These 5 players will define Florida’s offensive identity

These five players are expected to be difference-makers in 2022.

The arrival of [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] in Gainesville brought the usual buzz of excitement that a new regime always carries with it. But now the rubber is about to meet the road and all the good vibes and big talk in the world won’t win the Gators’ games for them. The coaching and roster in place now will define what Florida’s identity becomes under Napier and his top assistants, [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag].

On the offensive side of the ball, Sale is spearheading the coaching and schematic decisions that have shaped the current state of the team. Whether it will pay dividends is about to be seen, but it’s already clear which players will be the pivot points for the identity of the Napier/Sale offense.

The five players we’ve singled out here aren’t necessarily who you’d call the most important, but some make more of an impact than their standing with the team and fame with fans might indicate.

This Gators offensive lineman named to AP preseason All-America team

Only one Gator made the Associated Press All-America teams and he hasn’t even played a snap in the SEC yet.

The preseason honors for Florida offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] continue to roll in and the latest is a spot on the Associated Press All-America Second Team.

Torrence has yet to play a down in the SEC, but he’s already well respected as one of the conference’s best. He followed [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] from Louisiana to the Swamp and immediately received first-team honors from SEC reporters during the conference’s media days. He also recently was named a preseason All-American by CBS Sports, making their second team as well.

There’s no shortage of hype surrounding Torrence, which isn’t always typical for an interior offensive lineman. But the fourth-year player immediately became a veteran leader of the team. Players and coaches respect him, and they aren’t afraid to let others know how great it is to have Torrence on the team.

“Unbelievable human first, right, person and character,” Florida co-offensive line coach and offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] said of Torrence to 247Sports. “Identified that when we were there at the other place. But he’s big, he’s twitchy, football comes easy to O’Cyrus, it really does.”

Defensive lineman [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] praised Torrence for helping him develop as a pass rusher too. Dexter, a projected first or second-round pick in his own right, said he didn’t know what going up against a pro was like until he went against Torrence.

All the praise isn’t going to Torrence’s head either. He said it motivates him to achieve the goals he believes are worthy of that recognition.

“For me, I use (preseason awards) as fuel,” he said. “I feel like it feels good to get the type of recognition. I feel like I work hard to get that recognition, but I still feel like I haven’t done anything yet to deserve it. It feels good, but I still don’t feel too deserving, so it makes me want to work harder to prove to myself that I do deserve it.”

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Two Florida coaches in top 15 of 247Sports’ recruiter rankings

Florida’s coaching staff has been on a roll lately, and much of it is thanks to two men in particular. 247Sports has them in their top 15.

When [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] assembled his staff at the University of Florida, he said that he wanted to prioritize recruiting. Twenty commitments into the class of 2023 and one class of 2024 four-star verbally pledge to the Orange and Blue, it’s safe to say that Napier was successful, and the numbers back it up.

Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] is ranked No. 7 on the 247Sports 2023 football recruiter rankings, and [autotag]Keary Colbert[/autotag] is ranked No. 11, which is good for the second-highest placement of any wide receivers coach on the list.

Spencer has been the primary recruiter on five of Florida’s commitments and has played a secondary role in the recruitment of two others. He’s directly responsible for the additions of No. 70 [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], No. 145 [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag], No. 205 [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag], No. 218 [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] and four-star [autotag]Gavin Hill[/autotag]. Despite the battery of four-stars committed to Florida thanks to Spencer, he ranks fourth among defensive line recruiters in the country. Clemson‘s Nick Eason, Notre Dame‘s Al Washington and Alabama‘s Freddie Roach are all ranked above Spencer in ascending order.

Still, it’s clear that coach Chaos’ stint in the NFL paid off, and he’s once again at the top of the recruiting game. Florida has the potential to bring in the strongest defensive line classes in the upcoming cycle, assuming all commitments put pen to paper during one of the signing periods.

Colbert has been the primary on five recruits as well, all of whom will play receiver for UF. No. 78 [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag] leads the group and should be paired with No. 142 [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] to do some damage. Four-stars [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] and [autotag]Creed Whittemore[/autotag] round out the blue-chip names in the class and three-star [autotag]Tyree Patterson[/autotag] adds some depth to the class. And there’s potential to add more receivers to the group.

The only other receivers coach ranked higher by 247Sports is Ohio State‘s Brian Hartline, who has brought in four recruits that average a 96.48 grade. The next receivers coach on the list is Texas’ Brennan Marion at No. 20 and three commits under his belt.

Florida’s other co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is ranked No. 31 and the only other Gator inside the top 100. Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] should be next to break that threshold if he can add one of his high-profile targets. Currently ranked No. 101, adding either four-star [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] or five-star [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] should do the trick for Raymond.

Outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] is ranked No. 111, offensive coordinator and offense line coach [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] is ranked No. 188, inside linebacker coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] is No. 190, tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] is No. 240 and running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag] rounds out the group at No. 338 on the list. Assistant offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] received secondary credits for four commitments and ranks No. 259 as well.

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4 Florida football staffers land on On3’s list of ‘rising stars’

By all accounts, the Gators have a slam-dunk coaching staff on and off the field.

Monday morning, On3 revealed their list of 65 “rising stars” across all the support staffs in college football. They included four staffers from Billy Napier’s off-field army: offensive analysts [autotag]Russ Calloway[/autotag] and [autotag]Benedick Hyppolite[/autotag], linebackers assistant [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] and quarterbacks assistant [autotag]Ryan O’Hara[/autotag].

Calloway was brought in by Florida alongside offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] after both were let go by the New York Giants during their coaching purge. Before going to NFL, he was instrumental in Samford’s surge to the top of the FCS passing leaderboard.

Hyppolite has deep roots in the state of Florida. He spent the past two seasons assisting with the wide receivers at Miami, and before that, spent several seasons as a high school coach in South Florida. He’s assigned to the running backs and his connections in-state are valuable for a staff whose key recruiters largely have ties in the bayou.

It’s tough to tell from the outside looking in, but if I had to guess, Chaney would be who I’d point to as Florida’s most trusted off-field staffer. He’s a rare holdover from the previous administration, but never lost the trust of the boys on the team. He’s often assigned to run point on initial contacts with defensive recruits and his name is routinely put next to Mike Peterson’s and Sean Spencer’s in recruiting rumor roundups.

Finally, O’Hara was the Ragin’ Cajuns’ quarterbacks coach under Napier before joining him in Florida under the same role. Technically, Napier was and is listed as the quarterbacks coach, a role consolidation that allowed him to hire two full time offensive line coaches. However, it’s really O’Hara who takes the bulk of those responsibilities, helping Levi Levis become the best quarterback in Cajuns’ history.

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This Gator among On3’s top 10 most impactful OL transfers

New Florida Gator O’Cyrus Torrence comes in near the top of On3’s recent list of most impactful offensive line transfer players.

O’Cyrus Torrence comes in at No. 2 in On3’s top 10 most impactful offensive line transfers list ahead of the 2022 season.

Torrence joins first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] in trading Lafayette, Louisiana, for Gainesville, Florida, making the move from the Sun Belt to the SEC. A three-year starter at Louisiana, Torrence is expected to continue in that role in an offense that he already has familiarity with. New Florida offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] spent 2018-20 as Louisiana’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach before his one-year stint with the New York Giants as their offensive line coach last season. It seems familiarity was a big factor in Torrence’s decision to sign with the Gators in January.

It’s not just On3 that is taking notice of the big guy and his dominance in the trenches. Torrence was named to the Walter Camp All-American watch list last month and was named to ESPN’s 2022 way-too-early All-American team back in January. PFF named him the third best interior offensive lineman in college football, highlighting the fact that Torrence has the most pass block snaps played since 2019 without allowing a sack at 1,091.

At 6-foot-5-inch, 335 pounds, Torrence will look to continue to translate that size into dominance in the SEC like he did in the Sun Belt. Watch as he manhandles the Sun Belt competition in this clip.

Torrence is expected to play right guard opposite of left guard [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag] and next to center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] on the Gators offensive line this season. Torrence will play in his first game as a Florida Gator, alongside head coach Billy Napier, on Saturday, September 3 at home against Utah at 7:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN.

 

Florida OL commit content with Gators, shuts down recruitment

Florida picked up a commitment from IMG Academy offensive lineman Knijeah Harris back in May and he’s 100% locked in.

Despite what many might expect, the recruiting process rarely ends for high-profile targets once they’ve committed. Once a letter of intent is signed is typically when the university and coaches can take a breath of relief, but Florida offensive line commit [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] isn’t interested in dragging out the process.

Speaking with On3’s Jeremy Johnson, Harris indicated that he’s fully bought in with the Gators and has no plans to test the waters, so to speak. That’s very good news for Florida after missing out on five-star tackle [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag] to Miami and four-star tackle Lucas Simmons to Florida State. As [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] looks to fill out his offensive line, he can rest assured that Harris will be a part of it.

“Everything is perfect at Florida from the coaches to the campus to the facilities,” Harris said. “Coach Napier’s the man with the plan. You talk with him, you sit down with him, you see how detailed he is and you see he has everything planned out.”

It’s not just Napier who convinced Harris that Gainesville is where he is supposed to be. Offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag] and defensive analyst [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] kept in regular contact with the IMG Academy recruit until he committed and beyond.

As Florida continues putting together its recruiting class for 2023, expect Harris to be one of the most vocal commits in the bunch. He loves being a Gator, and as he puts it, he’s “locked in” with the Orange and Blue.

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This big 3-star offensive tackle steps away from Gators commitment

The Gators lost one of their commitments in the 2023 cycle but it’s not the end of the world.

In an announcement posted on his Twitter account on Friday evening, three-star offensive tackle [autotag]Tommy Kinsler[/autotag] made known his decision to decommit from the Florida Gators. Kinsler committed to the Gators on June 19, but that pledge lasted only twelve days. This development is a frankly unexpected one, he’s been considered all but a lock to play for the Orange and Blue since this recruiting cycle started.

An Ocala native, Kinsler is well within Gator country. However, it looks like another Florida-based team is trying to stick their grubby paws into the area that should be Billy Napier’s home base of recruiting. Kinsler’s decommitment is coming hot on the heels of his official visit with Mario Cristobal’s Miami team. Then, immediately after dropping the news that he was stepping back from Florida, four 247Sports experts added crystal ball predictions in favor of the ‘Canes.

“Dear Gator Nation,” wrote Kinsler, “after days of deep thought and prayer, I have decided to decommit from the University of Florida. This was a very hard decision for me and my family. I would like to thank the entire Florida Gators coaching staff for the time, effort, and energy they put into recruiting me. Please respect this decision.”

There are two ways to look at this. The first is to shrug and point out that Kinsler is replaceable. He’s big, but so are a lot of other linemen in the country. His three-star rating reflects a possible SEC contributor, but a name-brand school like Florida can put a hard press on just about any three-star recruit and have a good chance at getting them.

On the other hand, it’s alarming that offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], who had such immense success with the Ragin’ Cajuns couldn’t get complete buy-in on their system from a hometown recruit they’ve been on since day one.

Here’s hoping a commitment from [autotag]Monroe Freeling[/autotag], [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag], or [autotag]Payton Kirkland[/autotag] is right around the corner.

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Gators impress this 4-star OT on mid-week official visit

After taking an official visit to the University of Florida, four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons has nothing but positives to say.

Florida football played host to four-star offensive lineman [autotag]Lucas Simmons[/autotag] over the week for an official visit. He left town on Thursday with an extremely favorable opinion of the university, according to 247Sports.

“It was really really really really good,” Simmons said. “I was really excited about this visit. It was a mid-week visit, so I knew going in it was going to be different.”

Simmons got to see the day-to-day activities of players that weekend visitors don’t always get to witness. He thought it was a unique experience that gave him some new things to consider despite visiting the campus several times in the past. Simmons’ parents were also able to make the trip all the way from Sweden for their first time in the Swamp.

Acknowledging his heritage was another good move by the UF staff. Simmons enjoyed Swedish treats left in his hotel room for him and took a photo shoot with the flag. Although they’re small gestures, they are ones that are appreciated by the 6-foot-7-inch, 300-pound recruit.

Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] got to spend some time with Simmons, and that relationship is developing nicely. Simmons says he can expect fairness and respect from them and knows that there’s plenty of work to do before his SEC size translates to SEC playing time.

Simmons’ other official visits have been to Oklahoma State, Tennessee and USC. Florida State will get him over the weekend for the final OV, and then it’s time to think things over before making a decision. Having his parents there along for the ride will make things even easier. A mid-July decision is what he expects at this point.

The 247Sports composite ranks Simmons as the No. 107 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and at No. 13 among offensive tackles in the group.

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This top offensive tackle prospect feeling a lot of love for Florida

This big-time offensive tackle expects the Gators to make the cut for his top schools.

Florida football’s busy month reached a feverish pitch this past weekend with [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. rolling out the red carpet for a handful of top recruits from around the state and the nation. The new administration has made a profound impression upon many of those who have passed through Gainesville recently, including four-star offensive tackle [autotag]Monroe Freeling[/autotag] out of Mount Pleasant (South Carolina) Oceanside Collegiate Academy, who recently wrapped up his official visit to campus.

The 6-foot-7-inch, 283-pound lineman had made a prior stop with the Gators back in March during the spring practice season but got a much closer look at the rebuilding program this time around.

“My first look out here was pretty quick, it was during the spring practice so everyone was doing stuff,” Freeling explained to AllGators’ Zach Goodall. “I got to see practice but all of the players were really new, so it was really just seeing the players kind of adjust, and in a way, kind of struggle with the intensity of practice. I know I really liked the intensity of practice because if you have an intense practice, that means your games are gonna be easy.”

“I think this time around I really got to get a feel of Florida’s campus and more like the football program and where it’s heading,” he told Swamp247’s Blake Alderman. “I think that was my biggest takeaway. I just enjoyed time with the players. The players and coaches [communicated where the program is heading], I think that Coach Napier really has a good outlook on where he wants the program to go. Every coach I talked to said the same thing how Coach Napier wants to take the program somewhere.”

The blue-chip offensive lineman’s recruitment has been spearheaded by offensive line coaches [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] and [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], with whom he has forged strong relationships according to Swamp247.

“It’s kind of funny because I have relationships with two different coaches, but they are doing the same job really. I really like Coach Sale and his resume and Coach Stapleton too. They are good guys. Over the summer I am going to be growing my relationship with them a lot more because I really do like Florida. I think they are telling me how they have five guys on staff that all work with offensive line. It helps you get ready and efficiency-wise. You get more coaches and you get two perspectives.”

Freeling has already spent two of his five official visits on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish who he visited earlier in June, as well as on Florida, with a trip to Coral Gables to see the Miami Hurricanes coming up next weekend. He plans on saving his final two visits for the fall season with the Clemson Tigers, Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes and Georgia Bulldogs all possibilities; he also plans on making an unofficial return visit to the Swamp to see a game.

Freeling is currently ranked No. 62 overall and No. 8 nationally at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus has him at Nos. 63 and 6, respectively. Clemson is currently in the lead for his talents with a 46.3% chance of signing him while Notre Dame sits in second at 38%.

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5-star offensive tackle blown away by ‘crazy’ Florida visit

It would be HUGE if the Gators can land this offensive lineman.

As summer continues to creep in, Florida football’s recruiting efforts have matched the rising temperatures as [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. continue to impress some of the best prospects in the nation who have made their way to the Swamp so far. Among those was five-star offensive tackle [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag] out of Bradenton (Florida) IMG Academy, who arrived in town on Tuesday and stayed until Thursday on his official visit to Gainesville.

The native of ‘Ili’ili, American Samoa, had seen the sights around the Swamp a few times prior, but his official stop saw the red carpet rolled out for the 6-foot-5-inch, 330-pound lineman. Mauigoa’s connection with a couple of current Gators from his time at IMG, [autotag]Kamari Wilson[/autotag] and [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag], added to his positive experience.

“This OV was crazy,” he told Swamp247. “It was one of my favorite OV’s now. Keep on coming back here, you start to feel like more of a relationship. Kind of starting to feel that bond and now I am comfortable with them. I think that is one of the biggest things in recruiting. I just felt the hospitality, I felt the love, and the family bond through the coaches from the coaches to the players.”

The blue-chip recruit also got a chance to hobnob with the entire football staff including offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], all of whom made a strong impression on the young athlete.

“We had a meeting with them and they’re some cool dudes,” Mauigoa told Gators Online. “They showed me a lot of things, taught me a lot of things. I was in the meeting room with them and going through film. They are constantly fixing their mistakes and going down the line making sure everything is taken care of.”

The coveted recruit currently has the Alabama Crimson Tide, USC Trojans, Tennessee Volunteers, Miami Hurricanes and the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors, along with the Gators, as his preferred collegiate destinations. Florida was the second stop on his summer tour after passing through Tuscaloosa last weekend, with the Vols, Trojans and ‘Canes coming up next. The Aloha State got an unofficial visit on June 1.

Mauigoa is currently ranked No. 9 overall and No. 1 nationally at his position according to the 247Sports composite, while the On3 consensus him at Nos. 10 and 2, respectively. Tennessee currently holds the edge on his recruitment with a 59.7% chance of signing him per On3’s Recruiting Prediction Machine, with USC in second at 33.6%, UM third at 2.6% and UF trailing in fourth at 1.2%.

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