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Tag: Spectrum Sports Staff

  • USF announces complete 2026 football schedule

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    TAMPA, Fla. — The University of South Florida has announced its complete football schedule for 2026.

    USF will open the season, its last in Raymond James Stadium before opening its on-campus stadium in 2027, on Sept. 5 at home against Florida International.

    An early-season American Conference game is scheduled for Sept. 12 at Army.

    The Bulls also play home, non-conference games vs. Delaware State on Saturday, Sept. 19, and Kent State on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the Kent State game designated as Homecoming.

    The Bulls’ lone non-conference road contest takes place at Bowling Green on Saturday, Sept. 26.

    USF will play a total of eight conference games, including home games with Temple, Alabama-Birmingham, Memphis and its season-ending game against Tulane.

    The Bulls went 9-4 last year, with a third consecutive bowl appearance. USF also made the program’s first College Football Playoff ranking appearance and was ranked four times in the weekly Associated Press Top 25 poll.

    The team has a new coach this season, Brian Hartline, after Alex Golesh left to become the head coach at Auburn.

     

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Jazz sending ex-Florida, UCF stars to Grizzlies in blockbuster deal for All-Star

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    All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has been traded to the Utah Jazz in what will be an eight-player, multiple-pick deal with the Grizzlies that results in former Florida Gator and 2025 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Walter Clayton Jr. and former UCF forward Taylor Hendricks also heading to Memphis.

    Utah is also sending Georges Niang and Kyle Anderson and three future first-round picks to the Grizzlies.

    Jackson, Jock Landale, John Konchar and Vince Williams Jr. will be going to Utah with Jackson Jr.

    In the offseason, Memphis previously had traded guard Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for multiple draft picks and a pick swap. He apparently was the first shoe to drop.

    Memphis has been engaged in talks about trading star guard Ja Morant as well. For now, the Grizzlies decided to part with Jackson, a former defensive player of the year.

    Jackson averaged 19.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season for Memphis, the team that drafted him No. 4 overall in 2018. He was a two-time All-Star for the Grizzlies, the 2023 defensive player of the year, a two-time blocked shot champion and a three-time all-defensive team pick.

    Of the four Utah players moving to Memphis in the deal, none averaged more than 7.1 points per game this season. Niang has yet to play because of injury; he was with the Atlanta Hawks last season, got traded to the Boston Celtics in July and then sent to Utah in August.

    Clayton Jr. was selected No. 18 overall by the Jazz in the 2025 NBA Draft. Hendricks, picked No. 9 overall in the 2023 draft, was in his third season with the Jazz, but he missed all but three games last season after fracturing his right fibula and dislocating his ankle.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff, Associated Press

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  • Florida, UCF land new quarterbacks in portal; former USF star heads to Auburn

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    FLORIDA — Florida and Auburn have new quarterbacks to pair with new head coaches, and UCF has added a passer from the 2025-26 College Football Playoff for 2026.

    What You Need To Know

    • Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff, will play for UCF coach Scott Frost in 2026

    • Former Georgia Tech quarterback Aaron Philo is transferring to Florida

    • Gators running back Jaden Baugh also has signed a new contract to stay with Florida

    • Ex-USF quarterback Byrum Brown will join former Bulls coach Alex Golesh at Auburn next season

    Alonza Barnett III, who led James Madison into the 2025-26 College Football Playoff and was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, will join Scott Frost’s Knights team in 2026. Barnett threw for 2,806 yards with 23 passing touchdowns while adding 589 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground and led the Dukes to the Sun Belt championship this past season. Through his redshirt junior season, he notched 5,433 career passing yards with 49 touchdowns and rushed for 1,075 yards and 23 touchdowns.

    UCF’s starting quarterback for most of last season, Tayven Jackson, entered the transfer portal.

    Georgia Tech’s Aaron Philo announced his commitment to the Gators on Tuesday and will follow former Yellow Jackets offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner from Atlanta to Gainesville. Philo is expected to compete with redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. for the starting job to replace departed DJ Lagway. Philo, a 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior, worked with Faulkner the past two seasons, serving as backup to Haynes King and appearing in eight games.

    The Gators got more good news from the transfer portal when they won a bidding war with Texas for running back Jadan Baugh, who rushed for 1,170 yards and caught 33 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns at Florida last season. Other high-profile players returning to the Gators include top tackler Myles Graham, leading receiver Vernell Brown III and wide receiver Dallas Wilson.

    Philo joins former Tech teammate Bailey Stockton, a receiver and brother of Georgia quarterback Gunnar Stockton, and Penn State offensive lineman TJ Shanahan as key guys to pick Florida since the transfer portal opened Friday. The Gators are rebuilding under new coach Jon Sumrall.

    South Florida’s Byrum Brown, meanwhile, announced he is following former Bulls coach Alex Golesh to Auburn.

    Brown reposted on his Instagram account an On3 post announcing that the quarterback is making the move. Brown has thrown for 7,690 yards and 61 touchdowns while also rushing for 2,265 yards and 31 scores over the last four seasons at South Florida. 

    He completed 66.3% of his passes for 3,158 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions this season. He also rushed for 1,008 yards and 14 touchdowns on 175 carries while helping South Florida go 9-3 in the regular season.

    At UCF, other key players who are staying with the Knights are defensive tackles Horace Lockett Jr., who had entered the transfer portal, and RJ Jackson and defensive backs Braeden Marshall and Antione Jackson.

    In addition to Barnett, the transfer portal so far has brought the Knights running back Landen Chambers from Central Arkansas; offensive lineman Cooper Terpstra from Michigan State; offensive lineman Brady Wayburn from UConn, offensive lineman Tyler Gibson from Charlotte; offensive lineman Henry Tabansi from Buffalo; linebacker Tackett Curtis from Wisconsin; and defensive backs Kahmel Johnson from Wayne State and Caleb Flagg from Missouri.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff, Associated Press

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  • Gators’ quarterback Lagway says he’s entering transfer portal

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    FLORIDA — University of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is leaving the program and entering the transfer portal, he announced Monday on his Instagram account.

    That means the Gators will enter next season with a new starting quarterback and a new head coach.

    In his post, Lagway thanked his family, teammates, coaching staff, Florida’s athletic trainers and other members of the university community for their support.

    “I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such an incredible program here at the University of Florida,” Lagway said in his post.

    Florida hired Jon Sumrall from Tulane as head coach late last month to replace Billy Napier, who they fired midseason.

    Lagway spent two seasons at Florida, the highest profile recruit of Napier’s coaching stint at Florida.

    In Lagway’s 24 regular-season games as the Gators’ quarterback, Florida went 12-13 and in 2024 went to the Gasparilla Bowl, where Florida defeated Tulane and he was named MVP. He completed 328 of 529 pass attempts for 4,179 yards, 28 touchdown passes, and he threw 23 interceptions. He also carried the football 122 times for 237 yards and one touchdown.

    This past season, the oft-injured Lagway completed 63% of his passes this season for 2,264 yards, with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also ran for 136 yards and a score. He missed most of the offseason program while recovering from core-muscle surgery, a sore throwing arm and a strained calf. He also missed time in 2024 with a hamstring injury.

    He looked like a potential star as a freshman at Florida, going 6-1 as a starter. But he seemed out of sorts as a sophomore — evidenced by sloppy mechanics and a clear lack of confidence in the pocket.

    Lagway also was due to make more than $3 million in 2026 at Florida and made millions already through name, image and likeness deals with Gatorade, Jordan Brand, Mercedes-Benz, Lamborghini Orlando, T-Mobile, Beats by Dre, Chipotle and others.

    After Lagway made the announcement, newly hired LSU coach Lane Kiffin retweeted a link to a news story about Lagway announcing his decision. When Florida sought a replacement for Napier, it reportedly showed strong interest in hiring Kiffin before he accepted an offer for the Tigers’ job.

    The transfer portal opens Jan. 2.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Florida’s colleges begin restocking football rosters with early signings

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    FLORIDA — College football programs throughout Florida announced written commitments for 2026 on Wednesday, the first of the three-day early signing period for high school players.

    On his first early signing day since returning to UCF, coach Scott Frost announced 13 commitments, including two quarterbacks, two running backs and six in-state prospects.

    “Today went off without a hitch. I really like the group that we got. It was a no-drama day. Everything was in and done early,” Frost said. “Recruiting high school kids is a really important way to build the foundation of your team and get guys in the program who can help now or be developed into guys that you hope you can keep for a long time.  But it’s not the only way to build and improve a team anymore.”

    Frost said investing in high school players, from a money standpoint, means they need to have a good chance of playing.

    “I want to make sure we have a team that has the best chance possible to compete next year,” Frost said.

    Last year, UCF had to bring in 60-70 new players after the graduation of many seniors and the departure of then-coach Gus Malzahn.

    Frost said that he hopes to bring back a lot of players who they want to build around.

    “That’s going to mean that we can fill in holes rather than build an entire team,” he said. “That’s definitely a better position to be approaching this from.”

    Frost said he and his staff looked at high school players who have the traits that will help them develop soon into players who will improve the team.

    “There’s a lot of size and length,” Frost said. “I think we can get bigger. We certainly need to get a little tougher as a football team. But I really like the size and length of a lot of these guys. I like the elite speed of a lot of guys. And overall, I just like the upside of the class.”

    He said he and his staff are in a better position to know the players already on the roster and the holes that need to be filled.

    Frost said the program should be in an even better recruiting position next season. He said it takes more than a year to recruit a player and he got back to UCF so late last year that it put the team behind in recruiting for this year’s class.

    He said he expects to leave a couple positions open for the late signing period to maybe add some quality players who fell through cracks.

    • Running back Kaj Baker out of Miami and Somerset Academy
    • Quarterback Dante Carr out of Minersville (Pa.) High
    • Offensive lineman Kasiyah Charlton out of Brunswick (Ga.) High
    • Tight end Brooks Hall out of Platte County (Mo.) High
    • Linebacker Preston Hall out of Missouri City, Texas and Ridge Point High
    • Edge rusher Alhassan Iddrissu out of Oakdale, Conn., and St. Thomas More High
    • Defensive back Elijah Keys out of Jacksonville Duncan U. Fletcher High
    • Running back Arthur Lewis IV out of Palatka Bartram Trail High
    • Quarterback Rocco Marriott out of Platte County (Mo.) High
    • Defensive tackle Noah Mercer out of Key West High
    • Linebacker Matthew Occhipinti out of Saddle Brook, N.J., and Don Bosco Prep
    • Defensive back Amarion Queen out of Martin County High
    • Offensive lineman Amahn Williams out of Randolph, Mass., and Tabor Academy

    While Frost has been busy recruiting, he said he has been looking for an offensive line coach, too. Coach Shawn Clark died early in the season. Frost said he doesn’t expect to make any other changes to his staff.

    USF Bulls

    The biggest news out of USF on Wednesday was the hiring of former Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline as their new head coach. He replaces Alex Golesh, who was hired as Auburn’s coach after the regular season.

    That did not slow recruiting at USF, which announced 17 players made official commitments on early signing day. Fourteen of those players are from Florida high schools. The Bulls loaded up in the defensive backfield, with four cornerbacks and two safeties. They also signed four defensive linemen.

    • Linebacker Lorenzo Barnes from Marianna
    • Running back Jayson Franklin out of Fayetteville, N.C.      
    • Defensive lineman Iverson Garcia-Ponce out of Knoxville, Tenn.
    • Defensive end Demetrius Geathers Jr. out of Deerfield Beach
    • Kicker Gaston Gramatica from Tampa
    • Offensive lineman Jordan Harrison out of Clinton, Md.
    • Wide receiver Gabe Legrand out of Lake Wales
    • Defensive lineman Sager Quinn out of Cahutta, Ga.
    • Defensive end Peter Ramil out of Binghamton, N.Y.
    • Wide receiver Dmari Roberts out of St. Petersburg
    • Cornerback Derrick Nichols III out of Miami
    • Linebacker Dennis King III out of Daytona Beach
    • Safety CJ Cresser out of Brooksville
    • Cornerback Ja’Kyri Watson out of Kissimmee
    • Cornerback Masiyah Limehouse out of Plant City
    • Cornerback Keyshaun Birks out of St. Petersburg, Fla.

    Florida Gators

    The University of Florida, which earlier this week announced it had hired Jon Sumrall to replace Billy Napier as coach, announced the signings of 16 high school players, including six offensive linemen and two edge rushers. All but seven signees are from Florida.

    • Cornerback CJ Bronaugh out of Orlando Windermere
    • Offensive lineman Corey Brown out of Gainesville and Jones
    • Offensive lineman Chancellor Campbell out of St. Petersburgh Lakewood
    • Offensive lineman G’Nivre out of Ocala and IMG Academy
    • Offensive lineman Tyler Chukuyem out of Douglasville, Ga., and South Paulding High
    • Wide receiver Marquez “Quez” Daniel out of Tuskegee, Ala., and Booker T. Washington High
    • Edge rusher KJ Ford out of Dallas, Texas Duncanville High
    • Offensive lineman Desmond Green out of Alvin, S.C., and Timberland High
    • Quarterback Will Griffin out of Treasure Island and Tampa Jesuit
    • Wide receiver Davian Groce out of Frisco, Texas Lone Star High
    • Defensive lineman Kendall “KG” Guervil out of Fort Myers High
    • Tight end Heze Kent out of Brunswick (Ga.) High
    • Offensive lineman Javarii Luckas out of Belle Glade Glades Central
    • Edge rusher Jareylan “Reylan” McCoy out of Tupelo, Miss., High
    • Inside linebacker Malik Morris out of Lakeland High           
    • Wide receiver Justin Williams out of Gainesville Buchholz  

    Florida State Seminoles

    Florida State signed the largest class of the state programs that Spectrum Sports regularly follows — 30 players, including some from NFL Academy and junior colleges. The class, which has 14 from Florida schools, includes nine defensive linemen, seven offensive linemen and five wide receivers.

    • Defensive lineman Jalen Anderson out of Slidell, La., High School and Pearl River Community College in Mississippi
    • Defensive back Tre Bell III out of Westview, Fla., and Barbara Goleman Senior High
    • Wide receiver Brandon Bennett out of Miramar American Heritage School
    • Defensive lineman Wihtley Cadeau out of Atlanta and Booker T. Washington High
    • Defensive lineman Chris Carbin out of Powder Springs, Ga., and Hillgrove High
    • Wide receiver Devin Carter out of Evans, Ga., and Douglas County High
    • Defensive back Jordan Crutchfield out of Fort Pierce and Vero Beach High
    • Defensive lineman Judah Daniels out of Lehigh Acres and Fort Myers High School
    • Tight end Corbyn Fordham out of Ponte Vedra Beach and The Bolles School
    • Offensive lineman Luke Francis Jr., out of the NFL Academy in London, United Kingdom
    • Linebacker Daylen Green out of Bainbridge, Ga., and Gadsden County High
    • Offensive lineman Jakobe Green out of Quincy, Fla., and Gadsden County High
    • Offensive lineman Nikau Hepi out of Auckland, New Zealand and the NFL Academy
    • Offensive lineman Mike Ionata out of Tarpon Springs and Calvary Christian High
    • Defensive back Chuck Kennon out of Bradenton and Booker High
    • Linebacker Noah Lavallee out of Marietta, Ga., and Walton High School
    • Defensive lineman Damaad Lewis out of Charlotte N.C., Myers Park High School
    • Linebacker Karon Maycock out of Miami Central High School
    • Offensive lineman Steven Moore out of Memphis, Tenn., Barlett High School and Garden City (Kan.) Community College
    • Quarterback Jaden O’Neal out of Mustang, Okla., High School
    • Offensive lineman Steven Pickard Jr. out of Charleston, S.C. and IMG Academy
    • Defensive lineman Jaemin Pinckney out of Dorchester, S.C., Woodland High
    • Defensive lineman Earnest Rankins out of Scottsdale, Ga., and Southwest DeKalb High
    • Running back Amari Thomas out of Marianna and Blountstown High
    • Tight end Xavier Tiller out of Atlanta and Langston Hughes High
    • Wide receiver E.J. White out of Vero Beach High
    • Defensive lineman Franklin Whitley out Greenville (S.C.) Senior High
    • Wide receiver Darryon Williams out of Tampa Plant High
    • Linebacker Izayia Williams out of Tavares High School
    • Wide receiver Jonah Winston out of Hoover (Ala.) High School

     

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  • ‘The standard here is championships. That’s why I came,’ new Florida coach says

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New University of Florida football coach Jon Sumrall made one thing clear at his introductory news conference — he is at Florida to win and to win championships.

    “The standard here is championships. That’s why I came,” Sumrall said. “I’m built for this job. I was made for this job. Winners win. I’m a winner. We’re going to win.”

    What You Need To Know

    • The Gators introduced Jon Sumrall of Tulane as their new football coach Monday

    • He will come to Gainesville full time after the Green Wave complete the 2025 college football postseason

    • Sumrall finalized a six-year, $44.7 million contract that comes with incentives, according to AP

    • “The standard here is championships. That’s why I came,” Sumrall said.

    Sumrall went on to explain how the team will reach those lofty goals and pointed out that he plans for the Gators to play differently than where he has coached in the past.

    “We’re going to play with an edge, a blue-collar mindset and a chip on our shoulder,” Sumrall said.”We will be tough. We will have grit. We will not be outworked. We will play with physicality.”

    The team will be built on player strengths.

    “When I think of the Gators, I think of aggressive. I think of explosive,” Sumrall said. I think about mixing tempos, using it to your advantage and dictating the game to the opponent.”

    In a nod to the offenses of former Gators championship-winning coaches Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, who both attended the news conference, Sumrall said, “I think about stretching the field and threatening every blade of grass.”

    The offensive line, he said, must play with a nasty demeanor.

    Sumrall, who is coming to Florida from Tulane, won’t completely make the transition until after the college football postseason is complete. He will coach the Green Wave against North Texas in the American Conference Championship Game on Friday, and maybe after that, if Tulane is selected for the College Football Playoff.

    But he made it clear he already has begun working to build the 2026 Gators football program.

    Roster building starts with the current team, he said, and he needs the players at Florida now to stay. He said he is making it his first recruiting effort with them and held video conferences with many of those players Sunday night.

    With early signing day coming up Wednesday, Sumrall said he also has spoken with some players who already have verbally committed to the Gators and admires the high character of that class.

    Speaking about both groups, Sumrall asked them to give him an opportunity.

    “I will fight to keep all of them,” he said. “…I can’t wait to coach you. I would love to coach you.”

    He said he expects to recruit many players from within the state.

    “I believe the lifeblood of your program is recruiting good high school players, and in Florida, elite, high school football players,” Sumrall said.

    But as a national program, he acknowledged that they will look throughout the country to get the most elite players.

    Sumrall said he also will use the transfer portal, but mostly as a way to supplement the roster or fill holes on the team.

    He said he and his staff are “going to run a player-driven program. My job here is to serve and develop the players….Those players are going to get everything I got to help them become their best.”

    Florida Athletic Director Scott Strickland said he wanted a winner, and that’s Sumrall. He has the fifth-highest win-percentage among active Football Bowl Series coaches, and is 42-11 in four seasons as coach at Troy and Tulane. He reached the conference championship game each of those four years.

    Sumrall finalized a six-year, $44.7 million contract that comes with incentives, according to a person familiar with the search. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because financial details were not released. The deal averages $7.45 million annually.

    Sumrall thanked the University of Florida community for the opportunity as well as Spurrier, Meyer and some current players who turned out for their support.

    “It’s great to be a Florida Gator. I am honored and humbled to be the head coach at the University of Florida,” Sumrall said.

    The Gators haven’t had a top-five offense in the Southeastern Conference since 2020-21. 

    To find the last time they had a top 10 offense in the nation, you have to go back to 2009.

    Sumrall will look to change that.

    He wasn’t the first choice of many Gators, who had hoped to hire Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin. But Kiffin selected LSU over Florida.

    At the opening of the news conference, Sumrall said he and Kiffin had discussed their job searches.

    “Lane Kiffin and I have both been going through the same thing. And we talked a lot, and we both were in agreement that I was the right man for this job,” Sumrall said.

    He also said his entire family is all in on their support for Florida.

    “We had options. My wife and I sat down, and we chose Florida,” Sumrall said. “Florida had to choose us first, but we chose it back.”

    Sumrall replaces Billy Napier, who was fired Oct. 19, after a 3-4 start to this season and a 22-23 record overall with the Gators. Napier was hired from Louisiana, where he went 40-12 over four seasons. Billy Gonzales took over as interim coach at Florida to finish out the Gators’ season.

    During Napier’s last season in particular, he took a lot of public criticism. Sumrall said that the support of the community and fan base is vital to building a championship program.

    “We can only maximize our potential with your full support. It takes all of us working together to win championships,” Sumrall said. “I love, love, love, your passion and your enthusiasm. …That’s part of what attracted me here.”

    Strickland also signed General Manager Dave Caldwell, who won a Super Bowl during his five seasons with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. He also spent eight years (2013-20) with the Jacksonville Jaguars and built a roster that made the AFC title game.

    Caldwell is expected to help manage Florida’s salary cap and evaluate college talent as demands on coaches have expanded with the burgeoning transfer portal and name, image and likeness payments.

    Sumrall said is constantly recruiting, but “My No. 1 job is to coach the team. While future Gators matter to me, current players matter more.”

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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    Brandon Green, Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • Stricklin begins national search for UF coach, names Gonzales for rest of season

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said Monday that he fired coach Billy Napier on Sunday because he felt now was the time in the best interests of the program long term. 

    He said he is launching a nationwide search to hire a new coach who can win a national championship. Stricklin said he would make the hire and be solely responsible but that he would hire TurnkeyZRG to be a partner in the search process. He said he will take suggestions from others, including the trustees and Turnkey.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said Monday he will conduct an extensive search for a new football coach

    • Stricklin fired Billy Napier on Sunday after the Gators’ 3-4 start

    • He said he is looking for a coach who can win a national championship

    • Among the coaches whose names have been linked as possible replacements are Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, former Penn State coach James Franklin and USF coach Alex Golesh

    “We will have a wide variety of candidates,” Stricklin said, despite reports naming some possible successors. “We want people who can win national championships.”

    Some coaches whose names have been linked to the job in media reports are Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, former Penn State coach James Franklin, who was just fired by Penn State; Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman and USF coach Alex Golesh, whose 18th-ranked Bulls are 6-1 this season with a victory against Florida. Golesh also is a former UCF co-offensive coordinator.

    In the interim, receivers coach Billy Gonzales will take over as coach for Florida’s remaining five games, beginning against rival Georgia (6-1, 4-1 Southeastern Conference) on Nov. 1 in Jacksonville. The Gators (3-4, 2-2) have a bye week to regroup from the chaos that often comes with a coaching change.

    He has worked on the Gators staff for 12 years with three different coaches.

    “Florida is a special place to me,” Gonzales said. “I take this new role to heart. It’s important to me.”

    Gonzales said Napier’s coaching staff will be kept in place and quarterbacks coach Ryan O’Hara will call plays. He said running the offense will be a collaborative process but that offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Russ Calloway will organize it.

    Florida owes Napier roughly $21 million, with half of that buyout due within 30 days. The rest will be spread over three annual installments beginning next summer, meaning the Gators will be paying three head coaches for the second time in seven years once they hire Napier’s replacement; they did the same with Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen in 2018. The football program will honor the contract as written, Stricklin said.

    Stricklin said the financial hit “is not insignificant” but that resources won’t be a factor in who Florida hires.

    “We have a little more time to make a hire and be very thorough,” he said.

    Stricklin said Florida has a “standard of excellence of winning that we have to perpetuate. …We’re here to win championships.”

    He warned that the process of replacing Napier will be tricky, though, pointing out that only three current college coaches have won national championships, so it’s likely whoever Florida hires will not previously have won one.

    But he added that Florida has never invested more in its football program’s infrastructure, facilities and name, image and likeness expenditures than it has of late.

    Stricklin announced Sunday that Napier was fired after going 22-23 in four seasons at Florida, including 12-16 in Southeastern Conference play. The firing came despite a 23-21 victory that looked like it was going to be gut-wrenching loss until defensive tackle Michai Boireau picked off a pass with 21 seconds remaining and the Bulldogs near field-goal range.

    “We’re all sad and disappointed that it didn’t work out,” Stricklin said.

    Napier took his dismissal “as graciously as you would expect,” Stricklin said. “…None of us will find a finer individual. His integrity, his character, the investment that he has made in this program.”

    The Gators program is in a lot better place than when Napier took it over, Stricklin said.

    “This place is important to him,” Stricklin said.

    Gonzales said he is hoping for a smooth transition, and Napier has left the Gators with “an arsenal of plays within the system.” He said he has full trust in the staff and players to finish the season strong. He said he wants to put the players in advantageous position to perform at their best.

    Stricklin met with the team after he fired Napier and said that although the situation is difficult, he expects a strong finish.

    “I believe we have the talent to compete with anyone left on our schedule,” Stricklin said. “…The University of Florida matters to this group. ….Winning is important to this group.”

    He said the staff, boosters and fans, “owe it to them to do everything we can to support them the rest of this season.”

    Speculation about Napier’s future mounted as the season went along, facing multiple ranked teams. He is the third consecutive coach to be fired by Florida in the middle of a season but the fourth Gators coach to be fired since the Urban Meyer era.

    The University of Florida draws student-athletes from all over the state, including Central Florida. According to one Lake Nona parent whose son plays for the football team, the players were notified on Sunday that there would be a meeting Sunday, and that’s when Charles Emanuel said he could almost guess what it was pertaining to.

    Though many fans and some leaders with the program seem to be unhappy with the wins and losses over the years, Emanuel said he likes the work Napier has done with the team, and that he’s thinking of him and his family during this time, not just the season.

    “I thought Billy’s done a really good job with this team,” he said. “My wife and I we’ve enjoyed the fact that our son has been there, and he’s treated our son well. I think he treats his players well, and I think all the players will tell you he’s a players’ coach,” Emanuel said.

    Spectrum News 13’s Brandon Green and Jaclyn Harold contributed to this report.

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    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • FSU’s Pritchard moved from hospital to rehab site as he recovers from shooting

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State freshman linebacker Ethan Pritchard is “alert, responsive and able to communicate” after being shot in the back of the head following the team’s season opener in August, according to a post on the Seminoles football program’s X account.

    Pritchard was released from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital on Thursday and moved to Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville for the next stage in his recovery.

    The football team at Pritchard’s high school alma mater, Seminole High School in Sanford, posted a video of him leaving the hospital on its X account Thursday afternoon.

    “We are thankful for the efforts, thoughts and prayers of so many people and ask that you continue to support Ethan and his family as this process continues,” Florida State football posted in an announcement on X.

    Four people were arrested in connection with the shooting. Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Mark Glass said last month that Pritchard was “not doing anything wrong” when he was ambushed outside an apartment complex. He added that Pritchard was dropping off an aunt and a child at the time of the shooting.

    Gadsden County Sheriff Morris Young said the shooting was a case of mistaken identity.

    “I am so thankful for everyone who has prayed for my son,” Earl Pritchard said in a statement. “There have been a lot of ups and downs over these last 39 days, and it is remarkable that Ethan and I were able to leave the hospital together today.”

    Pritchard also thanked FSU coach Mike Norvell for being “a constant presence visiting us here at the hospital.”

    “His players and staff have continued to make us feel part of the team,” Pritchard added. “I can’t fully express how much those moments have meant to me and Ethan.”

    Seminole High School hosted a fundraiser in early September at a football game, selling T-shirts with his number on them.

    All funds from T-shirt sales and concession sales went to his family to help pay for his medical bills.

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  • This year’s showdown between in-state rivals FSU, Miami is Top 25 matchup

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When No. 18 Florida State and No. 3 Miami meet Saturday in their annual intrastate and Atlantic Coast Conference rivalry game, the contest will be one of only two Top 25 matchups of the day.

    As if the intense rivalry between the teams is not enough, that status brings with it significance in the College Football Playoff picture, and the programs have a history of ending each other’s national title hopes.

    What You Need To Know

    • The FSU-Miami game on Saturday in Tallahassee could decide both teams’ College Football Playoffs fate

    • In the history of the in-state rivalry, the game has a history of hurting national championship hopes

    • The Hurricanes come into the game undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the AP Top rankings

    • The Seminoles are coming off a double-overtime loss to ACC opponent Virginia

    The undefeated Hurricanes are looking to build upon their already strong start to the season, which includes victories against then-No. 6 Notre Dame and Florida, to try to make a run at the national championship. They have not won in Tallahassee since 2019, but Miami quarterback Carson Beck is 4-0 against Florida State and Florida.

    The Seminoles are coming off a stunning, double-overtime loss to Virginia on Saturday, ending their unbeaten run after defeating Alabama in their opener and pounding East Texas A&M and Kent State. The defeat in its ACC opener knocked FSU down 10 spots in The Associated Press Top 25 rankings.

    If they hope to get back into the CFP hunt, the Seminoles need a victory against the Hurricanes on Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

    “We lost the first conference game. We have nothing but an opportunity in front of us this next week in a huge game for us, for our program, for our university,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said.

    In the eyes of Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal, conference games are playoff games, and he pointed out this week that league matchups tend to be tighter than many non-conference contests. 

    “Everybody’s alive, everybody’s vying for a spot,” Cristobal said. “So the margins for error, the margins between winning and not winning, become smaller and smaller. … I think that’s the best part of college football at this time of year. You’re getting everybody’s best, and you’re giving everybody your best.”

    FSU rushed for 256 yards against Virginia, but it also surrendered 211 yards on the ground. The Cavaliers converted seven of 13 third-down attempts. The Seminoles also had two early turnovers that led to the Cavaliers’ first two touchdowns.

    Despite the loss to the Cavaliers, the Seminoles had positive moments that they might look to carry into the matchup with the Hurricanes. They erased a 14-0 deficit against the Cavaliers, and quarterback Tommy Castellanos threw a tying 11-yard touchdown pass to Randy Pittman Jr. with 36 seconds left in regulation.

    Castellanos appeared to throw a tying 22-yard touchdown pass to Duce Robinson in the second overtime. But Robinson juggled the ball as he ran through the back of the end zone. After the play was initially ruled a score, it was reversed on replay. On the next play, Castellanos heaved a desperation pass to the corner of the end zone intended for Squirrel White. He was intercepted by Ja’Son Prevard, closing it out for the Cavaliers.

    “I know our guys will respond,” Norvell said. “We have to go put everything we have into this week.”

    He said he believes FSU could get a boost from playing at home.

    “You’ll see a sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium, nighttime, prime time,” Norvell said. “A wonderful stage to be able to show this team who we are, what we’re about, and the response that we’re going to have.”

    Beck is not worried about the crowd noise.

    “In all these loud stadiums and big-time matchups, I think you can see that throughout these first five weeks of college football,” Beck said. “But for us, if we just have elite communication, we can just kind of block that crowd out and just execute and do what we do.”

    In the end, the outcome could come down to which team’s strengths prevail.

    FSU running back Gavin Sawchuk (234 yards rushing) and Castellanos (217 yards rushing) lead the Seminoles’ ground attack, which ranks second in the Football Bowl Subdivision at 336.3 yards a game. Miami is tied for eighth in the FBS in rushing defense at 76.3 yards a game.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • This year’s showdown between in-state rivals FSU, Miami is Top 25 matchup

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    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — When No. 18 Florida State and No. 3 Miami meet Saturday in their annual intrastate and Atlantic Coast Conference rivalry game, the contest will be one of only two Top 25 matchups of the day.

    As if the intense rivalry between the teams is not enough, that status brings with it significance in the College Football Playoff picture, and the programs have a history of ending each other’s national title hopes.

    What You Need To Know

    • The FSU-Miami game on Saturday in Tallahassee could decide both teams’ College Football Playoffs fate

    • In the history of the in-state rivalry, the game has a history of hurting national championship hopes

    • The Hurricanes come into the game undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the AP Top rankings

    • The Seminoles are coming off a double-overtime loss to ACC opponent Virginia

    The undefeated Hurricanes are looking to build upon their already strong start to the season, which includes victories against then-No. 6 Notre Dame and Florida, to try to make a run at the national championship. They have not won in Tallahassee since 2019, but Miami quarterback Carson Beck is 4-0 against Florida State and Florida.

    The Seminoles are coming off a stunning, double-overtime loss to Virginia on Saturday, ending their unbeaten run after defeating Alabama in their opener and pounding East Texas A&M and Kent State. The defeat in its ACC opener knocked FSU down 10 spots in The Associated Press Top 25 rankings.

    If they hope to get back into the CFP hunt, the Seminoles need a victory against the Hurricanes on Saturday at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

    “We lost the first conference game. We have nothing but an opportunity in front of us this next week in a huge game for us, for our program, for our university,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said.

    In the eyes of Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal, conference games are playoff games, and he pointed out this week that league matchups tend to be tighter than many non-conference contests. 

    “Everybody’s alive, everybody’s vying for a spot,” Cristobal said. “So the margins for error, the margins between winning and not winning, become smaller and smaller. … I think that’s the best part of college football at this time of year. You’re getting everybody’s best, and you’re giving everybody your best.”

    FSU rushed for 256 yards against Virginia, but it also surrendered 211 yards on the ground. The Cavaliers converted seven of 13 third-down attempts. The Seminoles also had two early turnovers that led to the Cavaliers’ first two touchdowns.

    Despite the loss to the Cavaliers, the Seminoles had positive moments that they might look to carry into the matchup with the Hurricanes. They erased a 14-0 deficit against the Cavaliers, and quarterback Tommy Castellanos threw a tying 11-yard touchdown pass to Randy Pittman Jr. with 36 seconds left in regulation.

    Castellanos appeared to throw a tying 22-yard touchdown pass to Duce Robinson in the second overtime. But Robinson juggled the ball as he ran through the back of the end zone. After the play was initially ruled a score, it was reversed on replay. On the next play, Castellanos heaved a desperation pass to the corner of the end zone intended for Squirrel White. He was intercepted by Ja’Son Prevard, closing it out for the Cavaliers.

    “I know our guys will respond,” Norvell said. “We have to go put everything we have into this week.”

    He said he believes FSU could get a boost from playing at home.

    “You’ll see a sold-out Doak Campbell Stadium, nighttime, prime time,” Norvell said. “A wonderful stage to be able to show this team who we are, what we’re about, and the response that we’re going to have.”

    Beck is not worried about the crowd noise.

    “In all these loud stadiums and big-time matchups, I think you can see that throughout these first five weeks of college football,” Beck said. “But for us, if we just have elite communication, we can just kind of block that crowd out and just execute and do what we do.”

    In the end, the outcome could come down to which team’s strengths prevail.

    FSU running back Gavin Sawchuk (234 yards rushing) and Castellanos (217 yards rushing) lead the Seminoles’ ground attack, which ranks second in the Football Bowl Subdivision at 336.3 yards a game. Miami is tied for eighth in the FBS in rushing defense at 76.3 yards a game.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • Fans can see new-look Magic’s 1st preseason game Saturday on FanDuel Sports

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — Magic fans can get their first look at the revamped roster for the 2025-26 season on Saturday when Orlando faces the Miami Heat in Puerto Rico.

    FanDuel Sports Network, the local TV and streaming rights holder to Magic games, will broadcast that game and two other Orlando contests during the preseason. Tipoff for Saturday’s game is scheduled at 8 p.m. ET.

    The Magic’s home preseason games against the Heat at 6 p.m. ET Oct. 12 and the New Orleans Pelicans at 7 p.m. ET Oct. 16 will also be televised and streamed by FanDuel Sports.

    The network will carry all Magic games this season except those broadcast on a national platform. Details of regular-season broadcast plans will be announced at a later date.

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  • Florida football assistant coach Jabbar Juluke suspended for pregame scuffle

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    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Southeastern Conference and University of Florida have announced a three-game suspension of Jabbar Juluke, associate head football coach and running backs coach at Florida, for his involvement in an altercation prior to the Florida-LSU football game on Saturday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida associate head coach and running backs coach Jabbar Juluke has been suspended for three games

    • The suspension followed his involvement in an altercation before the UF-LSU game Saturday

    • SEC officials and the Gators did not explain specifically what Juluke did

    • He will miss games against No. 4 Miami, No. 8 Texas and No. 10 Texas

    Juluke will miss a tough stretch of the Gators’ schedule, as the next three games are at No. 4 Miami, at home against No. 8 Texas and at No. 10 Texas A&M.

    In a news release, the SEC and school didn’t describe Juluke’s specific role in the altercation, but players from both teams could be seen yelling at each other before the game. LSU won, 20-10.

    “Coaches are expected to be leaders and to de-escalate tense situations, and that did not happen in this circumstance,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This suspension is appropriate, and any future misconduct by Jabbar Juluke will result in more severe disciplinary action.”

    Juluke apologized for the incident.

    “There’s no excuse for my behavior, and I take full responsibility for my actions,” he said.

    “I know more is expected of us as coaches, and I commit to living up to that expectation.”

    Head coach Billy Napier, whose team is off to a 1-2 start, said Juluke will learn from what happened.

    “Coach Juluke’s actions prior to our game against LSU are not up to the standard of our program. Coach Juluke is a man of character and has taken full responsibility for his actions,” Napier said.

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  • Schröder takes over late as Germany tops Turkey for EuroBasket gold

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    RIGA, Latvia — The Orlando Magic’s Franz Wagner and Tristan da Silva combined for 31 points, and Dennis Schröder took over to deliver more gold for Germany.

    Schröder, who will play for the Sacramento Kings in the upcoming season, had the game’s final six points, Isaac Bonga scored a team-best 20 points and Germany topped Turkey 88-83 on Sunday in the gold medal game at the European championship.

    It was Germany’s first EuroBasket title since 1993 and comes two years after the team — largely with the same core — won the World Cup title in 2023.

    “We never shy away from the big moments. … Everybody is so confident,” Schröder said. “Just big-time plays from big-time character people.”

    Wagner scored 18 points, pulled down eight rebounds and blocked two shots, and Schröder finished with 16 points and 12 assists for Germany, which finished the tournament 9-0. Da Silva added 13 points and four rebounds for Germany.

    The game had 15 lead changes and 11 ties, with the final lead change coming when Schröder scored on a drive to put Germany up by one with 1 minute, 15 seconds left.

    He added a jumper with 18.7 seconds remaining and after Turkey’s Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets hit a 3-pointer that would have tied it, Schröder sealed gold with a pair of free throws.

    “To be a World Cup winner and a European champion, that’s big time,” Schröder said.

    Sengun had 28 points for Turkey, which got 23 from Cedi Osman and a 13-point, nine-assist, six-rebound game from Shane Larkin, who played for Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando and for the Miami Hurricanes. Larkin is the son of baseball Hall of Famer Barry Larkin.

    Schröder, Wagner, Sengun, Greece’s Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, Slovenia’s Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers were named to the Eurobasket 2025 All-Tournament Team.

    Bronze: Greece 92, Finland 89

    Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, leading Greece past Finland for the bronze medal earlier Sunday.

    It was Greece’s first EuroBasket medal since winning bronze in 2009.

    “We did it. This is probably one of the biggest accomplishments that I’ve ever accomplished as an athlete,” said Antetokounmpo, a past NBA champion and MVP. “I know I’ve won an NBA championship, but there’s no feeling like representing your national team and representing 12 million people that breathe and live this national team. This is probably the greatest accomplishment so far in my life.”

    It was the sixth time that Greece finished on the podium at the EuroBasket, with two golds, one silver and three bronze medals.

    Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Finland.

    Greece — which never trailed and led by 17 at one point — had an 11-point lead with less than two minutes remaining, but Finland rallied.

    Elias Valtonen had a chance to tie the game with three free throws with five seconds left but missed the third. Antetokounmpo eventually controlled the rebound for Greece and sealed the game with a pair of free throws.

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  • Howard, Donovan to take their place among basketball’s elite Saturday

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    ORLANDO, Fla. — The spotlight will shine on basketball in the state of Florida Saturday when former Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and former Gators men’s basketball coach Billy Donovan will be among the stellar 2025 class inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

    What You Need To Know

    • Former Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and ex-Florida Gators coach Billy Donovan will be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday

    • Howard will be inducted twice, for his individual accomplishments and as a member of the 2008 men’s U.S. Olympic team

    • Donovan coached the Gators to national championships in 2006 and 2007 during his 19 seasons as coach

    • Other inductees Saturday are Carmelo Anthony, Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, Miami Heat Managing General Partner Micky Arison and longtime NBA referee Dan Crawford

    Howard will be inducted twice — for his individual contributions as one of the best centers in NBA history and as a member of the 2008 men’s U.S. Olympic basketball team that was nicknamed the “Redeem Team” for bringing the gold medal back to the United States.

    Donovan was coach of the Florida Gators for 19 seasons from 1996 to 2015. He led the Gators to their first two men’s NCAA basketball championships in back-to-back seasons, 2006 and 2007. That team was led by three players who went on to standout NBA careers in Al Horford, who is still playing in the league, Joakim Noah and Corey Brewer.

    Billy Donovan holds up the championship trophy after coaching the Gators to the title in 2007, the team’s 2nd in 2 seasons. (Associated Press)

    While at Florida, Donovan became the most successful coach in Gators history. In total, the Gators went to four Final Fours and won six Southeastern Conference regular-season titles. He left with a 467-186 record, a .715 winning percentage. He was hired by the NBA’s Bulls in September 2020 and still coaches in Chicago today.

    Howard and Donovan could have paired up earlier because the Magic hired Donovan to coach the team in mid-2007. But Donovan changed his mind just six days later and returned to Florida to coach through the 2014-15 season.

    Howard was drafted by the Magic in 2024 straight out of high school at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, and the partnership paid off for the player and Orlando, where he helped lead the team to the NBA Finals in the 2008-09 season and to two Eastern Conference Finals, in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

    The honor capped off a career in which Howard was selected as an NBA All-Star eight times (from 2007-2012), was a five-time NBA rebounding champion (from 2008-2010, in 2012 and 2013), a two-time blocked shots champion (2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons) and the only player to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year in three consecutive seasons (2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11). All of those accolades were achieved as a member of the Magic, except one of the seasons he led the league in rebounding, 2012-13.

    He also was named to the 2006-07 All-NBA Third team and the All-NBA First Team for five seasons in a row, starting in 2007-08, and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2007-08 and the NBA All-Defensive First Team for four consecutive seasons, starting in 2008-09.

    Howard was a showman, too. He took part in three NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contests. He won in 2008, when he stepped out of a mock phone booth, donned a cape and soared from around the free-throw line to the hoop for his iconic “Superman” dunk.

    “I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve had longevity, and I’ve been able to play as long as I’ve been able to play and stay as healthy as I have,” Howard said. “And I want people to say that one thing about me is that I was always going to put my best foot forward, 100% effort. They can say, ‘No matter what it is, he’s going to put in everything he has’.”

    In Orlando, Howard remains the career leader in minutes played (22,471), points (11,435), free throws made (3,366) and attempted (5,727), rebounds (8,072), blocked shots (1,344) and personal fouls (2,002). On Nov. 12, 2008, he recorded a triple-double against Oklahoma City with 30 points, 19 rebounds and 10 blocked shots.

    While with the Magic, center Dwight Howard (right) won 3 NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

    He was strong off the court, too. Howard received the Rich and Helen DeVos Community Enrichment Award for his community service six times while he played in Orlando.

    The only achievement he did not record with Orlando was winning an NBA championship. He got his lone NBA ring in 2020, with the Lakers when Los Angeles defeated the Miami Heat in the bubble finals, ironically played at Walt Disney World in Orlando during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Howard averaged 15.7 points and 11.8 rebounds per game for his career. Only 13 other players in the history of the NBA have posted those numbers for a career. He is 10th on the NBA’s all-time rebounding list, 13th on the list of blocked shots. His three DPOY awards trail only four-time winners Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace and Rudy Gobert.

    Only one other player — Elvin Hayes — finished his NBA career averaging as many points, rebounds and blocked shots as Howard did. Blocks didn’t become an official stat until 1973, but regardless, the numbers showed Howard was a lock for the hall in Springfield, Mass., to call.

    Howard was left off the NBA’s 75th anniversary team that was unveiled nearly four years ago.

    His longtime coach with the Magic, Stan Van Gundy, said Howard deserved to be on the team because his intelligence, athleticism and quickness helped him dominate opponents.

    “It was absolutely ridiculous that he didn’t make Top 75,” said Van Gundy, who was hired by Orlando after Donovan stayed at Florida. 

    Howard and Van Gundy didn’t always agree. On that point, they’re in lockstep.

    “I was wondering if I was ever going to get into the Hall of Fame after the Top 75 thing because it just seemed like, as far as my basketball play, I haven’t really received that much respect from my years in the league,” Howard said. “It was a little difficult. But then once I got the call, I was like, ‘Wow, this is here’.”

    The 75th anniversary team snub might come up in the speech that Howard is planning to deliver this weekend. If this speech goes like the one he gave earlier this year when he was inducted into the Orlando Magic Hall of Fame, expect some laughs and some tears. Howard doesn’t mind showing his emotions.

    The Hall didn’t make him wait, either. Howard was voted in during his first year of eligibility.

    “It’s happening. It’s me being in the Hall of Fame, being inducted in the Hall of Fame as a player and then being inducted into the Hall of Fame as an Olympian,” Howard said. “It’s just like a double whammy, but in a good way.”

    Howard is one of two dual-enshrinees this weekend; he and former Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks star Carmelo Anthony are both going into the Hall of Fame for their individual achievements and as part of the “Redeem Team.”

    Also entering the Hall this weekend: women’s basketball greats Sue Bird, Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles, Miami Heat Managing General Partner Micky Arison and longtime NBA referee Dan Crawford.

    “It’s a great class,” USA Basketball men’s national team director Sean Ford said.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • With Brown back and healthy at quarterback, USF seeks to boost record from 7-6

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    TAMPA, Fla. — When USF kicks off its football season at 5:30 p.m. Thursday against preseason Associated Press Top 25 Boise State, the Bulls are confident because senior quarterback Byrum Brown is back. 

    Brown missed eight games last season with an injury to his lower left leg in a loss to Tulane in late September. He took some limited snaps after that, including in the Hawai’i Bowl, but could not play significant time.

    What You Need To Know

    • Byrum Brown will take the snaps at quarterback after an offseason of recovering from a lower-leg injury

    • In 2023, he was one of the nation’s top quarterbacks, completing 276 of 427 pass attempts for 3,292 yards and 26 touchdowns

    • The Bulls seek to improve from their 7-6 record the past two seasons

    • Get the latest on the upcoming season with Spectrum Sports’ 30-minute College Football Preview Show at 6:30 p.m. Thursday

    In 2023, Brown completed 276 of 427 pass attempts for 3,292 yards and 26 touchdowns and also ran for 809 yards, one of the best performances in all of college’s Football Bowl Subdivision.

    He should get strong protection from the Bulls’ veteran offensive line.

    “I challenged the older guys to grab the young guys and show them what it looks like to get ready for a game,” coach Alex Golesh said. “The biggest challenge is stay completely focused on the task at hand, which is just going one day at a time as we get closer to playing.”

    He also could get help from a new running back. USF used the transfer portal to bring in senior Cartevious Norton from Charlotte, where he rushed for 525 yards and seven touchdowns in one season after joining the Broncos from Iowa State.

    Junior wide receiver Keshaun Singleton is back after ranking third on the team with 27 receptions for 408 yards and three touchdowns in his first season, and so is junior Jeyquan Smith, who played in all 13 games last season and caught six passes for 106 yards. Graduate student Mudia Reuben out of Stanford also was added through the transfer portal.


    The Bulls are looking to improve upon last season, when they finished 7-6 after a 41-39 victory against San Diego State at the Hawai’i Bowl. It was the second season in a row that the Bulls finished with that record under Golesh.

    “We’ve talked so much this offseason about our identity, now going into year 3, and going into a veteran football team,” Golesh said. “It’s time that we put this identity that we have preached and preached and preached and preached and worked and lived for 2-1/2 years. It’s time we put it on display for the entire country to see. That means we’re physically and mentally the toughest football team on that field, week in and week out.”

    The coach said better health heading into the season should help, too.

     “I’m excited, we’re in a good spot as a team,” Golesh said. “We are getting healthy off of camp. This was a huge, huge week for us to get a bunch of guys healthy back, a bunch of guys back to the weights they’re supposed to be, kind of out of the true grind of what camp is into the true grind of what the season is.”

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  • Mystery surrounds UCF football as it opens 2025 season Thursday

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — UCF’s football team starts the season on Thursday against Jacksonville State as something of a mystery. 

    After a 4-8 season in 2024, the coaching staff is mostly new, and coach Scott Frost needed to bring in nearly 70 players who weren’t on the team previously. The Knights have a new starting quarterback, running backs who did not start for the team last season, new kickers and mostly new starters at linebacker and in the defensive backfield.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF kicks off its 2025 season at 7 p.m. Thursday against Jacksonville State at the Acrisure Bounce House



    • Knights coach Scott Frost and his staff brought in 70 new players in the offseason



    • Frost says the game will be the players’ first opportunity to show the team can be better than expected



    • Cam Fancher, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, has been named the starting quarterback for the game



    • Get the latest on the upcoming season with Spectrum Sports’ 30-minute College Football Preview Show at 6:30 p.m. Thursday



    Many of those players came through the transfer portal, so they aren’t new to college football, but they are new to each other.

    The good news is, Frost did not coach UCF last season, but he also started a rebuild of the program in 2016. That team went 6-6 and then had an undefeated season in 2017 before Frost left to coach Nebraska, his alma mater. Frost was in the American Athletic Conference, the Group of 5, then as opposed to now when the Knights are second-year members of the Big 12. But there is a familiarity, and the process is not new to him.

    Frost said he feels confident after spring and fall practices.

    “The preparation was really good. I feel confident about our athletic ability and how we’ve come together as a team,” Frost said.

    He is tempering expectations and has said repeatedly that success this season is defined by progress.

    “You get to the point that you practice so much that you need to see what they can do during a game,” Frost said. “…I feel like we’ve trained well. But everything changes once you are out there on the fields. I just want our guys to be ready to attack, to play with no fear of failure, and just play hard.”


    Pundits in the Big 12 and national media aren’t expecting a lot out of UCF’s football team this season, but Frost said that could be good for the Knights.

    “The kids are embracing the fact that, nationally, there’s not a lot expected of the group, and I think that’s been a motivation for them,” Frost said. “So, they’re going to get a chance to take their first step to proving people wrong on Thursday.”

    Starting running back Myles Montgomery agreed.

    “It’s a new team. I know what they can do. I’m ready for you guys to see it,” said Montgomery, who backed up RJ Harvey last season as Harvey turned in a season that led him to get drafted by the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

    Fancher will be starting quarterback, but the others aren’t out of the picture

    Frost confirmed Monday that Cam Fancher, a redshirt senior transfer from Florida Atlantic, will be the starting quarterback.

    “All three kids did an unbelievable job,” Frost said. “Cam’s going to run there to begin the game and begin the season, and we’ll go from there.”

    Frost said he trusts all three — the other two are Tayven Jackson, a redshirt junior transfer from Indiana, and redshirt junior Jacurri Brown, who saw playing time for the Knights last season after transferring from Miami. Frost said Jackson or Brown could get to play but that, for now, Fancher will start.

    Fancher is a left-hander, but Frost said that will not change who plays on the offensive line or at wide receiver.

    Knights will have options at many positions

    All the wide receivers are new to UCF, and Frost said they have shown a lot of growth since spring.

    “They all will have a chance to have an impact on the game,” he said.

    That will be common.

    “There will be several spots where multiple people get to play, and we’ve got a rotation, but I think we’re settled in pretty well,” Frost said.

    The exception will be on the defensive line, where three of the four starters are returning from last year’s team.

    Senior Nyjalik Kelly, who played for the Knights last season after transferring from Miami, said he expects the line to be a strength of the team.

    “You’re going to see us in the backfield,” Kelly said. “You’re going to see us on the other line of scrimmage having a party.”

    Frost said the entire team will need to keep getting better as the season progresses.

    “I really want our team to stay mission-focused and keep attacking and trying to make great plays,” Frost said. “Whether good things happen or bad things happen, we’ve got to keep the foot on the pedal and just keep pushing forward. I feel good about where we are, but we’ll get tested both ways — with good things and bad things.”

    He also wants the team’s growth to extend to the players themselves.

    “We’ve got a pretty special group of guys,” Frost said. “I told them the other day, when I was here the last time, there was a group of guys that came together so well that it was life-changing almost for them, what they got to experience together. And I want that for this group, too. I want them to have those kinds of trials and that kind of success. You take those kinds of experiences with you for the rest of your life, so we’re working to build that here again.”

    Season-opening opponent Jacksonville State also has many new faces

    The Gamecocks also have a new coach, Charles Kelly, after Rich Rodriguez resigned near the end of a 9-5 season in 2024 and went on to take over the West Virginia program.

    Kelly and his staff added 11 players in the transfer portal and 23 new players total for this season.

    On Sunday, he named Gavin Wimsatt as starting quarterback, Jacksonville State’s third in three seasons.

    Frost said Wimsatt can run as well as pass, so UCF’s defense will have to be ready for him.

    The Knights’ coach praised Kelly and his coordinators and acknowledged that he has had to watch a lot of other football programs’ games to prepare for Thursday’s game.

    “We’re not 100% sure what they’re going to be lined up in, and what they’re going to be doing. They’re probably not 100% sure about what we’re doing,” Frost said “…You go into a game like this, and it’s a little harder to scheme somebody else up. It kind of becomes just more line up and do what you do and play ball.”

    Some logistics to know before Thursday’s game

    Kickoff is at 7 p.m., but pregame inside the stadium starts at 6:30 p.m.

    The stadium has a new name, Acrisure Bounce House, to reflect a new naming rights agreement and the facility’s nickname, which comes from its up-and-down movement when fans in the stands jump up and down to cheer on the team.

    Construction is underway around the stadium, but all entry gates and the service road around it will remain open. Some walkways and portions of the walkways near IOA Plaza and the Nicholson Fieldhouse will be affected.

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  • Countdown is on for the kickoff of college football 2025 in Florida on Thursday

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    FLORIDA — The long wait for the start of college football season is over for fans in Florida this week.

    All of Florida’s major teams play over the weekend, and fans can watch at least one team from the state every day of the holiday weekend except Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • USF and UCF get the 2025 college football season in Florida started Thursday with their home games

    • Bethune-Cookman opens its season Friday vs. Florida International

    • Preseason No. 15 Florida, Florida A&M and Stetson open Saturday, and Florida State hosts preseason No. 8 Alabama

    • No. 10 Miami wraps up the state’s first weekend of gridiron play against No. 6 Notre Dame

    USF kicks off the weekend for Florida teams with a 5:30 p.m. start Thursday at home against preseason No. 25 Boise State.

    That start time just edged out UCF, which plays host to Jacksonville State at 7 p.m. Thursday.

    The most intriguing games for most football fans in the state are Saturday, when Florida State will welcome in No. 8 Alabama, and Sunday, when the preseason No. 10 Miami Hurricanes will play host to preseason No. 6 Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m.

    Bethune-Cookman fills the Friday slot, with a road game against Florida International at 7 p.m.

    The traditional Saturday spot is filled with preseason No. 15 Florida at home against Long Island University at 7 p.m., Florida A&M playing Howard in Miami Gardens and Stetson welcoming in Webber International.

    Overall, the Gators might have the most challenging schedule of the season. Based on preseason rankings, which can change significantly, Florida will face seven teams ranked in the preseason Top 25 — Texas, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Texas A&M, Mississippi and Tennessee. If the Gators can perform well against that gauntlet of teams, that should help them at the end of the season with the College Football Playoff Committee, which announced Wednesday it will place more emphasis on strength of schedule this year when determining which teams make the 12-team field.

    FSU’s schedule is no slouch either. Including its opener against Alabama, the Seminoles have four games against teams in the preseason Top 25 — Miami, Clemson and Florida. USF plays three preseason Top 25 teams — Boise State, Florida and Miami.

    At first glance, UCF’s first two opponents might seem to be easier, but it opens Thursday against Jacksonville State, which has a history of knocking off Power 4 teams. On Sept. 13, 2021, the Gamecocks hit a 59-yard field goal as time expired to stun FSU 20-17. That was no fluke, as Jacksonville State on Sept. 4, 2010 scored a touchdown and made a 2-point conversion to edge out Mississippi 49-48.

    Considering the Knights come in with about 70 new players and coach Scott Frost is returning to the program for the first season since UCF defeated Auburn in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1, 2018, the Knights could have their work cut out for them.

    Spectrum News 13 will have much more on the start of the season for Florida’s teams at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, when it will air a 30-minute College Football Preview Show to take a sneak peek at what’s ahead for the state’s teams.

    For now, here are the schedules for the 2025 season so you don’t miss any games you want to see.

    University of Florida Gators

    • Aug. 30 — Long Island University at Florida, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — USF at Florida, 4:15 p.m.
    • Sept. 13 — Florida at LSU, 7:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 20 — Florida at Miami, TBA
    • Oct. 4 — Texas at Florida, TBA
    • Oct. 11 — Florida at Texas A&M, TBA
    • Oct. 18 — Mississippi State at Florida, Start time will be between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. This is Homecoming.
    • Nov. 1 — Georgia vs. Florida, 3:30 p.m., EverBank Stadium, Jacksonville
    • Nov. 8 — Florida at Kentucky, TBA
    • Nov. 15 — Florida at Mississippi, TBA
    • Nov. 22 — Tennessee at Florida, TBA
    • Nov. 29 — Florida State at Florida, TBA
      • Most of the start times for Florida’s games have a flexible start time, either from 3:30-4:30 p.m. or 6-8 p.m.

    Florida State Seminoles

    • Aug. 30 — Alabama at Florida State, 3:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — East Texas A&M at FSU, noon
    • Sept. 20 — Kent State at FSU, TBA
    • Sept. 26 — FSU at Virginia, 7 p.m.
    • Oct. 4 — Miami at FSU, TBA
    • Oct. 11 — Pitt at FSU, TBA
    • Oct. 18 — FSU at Stanford, 10:30 p.m.
    • Nov. 1 — Wake Forest at FSU, TBA. This is Homecoming.
    • Nov. 8 — FSU at Clemson, TBA
    • Nov. 15 — Virginia Tech at FSU, TBA
    • Nov. 21 — FSU at N.C. State, 8 p.m.
    • Nov. 29 — FSU at Florida, TBA

    Miami Hurricanes

    • Aug. 31 — Notre Dame at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — Bethune-Cookman University at Miami, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 13 — USF at Miami, 4:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 20 — Florida at Miami, TBA
    • Oct. 4 — Miami at Florida State, TBA
    • Oct. 17 — Louisville at Miami, 7 p.m.
    • Oct. 25 — Stanford at Miami, TBA
    • Nov. 1 — Miami at SMU, TBA
    • Nov. 8 — Syracuse at Miami, TBA. This is Homecoming
    • Nov. 15 — N.C. State at Miami, TBA
    • Nov. 22 — Miami at Virginia Tech, TBA
    • Nov. 29 — Miami at Pittsburgh, TBA

    UCF Knights

    • Aug. 28 — Jacksonville State at UCF, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — North Carolina A&T at UCF, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 20 — North Carolina at UCF, TBA
    • Sept. 27 — UCF at Kansas State, TBA
    • Oct. 4 — Kansas at UCF, TBA
    • Oct. 11 — UCF at Cincinnati, TBA
    • Oct. 18 — West Virginia at UCF, TBA. This is Homecoming
    • Nov. 1 — UCF at Baylor, TBA
    • Nov. 7 — Houston at UCF, TBA. This is the Space Game.
    • Nov. 15 — UCF at Texas Tech, TBA
    • Nov. 22 — Oklahoma State at UCF, TBA
    • Nov. 29 — UCF at BYU, TBA

    USF Bulls

    • Aug. 28 — Boise State at USF, 5:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — USF at Florida, 4:15 p.m.
    • Sept. 13 — USF at Miami, 4:30 p.m.
    • Sept. 20 — South Carolina State at USF, noon
    • Oct. 3 — Charlotte at USF, 7 p.m.
    • Oct. 10 — USF at North Texas, 7:30 p.m.
    • Oct. 18 — Florida Atlantic at USF, TBA. This is Homecoming.
    • Oct. 25 — USF at Memphis, TBA
    • Nov. 6 — UTSA at USF, 7:30 p.m.
    • Nov. 15 — USF at Navy, noon
    • Nov. 22 — USF at UAB, TBA
    • Nov. 29 — Rice at USF, TBA

    Florida A&M Rattlers

    • Aug. 30 — Orange Blossom Classic: Howard vs. Florida A&M, 4 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
    • Sept. 6 — FAMU at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m.
    • Sept. 13 — Albany State at FAMU, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 27 — Alabama State at FAMU, 3 p.m.
    • Oct. 4 — Mississippi Valley State vs. FAMU, TBA, in Atlanta
    • Oct. 11 — North Carolina Central at FAMU, 3 p.m.
    • Oct. 18 — Alcorn State at FAMU, 4 p.m. This is Homecoming.
    • Oct. 25 — FAMU at Southern, TBA
    • Nov. 1 — Jackson State at FAMU, 7 p.m.
    • Nov. 8 — FAMU at Arkansas – Pine Bluff, TBA
    • Nov. 15 — FAMU at Alabama A&M, TBA
    • Nov. 22 — Florida Classic: Bethune-Cookman University vs. FAMU, TBA, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando

    Bethune-Cookman University Wildcats

    • Aug. 29 — Bethune-Cookman University at Florida International University, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — B-CU at Miami, 7 p.m.
    • Sept. 13 — B-CU at South Carolina State University, 6 p.m.
    • Sept. 20 — Edward Waters University at B-CU, 3 p.m.
    • Sept. 27 — Alabama A&M at B-CU, 3 p.m.
    • Oct. 4 — B-CU at Alabama State, 3 p.m.
    • Oct. 11 — Southern University at B-CU, 3 p.m.
    • Oct. 25 — Arkansas – Pine Bluff at B-CU, 3 p.m. This is Homecoming.
    • Nov. 1 — Mississippi Valley State at B-CU. 3 p.m.
    • Nov. 8 — B-CU at Grambling State, 3 p.m.
    • Nov. 15 — B-CU at Jackson State, 1 p.m.
    • Nov. 22 — Florida Classic: B-CU vs. Florida A&M, TBA, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando
      • All home games are at Daytona Beach Municipal Stadium.

    Stetson University Hatters

    • Aug. 30 — Webber International at Stetson, 6 p.m.
    • Sept. 6 — Warner at Stetson, 6 p.m.
    • Sept. 13 — Stetson at Chattanooga, 6 p.m.
    • Sept. 20 — Harvard at Stetson, 1 p.m.
    • Sept. 27 — Stetson at Dayton, noon
    • Oct. 4 — Davidson at Stetson, 1 p.m.
    • Oct. 11 — Morehead State at Stetson, 1 p.m.
    • Oct. 18 — Stetson at Presbyterian, 1 p.m.
    • Oct. 25 — St. Thomas at Stetson, 1 p.m. This is Homecoming.
    • Nov. 8 — Stetson at Marist, 1 p.m.
    • Nov. 15 — Stetson at Valparaiso, 1 p.m.
    • Nov. 22 — San Diego at Stetson, 1 p.m.

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  • Rowdies dismiss coach Robbie Neilson, promote Steve Coleman as interim coach

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    ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced Friday that Coach Robbie Neilson has been let go.

    Assistant Coach Steve Coleman will serve as the club’s interim head coach, starting with Saturday’s home opener against Loudoun United FC at Al Lang Stadium.

    SEE ALSO: After months of repairs, Rowdies return to hurricane-damaged Al Lang Stadium

    Neilson joined the Rowdies at the start of the 2024 season. The Rowdies posted a 17-17-8 record across all competitions under Neilson and finished the 2024 season sixth in the Eastern Conference. 

    “Appointing Steve Coleman as interim head coach reflects our confidence in the group we have,” said Rowdies Vice Chairman Brian Auld. “In his short time at the club, Steve has already taken it upon himself to understand our Rowdies culture and is fully committed to supporting our players on and off the field.”

    Coleman takes on head coaching duties after joining the Rowdies’ technical staff in the offseason. Last year, Coleman served as First Assistant Coach for Loudoun United.

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  • Central Floridians Clayton Jr., Broome make AP All-America 1st team

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    FLORIDA — Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. and Auburn Tigers forward/center Johni Broome on Tuesday became the first players from their universities to be named first-team selections to The Associated Press men’s college basketball All-America teams.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. and Auburn’s Johni Broome became the first AP All-America first-team picks for their programs

    • Clayton Jr. led Bartow to two Class 6A state championships, and Broome took Tampa Catholic to two 4A semifinals

    • Fellow first-team selection Cooper Flagg of Duke played multiple seasons at Montverde Academy and is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

    • The other two members of the first team are Alabama’s Mark Sears and Purdue’s Braden Smith

    Clayton, who took Bartow to two Class 6A state championships in high school, and Broome, who played two seasons at Plant City High School before transferring to Tampa Catholic and leading that team to the Class 4A semifinals twice, led their college basketball teams this season to No. 1 seedings in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Broome’s Tigers hold the No. 1 overall seeding for the tournament and sit atop the South Region, while the Gators are seeded No. 4 overall and are No. 1 in the West Region.

    The other first-team members are Duke’s Cooper Flagg, who is from Maine but played multiple seasons at Montverde Academy in Lake County; Alabama guard Mark Sears, who was a second-team pick last year, and Purdue guard Braden Smith.

    Clayton averaged 17.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 4.3 assists and recorded 11 games with at least 20 points on a Gators team that captured the Southeastern Conference Tournament title. He helped Florida climb as high as No. 2 in the AP rankings during the season and seeks to help the Gators win a championship.

    “Whatever path, I like my guys,” said Clayton, who started college at Iona. “Me and my guys against whoever.”

    Broome averaged 18.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and over 2 blocks per game this season.

    Only Broome, a third-team pick a year ago, and Flagg were among the first five on the ballots of all 61 national media members who vote for the weekly AP Top 25. 

    “I’ve proved a lot individually through my career but my main goal is a team goal, which is to win the national championship,” said Broome, who played two seasons at Morehead State before spending the past three with the Tigers. “When the team shines, everyone shines individually. Coming from where I came from, it means a lot to me.”

    Flagg, who is widely expected to be the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he decides to turn pro after the season, averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists.

    The second and third All-America teams stacked up as follows:

    Second Team

    JT Toppin, Texas Tech out of Dallas, Texas

    Kam Jones, Marquette, out of Cordova, Tenn.

    John Tonje, Wisconsin, from Omaha, Neb.

    PJ Haggerty, Memphis, of Crosby, Texas

    RJ Luis Jr., St. John’s, from Miami

    Third Team

    Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton, of St. Louis, Mo.

    Zakai Zeigler, Tennessee, out of Long Island, N.Y.

    Eric Dixon, Villanova, from Willow Grove, Pa.

    LJ Cryer, Houston, of Katy, Texas

    Hunter Dickinson, Kansas, out of Alexandria, Va.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • UCF men’s basketball faces rematch with Kansas on Wednesday on Big 12 Tournament

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The UCF men’s basketball team will take on sixth-seeded Kansas in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament in Kansas City, Mo., at 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • UCF will play Kansas at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the second round of the Big 12 Tournament

    • The 14th-seeded Knights defeated the No. 11-seeded Utes 87-72 on Tuesday night 

    • Keyshawn Hall led UCF with 23 points, and Darius Johnson added 20 points

    • The Knights are trying to play their way into the NCAA Tournament

    The Knights advanced after Keyshawn Hall scored 23 points to lead four UCF players in double-figures scoring, and the No. 14-seeded Knights used a big run out of halftime to bury 11th-seeded Utah 87-72 in the opening round of the Big 12 Tournament on Tuesday night.

    Darius Johnson added 20 points, Jordan Ivy-Curry had 15 and Moustapha Thiam finished with 14 for the Knights (17-15) as they try to play their way into the NCAA Tournament.

    Utah (16-16) opened the game with a 21-9 run, but the Knights slowly chipped away at the deficit, and Hall’s 3-pointer got them within 40-39 at halftime. He had six more points during a 24-3 run to start the second half, giving the Knights a 63-43 lead with just under 13 minutes to go that carried them to the finish.

    Keanu Dawes had 21 points to lead the Utes, who also lost to UCF on Feb. 23, the day before coach Craig Smith was fired.

    Josh Eilert, who led West Virginia at the Big 12 Tournament as an interim coach last year, did the same for the Utes on Tuesday night. The school already has announced the hiring of Alex Jensen, one of the stars of their 1998 Final Four team and an assistant with the Dallas Mavericks, to be their new coach once the season has concluded.

    Takeaways

    UCF won thanks to some brilliant guard play, but its lack of production in the paint could be troublesome, especially with 7-foot-1 center Hunter Dickinson and the rest of the Jayhawks waiting in the next round. The Knights lost both meetings with the Jayhawks in the regular season — 99-48 on Jan. 5 and 91-87 on Jan. 28.

    Utah simply couldn’t overcome its second-half start, which at one point included 10 consecutive missed field-goal attempts.

    Key moment

    Hall’s 3-pointer that sent UCF into halftime with all the momentum.

    Key stats

    Utah was 4 of 26 from beyond the 3-point arc.

    Up next

    The Knights play Kansas on Wednesday night. They lost to the Jayhawks twice in the regular season.

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