The ’98 percent’ of the team agrees with the Gators. As stated by Napier
Billy Napier, the head coach of the Florida Gators, is content with his team’s current roster following a zero-point dispute with Tennessee and former starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
GAINESVILLE, FL After the Florida Gators’ spring game on Saturday, head coach Billy Napier feels content with his roster, despite Tennessee’s disastrous situation with former starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava demonstrating that no roster in college football is really safe.
The rising fourth-year head coach clarified that his club is nearly finished with player retention after losing just one player, safety Gregory Smith III, to the transfer portal prior to the scrimmage.
“We’ve reached agreements with 98% of the team, so I think we’re just one or two players away from being done,” he stated.
Napier said that even though Florida is nearly finished maintaining its players, he is keeping his options open for the April 16 reopening of the transfer window. However, Florida will still be playing a numbers game as they try to reach the SEC’s 85-player scholarship cap while reducing their whole roster to 105 in accordance with the NCAA’s new regulations.
By Gators Illustrated’s count, which includes the Gators’ summer enrollees, Florida has 122 total players on its roster, 86 of which are on scholarship. These numbers don’t include Smith III or safety Asa Turner, who recently received an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA but whose status with the team is to be determined, while including recent corner signee J’Vari Flowers.
In addition to 16 walk-ons to reach the 105-man total maximum, Florida will need to lose one more scholarship player to hit the 85-man cap. In addition, if Florida hopes to make any progress in the portal, it will need to see the departure of several scholarship players.
“Now, we’ll evaluate what becomes available every day going forward,” he stated. “Maybe there’s a situation that can make our team better around we’ll definitely be aggressive if we feel that way.”
Florida signed offensive lineman Jason Zandamela-Popa and receiver Elijhah Badger after the spring of the previous season.
