Tag: Ricky Pearsall

Florida WR Trent Whittemore announces transfer plans

Trent Whittemore announced his intention to enter the transfer portal on Monday after receiving minimal playing time at Florida this season.

Florida wide receiver [autotag]Trent Whittemore[/autotag] announced his decision to enter the transfer portal on Monday on Twitter.

Whittemore won’t be able to officially enter the portal until Dec. 5, but it’s not unusual for players to leave the team early in anticipation of the move. It helps keep their bodies healthy, which is a smart move for someone like Whittemore who has seen his snaps decrease significantly from year-to-year.

A Gainesville native, Whittemore played for his father at Bucholz High School before signing with the Gators. He redshirted after playing in two games his freshman year and suffered a broken rib/punctured lung during his sophomore campaign (the 2020 season was shortened by COVID as well). Whittemore’s junior year finally saw him healthy and productive in the Gators’ offense, but the coaching change seemed to leave without a defined role on the team.

[autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] transferred to Florida and took over the slot position that Whittemore was expected to compete for. Whittemore’s 27 snaps played on the season pale in comparison to Pearsall’s 228, so it’s easy to understand the decision to transfer.

Another factor that may have contributed to the decision, or vice-versa, is Whittemore’s younger brother decommitting from UF. [autotag]Creed Whittemore[/autotag], who plays all over the field at Bucholz, backed off his pledge to the Gators following Florida’s loss to LSU in October.

Creed Whittemore ended up flipping his commitment to Mississippi State, so that could be a possible landing spot for his older brother.

Billy Napier said from day one that attrition was expected with this team, and we’re starting to see exactly that. Expect more familiar names to enter the portal in the next month or so.

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Depth Chart: Gators light at WR ahead of Week 11 matchup with South Carolina

The Gators might be thin at wide receiver this weekend when South Carolina comes to the Swamp.

The Florida Gators are still dealing with injuries, particularly at the wide receiver position, according to the Week 11 depth chart update released Wednesday evening.

The team’s leading receiver, [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag], is still listed as questionable after missing the Texas A&M game, and backup [autotag]Ja’Quavion Fraziars[/autotag] is out with an upper-body injury. Fraziars made his first-career start against the Aggies last week, so Florida will be down to it’s reserve options on Saturday.

Shorter is still listed as the starter, but freshman [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] is set to make his first career start if he can’t go. Behind him and [autotag]Xavier Henderson[/autotag] will be Marcus Burke and [autotag]Daejon Reynolds[/autotag] with [autotag]Kahleil Jackson[/autotag] as another option. [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] is the starter in the slot.

The wide receiver room isn’t the only position group to deal with injuries. Starting left guard [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag] was added to the injury report and is listed as questionable with an upper-body injury. White is still listed as the starter, but that decision will be made as kickoff approaches.

Freshman kicker [autotag]Trey Smack[/autotag], who has exclusively served as Florida’s kickoff man this season, is out for a second straight week after missing the Texas A&M game. [autotag]Travis Freeman [/autotag]will back up [autotag]Adam Mihalek[/autotag] for all kicking duties.

At linebacker, [autotag]Diwun Black[/autotag] is back on the depth chart and off the injury report. He’s listed as a third-team option behind [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] and [autotag]Shemar James[/autotag].

Tight end Keon Zipperer will miss a second-straight game, and that’s all for the depth chart update this week. [autotag]Devin Moore[/autotag], [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] and [autotag]Nick Elksnis[/autotag] are all out as well.

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Billy Napier impressed with backup QB Jalen Kitna’s performance against EWU

We finally got to see Jalen Kitna in action and the results were pretty impressive. Here’s what Billy Napier had to say about his second-string quarterback.

Plenty of Florida’s backups and second-teamers got noticed after Sunday’s win over Eastern Washington, but head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] took time to praise quarterback [autotag]Jalen Kitna[/autotag], specifically.

Kitna has been listed as the team’s backup since [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] went down with a thumb injury, but this was his first time actually seeing the field. He impressed with a pair of deep passes and ended up with 152 yards and a touchdown on 8 of 12 passing. While that kind of performance may surprise some fans, Napier has seen Kitna develop into a decent quarterback.

“I’m going to tell you, the last probably two weeks, he’s really grown up a lot. You go back to training camp, probably the fourth or fifth day of training camp, he got injured, so he missed significant time. But since Jack’s injury and he started getting those twos, you’ve seen some growth there.

“All the guy does is throw completions in practice and that’s what he did today. Two Thursdays ago he was 100% completion percentage in practice. I don’t know if that’s ever been done. The guy’s a pretty smart player. He’s learned our system. For the most part, the ball went where it was supposed to go today.”

Kitna played most of the second half for the Gators, but he was called into action early when [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] went down in the first half. Richardson returned after that series, but Kitna made the most of his time on the field and found [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] for a 22-yard gain.

“We were still in the meat of the game and I know we are trying to put the drive together and are not going to change up the game plan for any of that,” Kitna said. “I know Coach has a specific way he calls things and I know my job is to come in there and to operate the system. All the quarterbacks in the room are taught to operate that system the same way. Whoever came in, we were calling the best play for that situation. Obviously, I got that play call and ran it how we were taught.”

When Kitna returned to the game, it was smooth sailing on offense. Kitna found true freshman [autotag]Caleb Douglas[/autotag] for a 62-yard touchdown in the third quarter, but the offense eventually let off the gas after going up by nearly 50 points. Kitna didn’t mind and enjoyed leading the team to a win.

“Man, it felt good,” he said. “Obviously, being there, being prepared for my team, I got a job to do and going out there, it just kind of feels a bit like practice, it’s not too hard. We got our plays, we got our game plan, it was exactly what we saw. We were preparing for it all week. Just going out there and doing my job.”

As well as Kitna performed, Napier was cautious to label him as an elite backup. Sure, Kitna did well against an FCS program, but can Napier trust him in the fourth quarter of the Georgia game if Richardson goes down? Probably not. At least, not yet.

“Let’s be careful here,” Napier said. “We’ve been through this once before, I think. The guy completed some balls today, he also made a few mistakes today, too. The beautiful thing about today is he got to play, so he’s going to have more confidence. He’s going to be able to learn from this experience. He’s going to realize that the work he’s been doing paid off.”

Kitna might not be a stud SEC backup on the brink of transfer, but that’s not what he’s expected to be. Napier is clearly satisfied with his progress and now the kid has some reps under his belt in case an emergency does come up.

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Florida announces Players of the Week for Tennessee game

Florida may have lost on Saturday, but there will still plenty of performances worth recognizing from the boys in Orange in Blue.

Despite the final score of Saturday’s game between Florida and Tennessee, there was a lot to like from the Gators.

On Monday, the team took a moment to recognize the top performers from the contest and revealed who the Players of the Week were. Three players on offense, defense and special teams (game-changers) were selected.

On offense, quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] and receivers [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] and [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] got the nod. Richardson provided 515 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in what was easily the best game of his collegiate career so far. Shorter led the way with seven receptions for 155 yards, and Pearsall also broke the century mark (103 yards) on five grabs.

Safety [autotag]Rashad Torrence II[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] and linebacker/STAR [autotag]Amari Burney[/autotag] earned the honors on defense. Miller played hurt after missing just one week with an ankle injury and totaled six tackles against Tennesse while forcing a fumble and recovering another. Torrence led the team in total tackles with 13 (11 solo), and he also broke up a pass. Burney finished second on the team with eight tackles (seven solo), including 2.5 tackles for a loss, a pair of sacks for nine yards and a forced fumble.

Punter [autotag]Jeremy Crawshaw[/autotag], linebacker [autotag]Diwun Black[/autotag] and safety [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] were all recognized for their efforts on special teams. Black made the big play of the night, snatching the ball out of the air on the onside kick to give Florida a last-second shot at the end zone. Crawshaw only delivered one punt on the night, but it landed inside the 20 and [autotag]Adam Mihalek[/autotag] missed his field goal, so it sort of had to be him. Wilson finished with five total tackles, including one on a kickoff return.

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Florida updates depth chart ahead of Week 2 matchup with Kentucky

Florida’s week two depth chart looks pretty similar to what Billy Napier submitted ahead of the Utah game, but there are a few key changes that could make a difference on Saturday.

Florida football released its Week 2 depth chart on Wednesday, and [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] has made very few changes following an upset win over then No. 7 Utah.

Long snapper [autotag]Marco Ortiz[/autotag] joined the injury report this week and is one of five Gators out for Saturday’s contest against Kentucky. Replacing him is [autotag]Rocco Underwood[/autotag], and [autotag]Chase Whitfield[/autotag] is the backup. Other than that, Florida stayed relatively healthy through week one and returns all offensive and defensive starters for Week 2.

The one addition to the depth chart is running back [autotag]Lorenzo Lingard[/autotag] in the fourth-string spot behind [autotag]Nay’Quan Wright[/autotag], [autotag]Montrell Johnson Jr[/autotag]. and [autotag]Trevor Etienne[/autotag]. He didn’t receive a carry after being left off the Week 1 chart, but was back in the gym the night of the victory. This could be a sign that he’ll be in the mix this week against the Wildcats.

Another minor change worth noting is [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] has lone possession of the starting slot receiver spot. [autotag]Trent Whittemore[/autotag] previously received an “OR” designation, but Pearsall was Richardson’s favorite target in Week 1 and is the clear No. 1 there.

Cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] could be coming off the injury report in the next few weeks. Napier said he returned to practice and is expected to be back soon.

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Four players ruled out for Florida football’s season opener vs Utah

Four players have been ruled out for the Florida Gators home opener against Utah.

Florida football released its Week 1 depth chart for their season opener against the Utah Utes, with four players officially ruled as out for the game.

Tight end [autotag]Arlis Boardingham[/autotag] (upper body), cornerback [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (lower body), quarterback [autotag]Jack Miller III[/autotag] (upper body – thumb surgery) and offensive tackle [autotag]David Conner[/autotag] (upper body – thumb surgery) will not suit up on Saturday night for the Orange and Blue.

Wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] and cornerback [autotag]Jason Marshall Jr[/autotag]. did not appear on the injury section of the depth chart, giving optimism that the highly touted transfer and the former five-star recruit will be available for Billy Napier’s first game as Florida’s head coach. Both players were battling injuries during camp with Pearsall dodging a bullet after initially being ruled out indefinitely.

Notably, Pearsall was given the No. 1 jersey this summer. The No. 1 jersey is given to a player that has earned the privilege to wear it. The fact that a transfer wide receiver was given the number before playing in an official game goes to show how highly Napier believes Pearsall to be. Former Gators Percy Harvin and Kadarius Toney both have worn No. 1.

Marshall Jr. is primed to make a leap in his second year on campus. The former Palmetto Panther played in 12 games as a true freshman and is listed as CB1 on the Week 1 depth chart. Marshall has the potential to reach “elite Florida cornerback” status in his second year, following in the footsteps of Gators defenders to emerge on the scene in their second year. Former players Vernon Hargreaves III, Teez Tabor, Quincy Wilson, and the Buffalo Bills’ 2021 first-round pick [autotag]Kaiir Elam[/autotag] all solidified themselves as top-tier college defensive backs in their sophomore seasons.

The Florida Gators kick off their season against the No. 8 ranked Utah Utes Saturday on ESPN. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EDT.

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2022 Florida Football Season Preview: Wide Receivers

Let’s take a look at Florida’s options at receiver for the 2022 season. Behind Justin Shorter and Xzavier Henderson, who else can we expect to contribute?

As we move through our position-by-position breakdown of the 2022 Florida Gators fall roster, one of the bigger question marks on offense is the wide receiver room.

Florida lost three of its top five pass catchers from last season during the offseason, leaving [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag] and [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag] as the presumed starting tandem out wide and [autotag]Trent Whittemore[/autotag] as the natural successor to [autotag]Rick Wells[/autotag] in the slot. Transfer [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] was brought in via the transfer portal and should be a valuable asset as well.

These are the four players expected to make an impact at the receiver position in 2022 for the Gators, but there’s always room for someone to break through with 18 players in the position room. The top of the depth chart here is pretty thin, so the backup spots are almost all up for grabs at this point.

Here’s a look at all the wide receivers listed on the 2022 Florida Gators’ fall roster.

See also:

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Quarterbacks

2023 Florida Football Season Preview: Running backs

Gators dodge bullet with transfer wide receiver’s foot injury

The Gators caught a break — or lack thereof — as Pearsall’s injury is not nearly as bad as it could have been.

For a moment on Wednesday, the Gator Nation held its collective breath after learning wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] went down with a foot injury during practice. The initial reports indicated the transfer from Arizona State was tentatively out indefinitely, dredging up the worst of fears from the Florida fan base.

However, a new day brought good news from the training room. Pearsall was officially diagnosed with two bone bruises on his metatarsal with no structural damage noted in his imaging scans. The prognosis is bright for the 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound pass-catcher, who can resume practice once his discomfort level has receded. For the time being, he is listed day-to-day.

The incoming junior is expected to play a major role in the receiver room for Florida, which returns eight scholarship players, including former transfer [autotag]Justin Shorter[/autotag], who is also expected to make some waves during his junior campaign. Sophomores [autotag]Xzavier Henderson[/autotag], [autotag]Trent Whittemore[/autotag] and [autotag]Ja’Quavion Fraziars[/autotag] have also earned compliments on their progress this summer.

At his previous stop at ASU, Pearsall played in all 13 games for the Sun Devils in 2021, leading the team with 580 yards on 48 receptions and four touchdowns receiving. The Tempe native also rushed six times for 44 yards and a touchdown on the ground, exceeding his overall numbers during his first two collegiate seasons.

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Key transfer wide receiver out indefinitely after practice injury

The Gators’ wide receiver corps took a big hit on Tuesday but we’re still waiting to hear about the severity of the injury.

Florida football took a gut punch on Tuesday when wide receiver [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag], who transferred to the Gators from the Arizona State Sun Devils this past offseason, injured his foot during practice on Tuesday according to multiple sources. While the severity of his mishap has yet to be determined, the incoming junior will be out indefinitely until a definitive diagnosis can be ascertained.

At his previous stop at Arizona State, the 6-foot-1-inch, 200-pound pass-catcher played in all 13 games for the Sun Devils in 2021, leading the team with 580 yards on 48 receptions and four touchdowns through the air. The Tempe native also ran six times for 44 yards and a touchdown during his COVID-sophomore year, in which he vastly exceeded his overall numbers in his first two seasons at ASU.

Pearsall was expected to be a veteran presence in a wide receiver room that has plenty of competition but no real stand-outs. The rest of the corps will have to step up to give [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] the targets needs to get the Gators back on the main stage of college football.

UPDATE:

Gators dodge bullet with transfer wide receiver’s foot injury

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Florida among teams most likely to rebound in 2022 season, per ESPN

The Gators have a new head coach and are ready to bounce back from what was a pretty disastrous 2021. What chances does ESPN give UF to improve?

The Florida Gators were one of 13 Division I college football teams that had their average points per game decrease by more than 10 in 2021, but ESPN thinks UF is primed to bounce back under first-year head coach Billy Napier.

In a breakdown of teams likely to improve in 2022, ESPN’s Bill Connelly has the Gators improving by 2.9 points per game (11.0 to 13.9) and finishing 23rd overall in SP+ with a 7-5 record. That’s a far cry from the Gators’ monstrous average of 23.9 points per game in 2020, when the team ranked sixth in SP+.

But improvement takes time, especially when Dan Mullen left Napier a rather empty talent cupboard. Connelly notes the Gators still have plenty of players brimming with potential that could make things go right.

As is always the case when a coach takes over a job in which their predecessor was fired, there are potential stumbling blocks in Gainesville. The skill corps is very thin outside of receiver Justin Shorter and transfers [autotag]Montrell Johnson[/autotag] (Louisiana) and [autotag]Ricky Pearsall[/autotag] (Arizona State), and the defense wasn’t nearly disruptive enough last fall. But quarterback [autotag]Anthony Richardson[/autotag] has flashed immense potential, key defenders [autotag]Ventrell Miller[/autotag] (linebacker) and [autotag]Jaydon Hill[/autotag] (cornerback) return from injury, and the schedule includes only a couple of truly likely losses (vs. Georgia, at Texas A&M).

As it stands, the Gators have a 69% chance of improving their record, and Richardson reaching his full potential (or maybe even just some of it) would increase that number by a lot.

Florida isn’t expected to bounce back nearly as strongly as some other programs, such as USC, but the Gators should be better than last year.

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