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Tag: Orlando

  • Gators’ Etienne enters name into transfer portal

    Gators’ Etienne enters name into transfer portal

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida running back Trevor Etienne, who led the Gators with nine touchdowns and emerged as one of the team’s most dynamic playmakers, entered the transfer portal Thursday.

    The younger brother of former Clemson star and Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne ran for 753 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore, despite playing behind a shaky offensive line. He also had 172 yards receiving and a score while sharing time with Montrell Johnson.

    Etienne and Johnson, a junior who followed coach Billy Napier from Louisiana-Lafayette, have become close friends during their two years in Gainesville. And Etienne said he would like to see both become primary ball-carriers so they can improve their NFL draft stock.

    “My time as a Gator was an invaluable experience and one that I will cherish for years to come,” Etienne said in social-media posts announcing his decision.

    He will have two years of eligibility remaining. He joins a growing list of Florida players who have entered the portal, including pass rusher Princely Umanmielen, receiver Caleb Douglas and defensive linemen Will Norman and Chris McClellan.

    Associated Press

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  • Knights to begin preparation for Gasparilla Bowl on Friday

    Knights to begin preparation for Gasparilla Bowl on Friday

    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — UCF will practice for the Gasparilla Bowl starting Friday, one of 11 that coach Gus Malzahn said the team will hold.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Knights are gearing up for the Gasparilla Bowl and will start practices Friday

    • UCF will play Georgia Tech in that game at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22 in Tampa

    • O’Leary said the game is important to the players and to continue momentum

    • The Yellow Jackets’ coach is Brent Key, who was on George O’Leary’s UCF coaching staff for 11 years

    “That’s exactly what we did two years ago,” Malzahn said. “It worked out really well.”

    The Knights (6-6) will line up against Georgia Tech (6-6) at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22 in the bowl game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

    Originally, their opponent was revealed as Duke on ESPN’s bowl selection show on Sunday, but the matchup was switched because those teams played in the Military Bowl last year.

    In the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl, UCF defeated Florida 29-17, thanks to strong play by Isaiah Bowser, Mikey Keene and Ryan O’Keefe — who have all moved on since then. They also beat Marshall in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl.

    “We’re excited to go back to the Gasparilla Bowl,” Malzahn said. “We had a great experience there two years ago. … I know our players are excited to play this game.”

    Playing in Tampa is a good spot for the Knights because the stadium is only about two hours away from UCF, so friends and family will have an easy time getting there. The proximity also will limit the amount of travel the team needs to do after completing a season in which it hit the road for 7,485 miles, the third-most among Florida Bowl Subdivision teams according to an analysis by Reddit.

    Plus, Malzahn said, they have had success at the Gasparilla Bowl in the past and feel comfortable there because they have played in the stadium.

    The opponent will be somewhat familiar to UCF and Georgia Tech.

    Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key was an assistant coach, including assistant head coach, for George O’Leary during his 11 seasons as the Knights’ coach. 

    “It’s cool to go back down there,” Key said.

    The teams also played each other in the 2022 regular season, and UCF won that matchup 27-10. But Key was not hired as head coach of Georgia Tech until two days after that game, and they have a new quarterback — Haynes King.

    During the regular season, the Yellow Jackets defeated two teams that were nationally ranked at the time — North Carolina and Miami — but neither of those teams finished among the Top 25. King threw for 2,755 yards with a 61.9% completion percentage, and Jamal Hayes ran for 931 yards.

    “It’s a great opportunity for these guys to play in a bowl game, no matter where it’s at,” Key said. “It’s the experience of getting to play another opponent and extend your season. People have this crazy notion that there are too many bowl games and too many things. I think that’s ludicrous.”

    Malzahn said he expects to come to the game with his regular-season roster mostly intact. Malzahn said no player who had not entered the transfer portal had told him that he planned to skip the game.

    “It’s important for our seniors, real important to our players to finish on the right track,” Malzahn said “…. I really think our guys will be extremely motivated to play this game.”

    The 30-day window for the transfer portal began on Monday, and fourth-year cornerback Corey Thornton was the most experienced player who has declared his plans to transfer as of Wednesday afternoon.

    While preparing for the bowl game, Malzahn and his staff also must keep up with players going in and out of the transfer portal and recruiting. The college football early signing period, when new incoming players can sign their national letters of intent for the 2024 season, opens Dec. 20 and continues through Dec. 22.

    “This bowl game is really important to keep that momentum,” Malzahn said. “Going in two years ago, we saw it end on a positive end. Last year, it was kind of a tough deal (loss to Duke in Military Bowl). So, we need to play well and gear up and do everything we can to get a victory.”

    The Knights were the only new addition to the Big 12 this season to become eligible for a bowl game this season. They won three of their last four games after struggling midseason, partially because of injuries.

    UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee missed three games with a leg injury but finished the regular season with 2,073 passing yards and a 63.9 pass completion percentage; he also rushed for 473 yards. Senior running back RJ Harvey ran for 1,296 yards, 10th among FBS players. 

    Malzahn said he hopes to see a sellout for the game, with a strong turnout by Knights fans. UCF has already sold out its initial allotment of tickets, he said.

    But Key said he could have the biggest name on his side of the stands.

    “No one asked the real question,” Key said at the end of his press conference.

    He said that question is which side of the stadium O’Leary would sit on.

    A reporter responded, “He’s your guy.”

    Key, who also played for O’Leary when he coached Georgia Tech, chuckled and replied, “You’re darned right.”

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • An Old Florida Christmas awaits at Manatee Village Historical Park

    An Old Florida Christmas awaits at Manatee Village Historical Park

    BRADENTON, Fla. — The Manatee Village Historical Park is preparing for a special event called “An Old Florida Christmas.”


    Park historical interpreter and curator Matt Woodside said that oranges, of course, played a part in old Florida Yuletide celebrations — as a present and as pomanders, a decoration made from oranges with a pattern of cloves embedded in them.

    “Citrus grove owners at Christmastime would make these little ornamentations to give away to their friends and family,” Woodside said.

    He’s preparing the Bradenton spot for their “An Old Florida Christmas” event to be held on Saturday.

    The park offers a restored general store, chapel, schoolhouse and a local home once owned by the Stephens family of Manatee County.

    “The Stephens were a farming family that build this house in 1912,” said Woodside. “About 40 miles east of where we are today.”

    The house was preserved and transported to the Manatee Village as an example of Florida’s frontier life. Woodside said 10 children grew up in the home, and celebrated a different kind of Christmas season.

    “Back in the 1910s period, the pre-World War I period, there just wasn’t the availability of Christmas decorations,” he said. “Often times it was more of a community affair where they would have what was called a Christmas Frolic. And it was a dance party later that afternoon, where the community we get together and celebrate with dancing and fiddle playing, and that sort of thing.”

    Locals can enjoy an Old Florida Christmas Saturday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Admission to the park is free.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • USF releases 1st renderings of its new on-campus stadium

    USF releases 1st renderings of its new on-campus stadium

    TAMPA, Fla. — With “genuine excitement,” the University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its planned on-campus stadium.

    The Board of Trustees met Tuesday morning to receive an update on the plans after the university terminated a design-build agreement, and it opted for a more traditional construction management model.

    What You Need To Know

    •  USF released renderings of its planned on-campus football stadium

    •  Groundbreaking for the stadium is expected in fall 2024

    •  The first game played at the new stadium is set for August 2027

    So far, the school has raised more than $43 million of its $50 million goal for the stadium project. That includes a $6 million gift from the USF Federal Credit Union to name the walkway that will lead into the main entrance of the stadium, where the football team’s traditional pregame Bulls Stampede will take place.

    “To me, it’s just the next step in the evolution of the whole university, quite frankly, as an important engagement tool that will bring us together as one USF better than ever before,” said Michael Kelly, vice president of athletics.

    The stadium, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027, will include:

    • An east-west build to help maximize shade for daytime events.

    • A dedicated section for students in the west end of the stadium that includes a design featuring Bull horns and amenities that will cater to the student experience.

    • An open concourse around a majority of the stadium that provides views of the field, even as fans are walking to concession or restroom areas.

    • A large tailgating space on the north side of the stadium.  

    • A variety of premium seating options, including suites, loge boxes and club areas.

    The University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its new on-campus stadium.

     

    USF officials said the initial renderings are conceptual and will develop as the design process continues and more elements are finalized. The design process included feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.

    “Since we first announced plans to build an on-campus stadium at the University of South Florida, it has become the topic I hear about most often from our passionate supporters. There is a genuine excitement within our community,” USF President Rhea Law said. “We’re thrilled to offer the first images of the stadium that will activate our campus in ways we never have before and will make a positive impact on our university for generations to come.”

    Students at USF are excited about the new stadium, and one pointed out that even if they won’t still be attending USF by the time the stadium is built, it will give them a reason to come back.

    “My dad graduated in ’96 so I’ve been coming to games. I went to my first game when I was 3 years old and ever since then I’ve been coming back,” Alisha Kurian said.

    In a picture her dad took at her first game, you see Kurian sound asleep in her seat. She said being a Bull is a family affair.

    “I think that giving students their own stadium, and student-athletes a space to call their own to play in, not only is that a great thing, but also alumni having a reason to come back to campus for games and for that environment really elevates the whole USF experience,” she said.

    Kurian said even though she won’t be a USF student when the stadium is built, it will give her and her dad a reason to keep coming back, and keep their tradition alive.

    “He absolutely cannot wait,” Kurian said. “He’s probably more excited than anyone else. I know and he’s hoping I have three younger siblings, so maybe one of them will be here when the stadium is built.”

    Signature signage will showcase the newly named USF Federal Credit Union Champions Way, located off USF Genshaft Drive.

    The University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its new on-campus stadium.

    The University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its new on-campus stadium.

    “Our university will proudly feature one of the nation’s most beautiful and community-centered stadium entranceways,” USF Foundation Chief Executive Officer Jay Stroman said.

    Stadium planning committee co-chairs Stroman and Kelly said the next major steps are to release more detailed stadium renderings in spring 2024 and to hold a groundbreaking ceremony in fall 2024.

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Tampa business defends FSU football, ‘If you can’t beat us, cheat us’

    Tampa business defends FSU football, ‘If you can’t beat us, cheat us’

    TAMPA, Fla. – A local business is tapping into the outrage of Florida State football fans, after the College Football Playoff Committee snubbed the undefeated Seminoles from playing for a national championship.

    Smack Apparel, a longtime t-shirt company in Tampa, is now printing thousands of shirts for FSU fans that say,  “If you can’t beat us, cheat us.” The shirt is in FSU’s colors of garnet and gold. 

    Owner Wayne Curtiss is a Florida State alumnus.

    He says Smack Apparel is usually known for shirts that celebrate teams and their success, especially our local ones here in Tampa Bay. But this time, it’s about a team with many passionate fans getting left out.

    “I’ve been doing this 25 years and we have cool stuff for teams all over the country,” Curtiss said in an interview. “But this one is personal. The shirt says it all. I mean that’s it. No one beat us. 13-0. The games matter.”

    Curtiss says there’s been a big demand, with the shirts selling immediately when they were first put on sale Sunday night.

    “The demand is off the charts,” Curtiss said. “I got fellow alumni that are asking for it. We invoke the message of what the fans are feeling.”

    The company was filling orders all day on Monday as college football fans reacted to the surprising decision to leave FSU out of the playoff. 

    FSU fans can buy them online or locally at Heads and Tails in Tampa.

    Tim Wronka

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  • From coach to U.S. senator, FSU supporters condemn CFP selection panel

    From coach to U.S. senator, FSU supporters condemn CFP selection panel

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —  The Seminoles and their backers are not going quietly after Florida State became the first undefeated Power 5 team in the 10-year history of the College Football Playoff to be excluded from a chance to play for a national championship.

    All the way to the U.S. Senate.

    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) on Monday sent a letter to CFP Selection Committee Chairman Boo Corrigan demanding full transparency from the committee regarding how the decision was reached to choose Alabama, Michigan, Washington and Texas for the playoff this postseason and the factors at play in reaching that outcome.

    “Beyond the fury and heartbreak caused by the Committee’s decision, there are also financial implications that must be discussed,” Scott said in his letter to Corrigan. “The ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) and FSU have been denied $2 million of revenue distribution from the CFP due to the Committee’s decision to remove the Seminoles from playoff contention. While this is a significant amount of money, it is just a fraction of the total economic impact that playoff contention would have created for FSU. Beyond the benefit to the university and its athletic program, the Committee’s decision will also likely have profound impacts on the future earnings and opportunities for the players.”

    Scott, a former Florida governor who lived in Tallahassee both of his terms, requested that the committee respond by sending to his office “the ‘listing step’ and ‘ranking step’ votes of each member of the Selection Committee for the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023; any notes, recordings or reports detailing the deliberations of the CFP Selection Committee in deciding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023 and any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between the members of the Selection Committee regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023” and other documentation. He also requested a copy of the CFP ethical and conflict of interest standards.

    Current Florida govenor Ron DeSantis, who is running for U.S. president, spoke out on Twitter.

    Former President Donald J. Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, took a jab at DeSantis, too, on his Truth Social media site. “Florida State was treated very badly by the ‘Committee’. They become the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoffs. Really bad lobbying effort…Let’s blame DeSanctimonious.”

    The Seminoles aren’t the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoff, just the first undefeated one.

    FSU went 12-0 in the regular season and defeated Louisville in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday. The Seminoles overcame a season-ending left leg injury to starting quarterback Jordan Travis on Nov. 18 in a 58-13 victory against North Alabama, and they had to go to third-string quarterback Brock Glenn in the ACC title game after backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker sustained a concussion in their regular-season finale against Florida, a 24-15 victory. 

    In contrast, Texas lost to Big 12 rival Oklahoma 34-30 on Oct. 7, and Alabama lost to future Southeastern Conference rival Texas 34-24 on Sept. 9, but both made the CFP with one loss. Alabama defeated then-No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in the SEC Championship Game, and Texas won the Big 12 Championship Game by defeating Oklahoma State 49-21.

    The Atlantic Coast Conference and officials at FSU had plenty to say, too.

    In a statement released after the CFP Selection Committee made its decision, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said, “It’s unfathomable that Florida State, an undefeated Power Five conference champion, was left out of the College Football Playoff. Their exclusion calls into question the selection process and whether the Committee’s own guidelines were followed, including the significant importance of being an undefeated Power Five conference champion. My heart breaks for the talented FSU student-athletes and coaches and their passionate and loyal fans. Florida State deserved better. College football deserved better.”

    Seminoles coach Mike Norvell expressed his outrage, too.

    “I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games,” Norvell said. “What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is OK to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury?”

    Corrigan defended the committee’s decision to elevate Alabama to the No. 4 spot rather than selecting FSU.

    “Florida State is a different team than it was the first 11 weeks,” Corrigan told ESPN. “As you look at who they are as a team right now, without Jordan Travis, without the offensive dynamic he brings, they are a different team, and the committee voted Alabama four and Florida State five.”

    Travis, who has continued to be around the Seminoles after his injury to show his support, took to Twitter — going so far as to say he wished he had been injured earlier in the season, so the CFP could see that the Seminoles were a strong contender, even without him.

    The Seminoles’ defense ranked No. 14 in the nation through the championship games, ahead of every CFP team except No. 1 Michigan — including No. 8 against the pass. FSU held its opponents to 21 points combined after Travis’ injury.

    In addition, Rodemaker, who led FSU past Florida in the regular-season finale, is expected to be out of concussion protocol by the time the bowl games are played.

    The two teams knocked out of the CFP, FSU and two-time defending champion Georgia, will meet in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

    Although the players are very disappointed and angry, the Seminoles still have the opportunity to play for the third perfect season in school history. FSU went 14-0 in 2013 and 12-0 in 1999, both of those seasons ending with national titles.

    Content from The Associated Press and ESPN contributed to this report.

     

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • FSU QB Rodemaker a game-time decision for ACC title game

    FSU QB Rodemaker a game-time decision for ACC title game

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — No. 4 Florida State might have to turn to third-string quarterback Brock Glenn to start the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game against 15th-ranked Louisville on Saturday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker is questionable for the ACC Championship Game on Saturday 

    • Rodemaker is recovering from a concussion he sustained against Florida last week

    • If he cannot play, freshman third-string QB Brock Glenn would be called upon to start

    • Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said Rodemaker’s status will be a game-time decision

    Tate Rodemaker, who made his second career start in the team’s regular-season finale at Florida last Saturday, has been limited in practice this week while recovering from a concussion. It’s another potential setback at the quarterback position for the Seminoles, who appear to be one victory away from making the College Football Playoff.

    Rodemaker left the game briefly in the fourth quarter after getting hit in the head while sliding, a targeting call that resulted in an ejection. He returned a few plays later and handed off to Trey Benson for a game-sealing touchdown run in FSU’s 24-15 victory.

    Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said Friday at a news conference for the two ACC coaches that Rodemaker initially passed on-field concussion tests Saturday night but had symptoms a day later. Rodemaker has been able to participate in some parts of practice, but Glenn has gotten the bulk of the work leading into the game, Norvell said.

    “That’s going to be something that’s going to go up until game day, and we’ll continue on with our process of evaluation and see where it goes from there,” he said.

    Rodemaker completed 12 of 25 passes for 134 yards against the Gators. Rodemaker replaced Heisman Trophy candidate and ACC Player of the Year Jordan Travis a week earlier after Travis suffered a season-ending injury to his left leg against North Alabama.

    Now the Seminoles could be switching quarterbacks again.

    “The game plan doesn’t have to change a whole lot,” Norvell said. “It’s the same thing we faced a week ago, going and playing our last regular-season game. We knew that (Glenn) was going to be one play away. He had to be ready for that situation, and he was.”

    Glenn, a freshman, has played in just three games this season and only completed two passes for 35 yards in mop-up duty against North Alabama. The Seminoles surely would prefer to get Rodemaker back, but he has hurdles to cross before being cleared.

    “We know the process we have to go through, and there’s certain benchmarks that we’ll go through and see as we lead up to the game day or to game time, and we’ll see where he’s at,” Norvell said. “But all those guys are ready and they’re prepared if their number gets called.”

    Associated Press

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  • Seminoles’ Travis wins 2 ACC awards, including Player of the Year

    Seminoles’ Travis wins 2 ACC awards, including Player of the Year

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis was selected Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.

    Voting for the awards was conducted by a 65-member voting panel made up of 51 selected media and the conference’s 14 head coaches. 

    The redshirt senior led the Seminoles to an 8-0 mark in ACC play, the program’s 10th unbeaten conference record and first since 2014, and was the quarterback of record for each of FSU’s first 11 victories in 2023.

    Travis threw for 2,755 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for seven more scores before sustaining a season-ending injury to his left leg during FSU’s 58-13 against North Alabama on Nov. 18.

    He led the ACC in fewest interceptions thrown, the second-lowest total among quarterbacks nationally with at least 200 attempts, and ranked second in the conference in passing efficiency, yards per pass attempt and passing yards per game. He ranked third in the ACC in points responsibility per game, yards per completion, total offense per game and completion percentage.

    He is the first Seminole to win ACC Player of the Year since Jameis Winston in 2013.

    Travis responded to the honor on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • FSU heads to ACC title game looking to ‘finish for 13′

    FSU heads to ACC title game looking to ‘finish for 13′

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Kneeling in the south end zone at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida State running back Trey Benson tried to cut out a chunk of grass with scissors. It wasn’t working on the orange-painted turf, so teammate Jared Verse stepped in to help.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State is preparing to play Louisville on Saturday for the ACC title

    • The victory would be the Seminoles’ 13th, the same number as injured starting quarterback Jordan Travis

      •  

    • Travis’ decision to return to FSU for an extra season last year sparked the team’s undefeated run in 2023

    • No. 4 FSU also needs a win to keep alive its hopes for reaching the College Football Playoffs

    Together, and despite a police officer trying to dissuade them from finishing the task, they found success with their bare hands. They ripped out a keepsake destined for the program’s famed “Sod Cemetery” in Tallahassee.

    It could be the first of several souvenirs for the fourth-ranked Seminoles (12-0) over the next month.

    Nearly a year after several key players opted to stay in school and chase championships — Verse and star quarterback Jordan Travis led the way — FSU is on the verge of another one. The ‘Noles will play No. 15 Louisville (10-2) in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.

    Florida State has a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line, and even with Travis now a spectator because of a gruesome left leg injury sustained in the team’s home finale Nov. 18, players and coaches refuse to settle for anything less. They have even embraced a “finish for 13” mantra that is a shoutout to Travis’ jersey number and all he has done for the program.

    “It means a lot,” Verse said. “The whole season, 11 games, he was there every step of the way. … He’s still there. It means so much for us to go out there and put on (a show) for him. We gave everything we had. I feel like everybody hit another mental gear, another physical gear, that we don’t talk about enough. That’s what we’re capable of.

    “After the game, you look him in the eyes, and we’re like, ‘Hey, we did that for you.’ He’s smiling and just feels genuine joy. Even though he wasn’t on the field with us, he was still there.”

    Travis got FSU’s special season started last December when he announced he would return for a sixth year, the last five in Tallahassee after beginning his college career at Louisville. Standout receiver Johnny Wilson made a similar announcement the following day, and then Benson joined them two days later.

    Verse waited until January to declare his intentions. A first-team All-ACC selection after leading FSU with 14-1/2 tackles for loss in 2022, including 7-1/2 sacks, Verse turned down NFL millions to run it back with teammates.

    All those guys surely helped coach Mike Norvell land transfers like receiver Keon Coleman (Michigan State), tight end Jaheim Bell (South Carolina), defensive tackle Braden Fiske (Western Michigan) and cornerback Fentrell Cypress II (Virginia).

    Now, the Seminoles have won 18 consecutive games and capped their seventh undefeated regular season with a 24-15 victory against Florida in the Swamp. It gave Norvell’s team a second “state championship” in as many years for beating both in-state rivals (including ACC foe Miami).

    “It’s just an awesome opportunity that I’m real thankful for,” Fiske said. “That is why I came here. I came here to play in bigger games like this, and we’re undefeated now. … It’s unbelievable. Just got to keep this rolling.”

    Added Verse: “I’ve been defeated; I ain’t never been undefeated.”

    No one on the team has. It was just four years ago that Norvell took over one of college football’s laughingstocks. He lost 10 of his first 13 games with FSU and then slowly — and now suddenly — started to turn things by developing young talent and filling holes through the transfer portal.

    He won three games in 2020, five in 2021, 10 in 2022 and now he has the team playing for its first conference title since 2014.

    “It all goes to the players,” Norvell said Monday. “They’ve made the commitment. They put in the work. You can set a standard, but if people aren’t willing to push to the standard and hold themselves accountable to it. …

    “Where do you go from here? There’s nothing to be satisfied with. You’re appreciative of the work you put in. But I want better, and these players want better. We want to see that next step to be taken. And this week, you get to play in a conference championship. You win the game, all things are in front of you.”

    Including more sod souvenirs.

    Associated Press

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  • Zoo mission of education and conservation helped by holiday cheer

    Zoo mission of education and conservation helped by holiday cheer

    TAMPA, Fla. — ZooTampa is hosting Christmas in the Wild this year, giving the community the chance to celebrate the holidays in style. 

    What You Need To Know

    • On the Town visits ZooTampa’s Christmas in the Wild

    • It’s open select nights through Dec. 30

    • More than 1 million lights are on display

    • The Zoo celebration benefits animals in their care

    There’s a giraffe sculpture taller than an actual giraffe. There are more than 1 million twinkly lights, and animals from around the world.

    It’s Christmas in the Wild at ZooTampa.

    And it’s all for the benefit of animals like African penguins, or as their handlers call them, “Cats of the bird world.”

    “They’re just like cats. They like anything shiny and reflective,” said animal care professional Galyn Williams.

    Williams introduces human guests to Rocky and his counterparts during the zoo’s Animal Encounter Program.

    “I love them. I’m going on almost six years working with these guys,” Williams said.

    And it all starts in the kitchen for this animal care professional. One must have the treats to reinforce their positive behaviors.

    So when Rocky hops to the top of the rock like they practice, Williams offers praise and food. “So a lot of our training we do is for a more positive atmosphere for them,” said Williams.

    Not only does it provide enrichment, it also helps when penguins need checkups or other medical care.

    For Williams, she’s leaning hard into her dream-come-true job.

    “This is my childhood zoo,” Williams said. “So being able to come back here and working with these guys, my favorite animal, is a great pleasure and a way for me to give back to my community.”

    ZooTampa offers the community a chance to both celebrate the holidays and keep the cats of the bird world thriving.

    You can enjoy ZooTampa’s Christmas in the Wild on select nights through December.

    Virginia Johnson

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  • AP source: Florida coach fires 2 assistants, begins defensive overhaul

    AP source: Florida coach fires 2 assistants, begins defensive overhaul

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Billy Napier began a defensive makeover by firing two assistants Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • 2 Gators defensive assistants get fired, AP source says

    • Cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer are out

    • In one four-game stretch, Florida gave up 41.75 points per game

    • The Gators (5-7) won’t play in a bowl game for the third time since 1990

    Napier parted with cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer two days after a season-ending, 24-15 loss to rival and then-No. 5 Florida State, according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the coach nor the assistants had made the moves public.

    The Gators (5-7) lost five consecutive games to end the season and missed a bowl game for the third time since 1990. Defense was the biggest issue down the stretch, with Florida allowing 41.75 points a game in the first four of those losses.

    The unit was better in the finale against the Seminoles, who were playing without star quarterback Jordan Travis, but it was too little, too late to save the assistants.

    Defensive line, secondary and offensive line were Florida’s worst positions by far in 2023, and Napier made it clear that he planned to make moves in hopes of turning around a program that took a step back in his second season.

    The Gators fell to 11-14 under Napier, who surely will enter 2024 on the hot seat in Gainesville.

    Napier hired Raymond and Spencer before his first season. The addition of Raymond was a ballyhooed move, considering he had been one of the country’s top secondary coaches at LSU since 2012.

    But Florida’s pass defense ranked 11th in the Southeastern Conference in 2022 and ninth in 2023. The Gators managed just three interceptions this past season, four fewer than any other team in the league.

    Spencer, known as “Coach Chaos,” arrived after two seasons with the New York Giants and following a six-year stint at Penn State. But with Spencer in charge, Florida’s run defense ranked 12th in the SEC in 2022 and 11th in 2023.

    Associated Press

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  • Missing mother of 4 found dead in husband’s storage unit: Police

    Missing mother of 4 found dead in husband’s storage unit: Police

    The case of a missing mother of four in Florida took a grim turn after police reported Sunday that her dead body had been found in a storage locker belonging to her estranged husband.

    Prior to the announcement by local law enforcement, Shakeira Rucker, 37, had last been seen by her children on November 11 after she left their home in Winter Springs, Florida, to get dinner at a restaurant with her estranged husband, Cory Hill, 51. Winter Springs is a suburb located in the northeast corner of the Orlando metropolitan area.

    Rucker was reported missing that night after seemingly going to the restaurant in Polk County with Hill and never making it home. Her family said she had told them via a phone call that she had picked up her food and was on her way home, but was not heard from again. Security obtained from the restaurant by police later confirmed that the pair had in fact been there.

    After a week of searching, officials with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a storage facility Apopka, roughly 20 miles west of Winter Springs, complaining of a smell coming from one of their units. Once deputies entered the unit, which was later found to have been registered to Hill, they found Rucker’s body covered in multiple gunshot wounds. It is believed that, however the incident came about, Rucker was killed at the same location where she was found.

    The case of a missing mother of four in Florida took a grim turn after police reported Sunday that her body had been found in a storage locker belonging to her estranged husband.
    Elijah Nouvelage/AFP via Getty Images

    According to police, the day after his estranged wife had gone missing, Hill had been arrested on unrelated charges after he approached an ex-girlfriend, who had a domestic violence injunction against him, and opened fire on her and her family with a gun. While in custody, officials said that Hill refused to discuss the whereabouts of Rucker.

    “Cory Hill could have stopped a lot of that pain and suffering by talking to investigators in the very beginning, instead of putting them through this week-long nightmare,” Orange County Sheriff David Mina said at a Sunday press conference. “The storage unit was registered to him, he had to have known that we would eventually find her in there.”

    While Hill has not yet confessed to any involvement in Rucker’s death, and a motive for her murder has not been established, officials now consider him to be the prime suspect. He is currently being held in jail without bond in relation to the November 12 incident, charged with attempted first-degree murder, shooting into an occupied dwelling, criminal mischief, possession of a concealed weapon by a convicted felon, and violation of a domestic violence injunction, with additional charges related to Rucker’s case expected to be filed soon. Officials also noted that Hill had previously been convicted of murder in 1993.

    Newsweek reached out to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office via email for comment.

    As a major city, the Orlando metro area ranks high among Florida regions in terms of violent crime. Statistics from 2019 published by Florida Daily ranked Orange County only behind Miami-Dade County, with 7,805 violent crimes reported across the entire year.