The Florida Gators took center stage at the 2023 SEC Media Days on Wednesday, July 19th where the trio of Kingsley Eguakun, Ricky Pearsall, and Jason Marshall spoke on the progress the program has made leading up to year two of the Billy Napier era.
Roster changes are inevitable when a coach takes over at a university; the Gators were no different following the conclusion of Napier’s first season at Florida. To this point in the offseason, Florida has lost 27 players from their 2022 roster via the transfer portal, one of the highest figures within college football.
While that statistic may seem unfavorable, the Gators get a chance to move forward with the student athletes that share the same vison as coach Napier.
Center Kingsley Eguakun spoke confidently on the sense of comfortability within Florida’s program heading into the 2023 season.
“I think the main difference is everybody’s bought in,” redshirt junior center Kingsley Eguakun said on the changes from year one to year two. “There’s no wavering minds, no guys thinking what about this, what about that, trying to see if the grass is greener on the other side. I think everybody has completely bought in and trusts what Coach Napier has in place for us. Everybody wants to win and even wants to do things the right way.”
“I think Coach Napier has a great plan in place for the team, what he wants us to be,” Eguakun said. “I think whatever he asks us to do, we’re able to do. I think we have the firepower to do that. It’s just going to be ultimately about guys buying in and knowing who we are and why we’re here.”
Junior cornerback Jason Marshall noted that the program is in for a big change in year two under Billy Napier.
“Just the way everybody bought into the program this year,” Marshall said on the differences from year one to year two. “Like I said, everybody’s bought in. It’s going to be a big change.”
Senior receiver Ricky Pearsall says another year under Napier will improve the program.
“Just having another year under him, he’s learning us as much as we’re still learning him,” Pearsall said. “Just making sure that we trust everything he’s got for us, going out there and execute. Having another year of him learning about us, he’s going to change up his regimens just based on how the guys respond to certain things. Obviously he’s amped more and more going on to year two, but all the guys are bought in.”
“He has a different level of motivation, for sure, going on to his second year,” Pearsall said on Napier’s change in demeanor. “As much as we’re hungry to go into our second year, I think he is, as well.”
The process of players buying into a program is crucial in determining success both on and off the field. Napier will look to build on the momentum his players are peaching in the 2023 season.