Florida Gators Football

Florida Gators quarterback Feleipe Franks was carted off the field late in the third quarter of Saturday's game against the Kentucky Wildcats after he suffered a gruesome leg injury while attempting to scramble for a first down.

Florida head coach Dan Mullen said after the game Franks will likely miss the rest of the season with a dislocated ankle, per Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel.

Thompson also detailed the tough scene on the field:

Franks exited the game at Kroger Field after he connected on 12 of 17 pass attempts for 174 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also had 23 rushing yards on eight carries.

Redshirt junior Kyle Trask replaced Franks while the Gators trailed 21-10 and wound up leading the Gators to a comeback victory, 29-21.

Still, losing Franks is a tough blow. The redshirt junior had been the starter for much of the past two seasons. After sitting out his first year in Gainesville, he made 24 starts since the beginning of the 2017 season.

He led the Gators to a 10-3 record and a Peach Bowl victory last year. That helped Florida finish tied for seventh in the final AP Top 25 poll.

Franks followed that performance by leading Florida to a strong start to 2019. While helping the Gators win their first two games, he completed 77.8 percent of his passes for 524 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. He had recorded 45 rushing yards and a score on the ground as well.

The University of Florida's band director, Jay Watkins, was injured by a fan after the Gators' 24-20 win on Saturday.

The band was walking back to the buses after the game when a Miami fan began "pushing her way through the band," according to local police (h/t Monique O. Madan of the Miami Herald.)

"The band director attempted to stop the female when he was grabbed from behind and was pushed to the ground. There was no description of the person who grabbed him given," Orlando police spokeswoman Wanda Miglio said. "The band director fell to the ground and received a minor laceration to the head. He was treated by the [Orlando Fire Department] and released. The band director did not need any stitches."

According to Madan, Watkins did not press charges after the incident. 

Florida spokesperson Steve Orlando said a Miami fan cutting through the band wasn't unusual.

"When they go to out-of-town games, people do try to go through the line," he told Larry Barszewski of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. "They were just trying to cut through. He's trying to keep the continuity of the line, so he can keep track of his students."

Florida wasn't ready to officially blame the incident on a Miami fan, however.

"I have suspicions, but I don't know," Orlando added.

Derek Wingo, a 4-star outside linebacker out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, decommitted from Penn State and announced his intention to play for the University of Florida on Saturday:

Wingo, who plays football at St. Thomas Aquinas, is the 165th-ranked prospect in the class of 2020, per 247Sports. He is No. 11 among outside linebackers.

Per 247Sports, the 6'2", 210-pound Wingo ran a 4.76-second 40-yard dash and registered a 31-inch vertical at The Opening in February.

The rich only get richer in Gainesville, as Wingo marks the Gators' eighth 4-star prospect from the 2020 class. Per 247Sports, Florida's class is currently ranked seventh in the nation. Five of those recruits are defensive players.

As for Penn State, this is a tough blow for a Nittany Lions team that had only four 4-star recruits before Wingo decommitted, none of whom are in the top 100. Granted, recruits who aren't highly touted can become superstars, but Wingo was one of the jewels of Penn State's class of 2020.

Still, Penn State has some impressive talent coming in, led by a trio of 4-stars in outside linebacker Curtis Jacobs, defensive tackle Cole Brevard and wideout Jaden Dottin. PSU's class currently ranks 23rd.

Former Florida Gators safety Earl Antonio Joiner was arrested Saturday and charged with second-degree murder in the 2016 death of his wife, Heyzel Obando.

Brooke Baitinger and Melissa Montoya of the Fort Myers News-Press (h/t USA Today) reported the news, noting Joiner is the second member of the 2007 Gators football team to be charged with murder.

The late Aaron Hernandez was the first player from the 2007 Gators team—which counted Joiner as a captain—to be charged with murder.

According to Baitinger and Montoya, Obando's case was unsolved for more than three years after she was found dead in her home in 2016.

The report also cited jail and court records that said Joiner was held in Lee County Jail for violating a probation charge a month after her death and was also arrested twice for physically abusing Obando.

Obando's mother, Isabel Martinez, was granted guardianship of her two grandchildren in 2017.

Florida Gators defensive back Chris Steele has entered the NCAA transfer portal, according to AL.com's Matt Zenitz. 

Steele was a 4-star recruit coming out of high school and the 42nd-ranked prospect in the class of 2019, according to 247Sports.

He was the top player in what 247Sports called the ninth-best recruiting class in the nation.

According to the Gainesville Sun's Zach Abolverdi, Steele's decision to transfer comes after he asked the Gators coaching staff to move him to a different dorm because he was "uncomfortable" rooming with quarterback Jalon Jones. The coaching staff reportedly did not plan on obliging Steele's request until the summer.

The Tampa Bay Times' Matt Baker reported last week that Jones has been accused of sexually assaulting two different women on April 6. Neither woman opted to pursue criminal charges, though.

Jones entered the transfer portal late last month, per Baker.

Prior to committing to Florida, Steele was recruited by many of the top programs in the country. The California native received offers from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina and USC.

He revealed to CBS Sports in January that he had previously committed to UCLA, Alabama (silently), USC, LSU (silently) and Oklahoma (silently).

Ultimately, though, he felt the Gators were the best fit:

Now, Steele will have the opportunity to explore his options.

Florida Gators freshman quarterback Jalon Jones was accused of sexual battery by two female University of Florida students on April 6.

On Thursday, Matt Baker of the Tampa Bay Times reported documents filed with the school's police department show one of the women told police she and Jones were engaged in consensual sex around 2 a.m. when two other members of the football team, Chris Steele and Jaydon Hill, entered the room and began laughing. She said she told Jones to stop, pushed him off her and got dressed.

The other woman said Jones assaulted her around 2:30 a.m. in the kitchen of the residence. She told police Jones penetrated her after removing her shorts and underwear despite her "repeatedly" telling him to stop, per Baker. A sexual battery examination was completed on the women, but they said they did not want to pursue charges, according to the police reports.

Per Baker, at least the first case was "referred to the university's student conduct and conflict resolution" division.

Gators spokesperson Steve McClain provided a brief statement to Baker about the accusations: "We are aware of the incident reports and have followed athletic department and campus protocols."

Jones took part in the Florida spring game April 13, one week after the alleged sexual batteries. He completed one of his three passes for five yards and rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown on three carries.

Edgar Thompson of the Orlando Sentinel confirmed the former Henrico High School (Virginia) standout's intention to leave the Gators' program Wednesday after he entered the NCAA transfer portal this week.

Jones committed to Florida in April 2018 as part of its 2019 recruiting class. He was listed as a 4-star prospect, the No. 306 overall player and the 10th-ranked dual-threat quarterback among this year's incoming group, according to 247Sports' composite rankings.

Florida Gators edge-rusher Jachai Polite reportedly didn't help his draft stock during the NFL Scouting Combine.

According to Bleacher Report's Matt Miller, multiple scouts complained about how poorly Polite interviewed. What's more, one said the hamstring injury he pointed to as he pulled himself out of some of the drills is "bulls--t."

Miller said Polite's "stock is taking a massive tumble," while Steven Ruiz of USA Today's For the Win wrote an article that suggested his performance at the combine may have been the worst in the event's history.

Polite stood out at the collegiate level for his athleticism and burst around the edge, so it was notable he ran the 40-yard dash in a disappointing 4.84 seconds.

That was far from his only issue at the combine, as Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat reporter Trevor Sikkema noted Polite said the San Francisco 49ers "just bashed me the whole time" during their interview. That echoed a theme in the prospect's exchanges with the Green Bay Packers, as Zach Heilprin of Zone Madison shared:

Jon Ledyard of the Draft Network summarized the proceedings when he tweeted "Jachai came in with a ton of added bad weight, looked sloppy, wasn't explosive (1.71 10-yard), forgot to fake a hamstring injury before announcing he had one, and bailed on rest of Combine. Not great."

In 13 games last season, Polite tallied 45 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. His ability to disrupt opposing passing attacks was a major reason the defense propelled the Gators to their second double-digit win season since 2012.

Before the combine, Miller ranked Polite as the 19th-best overall prospect and the sixth-best edge-rusher in a deep draft for pass-rushers. However, he clearly hurt himself in a competitive field and could fall during the draft with no shortage of talented pass-rushers to choose from in the early rounds.

Florida Gators defensive coordinator Todd Grantham is reportedly staying in the collegiate ranks.

According to Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports, Grantham elected to stay with the SEC school. This comes after ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the defensive coordinator interviewed with the Cincinnati Bengals for the same position on Tuesday.

Grantham came to the Gators with head coach Dan Mullen prior to the 2018 season. They both held the same respective positions with the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2017. Grantham served as the defensive coordinator with the Louisville Cardinals and Georgia Bulldogs prior to his Mississippi State job.

Florida finished the 2018 campaign 20th in the nation in points allowed per game under Grantham on the way to a 10-3 record and Peach Bowl victory over the Michigan Wolverines.

Ben Kercheval of CBS Sports reported in May 2018 that Grantham signed a three-year, $4.47 million deal to become the highest-paid assistant coach in Florida history. The contract also didn't feature a buyout should an NFL or head coaching opportunity arise.

While Grantham won't be the hire, filling the defensive coordinator role is a critical step for new Bengals head coach Zac Taylor. Not only does he have an offensive background, but the defense also needs to make significant strides in 2019 if the team is going to compete in the AFC North.

Cincinnati finished the 2018 season dead last in the league in yards allowed and 30th in points allowed.

Defensive lineman Jachai Polite announced Monday that he will forgo his senior season at the University of Florida and enter the 2019 NFL draft.

Polite made it official with the following tweet:

The Daytona Beach, Florida, native had a career year as a junior in 2018 with 45 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.0 sacks.

Polite played somewhat sparingly during his freshman and sophomore years, with just 33 tackles and four sacks in those campaigns combined.

He appeared in all 13 of the Gators' games in 2018 and was a key part of a talented defense that allowed just 20 points per game.

PFF College gave Polite some strong grades for his performance during the 2018 season:

Polite wasn't on the draft radar entering his junior season, but now he has the makings of a potential first-round pick.

The 6'2", 260-pound pass-rusher was ranked as the No. 17 overall player and the No. 4 edge-rusher in the 2019 draft class by Bleacher Report's Matt Miller on his latest big board.

Miller put Polite behind only Ohio State's Nick Bosa, Kentucky's Josh Allen and Florida State's Brian Burns among edge players.

Also, in his most recent mock draft, Miller projected that the Green Bay Packers will select Polite with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2019 NFL draft.

The upcoming draft appears to be stacked with front-seven talent, and Polite has a chance to be one of the first players to come off the board at those positions.

Florida Gators defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson twisted the knife a bit following his team's 41-15 win over the Michigan Wolverines in the Peach Bowl on Saturday in Atlanta.

"I don't know how they prepared," Gardner-Johnson said of Michigan, per Wolverines Wire's Isaiah Hole. "But I don't think they prepared too well. Definitely came out there and won the game on both sides of the ball."

Michigan didn't start the game badly. The Wolverines led 7-3 after the first quarter before they trailed 13-10 at halftime. A 14-point third quarter helped Florida take control of the game, though.

To be fair to the Wolverines, they were without leading tackler Devin Bush, leading rusher Karan Higdon and star defensive tackle Rashan Gary, each of whom sat to prepare for the NFL draft. Drawing up a game plan wasn't easy for head coach Jim Harbaugh when he had to account for replacing three of his best players.

Those absences were evident in the final numbers. Michigan allowed 427 yards—well above its season average of 262.5. The Wolverines also carried the ball 30 times for just 77 yards. Higdon averaged 5.3 yards per carry while running for 1,178 yards in 11 games this year.

Gardner-Johnson at least earned the right for the postgame trash talk. He finished with four solo tackles and two interceptions, and he concluded the Gators' scoring with a 30-yard pick-six with four minutes, 43 seconds remaining in the game.