Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

Florida hired Tulane's Jon Sumrall as its next coach Sunday, settling for its second choice after Lane Kiffin reportedly picked LSU over the Gators. 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. The 43-year-old Sumrall will remain with the 22nd-ranked Green Wave for next week's American Conference title game and through the College Football Playoff if Tulane makes the 12-team field. The Gators also are on the verge of signing 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 played linebacker at Kentucky (2002-04) and returned to his alma mater for a three-year stint before becoming Troy's head coach in 2022. He won consecutive Sun Belt championships in two seasons with the Trojans and then enjoyed similar success at Tulane.

Sumrall is 19-7 in two years in New Orleans and led the Green Wave to the American championship game both seasons. So he has made four league title games in four years as a head coach. The Gators are hoping he's Urban Meyer 2.0 and not Billy Napier 2.0. "Not many coaches win big at two different non-Power programs, and even fewer do it as quickly as Jon has done it," Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said. "He joins rare company - coaches like Urban Meyer, Brian Kelly and Willie Fritz - who've delivered immediate success at multiple stops. Jon's track record of rapid turnarounds speaks directly to his leadership and the culture he establishes." Sumrall had been considered a possibility at Auburn, Arkansas and Ole Miss. Florida made a late push when Kiffin's interest in the Gators waned. Florida fans are likely to view him as a consolation prize, another gamble from a Group of Five conference. Sumrall replaces Napier, who was fired in mid-October and went 22-23 over four seasons in Gainesville. Napier was nicknamed "Sun Belt Billy" because he often looked in over his head in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. Going back to Louisiana for another G5 coach? And a defensive guy to boot? That's a bold move for Stricklin, who is sure to draw the ire of the Florida faithful for failing to land Kiffin. He was roundly booed at a championship celebration to honor men's basketball coach Todd Golden and his title-winning team in April. Now, the fan base is calling for his job. - AP College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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11/29/25 - Jadan Baugh, So/2028, Florida, 6-1, 230 (DS#13 RB) + More +

If Tulane's Jon Sumrall is Florida's next head coach, he should make keeping Jadan Baugh a priority. Baugh ran for a career-high 266 yards and two touchdowns - the second-most rushing yards in school history - and Florida denied rival Florida State a chance to become bowl eligible with a 40-21 victory Saturday in the Swamp. "I always try to go out and play my hardest because you never know who's watching," Baugh said. "Your first impression is your last impression." This one will linger. The sophomore carried 38 times, punishing the Seminoles all night, and finished with the program's most yards on the ground since Emmitt Smith tallied 316 against New Mexico in 1989. His last touch was a 12-yard TD scamper on a fourth-and-3 play with less than a minute remaining in which he broke two tackles. Baugh said interim coach Billy Gonzales told him to slide and not score. His response: "Don't do me like that." No one complained after he put an exclamation point on a dominant performance. "Jadan Baugh ran like somebody was trying to kill him all night," center Jake Slaughter said.

DJ Lagway added three touchdown passes for the Gators (4-8), who ended a four-game losing streak, won for the first time since firing coach Billy Napier in mid-October, and provided a final glimpse of what many thought they could be this season. Florida State (5-7) played its first game since announcing coach Mike Norvell would return next season. But the Seminoles lost for the seventh time in nine games and failed to extend their season. They also lost to Florida for the fifth time in the last seven meetings. Baugh had a lot to do with the latest one. He became the first Florida player since 2004 to top 200 yards rushing against the 'Noles. "We came into (the game) saying that's a guy you have to stop. For him to have that kind of production is a complete failure," Norvell said. Equally impressive, Baugh became the program's first 1,000-yard rusher since Kelvin Taylor in 2015. Baugh became the 10th player in school history to top the single-season milestone, joining a list that includes Smith, Fred Taylor and Errict Rhett. Baugh is the first underclassman since Smith in 1987 to accomplish the feat. Lagway, Baugh and others put on a show in the team's season finale - an audition of sorts for Florida's next coach. After missing out on Lane Kiffin, the Gators have targeted Sumrall as Napier's replacement and could make it official as early as Sunday. - Florida/AP College Football

(DS#13 RB) So/2028

RB Jadan Baugh, Florida
News Source: Florida/AP College Football
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11/28/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

Florida has shifted focus from Lane Kiffin in the school's coaching search, as the school has sensed through irregular communication that he is interested in other options, sources told ESPN on Friday. Florida, which is searching for former coach Billy Napier's successor, has interviewed roughly a dozen candidates and is optimistic about the process. Louisville's Jeff Brohm, Tulane's Jon Sumrall and Washington's Jedd Fisch are believed to be among the candidates the Gators are still considering. Florida targeted Kiffin early in the search and offered him a deal to put him among the highest-paid coaches in college football, which included significant incentives.

Ole Miss officials told ESPN ahead of Friday's Egg Bowl against Mississippi State in Starkville that Kiffin is expected to provide them with a decision about his future on Friday night or Saturday. He's also considering a lucrative contract offer from SEC rival LSU. LSU also wants an answer from Kiffin, as the coaching carousel has intensified the Tigers' search, as well as a potential one at Ole Miss if Kiffin leaves. Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Vanderbilt's Clark Lea, two of the top candidates believed to be under consideration at either Florida or LSU, signed six-year contract extensions with their respective schools in the past 24 hours. If the No. 7 Rebels defeat the Bulldogs on Friday, they'll finish 11-1 and are expected to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time. They would possibly host a first-round game at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, on Dec. 19 or 20. If Kiffin decides to leave for LSU, the Rebels have an interim plan in place. Sources previously told ESPN that former New York Giants interim coach Joe Judge would likely serve as interim head coach. - ESPN College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: ESPN College Football
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11/10/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

The Florida Gators are sticking with struggling quarterback DJ Lagway for Saturday's game at No. 6 Ole Miss. Interim coach Billy Gonzales said Lagway will take first-team repetitions in practice this week but added that "competition is great for everybody." Gonzales benched Lagway at halftime of last week's 38-7 loss to Kentucky, replacing him with freshman Tramell Jones. Lagway completed 11 of 19 passes for 83 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Jones was 9-of-17 passing for 60 yards. Gonzales used a Major League Baseball analogy to explain his rationale for the move. "If a pitcher's struggling in the major leagues, what do you do? You get the next guy in, right?" Gonzales said Monday. "It doesn't mean that he's not a great pitcher. Just means that wasn't his day. For some reason or another, it wasn't breaking. For some reason or another, he didn't have the day that he wanted to have. "I talked to him about that. I said, 'So you're a great player, but I'm not going to let somebody just continue to struggle. I wanted to bring you out and let you refocus, let you gather, let you learn, and hopefully it's a learning experience. It's going to make you better this week when we prepare for Ole Miss." Lagway has thrown for 1,762 yards with 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions this season. He has eight TDs and all his picks since beating lower-division Long Island in the season opener.

The Gators (3-6, 2-4 SEC) expected Lagway to show steady improvement after he missed most of the offseason while recovering from core-muscle surgery, pain in his throwing arm and then a strained left calm. But that hasn't been the case. He continues to regress after going 6-1 as a starter as a freshman in 2024 and now faces constant questions about his future with a program that is searching for its next head coach. The 20-year-old Lagway has declined to commit to Florida beyond this season despite having lucrative name, image and likeness deals with Gatorade, Jordan Brand, Mercedes-Benz of Gainesville, Lamborghini Orlando, T-Mobile, Beats by Dre, Chipotle, Red Bull and others. He signed a promotional deal with Hollister just days before getting benched against the Wildcats. - AP College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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10/19/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

Florida fired coach Billy Napier on Sunday, dumping him a day after an error-filled win against Mississippi State that included more head-scratching calls and offensive lulls like those that marked much of his four-year run with the Gators. Athletic director Scott Stricklin made the move following 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. The game-sealing takeaway energized the Swamp, but the home crowd quickly turned on Napier and booed him as he sprinted off the field.

Stricklin had seen enough and pulled the plug on a run that most of the Florida faithful thought lasted longer than it should have. "While his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field," Stricklin said in a lengthy statement. Napier went 22-23 in four seasons at Florida, including 12-16 in Southeastern Conference play. He was 5-17 against ranked opponents, including 0-14 away from home, and declined to give up his play-calling role despite calls to do so. Equally damning: his 3-12 mark against rivals Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami and Tennessee includes the fewest wins by a Florida coach in such games since the late 1930s. Receivers coach Billy Gonzales is the interim head 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 an off week to regroup from the chaos that often comes with a coaching change. Jettisoning Napier will temporarily quell a frustrated fanbase, but the group won't truly be satisfied until the Gators hire someone with a proven track record at college football's highest level. Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin is expected to top the list, although Stricklin passed on him when he hired Napier from Louisiana-Lafayette in November 2021. Louisville's Jeff Brohm, Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz and Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman also could be targets. - AP College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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10/18/25 - Jadan Baugh, So/2028, Florida, 6-1, 230 (DS#13 RB) + More +

Jadan Baugh ran for a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown, DJ Lagway threw for 280 yards to offset two interceptions and Florida beat Mississippi State 23-21 on Saturday in what may have been Gators coach Billy Napier's finale. The Gators (3-4, 2-2 Southeastern Conference) intercepted Blake Shapen's pass in the waning seconds with the Bulldogs (4-3, 0-3) within field-goal range. Defensive tackle Michai Boireau got the pick, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Florida handed Mississippi State its 15th consecutive loss in league play, but a comedy of errors should be enough for athletic director Scott Stricklin to show Napier the door.

Napier improved to 22-23 overall and 12-16 in league play in four seasons, but this one included enough head-scratching decisions that Stricklin could easily justify firing him after a win. Most notably, Napier dialed up a QB keeper on a third-and-1 play in the waning minutes that gave the Bulldogs a chance down the stretch. He also called a keeper on a third-and-7 play earlier, took consecutive penalties that turned a chip-shot field goal into a long one, primarily ran the ball to get to the goal line and then threw incomplete three times, botched the final possession before halftime and was flagged for having 12 men on the field during a 2-point try. Florida also had a long touchdown called back because of a penalty for the fourth time this season. Still, the Gators were talented enough to overcome the miscues. Napier, however, had little leeway left for any sort of clunker. Shapen threw for 324 yards, including 155 to Brenen Thompson. Davon Booth ran for 105 yards and two touchdowns. - Florida/AP College Football

(DS#13 RB) So/2028

RB Jadan Baugh, Florida
News Source: Florida/AP College Football
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10/08/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

WEEK 6 SEC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DJ Lagway, QB, Florida,...Lagway completed 21-of-28 passes (75.0%) for a season-high 298 yards (third-highest total of career) and two touchdowns...Was a perfect 4-for-4 for 31 yards on Florida's opening drive...He posted the third-best quarterback rating of his career (180.8) while completing at least 75% of his passes for the second time in five starts this season...Has posted a QB rating above 130.0 in nine of his last 11 games...Lagway delivered a 150.0-plus rating for the eighth time in his career. He has thrown a touchdown in 10 out of his last 12 contests...Lagway's 60-yard connection with WR Vernell Brown III marked his 14th-career completion of 40-plus yards. - SEC Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: SEC Football
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10/08/25 - Dallas Wilson, Fr/2029, Florida, 6-2, 209 (DS#6 WR) + More +

WEEK 6 SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Dallas Wilson, WR, Florida,...Had a game-high six receptions, 111 yards and two touchdowns in his first collegiate game and start...Set UF records for receptions, yards and touchdowns for a true freshman wide receiver in their first career start. - SEC Football

(DS#6 WR) Fr/2029

WR Dallas Wilson, Florida
News Source: SEC Football
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10/08/25 - Taylor Spierto, rSr/2026, Florida, 6-0, 212 (DS#999 WR) + More +

WEEK 6 SEC CO-SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Taylor Spierto, WR, Florida,...Spierto blocked a punt to force a safety in the second quarter...It marked Florida's first blocked punt since Derek Wingo vs. Charlotte on Sept. 23, 2023 and the Gators' first safety since Nov. 25, 2023 vs. FSU...The play also represented Florida's first blocked punt in SEC play since Jordan Pouncey at LSU on Oct. 16, 2021. - SEC Football

(DS#999 WR) rSr/2026

WR Taylor Spierto, Florida
News Source: SEC Football
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09/21/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

The Florida Gators shuffled into the visitor's locker room at Hard Rock Stadium, mostly quiet, some with their heads bowed. Running back Jadan Baugh, who scored Florida's only touchdown, paused before entering the locker room and shook his head, still absorbing the sting of Saturday's 26-7 loss to No. 4 Miami - a game in which the Gators struggled offensively and failed to capitalize on an uneven offensive performance by the Hurricanes. The scene seemed to encapsulate what has been a dreadful season for Florida, which is off to its worst start (1-3) in 39 years despite a talented roster that many picked to be a formidable competitor this season in the Southeastern Conference. The Gators have hardly looked the part in the first four games of the season, which have featured a rout of Long Island University, a collapse against South Florida in a game they were heavily favored, and road losses to No. 3 LSU and Miami. T "We've got work to do," said embattled Florida coach Billy Napier, whose record with the Gators fell to 20-22.

Florida's only scoring drive came on the first possession of the third quarter, when quarterback D.J. Lagway extended the drive with a fourth-down run and Baugh capped it off with a 2-yard rushing touchdown. Lagway, Florida's sophomore quarterback who was 6-1 as a starter in 2024, was 12 of 23 for only 61 yards and no touchdown passes. "It's very frustrating," Lagway said. "We've got to clean a lot of things up. That's nowhere near the brand of football wen want to play." Lagway added that improvement starts with him. He admitted Saturday wasn't his best performance, noting that he just took what the defense gave him and only managed the game. "I'm going to demand greatness from everybody," Lagway said. "We're done with the playing around stuff. It's time to get serious. And it starts with me. I've got to set the tempo. I set the tone - in practice, in meetings, everywhere. So I know for a fact that it's going to change because it starts with me." - AP College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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09/15/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway has gone from appearing rusty to looking lost. It's not what anyone envisioned even though he missed nearly nine months dealing with various injuries. He is dancing in the pocket, leading to off-balance throws that end up sailing over receivers or spinning into the ground. He is failing to get through his progressions, allowing defenders to lock onto his first read. He is lacking situational awareness - when to audible, when to run and when to slide - and showing little feel for the game. He is still coach Billy Napier's guy, and that is unlikely to change. Napier is sticking with his turnover-prone starter despite a five-interception performance in a 20-10 loss at No. 3 LSU on Saturday night.

"DJ's our quarterback," said Napier, now 20-21 in four seasons at Florida. "He's one of the best quarterbacks in the country. He made some good decisions, but he also made some bad decisions." Lots of them. The sophomore threw an interception in every quarter in Death Valley, including back-to-back picks on Florida's final two drives while trailing by 10. The fourth one came with the Gators in field-goal range and prompted a lengthy sideline discussion with Napier. "I'm just excited to get back to work," said Lagway, who was making his first road start in Southeastern Conference play. "I got to get this taste out of my mouth. I played horrible football, and I got to do better." Lagway couldn't recall ever turning over the ball five times in a game before Saturday. Not in high school. Not in peewee football. Not in his backyard. "I've never had a performance like that in my life, so it's kind of hard to process it," he said. "But at the end of the day, it's all about how you bounce back and how you respond. And I'm planning on doing so." The Gators, who have now lost consecutive games in each of Napier's four seasons, play at rival and fourth-ranked Miami (3-0) on Saturday night. Florida is winless in eight road games against ranked teams during Napier's tenure. - AP College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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09/06/25 - Brendan Bett, rSo/2028, Florida, 6-4, 308 (DS#999 DT) + More +

Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett was ejected for spitting at a South Florida player late in the No. 13 Gators' 18-16 upset loss to South Florida on Saturday night. Florida committed 11 penalties for 103 yards, including two major infractions on South Florida's winning drive, and questionably managed the clock as the Bulls stunned the Gators on Nico Gramatica's 20-yard field goal as time expired.

Bett was flagged and ejected on the final drive for spitting into offensive lineman Cole Skinner's facemask, a play after Dijon Johnson was called for pass interference. Bett's spitting foul came two days after Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott in the NFL opener. - AP College Football

(DS#999 DT) rSo/2028

DT Brendan Bett, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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08/30/25 - DJ Lagway, So/2028, Florida, 6-3, 241 (DS#9 QB) + More +

DJ Lagway threw three touchdown passes, Jadan Baugh ran for 104 yards and a score, and No. 15 Florida opened the season with a 55-0 drubbing of Long Island on Saturday night. The Gators ended their first eight drives with either a field-goal attempt or an extra point. More than anything, though, facing an overmatched team from the Football Championship Subdivision provided coach Billy Napier with a chance to get Lagway live repetitions for the first time since a December bowl game.

Lagway missed months of work following core-muscle surgery, a sore throwing shoulder and, most recently, a strained left calf. He was cleared to fully practice last week and looked a little rusty against the Sharks. He was sacked on Florida's first play and threw two errant passes early. But he settled down and showed plenty of promise in the rout. The sophomore completed 15 of 18 passes for 120 yards, with TD passes to Eugene Wilson III, Hayden Hansen and J. Michael Sturdivant. Lagway's night ended at halftime, with the Gators leading 38-0. The score would have been more lopsided, but Trey Smack missed two field goals and Florida failed to convert four third downs. Long Island never came close to scoring. The Sharks managed two first downs and finished with more penalty yards (100) than total yards (86). - Florida/AP College Football

(DS#9 QB) So/2028

QB DJ Lagway, Florida
News Source: Florida/AP College Football
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12/27/23 - Tommy Doman, rSr/2026, Florida, 6-4, 215 (DS#18 P) + More +

2023 ALL-BIG TEN THIRD TEAM: Tommy Doman, Michigan,...Punter Tommy Doman was a third-team honoree on the coaches ballot and honorable mention by the media. Doman currently has the No. 3 single-season punting average in Michigan history (45.03 yards per attempt) and delivers touchbacks at a rate of 70.4 percent on kickoffs. - Michigan Football

(DS#18 P) rSr/2026

P Tommy Doman, Florida
News Source: Michigan Football
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11/30/23 - Graham Mertz, rSr/2025, Florida, 6-3, 212 (DS#19 QB) + More +

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz is coming back for his final year of college eligibility and giving coach Billy Napier some offensive consistency heading into 2024. Mertz, a three-year starter at Wisconsin who transferred to Florida in January, made the announcement on social media Thursday with a short video titled "Unfinished Business." Mertz completed 72.9% of his passes this season for 2,903 yards, with 20 touchdown passes and just three interceptions. He broke his left collarbone during a Nov. 18 loss at Missouri and missed the team's regular-season finale against rival Florida State. - AP College Football

(DS#19 QB) rSr/2025

QB Graham Mertz, Florida
News Source: AP College Football
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