The Week 11 update to the depth chart, which came out Wednesday night, shows that the Florida Gators are still dealing with injuries, especially at wide receiver.
The team’s best receiver, Justin Shorter, is still listed as questionable after missing the game against Texas A&M, and his backup, Ja’Quavion Fraziars, can’t play because he hurt his upper body. Fraziars made the first start of his career last week against the Aggies, so Florida will only have its backups to choose from on Saturday.
Shorter is still listed as the starter, but if he can’t go, freshman Caleb Douglas will start for the first time. Marcus Burke, Daejon Reynolds, and Kahleil Jackson will be behind him and Xavier Henderson. The slot player is Ricky Pearsall.
#Gators week 11 depth chart pic.twitter.com/4OOvkCPpcj
— Nick Marcinko (@nick_marcinko) November 10, 2022
It’s not just the wide receivers who have to deal with injuries. Ethan White, the starting left guard, was added to the injury report. He hurt his upper body and is questionable to play. White is still listed as the starting quarterback, but that will change as the game gets closer.
Take a look at the beef between these two schools ahead of Saturday’s Senior Day matchup in the Swamp. https://t.co/HghGLgjL4b
— Gators Wire (@GatorsWire) November 10, 2022
Freshman kicker Trey Smack has been Florida’s only kicker this season. He missed last week’s game against Texas A&M and won’t play this week either. Adam Mihalek will be backed up by Travis Freeman in all of his kicking duties.
Take a look at the dozen jersey numbers that Florida football should retire, per Pat Dooley. https://t.co/lJOPN4op6K
— Gators Wire (@GatorsWire) November 11, 2022
Diwun Black is no longer hurt and is back on the depth chart for the linebacker. He is listed as an option for the third team, after Amari Burney and Shemar James.
The only change to the depth chart this week is that tight end Keon Zipperer will miss his second straight game. Also out are Devin Moore, Arlis Boardingham, and Nick Elksnis.
Thomas Haugh, a power forward in the class of 2023, had always wanted to go to Florida. But, he said with a laugh, it had nothing to do with basketball.
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The 6-foot-9, 200-pound prospect from the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania, said that his fond memories of watching Tim Tebow play in The Swamp made him want to be like the soon-to-be College Football Hall of Famer. And now, after more than a decade, Haugh has the chance to do just that.
After an official visit to Florida that ended on Tuesday, the three-star prospect committed to the program on Wednesday afternoon. He is the first 2023 prospect to commit to first-year Florida coach Todd Golden.
Haugh told Swamp247
Haugh told Swamp247, “I’m so excited,” right after he told them about his decision. “Florida is the school of my dreams, and I can’t wait to start working there.
Haugh is currently a three-star prospect ranked No. 41 among power forwards in the 2023 class. However, he could see a big jump in his ranking soon after joining We-R1 in the Under Armour Association and getting offers from Maryland, Illinois, Georgia Tech, and Florida.
Some of the schools above wanted Haugh to join their 2022 classes, but the forward, who is good at both offense and defense, decided to take a year off after high school and go to Perkiomen instead. He plans to start in Florida in May 2023.
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“The visit went great, [assistant coach Kevin] Hovde and coach Golden made it feel like home when I was there, and Florida was a dream school, so it was an easy choice,” Haugh said. “Some high-major schools looked at me in the spring, and Florida was one of them. They came to see me play, and I think I had like 30 points or something. I knew it was the school I wanted to go to as soon as they texted me.
Still, Haugh said that he tried to judge Florida without looking at it through Orange and Blue colored glasses. He took the time to think about things like how well the program fit, the chances for growth, the environment, and the academics. But by the end of his official visit to Gainesville, Haugh said he had made up his mind: he wanted to go to Florida. He said that Hovde and the players from Florida sealed the deal.
He said, “I love it.” “Everything went really well. It was where I lived. Both the players and the coaches did a great job. I was able to work out, and it felt like I really wanted to be there. It was my house. Before I left, I talked to my parents, and we both agreed that this was the way I wanted to go.
Haugh has been getting a lot of attention lately, in large part because of how versatile he is on defense.
Adam Finkelstein, a 247sports National Basketball Recruiting Analyst Said
Adam Finkelstein, a 247Sports national basketball recruiting analyst, said, “He is a fluid athlete who moves especially well laterally and can guard all five positions at the high school level.” “At the college level, he should be able to defend multiple positions from day one and become a high-level weapon on that end of the floor.
“Haugh’s fluidity on offense stays the same. He puts the ball on the floor well for his size, is a good athlete around the basket, can make different kinds of layups, and has the ability to shoot. He’s not yet a true leader on that end of the court, and it looks like he’ll be more of a team player by nature. However, staying at Perkiomen for another year should help him improve his offense before he goes to Florida.
Haugh said that if he joins the Gators in 2023, he will be able to keep working on his game without having to worry about being recruited, which he thinks could be to his benefit.
He said, “I’m just going to get to work.” “It will be nice to play knowing that I’m committed. I’m going there to get better, not to get more job offers or attention.”
Haugh said he was thrilled to tell everyone that he was moving to Florida, which had been a dream of his for as long as he could remember. Now, though, he’s trying to get better on the court so he can make the most of his chances in Gainesville, where he thinks he’ll “fit right in.”
“I know coach Hovde and coach Golden had a great season at San Francisco last year because they talked a lot about it when I talked to them,” he said. “I know that coach Golden is younger than me, which I really like because it’s clear that he has a great way of thinking about the game. It was perfect how he talked about practice and how I could fit in with the team.
