Freshman receiver Eugene Wilson III is among the nucleus of talented first-year players on Florida's roster. (Photo: Molly Kaiser/UAA Communications)
Carter's Corner: Freshman Starts a Building Block for Gators
Thursday, December 7, 2023 | Football, Scott Carter
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — As the trend developed and received attention early in the 2023 season, Gators head coach Billy Napier was asked about his willingness to play young players over veterans.
Napier shared his reasoning.
"You can't fool players,'' he said. "They're watching, they're evaluating, they're in the film room. They know who the better players are. So there's a certain level of integrity there.
"We got to do what's in the best interest of the team."
The approach resulted in Florida ranking among the top 10 FBS programs in freshman starts (see chart below). The Gators had 20 starts by freshmen on offense, and 17 on defense.
True freshman receiver Eugene Wilson III (seven) and redshirt freshman tight end Hayden Hansen (nine) combined to start 16 games to pace the offense. On defense, the key newcomers were safeties Jordan Castell (11) and Bryce Thornton (four), who combined to start 15 games.
Tight end Arlis Boardingham, linebacker Jaden Robinson, offensive lineman Knijeah Harris, defensive lineman Jamari Lyons and quarterback Max Brown were the other freshmen to start.
Wilson, Castell and teammates Kelby Collins and T.J. Searcy, both defensive linemen, made the All-SEC Freshman Team, the first time in 11 years four Gators earned a spot on the league's rookie team.
Texas A&M and South Carolina were the only Southeastern Conference teams with more freshman starts this season, a promising sign with the Gators seeking improvement in 2024 in Napier's third season.
FRESHMAN FILE
The Gators had 37 freshman starts during the 2023 season, which ranked tied for fifth-most among FBS programs (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen).
Research: UAA Communications
Napier shared his reasoning.
"You can't fool players,'' he said. "They're watching, they're evaluating, they're in the film room. They know who the better players are. So there's a certain level of integrity there.
"We got to do what's in the best interest of the team."
The approach resulted in Florida ranking among the top 10 FBS programs in freshman starts (see chart below). The Gators had 20 starts by freshmen on offense, and 17 on defense.
True freshman receiver Eugene Wilson III (seven) and redshirt freshman tight end Hayden Hansen (nine) combined to start 16 games to pace the offense. On defense, the key newcomers were safeties Jordan Castell (11) and Bryce Thornton (four), who combined to start 15 games.
Tight end Arlis Boardingham, linebacker Jaden Robinson, offensive lineman Knijeah Harris, defensive lineman Jamari Lyons and quarterback Max Brown were the other freshmen to start.
Wilson, Castell and teammates Kelby Collins and T.J. Searcy, both defensive linemen, made the All-SEC Freshman Team, the first time in 11 years four Gators earned a spot on the league's rookie team.
Just getting started in the swamp‼️ https://t.co/D6mZzqmYzi
— Eugene Wilson III (@ewil_iii) December 7, 2023
Texas A&M and South Carolina were the only Southeastern Conference teams with more freshman starts this season, a promising sign with the Gators seeking improvement in 2024 in Napier's third season.
FRESHMAN FILE
The Gators had 37 freshman starts during the 2023 season, which ranked tied for fifth-most among FBS programs (true freshmen and redshirt freshmen).
| RANK | SCHOOL | OFFENSE | DEFENSE | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baylor | 25 | 24 | 49 |
| 2 | Texas A&M | 29 | 13 | 42 |
| 3 | Indiana | 26 | 15 | 41 |
| 4 | South Carolina | 23 | 16 | 39 |
| T5 | Florida | 20 | 17 | 37 |
| T5 | Arizona | 26 | 11 | 37 |
| 7 | Clemson | 19 | 16 | 35 |
| 8 | Virginia Tech | 32 | 2 | 34 |
| T9 | Iowa State | 19 | 13 | 31 |
| T9 | Arizona State | 13 | 18 | 31 |
Players Mentioned
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