Florida head baseball coach Kevin O’Sullivan gave a program update ahead of its fall ball matchup with Jacksonville University on Friday.
Ahead of Florida baseball’s first fall ball scrimmage, head coach [autotag]Kevin O’Sullivan[/autotag] joined Steve Russell and Sportscene on ESPN Radio WRUF to discuss the changes made over the offseason and preview this weekend’s matchup against Jacksonville University.
Florida and Georgia have played on this weekend — during the annual football rivalry game in Jacksonville — over the past few years, but the schedule changed this year for reasons unknown until now. O’Sullivan confirmed that the decision was made by the Bulldogs’ program, not the Gators.
“The bottom line is that I think Georgia just decided not to play in the game,” O’Sullivan said. “But we’re excited about playing JU.”
Fall ball can be a complicated time. Getting everyone enrolled and on the field is the first step, then it becomes about developing a blueprint for the spring. While nothing is set in stone, the coaching staff gets to evaluate its roster and get a good sense of a potential starting lineup and weekend rotation.
New faces in Gainesville
Sully said that one of the main focuses in the transfer portal this offseason was to change the way the offense looks — fewer strikeouts and more balls in play. The Gators welcome nine transfers and a 12-man freshman class to the program.
Notable additions include USF infielder Bobby Boser, Miami outfielder/infielder [autotag]Blake Cyr[/autotag], Jacksonville infielder Justin Nadeau and Stetson outfielder Kyle Jones. On the mound, Clemson right-hander Billy Barlow and Sante Fe right-hander Matthew Jenkins figure to be key pieces on Florida’s pitching staff this year.
“I think we’ve got a lot of versatility,” he said. “I really like Bobby Boser, the infielder/outfielder we got from South Florida. Justin Nadeau from JU has really stepped in an been able to play a lot of positions. Billy Barlow, the right-hander from Clemson has come in and done a really nice job. All in all, it’s been a successful fall so far.”
UF veterans provide a stable core
However, it’s the players Florida kept from leaving that might have the biggest impact on the team this year.
“Sometimes your best recruits are the ones you get back to school,” he said. “Getting back Colby Shelton, Pierce Coppola and Ty Evans — sometimes, when you get three or four guys back to school that you may not have expected to get back, they end up being your best recruits.”
The shifting landscape of college sports has helped Florida retain key players who may have opted to sign with a pro team in years past. Name, image and likeness is a major factor for the team now that college baseball has found its footing with the changes made. NIL also helps Florida in the transfer portal significantly.
Sully admitted that the team will lean on the veterans more than the freshmen this year, but several first-year players figure to be in the mix for a chance to pitch. The Gators will throw five freshman arms in the two six-inning games against the Dolphins on Friday.
Lessons learned in 2024
Florida is coming off a second-straight College World Series appearance and ninth overall since O’Sullivan took over the program. A 36-30 (13-17 vs. SEC) finish was the worst for UF since 2019, but another trip to Omaha always grants some wisdom.
“Going through what we went through last year, the ups and downs, every year, as a player or as a coach, you learn something new,” he said. “The bottom line is that the biggest takeaway I got from that was that we continued to get better and continued to improve.
“Regardless of how you got to Omaha, that’s the ultimate goal. Sometimes it’s a different route than other years. It may not have been pretty, but we certainly earned it.”
Chemistry is another key factor when it comes to making a run like Florida did, despite underperforming most of the regular season.
“Every successful team needs talent, but when you’ve got experience and leadership to go along with that, to lead the younger players, I don’t think you can win a championship without that,” he said.
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