Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida's transition from Austin Hardin to Eddy Pineiro as its potential starting kicker is one that started in earnest when the Gators flipped Pineiro, ranked the nation's top junior-college kicking prospect, from Alabama in mid-December.

Pineiro enrolled in January and has fired up Florida fans with a series of videos posted on social media that shows off his powerful right leg. Meanwhile, Gators head coach Jim McElwain confirmed Monday that Hardin, who would have been a redshirt senior, is no longer with the team.

"He's finishing up his internship and he'll graduate this spring,'' McElwain said.

Hardin's career with the Gators was shaky at best. The highlight is easy: his game-winning 43-yard field goal against Vanderbilt in November that clinched Florida its first SEC East title since 2009.
 

HARDIN AT UF

Season	FG	FGA	XP	XPA
2013	4	12	15	15
2014	7	10	12	12
2015	5	14	24	27
Totals	16	36	51	54

Hardin showed off a powerful leg – 29 of his 44 kickoffs last season were touchbacks – but accuracy was always an issue. In a 24-19 loss at Florida State in 2014, Hardin made four consecutive field goals to give the Gators a shot at upsetting the undefeated Seminoles in Will Muschamp's final game at Florida.

However, with FSU holding a 21-19 lead, Hardin missed a 52-yard attempt at the end of the third quarter and a 42-yard kick in the fourth quarter that would have given the Gators the lead. Instead, FSU tacked on a field goal late to escape with a perfect regular season.

Hardin never seemed to recover, making only 5 of 14 field goals and missing three extra-points (24 of 27) in McElwain's first season.

Hardin's departure leaves Pineiro as the clear front-runner for the job in 2016. A redshirt sophomore who transferred to UF from ASA Community College in Miami, Pineiro grew up as a soccer standout. He became the kicker at Miami Sunset High late in his senior season to garner interest from recruiters.

"The ball comes up real quick and goes very far,'' McElwain said.

Pineiro showed off his leg with a 58-yard field goal with this teammates surrounding him to close practice on Wednesday.

Pineiro is currently Florida's only healthy placekicker with former walk-ons Jorge Powell and Neil MacInnes both recovering from knee surgeries. Both Powell and MacInnes played last season as Hardin struggled.

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DORSEY TO TUSKEGEE
 

Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Travaris Dorsey plans to transfer to Division II Tuskegee University.

The 6-foot-2, 318-pound Dorsey was unable to crack the regular rotation last season as true freshmen Martez Ivey, Tyler Jordan and Fred Johnson passed him on the depth chart.

Dorsey played in 10 games, primarily on special teams. Dorsey signed with the Gators in 2014 out of Raines High in Jacksonville and redshirted his first season on campus. He will be able to play immediately at Tuskegee, a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

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INJURY REPORT

Redshirt freshman receiver Kalif Jackson (6-4, 215) could miss the rest of spring practice according to McElwain. Jackson has a patella injury.

"Time will tell on that,'' McElwain said of Jackson's return.

Meanwhile, McElwain said cornerback Quincy Wilson (hernia) has been moving well at practice and defensive lineman Joey Ivie (groin) has not.

"He's been going but that groin has been hindering him,'' he said.

In addition, McElwain said the Gators hope defensive back Duke Dawson (foot) and tight end Camrin Knight (leg) can return to practice as early as Wednesday.

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OFFENSIVE LINE WATCH

Junior David Sharpe stood out to McElwain in Florida's first two practices of spring camp.

The 6-foot-6, 347-pound Sharpe played in six games as a true freshman and then moved into the starting lineup last season, starting 13 games at left tackle.

With Ivey out this spring due to an injury, Sharpe is someone the rest of the young group is looking to for leadership.

"I think he has really stepped up his production and really his 'want' to play and how he practices," McElwain said. "That's been great for the whole O-line."

Redshirt junior Antonio Riles is playing at a faster pace in McElwain's view. McElwain is ready to see how the line competes later this week when the Gators put helmets and pads on for the first time.

"I'm really looking forward to kind of seeing how we're going to be up front, both offense and defensive lines,'' he said. "As we get going in our inside run and some of the things we'll do that way. I think this will be a real test to see if we've grown up a little bit in the O-line and see if we can challenge ourselves a little bit."

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QUOTE OF NOTE I

"We had two pretty darn good days in helmets and shorts. I thought we got a lot accomplished. You can see just how far we've advanced simply by how our guys know how to practice." – McElwain on first two days of spring camp

QUOTE OF NOTE II

"He's a guy that was on the verge obviously of a medical [retirement] because of that hip. His probably last chance to play was to lose a lot of weight and move to defensive end. It's something he has kind of been motivated to do, and as you can see, he has really re-shaped his body. Doesn't even look like the same guy. I'm glad he's out there trying." – McElwain on defensive lineman Thomas Holley, who has lost more than 50 pounds since last season