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Florida head football coach Dan Mullen addressed the media on Monday as the Gators prepare to face in-state rival Florida State on Saturday.
Injuries
Mullen opened the presser discussing the health of his team.
He explained that several players missed practice last week due to illness, but that overall the team is “pretty healthy.”
Mullen noted that DB Amari Burney could play this week and is “way ahead of schedule.” The head coach also said DE Jabari Zuniga is cleared to play.
On the senior class
Mullen was asked to reflect on the senior class, to which he praised their ability to buy into the new coaching staff.
When asked if Jonathan Greenard is an All-American, the head coach answered, “yes” and that he believes the stats back that up.
When asked about LB David Reese’s leadership, Mullen said, he’s a “hardworker who bought in. He shows up every day to be his best. Most important, though, “everybody on the team respects him.”
Mullen explained that Senior Day is emotional. “Seeing where guys have come been and how far there come” can be emotional.
Lack of running game
When asked how difficult it is to call plays with no running game, Mullen cooly replied, “pretty easy. Call other plays. There are so many plays and so little time.”
Mullen also joked that his team has excellent balance, “we throw equally to all our receivers.”
Success at home
“To be successful in the conference you have to be able to win at home…it has a lot more to do with our fanbase.
Our fans have as much to do with us going undefeated at home as our players.”
Importance of FSU game
When asked about the importance of the Florida State game from a recruiting standpoint, Mullen responded, “I don’t know about recruiting effect, but taste in your mouth effect is huge.” He then went on to explain that it’s a neighbor to neighbor rival, not just a state vs state rivalry.
The presser ended in lighter fashion as Mullen was asked if he’s ever lost to a Florida team other than the Gators. His 5-0 record against Florida State and 2-0 mark against Miami were noted.
Mullen pointed out that he lost to an up-and-coming USF team in a bowl game while an assistant at Bowling Green (the Bulls won 29-7).
When asked if his record against Florida schools means anything to him, he quickly answered, “I love to win.”
Florida looks to complete a ten win regular season against Florida State on Saturday at 7:30 PM.
Make sure to follow @MikeyPfeffer and @ChompTalk for live updates.
The Norfolk, VA native earned the honor following a great week in the Charleston Classic. Johnson led the Gators’ charge which cumminated in the Tournament Championship.
The sophomore finished with a double-double (22 points, 12 rebounds) against St. Joseph’s in the Classic’s opening round and posted 12 points and 7 boards against Miami in the semifinals.
Johnson led the Gators in the championship game with 15 points and 5 rebounds and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
Florida will face Marshall on Friday in their return home with a much different outlook than when they last played at the O’Dome.
After defeating St Joseph’s and Miami on Thursday and Friday, the Florida Gators advanced to the championship game against the Xavier Musketeers in the 2019 Charleston Classic. The Gators escaped with a 70-65 win and moved to 5-2 on the season.
The Gators shot 54% from the field and went 7-18 (38.9%) from the three point line.
How it Happened:
Kerry Blackshear scored 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting, including 4-of-6 from the free throw line. Andrew Nembhard and Keyontae Johnson combined for 30 points in the Gators’ 70-65 win over Xavier on Sunday night. Nembhard shot 50% on 5-10 shooting and 3-6 from beyond the three point line. Johnson went 6-10, including 0-2 from behind the three point line.
The first few minutes of the game was a turnover battle between both teams. The Gators finished the first half with 8 turnovers to Xavier’s 10. Florida led 39-29 at the half.
Xavier went on a 7-0 run late in the second half to cut Florida’s lead to 68-62. Quentin Goodwin for the Musketeers hit a clutch three-point shot with 1:08 left to cut the lead to 68-65. Blackshear was fouled with :07 left in the game and made both free throws to give the Gators a 70-65 advantage. That would be enough to give the Gators a momumental win early in the season.
With the win, Florida moves to 5-2 and Xavier is now 5-1. The win should put the Gators back into the Top 25 on Monday.
Individual Stats:
Nembhard: 15 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists
Johnson: 15 points, 5 rebounds
Blackshear: 14 points, 10 rebounds
Locke: 13 points, 3-5 3FG
Team Stats:
FG%: 54
3FG%: 39
FT%: 73
Reb+/-: 0
Bench Points: 9
TOs: 16
Of Note:
Kerry Blackshear and Keyontae Johnson were both named All-Tournament.
In addition, Johnson earned the Charleston Classic MVP honors.
What’s next:
Up next, the Gators host Marshall at Exactech Arena in Gainesville on Friday at 9 pm Eastern Time on SEC Network.
The 15th-ranked Florida Gators improved to 12-2 in SEC play with a road sweep over Georgia (25-13, 25-14, 25-13). The Gators have four sweeps in their last five matches.
To finish up the season, Florida will be back in the O’Dome to face Arkansas and Texas A&M.
The Gators essentially led for the entire match. The largest lead the Bulldogs held was in the second frame at 1-0.
Rachael Kramer led everyone with 14 kills on 20 swings. She made no errors and ended the match with a .700 clip. Holly Carlton was the only other player to reach double digits with 10 on 15 attacks. She made one error and finished with a .600 clip.
Kramer also led everyone in the blocking department. She picked up five. Lauren Dooley and Paige Hammons chipped in with four each as well.
Senior Morgyn Greer led the Gators in service aces with three, followed by Hammons with two and Carlton with one.
The Bulldogs struggled to keep up with the Gators at the net. Florida finished the match with 11 total blocks, while Georgia managed zero.
This allowed Florida to have a field day offensively. The Gators finished the match with a season-high clip of .513. Georgia hit for .120 as a team.
SEC Standings
Florida and No. 14 Kentucky remain in a deadlock in the SEC standings. Both teams sit at 14-2 in conference play with two matches remaining. The Wildcats face LSU on Wednesday and Ole Miss on Saturday. For the full list of the rankings, click here.
Remaining Schedule
With their last road fixture in the bag, the Gators will return to Exactech Arena to finish up the regular season.
On Wednesday, Florida will host the Arkansas Razorbacks at 5 p.m. The Gators picked up a sweep over the Hogs earlier this season in Fayetteville.
To end the season, the Gators face Texas A&M on Saturday at 4 p.m. In October, the Gators won in five sets in College Station.
Norland (Miami, Fla.) 2020 offensive tackle Issiah Walker, Jr. is a four-star prospect that is verbally committed to Dan Mullen’s program.
Walker originally committed to South Carolina in May 2018 before receiving offers from in-state schools Miami, Florida State, and Florida. In early July, the nation’s No. 15 OT prospect publicly decommitted from USC and later attended camps at Florida and FSU.
ChompTalk.com caught up with the 6-4, 309-pound tackle about what drew him to the University of Florida and when he intends to sign and enroll at the school.
Walker said that the reason he chose to flip from South Carolina to Florida was simply the coaching staff, “I like the love they have for me and my family. They make me feel at home every time I come here.”
When asked which coach impressed him the most, Walker answered, “All of the coaches because they are all about family.” He also stated that his two favorite facilities were the practice field and the weight room.
Note: Brian Johnson and John Hevesy were the primary recruiters for Walker.
Walker emphasized that with his commitment to Florida, the recruiting process was complete. Walker knows where he wants to be, and that’s in the Swamp in front of 90,000 fanatics.
The offensive tackle is entering with a recruiting class that currently ranks No. 12 nationally and features star players such as QB Anthony Richardson, DT Gervon Dexter, LB Derek Wingo, WR Jaquavion Fraziars, and WR Leonard Manuel.
Dan Mullen and staff have done a splendid job with the 2020 class, and Walker knows he has a place on the team at Florida.
The Gators’ 2020 commit told ChompTalk.com that he plans on signing with Florida during the early signing period in December and also plans to enroll in January.
Despite several trips to the Swamp this year, he is scheduled to take an official visit for the Florida State game on Nov. 30. His visit to Gainesville will give him a better look at the program.
Walker will be one of many high-end prospects on campus for the game. He will have the opportunity to return ‘home’ in front of a sellout crowd ready to embrace the team’s seniors in their final game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
Gator freshman Lavender Briggs missed the game through injury.
@GatorsWBK's second leading scorer, Lavender Briggs out tonight with a high ankle sprain. According to @sam_asalways, she's doing fine, just not rushing her back.#Gators take on No. 18 Indiana at 6:00 PM. @ChompTalk
The Hoosiers struggled to find rhythm scoring the ball in the first quarter. As a team, they shot 6-15 from the field and put up 15 points; the same amount as the Gators.
However, Indiana found its scoring touch in the second quarter. They scored on their first five field-goal attempts and went on to put up 24 points on 9-16 shooting.
As the guests eventually warmed up, the Gators’ offense got cold. They followed up their 15 points in the first quarter with just 13 in the second on 5-14 from the field.
Sophomore guard Grace Berger put up the most points in the game for the Hoosiers in the first half with 12 on 5-8 shooting. Ariel Johnson led the Gators with eight points on 3-5 shooting.
Indiana took a 39-28 lead into the halftime break.
Second Half
Florida had an even tougher time in the second half. As a team, the Gators managed just 21 points in the third and fourth quarters on 8-27 shooting (29.6 percent).
Indiana, on the other hand, continued to shoot the ball well. They added another 34 points on 15-29 shooting in the second half.
Curiously enough, Florida and Indiana combined for just two 3-pointers in the second half after six in the first.
Top Scorers
Smith led Florida with 18 points on 7-17 from the field. Berger finished with 23 points on 10-15.
Afterthoughts
Florida head coach Cam Newbauer said after the game that he wanted his team to be aggressive right from tip-off. Kiki Smith, Ariel Johnson and Nina Rickards looked to drive the entire game. However, Florida’s bigs had very little impact offensively.
“I wish we could’ve gotten them more of the ball offensively. That’s something we need to work on.” -Coach Newbauer
In addition, for all of the driving Florida’s guards did, the Gators took just eight free throws in the game.
“To me, it’s your typical Indiana, old-school Bobby Knight defense; they just guard you, make you score over them and don’t foul. They did a really good job defensively. That’s Coach Teri’s MO.”
Next up, the Gators face Florida State at home on Tuesday at 6 p.m. For more of the latest, follow @ChompTalk and @JEricksonReport on Twitter.
After being hit with a flagrant-2 foul early in the second half of Florida’s win over St. Joseph’s on Thursday, Kerry Blackshear dominated Miami in his return to the court on Friday.
Blackshear scored the first eight Gators points on the day en route to a game high 20 as Florida defeated in-state rival Miami, 78-58.
The Gators shot 54% from the field and made 10-19 (53%) of their shots from behind the three point line.
How it happened:
Trailing 14-8 nearly midway through the first half, the Gators completed a 17-0 run to take an eleven point advantage. The Hurricanes battled back and closed to within five by the intermission break.
Miami came all the way back and tied the game at 45 with 15:48 remaining in the game. The Gators would rattle off a 33-13 run over the remainder of the contest to improve to 4-2 on the season.
Individual stats:
Blackshear: 20 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists
Lewis: 13 points, 8 rebounds
Johnson: 12 points, 7 rebounds
Glover: 11 points in 17 minutes
Nembhard: 8 points, 9 assists
Team stats:
FG%: 54
3FG%: 53
FT%: 62
Reb+/-: +9
Bench Points: 19
TO: 12
What’s Next:
Florida will remain in Charleston and play in the championship game on Sunday.
The Gators will face the winner of tonight’s Xavier-Connecticut matchup.
In the gymnastics world, recruits are not starred or ranked, because each team has different needs and each recruiting landscape is different. What often distinguishes a top gymnast from a mid- or lower-tier one is whether they’re on scholarship or a walk-on. However, in some rare cases, gymnasts turn down scholarships elsewhere and choose to walk on at a school that they feel is a better fit. Chloi Clark is one such case, and she has chosen the University of Florida to be her new gymnastics home starting in the fall of 2020.
“I had originally committed to Temple on a scholarship,” she revealed. “I really enjoyed the school, but Florida has always been my dream school. I felt that Florida was a better fit for me knowing that I had all of the resources I needed to become a better student and athlete. From the minute I stepped on campus, Florida felt like a family.” Essentially, Clark gave up a full ride because Florida felt so right to her.
From head to toe, Clark felt that she was meant to be a Gator for a whole host of reasons. Clark has been a gymnast from a very young age and a Florida fan almost just as long. “When I was younger, I started watching college gymnastics and I was drawn to Florida immediately. I went to a lot of their camps when I was younger and I always dreamed of going to Florida.” Her favorite gymnast is former Gator great Bridget Sloan, who she called “incredibly talented and charismatic.”
The camps Clark referred to are annual summer camps that most NCAA gymnastics programs hold to give young gymnasts a chance to train with college coaches, as well as to scout potential young talent for the future. It was here where she first met head coach Jenny Rowland, who is an integral part of Clark’s vision of herself as a Gator. “The coaches and staff at Florida really stuck out to me. They were very welcoming and made me feel at home. When I was first officially introduced to [Jenny], she gave me a big hug. I thought she was very welcoming and would support me in my goals inside and outside of the gym.” She knew in that moment that Florida and its coaching staff were perfect for her.
Though her class is littered with stars like World gold medalist Riley McCusker and former junior elites Eliana Lazzari and Gabbie Gallentine, Clark still has a lot to offer her new team. “One of the strengths I will bring is my vault,” she said when asked about her potential contributions to the team. “I’m training a [Yurchenko] double full right now and plan to compete it later in the year… I bring a strong work ethic and a love of gymnastics, as well as a big team spirit.” A competitive Yurchenko double full was notably absent from SEC gymnastics as a whole last season and likely will be again this year. Bringing a new Yurchenko double to the table could be a huge advantage for Florida in coming years, so if Clark can get that skill to a consistent, competitive level, it would basically guarantee her a spot in the Gator vault lineup. One of her top two goals for her final J.O. season is to be able to compete it, so she is definitely one to keep an eye on.
The following video from May 2017 is of Clark first learning a Yurchenko full. To compete the double full, she’ll add another full twist to this layout – a difficult challenge, but a possible one.
Clark seems all set to fit in with the team dynamic too. She’s competitive and outgoing, a daredevil, and she plans to study kinesiology – something hard-core Gator fans will know has been a common major on the Florida team over the years. She’s also already had the opportunity to bond with the team, being hosted for a visit earlier this year by sophomore Leah Clapper. “All of the team was super welcoming and so much fun to be around, but I really connected with Leah… she was my host when I visited and we had a lot in common. Leah was really easy to connect with from the start and the coaches did a great job pairing us together.”
Until moving to Gainesville next fall, though, Clark will have plenty to keep her busy. She hopes to qualify to J.O. nationals again; after making it for the first time last year, she’s hungry for more. When asked about her first national experience, she said, “It was a goal that I had set for myself when I started level 10. My first three seasons didn’t go as I had hoped. After a lot of hard work and perseverance, everything came together and I was able to qualify… The experience at nationals was everything I had hoped for. It was wonderful to be with a great group of girls representing region 3, as well as competing against such incredible athletes.” Keep an eye out for her new floor routine as well, which incorporates a “more collegiate style,” according to Clark. It’s choreographed by former Denver Pioneer and one-time NCAA nationals qualifier Nikole Addison, someone Clark looked up to growing up in the sport. Floor is one of Clark’s favorite events, so you can bet she’ll be showing that routine off once she’s performed it.
Chloi Clark may not be a big-name recruit, but rest assured, she will not let herself get lost in the sea of famouses coming to Gainesville for the 2021 season. Her drive and desire to challenge herself will make her competitive for lineups, her can-do, positive attitude will make her a great teammate, and her style and personality will make her a favorite to watch on the floor. Check her out @chloiclark on Twitter and Instagram to follow the rest of her journey toward becoming a Gator.
For more gymnastics news, insights, and banter, follow me @mycluttereddesk on Twitter, and of course, make sure you’re following @chomptalk on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Why do teams continue to play man on Bradley Beal?
The man is getting to the rim much too easily.
Beal (guard, Washington Wizards (4-8)) continued to score at an All-NBA level through Week 4 of the season, and he’s now averaging 30.3 points per game.
The two-time All Star dropped back-to-back 40-point performances at the Boston Celtics (Nov. 13) and at the Minnesota Timberwolves (Nov. 15), and he followed them up with 34 points in Orlando and 33 points at home against the San Antonio Spurs. He led the struggling Wizards to two wins in those matchups.
Just to put into perspective how ridiculous of a four-game tear that is, Beal hit 59 percent of his shots and averaged 24.8 shots.
This is all because he’s getting within five feet of the hoop (averaging 14.5 two-point attempts for the year) and exploiting opponents in transition. His gravitational pull in the paint has opened up pick-and-roll play and open three-pointers, allowing him to assist teammates 6.7 times per contest.
He’s also getting to the line at an elite level (7.0 free throws per league, 11th in the NBA).
Beal will look to feast once again on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets (6-9), who has the fifth worst defensive rating (points allowed per 100 possessions) in the Association (112.2).
Al Horford (forward/center, Philadelphia 76ers (9-5)) is fitting in nicely with his new team through 14 games. The big man is scoring at his highest rate (14.4 points per game) since 2015-16 when he was still with the Atlanta Hawks (15.2). That average is good for third on the squad.
He’s also thriving as a passer, putting up 4.0 assists per contest, second only to Ben Simmons.
In a fixture with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, Horford had well balanced night on both ends, scoring 11 points, assisting seven teammates, grabbing six rebounds, blocking 2 shots and snagging two steals.
Up next for Horford, another lackluster defensive opponent in the San Antonio Spurs (5-10) (28th in defensive rating, 114.0).
Speaking of the Spurs, Dorian Finney-Smith (forward, Dallas Mavericks (9-5)) had a career-high 22 points at home against San Antonio on Monday. He was an efficient 3 of 4 from three and 8 of 10 from the floor, benefitting from Luka Doncic’s 42-point triple-double.
Finney-Smith is now fourth on the Mavs in scoring (8.8 points per game) among players who have played in more than one game.
Udonis Haslem (forward, Miami Heat (10-3)) made his season debut on Nov. 12 in a nine-point win over the Detroit Pistons. Haslem is in his 17th season (age 39), and he recorded two points, two rebounds, two turnovers and two fouls in nearly five minutes of action.
Chandler Parsons (forward, Atlanta Hawks) also proved his existence by logging 2:29 of play against at the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, his inaugural appearance of the year. He did not record a stat other than minutes played and a -10 plus/minus.
Note: Chris Chiozza (guard, Washington Wizards) did not play over the past week. Chiozza played in Washington’s first two games, but the emergence of veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas for the Wizards is a likely major factor for Chiozza’s reserve status.
Charleston, SC– The Florida Gators men’s basketball team defeated the Saint Joseph’s Hawks 70-62 at the Charleston Classic on Thursday afternoon. This is the third straight holiday tournament the Gators have played in.
Florida improved to 3-2 on the season while the Hawks fell to 2-3.
Florida found their stride early, as they went 7 of 16 from the three-point line in the first half. Keyontae Johnson and Andrew Nembhard led the Gators with 12 points at the break as Florida was up 41-25 at halftime.
Early in the second half, Kerry Blackshear, Jr was ejected on a Flagrant 2 foul call on a play in which he elbowed Taylor Funk from Saint Joseph’s.
Blackshear was ineffective for the Gators during the game though sitting on the bench for all but three minutes in the opening half of play due to foul trouble. He only accumulated one point and two rebounds in the game.
Keyontae Johnson took hold of the team and led the Gators with 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting. The sophomore also hauled in 13 rebounds for Florida.
Coming out in the first half, Noah Locke got the scoring started for the Gators with an early three-pointer. Florida scored the first eight points of the game. When the Gators are consistently scoring, they are a tough team to stop.
Saint Joseph’s got within two points late in the second half but couldn’t take the lead and get the win.
Sophomore Andrew Nembhard played a pivotal role in Florida’s win on Thursday. He scored 16 points on 6-of-20 shooting. The Gators ended the game on a 6-0 run after Saint Joseph’s mounted a huge run after Blackshear’s ejection.
As a team, Florida shot 42.9 percent from the field on Thursday.
Opening the a Charleston Classic with a win gives the Gators a huge momentum boost.
They will stay in Charleston for the next few days as they have two games remaining in the tournament.
Florida will play Miami at noon on Friday in the semifinal round. This may have been a slight marginal win, but Florida got a much-needed win as the team is still trying to find its identity early in the season.
A win on Friday against Miami would give the Gators a huge boost for the remainder of the tournament and the season. They just have to play consistent basketball for 40 minutes.
ChompTalk.com 