Latest news with #TheGainesvilleSun
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
EA Sports College Football Ratings: Where Florida football players are ranked
EA Sports released its Top 100 players in its College Football 26 video game ratings on July 1. No surprise, Ohio State football wide receiver Jeremiah Smith came in as the No. 1-rated player overall with an overall rating of 98. Advertisement Beyond that, only one Florida football player cracked the Top 100. Two-year Florida Gators starting center Jake Slaughter, an All-American last season, came in at No. 47 with a player rating of 93 and a strength rating of 90. Florida football sophomore quarterback D.J. Lagway, who appeared on the Deluxe Cover, did not crack the Top 100 but ranked 10th among college football quarterbacks with a player rating of 90. Lagway posted a 6-1 record as a starting quarterback for UF as a true freshman, passing for 1,915 yards with 12 TDs to nine interceptions. The game will see a full release July 10 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It will be the second in the title's return following an 11-year hiatus. Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@ Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators' national championship basketball season in 'CHOMP-IONS!' — a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Sun. Details at This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Player ratings for Florida football players in EA Sports College Football 26
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Report: Florida football special teams coach moving on to Houston
One of the special teams' coaches for Florida football is moving on to a new job. According to a report by Matt Zenitz of 247Sports, Florida Gators Game Changer coordinator Chris Couch is accepting the special teams coordinator job at Houston. Advertisement The move reunites Couch with Houston coach Willie Fritz, whom he worked under at Tulane from 2016-20. Couch endured some ups and downs in his first two years under head coach Billy Napier as lead special teams' analyst. Under Couch, Florida at times failed to line up correctly, resulting in either 10 players or too many players on the field in changeovers for punts and field goal attempts. During the 2024 offseason, Florida added special teams' coordinator Joe Houston to work with Couch. Houston, a former special teams assistant with the New England Patriots (2020-23) and special teams coach at Iowa State (2016-18), added a new voice with experience. Due to a change in NCAA rules, both analysts were able to work on the field during 2024 fall camp, which resulted in smoother special teams' operation during the 2024 season. Coach joins former UF co-defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong as the second coach to leave the Gators for Houston in the last seven months. Armstrong took over as Houston defensive coordinator last December. Advertisement Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@ Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators' national championship basketball season in 'CHOMP-IONS!' — a hardcover coffee-table collector's book from The Sun. Details at This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Report: Florida football losing special teams analyst to Houston
USA Today
05-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Florida Gators lead nation in spring game attendance amid national decline in 2025
Florida Gators lead nation in spring game attendance amid national decline in 2025 While spring game attendance plummeted across much of the college football landscape in 2025, the Florida Gators defied the trend with the highest turnout in the country. According to The Gainesville Sun, 56,563 fans packed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, also known as the Swamp, for Florida football's annual Orange and Blue Game. This year's attendance marked the program's largest spring crowd since 2009. The turnout came during a time when many college football programs scaled back or eliminated spring games entirely. Despite that, Florida embraced the moment, using the game not only to showcase a promising roster for next season, but also to celebrate its men's basketball national championship with a halftime ceremony. Head coach Billy Napier's Gators are riding a wave of momentum into the summer. Much of the excitement centers around quarterback DJ Lagway. Lagway's presence alone drew significant attention, and fans got their first glimpse of what he could bring to the field in the fall. The Gators weren't the only school to draw a crowd, but they easily outpaced other major programs. The Ohio State Buckeyes reported 40,136 attendees, its lowest spring turnout since 2021. The Michigan Wolverines drew an estimated 40,000. The Oregon Ducks, Tennessee Volunteers and South Carolina Gamecocks surpassed the 30,000 mark, but the Orange and Blue stood alone at the top. While many coaches around the country reevaluate the risks and rewards of spring games, Florida football made a clear statement: the passion in Gainesville is alive and well. Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
FHP: Bell man lying on U.S. 129 hit and killed by SUV in Gilchrist County
A 61-year-old Bell man was hit and killed by a vehicle on May 1 in Gilchrist County, according to a report from the Florida Highway Patrol. Here's what we know: May 1 at about 6:15 a.m. State: Florida begins prosecutions under new law intended to protect law enforcement from harassment U.S. 129 near its intersection with Northwest Fifth Street. According to the report, a 57-year-old Bell woman was driving a GMC Acadia south on U.S. 129 when it struck the Bell man, who was lying in the southbound lane. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Bell man lying on U.S. 129 hit and killed by SUV in Gilchrist County
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida basketball sophomore G Kajus Kublickas to enter transfer portal
Florida basketball sophomore guard Kajus Kublickas intends to enter the transfer portal, a source confirmed to the Sun on Monday. The 6-foot-2 Kublickas, from Kaunas, Lithuania, appeared in 15 games over two seasons with the Florida Gators. Advertisement In six games for national champion UF in 2024-25, Kublickas averaged 0.7 points and 1.2 rebounds. In 2023-24, Kublickas appeared in nine games, scoring seven points with four assists, three rebounds and a steal. Florida loses all three of its starting guards ― All-American point guard Walter Clayton Jr., guard Will Richard and guard Alijah Martin ― from its 2024-25 roster. But the Gators bring back rising junior Denzel Aberdeen and rising sophomore Urban Klavzar, who are expected to take on more prominent roles in the backcourt next season. Other players expected to contribute to the backcourt for UF next season incude rising freshman Isaiah Brown, who showed promise in limited minutes this past season and incoming freshman Alex Lloyd, a top 50 national recruit. Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun's Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@ Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1 This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida basketball losing sophomore guard to transfer portal
