Florida Gators

IRVING, Texas — Once upon a time, I would have walked here, barefoot and over as many hills as stood in the way, to visit Texas Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys.

The heroes of my Tennessee-to-Florida boyhood called Texas Stadium home: Roger Staubach, Tony Dorsett, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, Everson Walls, Drew Pearson, Tony Hill, Danny White, Robert Newhouse, and so on. The only time I've ever cried over a sporting event was when the Cowboys lost three consecutive NFC Championships in the early 1980s. The Eagles in '80. The 49ers in '81. The Redskins in '82.

A boy remembers long after he becomes a man.
 

Hence, considering where the Gators spent Tuesday night — NFL fans of a certain age can still hear Brent Musburger open with, "You are looking live at Texas Stadium in Irving, Texas" — the Texas sun glistened on those dusty memories. Florida departed Gainesville late Tuesday afternoon for its game Thursday night at Utah, escaping to beat the landfall of Hurricane Idalia while the weather was good.

The Gators landed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area early Tuesday evening to spend the night. They will practice Wednesday morning, then fly to Salt Lake City to arrive in Utah around the same time initially planned for Thursday night's game. The hotel they stayed in is just down the road from the site where Texas Stadium once stood with that famous hole in the roof.

Much like the Gators on their way to Utah, this blog's detour has a purpose. There are fans out there that ride high and low with the Gators like I once did with the Cowboys. They can't wait for kickoff Thursday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium to finally see their team.

With that time quickly approaching, this is as good time as any to discuss five newcomers to watch on a team loaded with new players. If these players have big seasons, Gators fans should smile instead of cry.
  GRAHAM MERTZ
The former Wisconsin starter aims to reboot his career and recharge the Gators. Mertz won't be running for 80-yard touchdowns or throwing the ball like it was shot from a cannon like Anthony Richardson, but if he plays his game, the Gators could be better than last season. Mertz has thrown for more than 5,000 yards in his collegiate career and won't be overwhelmed by anything he sees in his first round in the Southeastern Conference.

He considers his accuracy his strength. He completed 57.3 percent of his passes a season ago (164-for-286) for 2,136 yards and 19 touchdowns. Mertz quickly established himself as a team leader once he arrived in January and is eager to make his Gators debut.

"I love this game. I love the emotion that goes into it,'' he said this week. "I wouldn't say it doesn't lead you to be anxious. It's more of an excitement for the game to start. That's what gets into me right before a game."
  JORDAN CASTELL
A true freshman from West Orange High in Orlando, Castell surprised some by earning a starting nod at safety heading into the season opener. The move didn't catch those around preseason camp off guard. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound Castell performed consistently well at a position that lost starters Rashad Torrence II and Trey Dean III from last season.

Castell was a four-star recruit and serves as a symbol for the Gators as they try to return to national prominence. Castell is home-grown and spurned out-of-state offers from Alabama, LSU, Michigan and Ohio State to play in-state. The more players the Gators can land like Castell, the better for their future. He adds size and physicality to the back end of Florida's revamped defense under first-year coordinator Austin Armstrong.
 

"He's earned it. I think he showed up in January, and he's made the most of each opportunity," Gators head coach Billy Napier said. "We reward what we see. There's a certain level of integrity relative to who plays. I think you got to call it exactly as you see it, not only in respect to the staff but the players as well."
  TONY LIVINGSTON
 

If you like mysteries, Livingston is a player who fits the bill. He originally signed with the Gators on Early Signing Day in December 2021, an offensive lineman-turned-tight end out of King High in Tampa. However, Livingston did not enroll at UF and spent last season playing football and basketball at Carrollwood Day School.

With his academics in order, Livingston joined the Gators in January and has steadily acclimated to the program, highlighted by his spot on the initial depth chart as the co-starting tight end with Dante Zanders. Livingston (6-4.75, 251) is athletic for his size and, with his background as an offensive lineman, isn't shy about getting physical. Watching Livingston play after hearing about him for almost two years will be interesting.

"Tony's got a motor, he practices hard, he's tough, he's not scared, he's durable, and he's got some physicality," Napier said this week. "He will put his face in there, and he's got some athleticism that makes him effective in the passing game. He's hard to tackle, and I think he's still growing as a player, relative to knowledge of the system and football IQ, details and fundamentals. But I think Tony's got a bright future."
  EUGENE WILSON III
The speedy slot receiver from Tampa's Gaither High gained more and more attention as preseason camp progressed. Wilson arrived at UF as a consensus four-star recruit after catching 40 passes for 764 yards and 11 touchdowns as a prep senior.

Wilson is shifty and immediately grabs your attention because of his athletic build. He looks fast before he ever moves his feet. The 5-10, 170-pound Wilson is another homegrown player the Gators landed in Napier's first complete recruiting cycle, and if the preseason buzz turns out to be warranted, he should be a difference-maker for the Gators.

"We keep that one close to the vest for a little bit,'' kidded Mertz. "He's extremely talented, extremely talented. I mean, I've been in college a few years. I haven't seen any a young guy that fast, that twitchy, that retains information that quickly and knows how to get open. He's shifty, man."
  CAM JACKSON
The Gators desperately needed help on the defensive line and found some in transfer Cam Jackson, a 6-foot-6, 371-pound behemoth who played at Memphis last season. Jackson tallied 41 tackles and 2.5 for loss in 13 starts last season. He adds size to Florida's interior line, which struggled to shut down opponents consistently as UF ranked 97th in total defense nationally.

Teamed with 6-foot-5, 439-pound Desmond Watson on the inside, Jackson sees no reason why teams should have much success coming their way.

"Me and Des, we play a lot,'' Jackson said. "You ain't running the ball up in there. You really can't run up the middle with me and Des in the game. I feel like we're going to cause a lot of havoc this year."