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Thanks for all the support. I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Anyone with comments/questions/suggestions please email me at: bdfoxjr@chomptalk.com
  • Ceasar’s big debut leads Gators to sweep of Auburn

    Ceasar’s big debut leads Gators to sweep of Auburn

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    T’ara Ceasar sat all of last year after transferring to Florida from Georgia. In her orange and blue debut on Wednesday, she showed exactly what she is capable of as she led the Gators to a sweep of Auburn.

    Florida took the first two sets by identical 25-14 scores before finishing the match with a 25-20 third set victory.

    Ceasar was the story, however. Florida fans had long awaited the Panama City native’s debut. Ceasar finished with a team high 11 kills on 22 swings for a hitting clip of .364. Defensively, the 6’1 outside hitter recorded a team leading five blocks and eight digs.

    While Ceasar dominated the action, junior Thayer Hall and Marlie Monserez didn’t always appear to be on the same page. Hall finished with nine kills but recorded six errors for a .088 hitting percentage.

    Set 1:

    The Tigers scored the first two points of 2020, but Florida quickly rallied, scoring the next four points. After an Auburn kill knotting the score at 6, Florida rattled off five straight on a Ceasar ace and kill from Hall. The Gators lead swelled to as much as 11 and the first set ended with a Thayer Hall kill.

    Set 2:

    Once again, Auburn got on the scoreboard first, but Thayer Hall quickly negated the Tigers’ lead. After trading points for much of the early part of the set, Florida put the game away with a 6-0 run that extended the advantage to 17-7. Yet again, Thayer Hall ended the set with an emphatic kill.

    Set 3:

    Set three was a back and forth affair, with Florida pulling away towards the end. Auburn stayed even with the Gators all the way to a 14-14 deadlock, before the talent on Florida’s side overcame the Tigers. Junior Haley Warner recorded five kills in the set before an Auburn service error ended the match.

    Leaders:

    Kills

    • Ceasar, 11
    • Hall, 9
    • Warner, 5

    Blocks

    • Ceasar, 5
    • King, 3
    • Carlton, 3

    Digs

    • Monserez, 11
    • Cerame, 10

    Aces

    • Ceasar, 1
    • Monserez, 1

    What’s next:

    Florida an Auburn will face each other on Thursday to complete the back to back matchups that Covid-19 has forced the SEC into. The match is scheduled to start at 8 PM and will be aired nationally on ESPNU.

  • Gators to face West Virginia in SEC / Big 12 Challenge

    Gators to face West Virginia in SEC / Big 12 Challenge

    On Wednesday, the Florida Gators learned they had drawn the West Virginia Mountaineers for the annual SEC / Big 12 Challenge. The game is scheduled for January 30, 2021 as part of the ten game cross-confernce challenge.

    In 2019, the SEC and Big 12 managed five wins to tie for the Challenge title. Over the last four years, both conferences have won twenty games, showing the parity amongst the two leagues.

    Last year, Florida dropped a 72-61 game against No. 1 Baylor as part of the Challenge. The Gators met the Mountaineers in the 2015-16 Challenge with Florida winning 88-71. The two teams also met in the Jimmy V Classic in December 2018, with the Gators taking a 66-56 victory.

    Florida is still rounding out it’s non-conference schedule, which should be released in the coming hours.

  • Gators suffer 2OT loss to Vanderbilt

    Gators suffer 2OT loss to Vanderbilt

    Photo by Kristen Oliff / ChompTalk.com

    Florida soccer fell to Vanderbilt Commodores Sunday night at Donald R. Dizney stadium.

    The Gators welcomed the Commodores hoping to bounce Back after losing against the Aggies on the road. Instead, Vanderbilt scored a late goal in the 102nd minute during the second overtime period.

    The Gators played their most complete game since the beginning of the season, but an aggressive Vanderbilt team confused and forced them to double overtime, resulting a 2-1 Commodores win.

    First Half

    A more composed Gator team

    In their last meeting, the Gators talked about regaining their identity back. They want to play short balls while pressuring the other team to score, while remaining calm.  

    Yes, they displayed all those in the first period.

    “It’s a very disappointing way to lose because I felt like we were much more ourselves tonight than we have been. If you look at just the outcome, obviously you’re not satisfied with it but if you look at the way that we played, it was a big improvement,” Florida Head Coach Becky Burleigh.

    The Gators played an intense first half as expected, but the pressure on them never stopped. The Gators possessed the ball and managed to create good chances.

    The Gators’ possession finally paid off four minutes before the pause. Parker Roberts serviced freshman Maddy Rhodes who ran down the center of the box. Rhodes’ right-foot slid the ball to the goal beating two Vandy’s defenders on the way in to put Florida out in front.

    At half time, the Gators were the better team, but the entire second half was ahead of them and was still anyone game.

    Second Half

    Confused Gators

    The pace did not change. The Gators entered the second half with the same aggression while the Commodores intensified their pressure.

    The Commodores found what they had been looking for throughout the whole game. Abi Brighton’s pass to Raegan Kelley tied the game entering the last 10 minutes of the regulation time.

    After conceding the goal, Gators players took a little time to come back to the game. The unexpected goal displayed Florida’s confusion and frustration. It seemed like they forgot how to play the ball.

    Like any predator, the Commodores could feel Gators’ fear and took advantage of it. They did not stop creating possibilities forcing a double overtime.

    Overtime

    Last action of the game was for the Commodores. Leila Azari hit the ball to the far post. Myra Konte received the ball and scrambled it into the goal for the 2-1 Commodores win.

    Worth mention

    Gators missed up to nine chances to score. They dominated the game but folded in the last 30 minutes of the game.

    We found a more complacent Gator soccer team in the last game.

    “I definitely felt like we were a little more connected with one another and I think that led to more offensive chances for us for sure,” coach Becky said.

    Susi Espinoza hasn’t planned to stop surprising people anytime soon.

    “That position is huge and Suzi’s done a great job making some big saves when necessary,” coach Becky.

    UF soccer played in pink for their 12th annual pink game to show their support for those fighting cancer.

    “We talked before the game, everybody on this team has been affected by cancer in some way. We have Lo [senior Lauren Evans] who battled leukemia. So pink is obviously breast cancer, but my grandfather died of lung cancer,” freshman forward Rhodes said.

    Florida redshirt junior Kit Loferski left the match in the 57th minute after taking a hard tumble.

    Next up

    The Gators are taking to the road with a match in Columbia, SC on Sunday against the Gamecocks. Game starts at 2:00 p.m.

  • The Gridiron Growl Podcast, Episode 1.12

    The Gridiron Growl Podcast, Episode 1.12


    No UF Football? No problem.

    David Soderquist and Brian Fox Jr. break down this week in college football and how some key games helped Florida this week in the rankings and with their strength of record. The pair also dig in a little bit about the current state of the Florida program with the COVID-19 outbreak that has forced the postponement of two games already.

    Earlier this weekend, David had the opportunity to interview a huge surprise guest who has been absent in the podcasting world for a while, the “5-star nerd” himself, Bill Sikes. David and Bill discuss recruiting trends as they relate to UF. Bill also previews his latest work for readandreaction.com, a very interesting and exciting six-piece article coming out with in the weeks to come that breaks down all the recruiting trends across the nation and how Dan Mullen’s resume has fares between coaching and recruiting thus far in his tenure at the University of Florida.

    Click play on the following audio player to listen to this week’s episode:



    You can also check us out on the following podcasting platforms:
    Anchor
    Apple Podcasts
    Breaker
    Google Podcasts
    Overcast
    RadioPublic
    SoundCloud
    Spotify
  • Dan Mullen Tests Positive For Covid-19

    Dan Mullen Tests Positive For Covid-19

    Photo by Tim Casey / Getty Images

    The Florida Gators football program is in the midst of a full blown COVID-19 outbreak. Following their upset loss to the Aggies of Texas A&M, Florida was forced to suspend all football operations and postpone games against LSU and Missouri because of 21 players testing positive for the virus.

    As of Saturday evening, Florida head coach, Dan Mullen is among those positive tests. The Florida coach informed fans via Twitter, saying that, “everyone impacted is recovering well and has had mild to no symptoms.” In addition, Mullen is self-isolating from his family, who havpe not been infected.

    Per the SEC protocol, coaches and players that test positive must isolate for ten days and be symptom-free for three consecutive days before returning.

  • Florida / Mizzou postponed to Oct. 31

    Florida / Mizzou postponed to Oct. 31

    Photo by Tim Casey / Getty Images

    The Southeastern Conference announced an amended schedule on Friday in response to the Covid-19 outbreaks that several programs have reported.

    Florida, who has seen 21 players test positive for Covid-19, will no longer have a bye week prior to playing Georgia on September 7. The Gators’ contest against Missouri is now slated for October 31. Florida and Missouri were supposed to meet Oct. 24, but with more than 30 players in quarantine, playing isn’t feasible.

    *Georgia also won’t be on a bye week prior to the showdown in Jacksonville. Their game against Kentucky has been moved to Oct. 31, as well.

    Florida / LSU and Vanderbilt / Missouri were postponed earlier this week after outbreaks at Florida and Vanderbilt.

  • Florida / LSU postponed due to Covid-19 outbreak

    Florida / LSU postponed due to Covid-19 outbreak

    Photo by Courtney Culbreath / Getty Images


    Saturday’s football contest between Florida and LSU, scheduled for Saturday, has been postponed and rescheduled for December 12.

    The Gators are dealing with a Covid-19 outbreak as the school has confirmed 20+ players have tested positive for the virus. The Alligator’s Payton Titus was the first to report the outbreak.


    The Gators were set to enter the game with a 2-1 record while LSU is 1-2 on the season.

    Graham Hall from The Gainesville Sun joins David Soderquist from ChompTalk‘s The Gridiron Growl Podcast to talk about the postponement of the of the game and what lies ahead for Florida football.

    Click play on the following media player to listen to the conversation:


  • VB: Gators picked to finish No. 2 in SEC Preseason Coaches Poll

    VB: Gators picked to finish No. 2 in SEC Preseason Coaches Poll

    Photo by Brian Fox / ChompTalk.com

    Last week, the Southeastern Conference announced it’s Preseason Coaches Poll and the Florida Gators were picked to finish No. 2 in the league behind only Kentucky.

    The Gators shared the regular season title a year ago, going 27-5 overall and return twelve from the 2019 squad that advanced to the NCAA’s regional semifinals. Among those returning are five starters including junior OH Thayer Hall, who was named to the Preseason All-SEC team.

    The SEC announced last month that the fall volleyball schedule will consist of eight matches.

    Florida is scheduled to open the season at Auburn on October 21 before their home opener on October 30 vs Alabama.

    UF has not announced details on fan attendance at this time.

  • The Gridiron Growl Podcast, Episode 1.11

    The Gridiron Growl Podcast, Episode 1.11



    In the newest episode of The Gridiron Growl Podcast, David Soderquist and Brian Fox, Jr. discuss what went wrong for the Gators in College Station. The pair talk about the deficiencies of the defense and share statistics – both offensive and defensive – from 2020 thus far.

    While it’s easy to be completely negative about the team’s performance against Texas A&M, the co-hosts also highlight a few players that have stood out (other than Kyle Trask and Kyle Pitts).

    Please share your feedback on social media or in the comments below.

    Click play on the following audio player to listen to this week’s episode:



    You can also check us out on the following podcasting platforms:
    Anchor
    Apple Podcasts
    Breaker
    Google Podcasts
    Overcast
    RadioPublic
    SoundCloud
    Spotify

    You can also check out all previous episodes on the following Spotify playlist:

  • Grading the Gators: Texas A&M

    Grading the Gators: Texas A&M

    Photo by Tim Casey / Getty Images


    The Florida Gators experienced a distressing loss in College Station on Saturday. Most people have made up their mind where to place blame. Here are some evaluations of Florida’s performance this weekend.

    Offense: B

    Crazy enough, the Gator offense kept putting points on the board. And it moved the ball without significant reliance on Kyle Pitts. Let’s focus on two players who contributed to the offense in Pitts’s stead. Kadarius Toney had a great game with 92 yards on seven catches and two scores. He’s always been a playmaker but Saturday showed he can be a reliable receiver down the field. Nay’Quan Wright is a player who continues work his way into more involvement in the Gator offense. He led all rushers with 31 yards plus he made a nice play on his lone catch for 26 yards. Also, he scored his first career touchdown. Hopefully he sees more touches.

    Now, there were notable mistakes: Kyle Trask throwing a pick that Florida was fortunate enough to have called back, a sack to start a third quarter drive to possibly extend the lead that inevitably ended in a punt, settling for a field goal on a potential go-ahead drive when the Aggies led 31-28 and of course Malik Davis fumbling to set up A&M’s game-winning drive at midfield. Plenty of blame for the offense but this shows how well it needs to play when the other side of the ball isn’t performing. That’s not a sustainable model.

    Defense: F

    Where do we even start? Should we start? Anyone with eyes or access to postgame recaps knows how poorly the defense played Saturday. Instead, let’s just look at two specific plays.

    The first one being Kellen Mond’s TD pass to Caleb Chapman down 38-31. Chapman matched up with Marco Wilson. Wilson is completely in-step with the receiver when the ball arrives. But when he tries to play the ball, he whiffs and Chapman plucks it out of the air for his second TD and ninth catch that day. Just couldn’t make a play when he had the chance. The reason Wilson is in one-on-one so far down the field is because no safeties follow that route. Shawn Davis jumped an over route and the other safety is just playing the left side of the field. Neither helped cover the deepest receiver. Now, that might’ve been because of scheme, some kind of trust in Wilson in man, but with this defense a mistake in coverage wouldn’t be surprising.

    The second comes on Isaiah Spiller’s touchdown on 4th and 2 to take the lead 31-28. Two different defenders make their way into the backfield and just can’t quite get Spiller. Most defensive linemen are neutralized at the line especially the tackles. Ventrell Miller makes an attempt to stop him at the first down marker but Spiller sheds the tackle and gallops into the endzone for a touchdown. Another play not made, another big hole to run through, missed tackles and no stop when Florida needed it. Of course the other team’s Jimmies and Joes will make plays in games but that doesn’t mean your team can’t.

    Special Teams: N/A

    Once again, not much to say about the special teams performance. Evan McPherson made all his extra points and a 53-yard field goal. That field goal came in a crucial moment to tie the game at 31. He also had four touchbacks on kickoff. The Gators didn’t return a single kick on punt or kickoff team. Meanwhile, Jacob Finn’s lone punt went 36 yards and put the Aggies on their own 34 to start a drive. It somewhat flipped the field but I don’t think field position mattered too much in this game.

    Conclusion:

    Everybody knew and knows a good offense with a bad defense is not a recipe for major success. Just look at Texas or Oklahoma. The “earth-shattering” take here is that things still need to change for Florida defensively. People knew that after Ole Miss. Every offense expects to execute flawlessly but relying on that to actually happen to win games won’t put a team over the top. Eventually you need to stop someone. Thankfully for Florida, Bo Pelini’s in the same boiling pot as Todd Grantham with fans for how LSU’s defense is playing. Thus, there’s still a legitimate possibility for the Gators to bounce back in Gainesville next week. But things probably won’t change overnight and a packed stadium won’t make that so either.