The War Room: Inside the Florida Gators beat
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Welcome to the War Room, where Gators Online takes you inside the Florida Gators athletics program and recruiting operations. The goal here is to provide you with exclusive and interesting intel in the space below on a wide range of topics relating to the Gators.
Let’s get started …
How Florida Gators QB Max Brown has looked in practice
With Graham Mertz, Florida’s starting quarterback, in a sling dealing with a broken collarbone, the Gators are turning to Max Brown this week for the Florida State game. When Florida practiced Tuesday night, Brown was sharp. What Brown lacks in experience he makes up for in confidence. Brown was accurate in his first practice with the first team offense and showed some moxie. He is not as accurate or as good of a passer as Mertz, but his athletic ability will be on display. The Gators will attempt to use Brown’s athleticism this week to their advantage.
Heading into the Arkansas game, I mentioned how it would be difficult for the Gators to plan and play against interim Razorbacks offensive coordinator Kenny Guiton because getting a defensive gameplan is about finding tendencies and patterns. Guiton had never called a game before, so there was nothing to go off of. Florida can’t come up with a completely new playbook, but you should expect a heavy dose of RPO and read option with Brown at quarterback, something Florida hasn’t put on film this season. — Nick De La Torre
The latest on Gators OT Austin Barber coming off an injury
The Gators had to play without starting left tackle Austin Barber last weekend against Missouri. Barber has missed two games this season — Vanderbilt (foot) and Missouri (shoulder). The redshirt sophomore was not able to practice Tuesday. A source told me that Barber was at practice in a sling and a non-contact jersey. He will need to practice Wednesday night or Thursday afternoon if he wants to play this week but that doesn’t appear as if it’s going to be the case.
Without Barber, the Gators would again turn to Damieon George at left tackle and Kamryn Waites at right tackle. Florida used that combo last week and totaled 500 yards of offense. — Nick De La Torre
What we are hearing about standout Gators LB Shemar James
In today’s transfer portal world, you not only have to bring in new talent from other schools but hold onto the ones you want to keep. For what it’s worth, sophomore linebacker Shemar James is one standout we know the Gators feel very good about holding onto. After leading the team in tackles through eight starts before being injured, he’s the type of player other schools would love to have.
But according to sources, people inside the program are confident he’s staying. For starters, he loves it at Florida, we are told. And that’s at least partly due to the care and support he has received from the program. Also, it has been made clear to James the Gators defense is being built around him. — Keith Niebuhr
17 players walking on Senior Day
The Gators are expected to have 17 players take part in the Senior Day ceremony prior to the FSU game on Saturday night. That group only consists of players who have exhausted their eligibility and/or will be graduating this semester or next, including some redshirt juniors.
Two seniors who won’t be in the ceremony are running back Cam Carroll and Keon Zipperer. Gators Online has learned that Carroll will be returning to Florida for 2024 after suffering a torn ACL in preseason camp, while Zipperer said in the spring after his knee injury that he would be back next year.
Here’s the list for Senior Day, which includes eight scholarship players. — Zach Abolverdi
Sr WR Ricky Pearsall
R-Sr LB Teradja Mitchell
R-Sr TE Dante Zanders
R-Sr OL Lyndell Hudson II
R-Jr C Kingsley Eguakun
R-Jr DB Jaydon Hill
R-Jr CB Jalen Kimber
R-Jr DL Jaelin Humphries
Gr QB Micah Leon
R-Sr RB Eddie Battle
R-Sr WR Daniel Cross
R-So RB Carlson Joseph
R-Sr LB Kenny Anyaehie
R-Sr DL Tyreik Norwood
R-Sr P Jacob Watkins
Sr P Ara Emerzian
Sr S Ethan Wilson
Several juniors have decisions to make
The Gators have four redshirt juniors taking part in Senior Day, but not all of them have decided to leave school. Eguakun and Hill have both been at UF since 2019 and have their COVID year left. They still have to determine whether they want to turn pro or return to UF, with Hill saying he doesn’t know what his plans are.
Kimber has been in college for four years but still has two years of eligibility remaining. He will also have a decision to make after the season, along with redshirt junior quarterback Graham Mertz, junior running back Montrell Johnson Jr., junior EDGE Princely Umanmielen, junior guard Micah Mazzccua and junior cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.
Umanmielen revealed this week that he’s “still up in the air” about his decision and added that the staff is recruiting him to come back for 2024.
“[Mark] Hocke told me last week that he told a scout that they can’t have me until we win a National Championship,” Umanmielen said.
— Zach Abolverdi
Speaking of the transfer portal …
Florida will have lots of attrition this offseason, including a player or two that may surprise you. The Gators have already had two players — cornerback Jadarrius Perkins and offensive lineman Jordan Herman — both backups, leave the team. Florida also has players who already told the staff they intend to transfer but have remained with the program to continue practicing and playing. Some roster attrition is needed to make room for the 2024 class and any potential additions through the transfer portal. — Nick De La Torre
Keep an eye on Penn defensive line transfer, Joey Slackman, who has collected nearly 20 offers this week.
The Gators have yet to offer, but a source says they are definitely interested and followed Slackman on social media. I’m told the defensive line altogether will be a priority for Florida this time around in the transfer portal.
Slackman, who recorded 50 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and four sacks this fall, is one we are monitoring closely. — Corey Bender
More rankings love coming for DJ Lagway?
DJ Lagway of Willis (Texas), Florida’s heralded quarterback commit, earned his fifth star from On3 this week and a source tells me he will soon earn his fifth star from Rivals.com when that organization updates its rankings. This will make Lagway a five-star plus recruit — the best of the best, athletes that are rated as 5-stars by all four major recruiting media services.
Lagway will be the first five-star plus player the Gators have signed under Billy Napier. — Nick De La Torre
Some positive news with regards to Florida’s defensive line recruiting
The recent de-commitment by 4-star defensive lineman Nasir Johnson of Dublin (Ga.) hurt, no doubt. But there is growing confidence in Gainesville the Gators are in a strong spot with 3-star lineman/end Brien Taylor of Blinn College (Texas) entering his first visit to Gainesville this weekend. Taylor, the No. 14 overall junior college recruit in the country, will return to Florida for an official visit on Dec. 8.
Auburn, Georgia and Tennessee also are involved. The Gators view the Bulldogs as the main competition at the moment.
Taylor almost certainly could contribute at Florida in 2024 given experience and skillset. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 270 pounds and has 7.5 tackles for loss in seven games. It probably would have been more difficult for Johnson to make an impact next year for the Gators, given how many young players up front Florida will return — and how difficult the transition from high school to college is for a defensive lineman. — Keith Niebuhr
Some linebacker recruiting intel
–Florida will prioritize certain positions in the transfer portal; however, linebacker is not expected to be one of them. According to a source, the Gators are pleased with the depth and youth at the position. I’m told it would have to be a no-brainer take — someone who could immediately make a difference — for the Gators to pursue them.
Florida has three Under Armour All-American linebackers in the 2024 class: Adarius Hayes, Myles Graham and Aaron Chiles. When you throw those guys into the mix with players such as James and Scooby Williams, it’s no surprise UF will likely not be aggressive in the portal here. — Corey Bender
-One Gators commit who has been quiet in recent months is Chiles, the 4-star backer from Maryland. That can be worrisome down the stretch when other programs are in pursuit. However, a source says there is plenty of optimism in Florida holding on.
Chiles will attend his first Florida game Saturday, and on top of that, he will have his whole family with him. Chiles won a state championship at Olney (Md.) Good Counsel and now is ready to reconnect with inside linebackers coach Jay Bateman and others in Gainesville. Other schools are pushing, but Florida is confident. — Corey Bender
More recruiting quick-hitters ….
-Florida continues to feel good about its chances of flipping 4-star running back Jadan Baugh of Decatur (Ga.) Columbia from Arkansas. His stock is rising with the recruiting websites thanks to a strong season, but the Gators have always had a high opinion of him. It’s not clear at this time if Baugh will be in Gainesville this weekend. He has a game Friday night in south Georgia. Either way, he plans to return to Gainesville in December for an official visit. All indications are, Florida is doing a strong job in this reruitment. — Keith Niebuhr
-The Gators keep battling for 3-star offensive tackle Favour Edwin of McDonough (Ga.) Eagle’s Landing Christian and believe they’re in the mix … but the confidence in landing him is extremely high at Auburn right now and that’s something to watch. Ewin officially visited Florida earlier this month. — Keith Niebuhr
-From talking with multiple sources, Florida isn’t as optimistic about flipping 4-star cornerback Jameer Grimsley of Tampa Catholic (Fla.) from Alabama as it was just a few weeks ago. That said, he’s still expected to visit Florida again this weekend. The Gators aren’t throwing in the proverbial towel, but it certainly feels like a steep climb at the moment. — Keith Niebuhr
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