Which freshmen did and didn’t redshirt in 2023

Florida football coach Billy Napier was not shy about playing true freshmen during the course of the 2023 season.

Of UF’s 20 true freshmen, 12 played in 10 or more games. Two — safety Jordan Castell and wide receiver Eugene Wilson III — emerged as starters for the Florida Gators. Wilson, Castell, defensive lineman Kelby Collins and defensive lineman T.J. Searcy were named to the All-SEC freshman team last week.

Overall, UF’s kiddie corps gained experience through the ups and downs of a 5-7 season.

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“I’m hopeful that they’ll benefit from it in the future,” Napier said. “I think I’ve always believed that the players make the most improvement after their first year of significant experience. We have a lot of players that are — this is really their first year where they’ve been a major contributor to the team.”

Here’s a breakdown of how UF’s freshmen performed during the 2023, and which players are eligible for redshirts:

CB Ja’Keem Jackson

Jackson appeared in 11 games, finishing with 7 tackles, three QBs and one QB hurry. He won’t be eligible for a redshirt.

WR Eugene Wilson

Wilson appeared in 10 games for the Gators in 2023, making seven starters. He finished second on the Gators in receptions (61), receiving yards (538) and receiving yards per game (53.8), while scoring a team-high 6 receiving TDs. He won’t be eligible for a redshirt.

DB Sharif Denson

Denson appeared in 11 games on defense and special teams, finishing with seven tackles, 0.5 tackles-for-loss and a quarterback hurry. He won’t be eligible for a redshirt.

RB Treyaun Webb

Webb played in 11 games as a reserve running back and…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-football-freshmen-did-didnt-190421662.html

Author : The Gainesville Sun

Publish date : 2023-12-12 19:04:21

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