Swampcast talks Florida football preseason expectations following 2025 SEC Media Days
The Sun’s Kevin Brockway and Noah Ram discuss Florida football at 2025 SEC Football Media Days, plus Florida basketball, Florida baseball.
The SEC currently maintains an 85-scholarship limit, but discussions are ongoing regarding potentially increasing it to 105 like other conferences.Walk-on players have historically made significant contributions to Florida football, including former standout Chris Doering.
Count Florida football coach Billy Napier as someone pleased that walk-ons from the 2024 season won’t count against roster limits set during the House vs NCAA Settlement.
Judge Claudia Wilken insisted for current walk-ons to be grandfathered into rosters rather than forcing coaches to make cuts to reach roster limits for their respective sports.
As a result, instead of being forced to pare down to 105 players, Napier revealed the Florida Gators will operate with a roster of “about 120 players” when fall camp opens next week.
“It’s a huge win for football in my opinion,” Napier said. “We’ll be right around 120 this year. Big win. A lot of people who started their journey at the University of Florida, it kind of keeps that vision alive so they can finish.”
Napier expressed concern before the settlement about the ability to operate scout teams with a roster of 105 players, noting the potential for injury attrition during the five-month grind of practices and games from late July through early January.
Eventually, as walk-ons cycle out of UF’s program over the course of the next three seasons, Florida will need to adhere to a 105-player limit. The SEC has maintained a scholarship limit of 85 for the 105 spots, though schools in other leagues have been given the option to offer up to 105 scholarships for football.
“That…
Source link : https://www.gainesville.com/story/sports/college/football/2025/07/23/why-florida-football-coach-is-happy-to-retain-walk-ons-for-2025-season-billy-napier/85267461007/
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Publish date : 2025-07-23 08:02:00
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