Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — They are gathering to celebrate his life on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C. A life that ended unexpectedly and way too soon.

Tavares Washington, a former Gators offensive lineman who played for Ron Zook and became a regular starter on Urban Meyer's first UF team in 2005, died earlier this month. A cause of death has not been shared.

Washington signed with the Gators out of Mississippi Delta Junior College, where he was a first-team junior college All-American. His arrival drew interest entering Zook's second season because the Gators had rarely signed junior college players under former head coach Steve Spurrier.

However, Zook signed six entering the 2003 season.
 

"He said he needed me to come in and play," Washington told the Tampa Tribune. "He told me that if I wasn't ready to play, that this wasn't the place to come."

Washington's addition proved a beneficial one for the Gators by the time Meyer took over and went 9-3 in his first season. The player his teammates called "Sweet T" appeared in six games in 2003 and then had to redshirt the 2004 season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in summer camp.

He got a second chance under Meyer and started 10 of 12 games his final season, including Florida's win over Iowa in the Outback Bowl, a victory that earned Florida's seniors the distinction of playing on the first team in program history to defeat rivals Tennessee, Georgia and Florida State in the same season and to also win a bowl game.

"That's a major deal. We're going to give them a game ball that says that, and they're going to keep that forever,'' Meyer said afterward. "And that's one of the things that they'll take to the grave with them."

Washington went on to spend time in the NFL with San Francisco, Washington and Kansas City, appearing in two games for the Chiefs in 2008.

Washington's unexpected death prompted many former teammates and friends to post messages on social media. According to a GoFundMe account established by UF Levin College of Law graduate Alexandra Taboada-McGill, Washington had two young sons, Tristan and Trenton.

Tavares Lajuan Washington was born April 20, 1983, and died Jan. 2 at Piedmont Medical Center in Fort Mill, S.C. He was 40 years old.
  KARL E. KAUFMANN
 
I don't recall meeting longtime Gators fan and Gainesville resident Karl Kaufmann, but I received more than one email and social media message about his recent death.

He will clearly be missed by those who knew him.

The 67-year-old Kaufmann died on Dec. 29 following a brief illness. Kaufmann is perhaps best known in Gator Nation for serving as the longtime emcee for Gator Growl, an annual event connected with UF Homecoming.

Kaufmann assumed the role in 1979 and continued for decades. He also originated the voice of Albert the Alligator. UF's official website featured Kaufmann in 2015. Kaufman worked in hospitality when not involved with the Gators and often welcomed visiting teams when they came to town to play the Gators.

Mike Hill, former UF executive associate athletics director for external affairs, caught up with Kaufmann when the Gators hosted Charlotte this past season. Hill left UF to become athletic director at Charlotte in 2018.

"I am deeply sorry for your loss,'' he shared with Kaufmann's family in a Facebook post. "I knew Karl since I arrived in Gainesville in 1993 and was so happy to see him when our Charlotte football team played the Gators this past fall and stayed at the Best Western. He was a kind soul who took great pride in what he did. Sending love and prayers."

Kaufmann signed a baseball scholarship with the Gators in 1973 but suffered a career-ending injury. He decided to make Gainesville his home after college and made a lasting impact.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Kaufmann on Feb. 4 from noon-3 p.m. at the Best Western Gateway Grand in Gainesville.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Karl's memory to the Florida Rising Stars Foundation, a non-profit he supported that inspires high schoolers through mentorship and education on the many career paths available within the sports industry.

You can visit his memorial page at www.williamsthomasfuneralhome.com.