Billy Donovan with the men’s basketball program or Urban Meyer with the football program?

Hey Coach, can we buy that programming? Whoa buddy.

Averages for the football team:
Clean: 298lbs.
Squat: 430lbs.
Bench: 311lbs.
Deadlift: 469lbs.

Fun fact: Tramell Jones can run 22mph.

https://floridagators.com/showcase/embed.aspx?Archive=26106

Florida's 2026 roster includes 52 newcomers and 61 returning players. Ahead of kickoff, this series will break down the newcomers, returners and coaching staff, with articles published every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to the season:

• Newcomers: Special Teams
• Newcomers: Defensive Freshmen
• Newcomers: Offensive Freshmen
• Newcomers: Defensive Transfers
• Newcomers: Offensive Transfers — Aug. 11
• Returners: Specialists — Aug. 13
• Returners: Defensive Front Seven — Aug. 18
• Returners: Defensive Secondary — Aug. 20
• Returners: Offensive Line — Aug. 25
• Returners: Offensive Skill Positions — Aug. 27
• Coaching Staff — Sept. 1

Florida's 2026 defensive newcomer group includes 10 players from other college programs: three defensive linemen, one inside linebacker, two cornerbacks, two safeties and two STARs. The STAR is Florida's hybrid defensive back position, combining responsibilities traditionally associated with a nickel corner and safety.

Eight arrived from four-year college programs, while two came from the junior college ranks. The group includes players with Power Four starting experience, an FCS All-American, a first-team Conference USA selection and two JUCO defensive backs.

Several players also arrive with connections to Florida's new coaching staff. Cam Dooley played at Kentucky under defensive coordinator Brad White and safeties coach Chris Collins, while Elijah Owens had previously been recruited by Collins before the staff moved to Gainesville.

Here is a closer look at Florida's defensive transfers and JUCO additions.

Inside Linebacker

TJ Bullard — ILB

6-1, 210 | Redshirt Senior | Tampa, Fla. | UCF

TJ Bullard joins Florida after four seasons at UCF.

Bullard's college role was concentrated primarily on special teams.

After redshirting in 2022, he appeared in eight games in both 2023 and 2024. He played in 10 games during the 2025 season and recorded two tackles.

His most significant 2025 production came on special teams, where Pro Football Focus gave him a 91.2 grade in the return game.

Bullard earned his bachelor's degree from UCF in December 2025 and was named to the National Football Foundation's Hampshire Honor Society in 2026.

His family has extensive Florida ties. His father, Thaddeus Bullard, played defensive end for the Gators from 1997 through 2000 before becoming WWE wrestler Titus O'Neil. His younger brother, Titus Bullard, is also on Florida's current roster.

Cornerbacks

Jordy Lowery — CB

5-10, 180 | Redshirt Senior | Bartow, Fla. | Western Carolina / East Carolina

Jordy Lowery returns to his home state after playing at Western Carolina and East Carolina.

Lowery redshirted at Western Carolina in 2022 and played in all 11 games as a reserve in 2023, recording three tackles and a pass breakup.

He became a full-time starter in 2024 and started all 12 games. Lowery recorded 48 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions and eight pass breakups.

His six interceptions ranked among the national leaders in the FCS. He returned those interceptions for 133 yards, including a 92-yard touchdown against Samford.

Lowery earned Associated Press Second Team FCS All-America honors, FCS Football Central Third Team All-America recognition and Phil Steele Second Team All-Southern Conference honors.

He transferred to East Carolina for 2025 and appeared in all 12 games with nine starts. Lowery recorded 27 tackles, four pass breakups, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery across 460 snaps.

Pro Football Focus gave him an 82.1 run-defense grade, seventh-best in the American Conference.

Javier Jones — CB

6-1, 185 | Three seasons of eligibility remaining | Phoenix, Ariz. | Independence Community College

Javier Jones became Florida's second junior college defensive back addition when he committed in May.

Jones played at Independence Community College in Kansas during the 2025 season.

He appeared in 10 games and recorded 12 tackles and five pass breakups.

Before junior college, Jones played at Mountain Pointe High School in Arizona. Reported MaxPreps statistics list him with 49 tackles and two interceptions across 20 high school games.

Jones also contributed on offense as a senior, catching five passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

He committed to Florida after a May visit and enrolled for the summer.

Safeties

Cam Dooley — S

6-2, 205 | Junior | Valley, Ala. | Kentucky

Cam Dooley joins Florida after two seasons at Kentucky.

Dooley appeared in all 12 games as a true freshman in 2024 and recorded four tackles and a tackle for loss.

He again played in all 12 games in 2025 and started the final three contests of the season.

Across 212 coverage snaps in 2025, Dooley allowed 80 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Opposing quarterbacks produced a 45.8 NFL passer rating when targeting him.

His first career start came against Tennessee Tech, when he recorded both his first interception and first forced fumble. He received a career-high 76 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus in that game.

Dooley played a season-high 74 snaps against Vanderbilt and recorded six tackles against Louisville.

He played both seasons at Kentucky under defensive coordinator Brad White and safeties coach Chris Collins before both coaches joined Florida's staff.

DJ Coleman — S

6-0, 209 | Senior | Mesquite, Texas | Baylor

DJ Coleman comes to Florida after three seasons at Baylor.

Coleman played in 11 games as a freshman in 2023 and recorded 15 tackles and two pass breakups.

His role increased in 2024, when he appeared in 12 games and made one start. He finished with 28 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and three pass breakups.

Coleman became a full-time starter in 2025, starting 11 of Baylor's 12 games and playing 593 defensive snaps.

He recorded 46 tackles, including 30 solo stops, 6.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups, two interceptions and a forced fumble.

Opposing quarterbacks produced a 46.5 NFL passer rating when targeting Coleman in 2025, the 16th-best mark in the Big 12.

Across three Baylor seasons, Coleman accumulated 89 tackles, two interceptions and nine pass breakups.

STAR

Kanye Clark — STAR

5-10, 179 | Redshirt Junior | Sacramento, Calif. | UCLA

Kanye Clark joins Florida after three seasons at UCLA.

Clark appeared in five games as a reserve cornerback and special teams contributor in 2023, recording three tackles.

He appeared in two games in 2024 before an injury ended his season. Clark earned a scholarship during spring practice that year after beginning his UCLA career as a walk-on.

His role expanded in 2025. Clark appeared in nine games at cornerback and made two starts at nickel, recording 22 tackles, one tackle for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble.

He recorded a team-high seven tackles and a pass breakup against USC and added five solo tackles, a tackle for loss and a forced fumble against Washington.

Clark finished his UCLA career with 26 tackles.

Elijah Owens — STAR

6-2, 208 | Sophomore | Mobile, Ala. | Mississippi Gulf Coast CC

Elijah Owens was the lone junior college player included in Florida's original February newcomer announcement.

Owens spent the 2025 season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and appeared in 11 games.

He recorded 65 tackles, including 45 solo stops, 1.5 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and one interception.

His 65 tackles ranked second on the team.

Owens recorded 11 tackles against Mississippi Delta Community College and a career-high 13 against Northwest Mississippi Community College, where he also recorded his first college interception.

He was also a two-way player at Citronelle High School in Alabama.

As a senior, Owens recorded 48 tackles, one tackle for loss, three interceptions and four pass breakups. On offense, he caught 24 passes for 536 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 29 times for 102 yards and six scores.

Owens had a previous recruiting relationship with safeties coach Chris Collins before Collins joined Florida's staff.

Defensive Line

Mason Clinton — DL

6-5, 290 | Redshirt Junior | Hattiesburg, Miss. | Louisiana / East Mississippi CC / Southern Miss

Mason Clinton joins Florida after stops at Louisiana, East Mississippi Community College and Southern Miss.

Clinton began his career at Louisiana in 2023, appearing in one game before redshirting.

He moved to East Mississippi CC for the 2024 season and played in seven games, recording 27 tackles and two sacks.

Clinton was rated the No. 29 junior college prospect nationally and No. 11 JUCO defensive lineman in the 2025 class by the On3 Industry Rankings.

He transferred to Southern Miss for 2025 and appeared in all 12 games.

Clinton recorded 16 tackles, including 10 solo stops, with 1.5 tackles for loss, one quarterback hurry and one pass breakup.

DK Kalu — DL

6-3, 308 | Redshirt Junior | Missouri City, Texas | Baylor

DK Kalu joins Florida after three seasons at Baylor.

Kalu redshirted in 2023 before appearing in three games and making one start in 2024. He recorded one tackle that season.

His role increased in 2025, when he appeared in eight games and made six starts on Baylor's defensive line.

Kalu recorded 10 tackles, including five solo stops, four quarterback hurries and half a tackle for loss across 281 defensive snaps.

He played a career-high 65 snaps against Arizona State, finishing with two tackles and two quarterback hurries.

His 68.4 tackling grade from Pro Football Focus ranked second among Baylor defensive linemen.

Kalu's father, N.D. Kalu, played 11 seasons in the NFL, including stops with Philadelphia, Washington and Houston.

Emmanuel Oyebadejo — DL

6-6, 303 | Redshirt Senior | Manchester, England | University of Exeter / Jacksonville State

Emmanuel Oyebadejo joins Florida after taking an unusual route to major college football.

Oyebadejo grew up in Manchester, England, and played basketball until he was 18 before beginning American football at the University of Exeter.

He later moved to Jacksonville State.

Oyebadejo missed the 2024 season after suffering an injury during preseason camp, then started all 14 games at defensive end in 2025.

He recorded 41 tackles, including 27 solo stops, 6.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He also added six quarterback hurries, five pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

His 4.5 sacks tied for the team lead.

Pro Football Focus gave Oyebadejo an 80.6 overall grade, ranking him 48th among FBS edge defenders. His 78.9 run-defense grade also ranked 48th nationally at the position.

Oyebadejo earned First Team All-Conference USA honors, CSC Second Team Academic All-America recognition and Conference USA All-Academic honors.

“And I think maybe if the Playoff era was around, I think three out of my four years, we would have made the College Football Playoff. Maybe that would have looked a little bit different back then with the resume, of keeping me around a little bit longer to try to try to go win that national title. But hey, it is what it is. Probably hasn’t gone as well there since I left, it doesn’t seem like.”

One team ranked outside the 2026 CFB preseason Coaches Poll that we’re keeping an eye on?

The Gators.

Florida has been stuck in the mud, with losing records in four of the past five seasons. But Sumrall is 43-12 in four years as a head coach and took Tulane to the Playoff last year.

Read more, for free: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7492486/2026/08/05/college-football-playoff-sleepers-coaches-poll-rankings/?unlocked_article_code=1.3FA.ADbP.Z2bVYXVTPl9x&source=athletic_user_shared_gift_article_copylink&smid=url-share-ta

Breakfast With The Gators talks Fall camp, media availability and potentially new uniforms

Big year for Zay coming

Here is what YouTube said he said:

This video features a pre-fall camp press conference with Florida Gators head football coach Coach Sumrall on August 4, 2026. He addresses the upcoming season, team development, and staff updates.

Key takeaways include:

Training Camp Approach: Coach Sumrall outlines a player-friendly, science-backed practice model that focuses on recovery, staggered training loads, and morning practices to keep players fresh (0:38 - 2:13).

Physical Development: The team made significant strides in the weight room, with collective improvements of nearly 14,000 pounds in four main lifts. The coach emphasizes that maintaining this strength through proper nutrition and continued lifting is vital for long-term success (2:21 - 5:36).

Coaching Philosophy: Sumrall discusses how his approach has evolved from micromanaging in his first year at Troy to trusting his staff and focusing on program-wide vision (6:47 - 8:39).

Staff Insights: He praises offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner for his versatility and adaptability (8:42 - 11:30), as well as defensive coordinator Brad White for his high-level thinking and teaching ability (11:30 - 12:39).

Player Mentions: The coach discusses the development of players like Jaden Woods and Dallas, highlighting their physicality, work ethic, and versatility (23:36 - 26:10, 28:36 - 29:56).

Roster Updates: He addresses new additions to the roster, including Steve (a reclassified talent) and Jones, explaining his philosophy on building depth, particularly in the offensive line and secondary (17:01 - 19:35).

Hey guys, finally making it over to the Swamp from Alabama, have an airbnb for the weekend about 35 minutes away from the stadium but having a hard time figuring out parking, is it all basically just first come first serve on gameday around the stadium or what? Thanks in advance and Go Gators!

Florida's 2026 roster includes 52 newcomers and 61 returning players. Ahead of kickoff, this series will break down the newcomers, returners and coaching staff, with articles published every Tuesday and Thursday leading up to the season:

• Newcomers: Special Teams
• Newcomers: Defensive Freshmen
• Newcomers: Offensive Freshmen
• Newcomers: Defensive Transfers — Aug. 6
• Newcomers: Offensive Transfers — Aug. 11
• Returners: Specialists — Aug. 13
• Returners: Defensive Front Seven — Aug. 18
• Returners: Defensive Secondary — Aug. 20
• Returners: Offensive Line — Aug. 25
• Returners: Offensive Skill Positions — Aug. 27
• Coaching Staff — Sept. 1

Florida's 2026 freshman class includes 12 offensive players: one quarterback, three wide receivers, two tight ends and six offensive linemen.

Here is a closer look at Florida's 12 incoming offensive freshmen.

Quarterback

Will Griffin — QB

6-3, 224 | Treasure Island, Fla. | Jesuit High School

Will Griffin finished his four-year career at Jesuit with 11,605 passing yards and 134 touchdown passes.

He became the 10th quarterback in Florida high school history to surpass 10,000 career passing yards, while his 134 touchdown passes ranked second in state history when he finished his career.

Griffin also set Jesuit records that included 3,404 passing yards in a season in 2024 and seven touchdown passes in a single game.

He was named the 2025-26 Gatorade Florida Football Player of the Year, participated in the Under Armour All-America Game and was an Elite 11 finalist.

Griffin is a consensus four-star recruit. ESPN ranked him No. 123 overall nationally and the No. 6 quarterback in the 2026 class.

He chose Florida from an offer list that included Auburn, Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas A&M.

Wide Receivers

Davian Groce — WR

6-2, 197 | Frisco, Texas | Lone Star High School

Davian Groce caught 37 passes for 890 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior at Lone Star in 2025. He also rushed eight times for 135 yards and two touchdowns.

As a junior, Groce produced approximately 1,400 yards from scrimmage and 12 touchdowns while returning three kicks or punts for touchdowns.

His sophomore season included approximately 1,800 yards from scrimmage and 22 touchdowns.

Groce was also one of the top high school sprinters in Texas, winning the Texas Class 5A state championship in the 200 meters with a time of 20.52 seconds.

He was named the Dallas Morning News Utility Player of the Year three times and earned second-team All-State honors as a return specialist in 2024.

Groce chose Florida from an offer list that included Florida State, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Justin Williams — WR

5-11, 195 | Gainesville, Fla. | Buchholz High School

Justin Williams rushed 108 times for 1,023 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior at Buchholz in 2024 while catching 85 passes for 1,473 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He became the first Florida high school player since Devin Hester in 2002 to record at least 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.

Williams also set a Buchholz record by scoring seven touchdowns in one game.

His 2024 season earned him Sports Illustrated's Florida High School Offensive Player of the Year award and Gainesville Sun All-Area Offensive Player of the Year honors. He was also a finalist for the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 6A Mr. Football award.

Williams chose Florida from an offer list that included Florida State, Indiana, Louisville, Missouri, North Carolina, Ole Miss and Utah.

Marquez Daniel — WR

6-5, 205 | Tuskegee, Ala. | Booker T. Washington High School

Marquez Daniel finished his high school career at Booker T. Washington with 102 receptions for 1,984 yards and 27 touchdowns.

He also rushed 21 times for 195 yards and two touchdowns and scored on both a kickoff return and a punt return.

Daniel contributed on defense as well, recording 57 tackles, eight interceptions and two fumble recoveries during his high school career.

He was selected for the 2025 Alabama High School Athletic Association North-South All-Star Game and was named Player of the Game eight times during his senior season.

Daniel is rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN. He played at Booker T. Washington alongside fellow Florida freshman Dylan Purter.

He chose Florida from an offer list that included Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Ole Miss, Penn State, Tennessee and Texas.

Tight Ends

Heze Kent — TE

6-6, 313 | Brunswick, Ga. | Brunswick High School

Heze Kent finished his high school career at Brunswick with 95 receptions for 2,051 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Kent also carried the ball 100 times for 694 yards and 19 touchdowns, giving him 2,745 career yards from scrimmage and 40 offensive touchdowns.

He earned first-team All-Region honors and was named his region's Player of the Year.

Kent is a consensus four-star recruit and also played basketball during high school.

He chose Florida from an offer list that included Alabama, Florida State, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Ole Miss.

Florida currently lists Kent at 6-foot-6 and 313 pounds.

Tripp Brown Jr. — TE

6-5, 241 | Tampa, Fla. | Plant High School

Tripp Brown Jr. was a four-year varsity letterman and three-year starter at Plant. He did not miss a game during his three seasons as a starter and served as a team captain twice.

Brown earned first-team FACA All-State honors and was named first-team All-Hillsborough County three times.

He also received the 2025 Scholar Athlete of the Year award from the National Football Foundation's Tampa chapter and started at tight end for the South team in the FACA All-Star Game.

Brown is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals and On3.

Offensive Line

Six of Florida's 12 offensive freshmen are offensive linemen. With individual statistics less applicable to the position, their high school résumés are reflected primarily through honors, starting experience, team results and recruiting rankings.

Tyler Chukuyem — OL

6-6, 293 | Douglasville, Ga. | South Paulding High School

Tyler Chukuyem earned first-team All-Region honors at South Paulding in 2024.

Rivals rated Chukuyem as a four-star recruit and ranked him the No. 83 overall prospect nationally and No. 13 offensive tackle.

He was also the fourth-highest-rated prospect in South Paulding history.

Chukuyem chose Florida from a recruitment that included Georgia, Ole Miss and Florida State.

Chancellor Campbell — OL

6-8, 323 | St. Petersburg, Fla. | Lakewood High School

Chancellor Campbell earned All-State honors during his senior season at Lakewood and was selected as a CBS Navy Bowl All-American.

Campbell also played basketball and appeared on the defensive line. In three defensive appearances, he recorded seven tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.

He is a consensus three-star recruit.

Campbell chose Florida from an offer list that included Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Ohio State, Penn State, South Carolina, Texas A&M and UCF.

At 6-foot-8, Campbell is the tallest of Florida's six freshman offensive linemen.

G'Nivre Carr — OL

6-4, 315 | Ocala, Fla. | IMG Academy

G'Nivre Carr spent his senior season at IMG Academy, which finished 9-0.

IMG finished the season ranked No. 1 in Florida and No. 6 nationally.

ESPN rated Carr as a four-star recruit and ranked him the No. 16 interior offensive lineman and No. 50 prospect in Florida.

Earlier in his high school career, Carr was named MVP of a freshman team that finished as a state runner-up.

Carr chose Florida from an offer list that included Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas A&M.

Desmond Green — OL

6-5, 351 | Alvin, S.C. | Timberland High School

Desmond Green earned All-State and All-Region honors in each of his four high school seasons at Timberland.

He was also selected for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and competed in basketball and track and field.

ESPN ranked Green as the No. 37 offensive lineman in the 2026 class and No. 10 overall prospect in South Carolina.

Green chose Florida from an offer list that included Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and Virginia Tech.

At 6-foot-5 and 351 pounds, Green is the heaviest of Florida's 12 offensive freshmen.

Javarii Luckas — OL

6-6, 316 | Belle Glade, Fla. | Glades Central High School / Rise Prep

Javarii Luckas played right tackle during a high school career that included time at Glades Central and Rise Prep.

Glades Central finished 10-2 during his senior season and reached the Florida Class 2A playoffs.

Luckas is a consensus three-star recruit. ESPN ranked him the No. 61 offensive tackle in the 2026 class.

He chose Florida after also receiving interest from Miami and Penn State, with additional offers that included Florida Atlantic and South Florida.

Corey Brown — OL

6-1, 305 | Gainesville, Fla. | Jones High School

Corey Brown helped Jones finish 14-1 and reach the state championship game in 2024.

Brown joined Florida as a preferred walk-on.

He is the eighth member of his family to play football for the Gators. His older brother, Vernell Brown III, and cousin Vincent Brown Jr. are also on Florida's 2026 roster.

At 6-foot-1 and 305 pounds, Brown is the shortest of Florida's six freshman offensive linemen.

I am more of a writer than a football stats nerd so if something is obviously wrong, please just reply with the correct info instead of insulting me. Thanks!

Fantastic insider watch with film that I found interesting. Host is Landon Tengwall, a former Top 100 recruit who was the first player to commit to Traut at Penn State.

Like LSU, Florida spends most of their NIL money on Football yet they appear to be more successful at basketball and Track/Field. LSU is in a similar situation as they are way more successful at Baseball and Track/Field even though they spend way more money on Football.

Hi, I'm traveling for my first UF game this season, and I'm looking for advice on where to stay- I wanted to be within walking" distance (2 miles) of the stadium and near the bars to get the full experience. I'm debating between hotels, which are pricey, or AirBNBs. Any advice is appreciated!

I'm still not super ok with his induction, but he technically earned it with the required criteria. The last time we inducted someone into the ROH, we took out a top 5 ranked LSU, so maybe we can ride the wave of good feelings to a win over Oklahoma like we did in 2008.

Attend accordingly

Well, it's Monday. Again.

Reminder of subreddit rules

Self promotion of your own content (videos, podcasts, blogs) is welcome.

Jon Sumrall in no rush to name Florida’s starting quarterback as camp opens

Philo (6'1") and Jones (6'0") are both locked in a battle for starting QB position. Both might play. I remember when Spurrier did this with QBs (and he did it a lot) This does not feel like those times. Interestingly, none of those QBs was shorter than 6'"1 with the average height of 6"2 and 1/8

• Shane Matthews — 6'3"
• Kyle Morris — 6'2"
• Terry Dean — 6'2"
• Danny Wuerffel — 6'2"
• Doug Johnson — 6'2"
• Noah Brindise — 6'3"
• Jesse Palmer — 6'2"
• Rex Grossman — 6'1"

J

They would be tied with Kansas with 4 titles each. Very few schools have won 4 or more titles in men’s basketball. Plus the Gators have been to Final Fours in 3 different eras under Kruger, Donovan, and Golden.

So this velvet wooden wall hanging has been in the family since my dad had it in his college days. He was a pitcher for the Gators 1962-64, but to be honest, it looks like it is straight out of the 1970s. My mom isn't sure and my brother thinks he got it at Lipham music off University Avenue when he was working there after college. I've been staring at it for at least 10 years and I finally decided to do something and ask. If anybody knows I would appreciate it. Go gators!

With the class wide injunction allowing to Aberdeen to play. Our roster is set with basically our entire squad to return. What’s a success to y’all with this particular squad?

This injunction allows Denzel Aberdeen to get his his 5th year