The Florida Gators have been playing a numbers game here this summer.
As in changing uniform numbers of some veteran players, and assigning numbers to the true freshmen who joined the roster earlier this week with their enrollment in Summer B.
Given the changes, you really will need a program to figure out who everybody is — at least early in the season.
Nine players have changed their numbers since the spring.
The one that sticks out is Antonneous Clayton going from No. 90 to No. 77, which apparently means he is moving from end to tackle.
The next most prominent number changes involve the wide receiver transfers — Trevon Grimes and Van Jefferson. Grimes is now No. 8 (after being 81) and Jefferson is No. 12 (after being No. 87).
Here are the other number changes: wide receiver Kadarius Toney from No. 17 to No. 4, quarterback Emory Jones from 14 to 5, linebacker Jeremiah Moon from 50 to 7, defensive end Zachary Carter from 94 to 17, cornerback Trey Dean from 35 to 21, defensive tackle Elijah Conliffe from 57 to 93.
Here are the numbers assigned to the true freshmen who joined the roster this summer: linebacker David Reese (4), tight end Lucas Krull (7), defensive back Justin Watkins (14), wide receiver Jacob Copeland (15), kicker Evan McPherson (19), defensive back John Huggins (26), defensive end/outside linebacker Malik Langham (35), offensive lineman Griffin McDowell (62), offensive lineman Richard Gouraige (76), tight end Dante Lang (81), tight end Kyle Pitts (84), defensive end/outside linebacker Andrew Chatfield (90).
Whew…..worst sports’ article I’ve ever started to read.
Unlike Jasper, I’ve been terribly worried about the jersey numbers. It’s cost me some sleep, but I knew also that I’m good at math, and that gave me some relief. What worries me more is celebration (preening, strutting, narcissism), and whether Mullen is coaching the newcomers about how to perform at the college level.
Jersey numbers and colors have always kinda fascinated me. Especially weird ones like 37 and 46. And the there was 53 that changed defenses forever.
Next time Robbie can we get some stories about the numbers. Of course it will irritate most of your audience but some of us like that sort of a thing.
I think there is a private joke going on here.
jasper. A long line of them from Robbie lately, and unfortunately.
Don’t forget articles coming from the other guy…
Mveal. I have a story on minus 5, but it will require some addition to get it into the plus column.
Oh my. Right there. Thank You Tampa Gator
I can remember only one of the uniform numbers in baseball and basketball I had when I played 80 to 90 years ago–5, in baseball. Me and Joe DiMaggio.
I’m always curious to see who’s wearing #11.
But, really, when you get down to it, what’s in a number? President Trump said, “What’s in a name?” He went on to say that a rose by any other name is just as sweet. See what he means–a rose by any other name is just as sweet? That’s what he said. He could have said also that a pig is not a pig because you call it a pig. Or, the name is not the thing.
More specifically, old friend, ~the word is not the thing~. -SI Hiakawa.
Didn’t read the part in the article that said jersey numbers would make them play better. Therefore, why the criticism? It is a little trivial information of which I still enjoy reading about because it pertains to the Gators! Admittedly, I enjoy reading things about the Gators even if it’s sometimes a little insignificant. I do believe I, and others, have a choice to read or not to read as it may pertain to our interests. So Robbie, while there isn’t much to write about during these summer dog days, please keep them coming. Go Gators!
Nassau. Except we read about the numbers just a couple of days ago on here.
I had a couple of co-workers once by the name of Tom and Jim, and I repeatedly and mistakenly called Tom “Jim”. It was mindless of me, and I apologized to Tom when he corrected me with always a rather desperate and stricken look on his face. One day I tried to convince him that he was not his name, that he existed apart from his name, that had he been named Lavonius he would still be the same person. He was unconvinced. So it goes with names and things.
I still think the blog should turn its collective attention to player celebration. For example, should a defensive tackle be permitted a celebration when his team is 37 points down in the last quarter when he holds a runner to a five yard gain; should a wide receiver get beside himself with ecstasy under similar conditions when he catches a first down pass; should those players who don’t get in the game be permitted a brief period during the game to run around on the field bumping, giving referee first-down signals, etc; taking a cue from a Coach Richt antic, should whole-team celebrations be permitted on the field during the game? There are many more pressing questions regarding the issue, so how about it y’all?
This article is the perfect salute to how empty all of us feel when we’ve exhausted all the tales of football past and are craving a next season with our new coach and approach. Yawn.
When, again, do SEC Media Days begin?
Better yet, how long to Sept 1st? No, it won’t be the same without Larry Culpepper this year, but I’m about to go stark, raving mad already. Incidentally, anyone know the number for 911?
Google it. It might come up.
I believe next year when Jalon Jones comes on board as qb, Emory should wear # 1 and Jalon #2. That way we could have Jones 1 & Jones 2. 😜🐊
Ricky Rich. What if Jones #2 eventually beats out Jones #1 for the starting QB role on the team. Do they then have to switch numbers in this deeply fascinating numbers game?
Delighted to now know the jersey numbers that Van Jefferson and Trevon Grimes will be wearing this coming season. The only question I have is whether we will be seeing these numbers on the sideline or on the playing field (and celebrating TD catches!). It is now mid July; any update? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks.
Dan F. And the former five-star recruit from the state of Georgia that signed with Cal a couple of years ago just announced this morning that he is transferring to Georgia on the same waiver as Grimes’ waiver (family hardship) and he is already expected to play for Georgia this season. Didn’t Grimes announce his hardship transfer to Florida way back at the end of last season and before the bowl games? What is wrong with that picture?
Wow, Georgia will need a calculator to keep track of all the 5 star kids on their team.
Tampa, you’re right, Grimes did use the family hardship/health as his transfer reason, as he is from Ft. Lauderdale. Will be interesting how this plays out in the timing. Also of note is all of the other Ole Miss transfers to other schools were cleared to play this season some while ago, leaving Jefferson still hanging in the wind. Something IS wrong with this picture.
Do we have any numerologists on board who can really break this down for us? I think these numbers may relate to some of the prophecies of Nostradamus. Also, I am wondering if we can get an article about the grass on Florida Field. Is it growing? If so, how fast? Is it green, or more of an olive color?
……and, has Les Miles been retained yet to sample it before the first game?
I think they should all be made to wear a O until the first game is over for their dismal performance last year. After every game they’ll get a one added to it. Hopefully by the end of the year we have a field full of 10’s or 11’s
jawsofTruth Those stories would take time and research. It is way too hot outside for that kind of effort during the dead period. I think Robbie wrote this a while back and is currently sitting on a beach in the Bahamas. It is filler while on vacation, most likely.
You ever seen tennis players celebrate? With bent knees, they raise both arms pointing to the sky and fall over backwards to the earth in an orgasmic fit of ecstasy. All of them do the same thing. It’s very sincere. Not rehearsed at all. That’s the way I want the Gators to do it. That or something like it.
No. Not sincere. It is an affectation. They go to school for 6 weeks to learn how to do it, then and only then are they allowed on the professional circuit. You are wrong. Very wrong. It is a trademarked movement, the orgasmic ecstasy is only incidental. Check it out at professionaltennissecrets.com.
God. How many days left until Sept 1st?
They say Tim Tebow is dating Miss Universe, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters. She’s got two hyphenated names. Not one, but two. Bet she’s a nice girl. Great to be a football player, the way I see it. If I was a football player, I’d get me a nice girl, too. But I’m not. I don’t care–I’m still happy.
If anybody deserves a nice girl, Leland, it’s you. But I’ll wager that you already have that base covered, anyway.
Now, applying normal Gausian distribution theory, I’ll bet also that Robbie has produced, proportionately, just as many superb articles during this dreadful, disgusting, dissonant interval as he has stinkers. What ‘chu think?
Gator-6–I don’t agree; he wrote a very good article on coach’s salaries, a couple of other pretty good things on I don’t remember what, and just recently, a pretty good interview with Chris Doering. Therefore, I have to disagree on account of the fact that the distribution is skewed to the right.
Are you at least willing to agree that it’s bimodal?
Yes, provided you’ll allow that one mode–the one to the right–is smaller than the other.
I get it, always got to hold Trump down any way you can!
(Don’t answer, I’m going to go take a nap. Hopefully until tomorrow morning)
Maybe they’ve already been cleared to play ( Jefferson & Grimes) , and coaches want to make a big ta-do (announcement) at Friday night lights….or right before kickoff of first game… or at the LSU game while all the other celebrating is going on… or …?
As a former journalism student what you have here my boys is what we refer to as “filler”. That goes back to the days prior to internet news when we had to read actual newspapers to get the news. The editor frowned upon leaving blank white spots on the paper so when it was a slow news day you had to find something to fill the voids so it was either stories like this or ads. My old journalism professor also once told me sometimes you will be assigned “crap” stories to report on and the best you can do is make crap salad. No worries the fall will be here soon.
Had to write many “filler” stories in my days as a sports reporter. They were all pure crap salad.
Ye Gads…..how many former journalism students and ex-sports writers do we have on this site, anyway? I’m beginning to feel the intimidation………….
Leland, you ain’t one of them guys too, is ya’?
Not a chance. I’ve tried to be a good boy all my life.
Hey, I’ve got a capital idea — during this boring interval, despite Robbie et al doing their best to keep us entertained — let’s play……guess each others occupation!
I’ll start. Leland: ________.
Oh hell, I don’t like games I’m not good at.
6….. I’ll give you a hint at mine. I play with numbers all day and I have a three letter designation after my name. Oh, and April 15 is a bit busy for me. But I actually always thought I should’ve gone into journalism as I never met a sentence I couldn’t turn into a paragraph 🙂
Too late Rog, I already figured out that you are a CPA! But one with a sense of humor!
Leland: Retired English Professor.
Today is Friday the 13th. Emory Jones is 5. Felipe Franks is 13. What luck!
Wait, that was yesterday. I’m getting my days mixed up. Whew!
Relax. It really doesn’t matter; from now on one day is just like another anyway. At least until SEC Media Days.
Tom Nugent, FSU coach many moons ago, changed his place kicker’s number as if it were a scorecard. If he kicked an extra point, add one, field goal three–this during the game. He also invented the I formation. It’s not a number, but it looks a lot like a 1.
You’re making that up. I say Tom Nugent was the spawn of satan.
I like 11-1 better.
This is not the NFL where numbers are assigned in blocks to positions. If there was some reason for the changes why not have that in the story. Changes in numbers mean nothing to me without some reasons.
SEC MEDIA DAYS starts TOMORROW!!!! We’re getting close boys!!!