Transfer wide receivers Trevon Grimes (Ohio State) and Van Jefferson (Ole Miss) were ruled eligible to play at UF this fall by the NCAA Thursday.
The Gators also welcome tight end Lucas Krull, a former junior college pitcher, and defensive end Adam Shuler, a graduate transfer from West Virginia who grew up in Longwood, Florida.
However, it was apparent at Thursday’s media day that UF’s players have already welcomed the newcomers with open arms.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Feleipe Franks has been living with Jefferson all summer, and he plans to move in with Grimes this fall.
“It’s good,” Franks said. “I got tight with them ever since they got on campus. Lucas (Krull), as well.”
The SEC still needs to grant Jefferson an additional waiver before he’s completely eligible to play next season.
Junior defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is letting Shuler stay on his couch.
“That’s my boy. Me and him grew up probably like 20 minutes from each other,” Gardner-Johnson said. “Knowing he’s coming here, I feel more comfortable.”
New teammates are not the only things the Gators are getting used to, as the Mullen administration brought new plays and a change of culture.
“Last year, we felt like it was too simple for us,” Gardner-Johnson said. “Now we’re being more of a team and actually learning football. These coaches came in teaching us a lot more than we knew.”
Randy Shannon’s defense just wasn’t a fit for everyone on that side of the ball, he said. And Gardner-Johnson emphasized that new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham’s 3-4 scheme benefits anyone that takes the time to learn it.
He also said he likes that it’s more aggressive.
One of the biggest changes for Franks has been the workout regiment. Strength and conditioning coach Nick Savage has implemented a program that players continue to praise.
“Personally, I’ve put on like 15 pounds (of muscle). And I’m not even a weight-gain kind of guy,” Franks said. “It’s totally different what he’s been doing since he’s been here.”
With the new players, coaches and change of culture that UF football has gained, it also suffered a couple losses.
At UF Media Day, Mullen announced that redshirt junior defensive lineman Keivonnis Davis and freshman Justin Watkins are both no longer Florida Gators.
“They’ve moved on from our program and are not with us anymore,” he said.
Davis was one of the nine players suspended from the team in 2017 for involvement in a credit card fraud.
Watkins was arrested in July on two felony charges.
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Junior defensive back Chauncey Gardner-Johnson said that West Virginia transfer is sleeping on his couch. “That’s my boy. Me and him grew up probably like 20 minutes from each other,” he said.
