Countdown to Kickoff 2025

He passed away from kidney failure in October of 2014 at 38. Mo had been on dialysis for a while prior to this. Way too young for such a grid iron warrior.

 

#78 Kenyatta Walker OT (1998-00)
With 78 days 'til kickoff, why not celebrate another great OL big man in Kenyatta Walker (1997-2000)?
Walker was a three-year starter who was a freshman All-American in 1998, a second-team All-SEC pick in '99
and a first-team all-league selection in 2000. He left early for the NFL draft and was a first-round pick in 2001.



Reggie Green OT (1992-95)
He became a starter early in his true freshman season and never looked back, becoming a mainstay on the offensive line for four seasons. He was a two-time All-SEC selection.
Other notables: DT Tommy Duhart.

 

From ESPN today:
One hundred days from now, the college football season will officially begin. Week 0 will kick off on Aug. 23 with an international edition of Farmageddon as Big 12 hopefuls Iowa State and Kansas State meet in Dublin. While we're counting down days until the season starts, it's never too early to look at storylines, players and coaches who should define 2025. We'll even make some wild predictions. 100 days until Week 0: Top storylines, games and predictions for the 2025 season

Correct, @107 days left for us.
Last year I missed those between Wilbur to Wes (players 79-to-88) and had to make it up in the back end quickly.
This year I'm in the 2-minute drill so we'll have time to enjoy them all.

 

#77 Guy Dennis G (1966-68)
Dennis was from tiny Walnut Hill, about 50 miles north of Pensacola, hard by the Alabama border. He starred at Ernest Ward High, which no longer exists. He was a two-time All-SEC selection and a first-team All-American as a senior in 1968. The 1968 Florida media guide called him the best offensive lineman in Florida history and described him as “a hard-working farm boy.” In 1968, he was the offensive team captain that year. Just a quick, fierce and agile blocker. And a good man who still lives in Gainesville.



Crawford Ker OL (1983-84)
Ker was another member of the “Great Wall,” the third to make this list. And “Big Daddy” is the only walk-on.
He did that at Arizona Western and Florida signed him for two wonderful years at right tackle.



Rhondy Weston DT (1985-88)
Weston has been forgotten because of Trace Armstrong as they played at the same time, but as a sophomore in 1986 he finished with 96 tackles, including 15 tackles against Georgia. As a junior in 1987 he finished with 54 tackles, 14 tackles-for-loss, and six sacks and was an All-SEC selection. As a senior Weston had 10 sacks, which still stands as the most by a defensive tackle in school history. He was second-team All-SEC that year.

Max Starks OL (2000-03)
During his time as a Gator, he played for both Steve Spurrier and Zon Zook and won a Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship ring (2000) and blocked for record-setting Gators quarterbacks Rex Grossman (2000–2002) and Chris Leak (2003). As a senior, Starks was a team captain and first-team All-SEC selection. Other notables: DT Mike Stanfield, OL Hesham Ismail, OL Cheston Blackshear, OL Jason Watkins.

 

#76 Joe D’Agostino G (1950-53)
D’Agostino starred at the old Orlando High, then became a standout lineman for UF. He was a second-team All-SEC pick as a sophomore in 1951, then was a first-teamer as a junior and senior; he also was a third-team All-American in 1953.

#76 Marcus Gilbert OT (2006-10)
Strong and steady, he was a three-year starter for the Gators who was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round. His last destination was with the Arizona Cardinals.
Other notables: OT Paul Parker, OT David Peek.

 

#75 Lomas Brown OT (1981-84)
He was a stud recruit from Miami Springs High and started for three seasons at left tackle for the Gators, becoming the best offensive lineman in school history in the process. He was an All-American in 1984 as a senior, when he won the Jacobs Trophy as the best lineman in the SEC. He was a big-time athlete — he had a 34-inch vertical jump as a 6-5, 280-pound senior — and a first-round pick in the 1985 draft (sixth overall). Other notables: All-American G Shannon Snell, OT Chaz Green, OL Phil Trautwein, DT David Starkey.



Donnie Young G (1992-95)
Donnie was a Jacbos Award winner who protected Danny Wuerffel during our 1st Natty in 1996.

 

#74 Jack Youngblood DE (1968-70)
He played linebacker at Jefferson County High in Monticello, started his UF career at offensive tackle, was moved to defensive tackle during the spring before his sophomore season, then moved to end that season and became one of the best players in school history. He was an All-American as a senior in 1970, and though he played only one season in the decade, he was named to the SEC’s All-Decade Team for the 1970s. He was a first-round pick in the 1971 draft.




#74 Jeff Zimmerman (1983-86)
He was an All-American twice — the only Gator offensive lineman in history who can say that. He was a big part of “The Great Wall of Florida.” I mean big, with a listed weight of 320 pounds back in the day when guards were going 275. I don’t know this, but I think he might have been Florida’s first 300-pound starter.



#74 Jason Odom (1992-95)
Dooley used to joke with Jason about the Jacob Award because he was the only two-time winner from Florida, and he never received anything for it. There was no trophy, not even a certificate. Anyway, after struggling as a true freshman (but still helping UF get to the SEC title game), he was a dominant force for the next three seasons of championship football.

 

Jeff Roth is #96 but was labeled incorrectly as #98.
I remember Tim Newton very well (although some others are a bit more notable).
I was in Tally in '82 when we upset FSU and ran on their field to hug Tim & Lo Hampton.
We were having such a great time FSU turned the sprinklers on us to leave the premises.
Newton played on a Gator defense that included Wilbur Marshall, Vernell Brown and Tony Lilly.
Bob Hewko was our QB and we won 13-10 on their turf.

Ironically enough, when you type in and search for Tim Newton now, Cam Newton comes up more often.
Timothy Reginald Newton (born March 23, 1963) is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. Newton played college football for the University of Florida, and thereafter, he played professionally for the Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Newton accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Charley Pell and coach Galen Hall's Florida Gators football teams from 1981 to 1984.[3] As a senior in 1984, Newton was a first-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) selection and a second-team All-American.[3]