1. Gators shunned from award list: Despite boasting one of the nation’s most productive secondaries — the Gators are tied for 14th in the nation with 10 interceptions — no individual Florida player was named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist. The award is presented annually to college football’s best defensive back by the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame, which announced the 16 semifinalists on Monday. Defensive backs Quincy Wilson, Jalen Tabor and Marcus Maye were left off the list. When asked about the snub, Maye seemed surprised and unconcerned. “It’s whatever,” he said. “I’m just going out and making plays for my team and myself.”
2. A family affair: Jack Del Rio coached the Jacksonville Jaguars for nine years and won 68 games while doing so. But the veteran NFL coach and father of Florida quarterback Luke Del Rio doesn’t need to think too hard to remember the last time his team won at Everbank Field. It was this past Sunday, when his Oakland Raiders traveled cross-country and picked up a 33-16 win. He’ll be in Florida this week with his team as it prepares to play in Tampa this Sunday, which means he’ll be at the Florida-Georgia game on Saturday, where Luke is hoping to replicate his father’s results. “Hopefully the Del Rio family can go 2-0,” Luke said.
3. Del Rio’s first rivalry game: This Saturday’s game will be Luke Del Rio’s first true rivalry game at Florida. The redshirt sophomore was injured for this season’s Tennessee game, and the annual contest with LSU was pushed back due to Hurricane Matthew. He said he’s not entirely sure what to expect from the Florida-Georgia game. “You never really know the rivalry until you play in it and get your feet wet,” he said.
4. Doug Nussmeier, head coach?: The Fresno State Bulldogs fired coach Tim DeRuyter on Sunday, and according to USA Today’s Dan Wolken, UF offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier is “floating around” as a possible replacement. “I think it’s great,” coach Jim McElwain said. “Someone (once) gave me an opportunity, and I’ll do anything I can to help (my staff) in any way that I can.”
5. McElwain reflects: As a Montana native, the first rivalry game that came to McElwain’s mind on Monday was Montana-Montana State. “The ‘Cats-Griz game is as vicious a rivalry as you’ll ever be a part of,” he said. He’s also been on the sideline for Auburn-Alabama, Michigan-Michigan State and Michigan State-Notre Dame. And going back to his days as a prep quarterback, the Sentinel High School alum still remembers the annual game against Hellgate. “That one was pretty special,” he said.
Contact Ethan Bauer at ebauer@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @ebaueri.
Coach Jim McElwain speaks during a press conference on Aug. 3.
