season. Though it was fairly solid in pass protection, its run blocking was practically non-existent. And now, with the departures of the two most consistent players in the group, left tackle Stone Forsythe and center Brett Heggie, offensive line coach John Hevesy certainly has his hands full.

Luckily, the player taking Forsythe’s place protecting Emory Jones‘ blindside is very experienced. Redshirt junior Richard Gouraige has been a starter at left guard the last two seasons, but he also has seen quite a bit of rotational reps at left tackle during that time.

According to AllGators’ Zach Goodall, Hevesy said that Gouraige’s experience has made the transition easier.

“Last year, [Gouraige] played a bunch in rotation just to get him out there, but also the preparation for him this year coming up,” Hevesy said. “Even though he’s a returning starter, to go play that position for the first time coming out this year would have been harder on him.

“So as you saw toward the end of the season, just rotating him in there, getting him in there to play really helped him through spring practice and fall camp.”

Per Goodall, Gouraige has seen 229 snaps at left tackle over the last few years, quite a bit of action for a guy who has never started at that spot. But becoming a full-time starter will be an entirely different beast.

Gouraige said that he has been watching film from star NFL offensive tackles Tyron Smith and Joe Thomas to help improve his understanding of the position.

[lawrence-related id=49585,48560]

“I just take a lot of accountability after practice and stuff like that. When I’m tired of doing extra kicks and stuff like that,” Gouraige said. “Coach [has] been telling me that I’ve been really increasing my game … kicking-wise and stuff like that. Every day I’ve been working on my ladder drills and stuff like that, working on my different angles. It has really been showing during practice.”

Given his experience as a guard, Gouraige has so far been stronger in run blocking than pass blocking to this point in his career. That could be a good thing for the Gators, who will likely rely much more on the run game with a mobile quarterback in Jones. But with that being said, he’ll need to improve in pass protection to be a capable starter. Still, Ethan White (who could be taking Gouraige’s left guard spot) says he has gotten much better in that regard this offseason.

“Richard, he kind of takes pride in being able to do everything well,” White said. “I mean he can run block obviously because he played guard so he’s physical. But now that he’s back out at tackle I think he’s really worked hard at pass protection and kind of just taken the next step.”

Offensive line could very well be the limiting factor on offense, and the offense will only be as successful as that group’s play allows it to be. Hearing these positive comments about Gouraige’s development should certainly be a good sign.

[lawrence-related id=50148,50150,50141,50113,50108]

[listicle id=48013]

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