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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>Vernon Hargreaves III makes a tackle during Florida's 38-20 win against Georgia at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.</p>

Vernon Hargreaves III makes a tackle during Florida's 38-20 win against Georgia at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.

For the second straight year, Vernon Hargreaves III was named to the Associated Press All-Southeastern Conference team.

And for the second straight year, the sophomore cornerback was the only Gator represented in the league’s first team.

The last time Florida went back-to-back years without more than one first-team All-SEC representative was 1963, when Steve Spurrier rode the bench as a freshman quarterback.

Although Hargreaves was the lone Gator on the first team, four of his teammates were selected as members of the second and honorable mention teams.

None of Florida’s representatives were from the offensive side of the ball, which marks the first time since AP started its All-SEC awards in 1933.

Linebacker Antonio Morrison and punter Kyle Christy each were named to the All-SEC second team.

Buck linebacker Dante Fowler Jr. and returner Andre Debose each received an honorable mention.

With another stagnant offense this season, it was fitting that only Florida’s defense and special teams were represented.

Opposite the team’s 56th-ranked scoring offense was the Gators’ 23rd-ranked scoring defense, which led Florida to several of its victories this season.

And Hargreaves was once again the leader of the squad’s defense.

In 2014, the sophomore cornerback only recorded two interceptions but led the SEC with 13 pass breakups.

As the team’s No. 1 corner, Hargreaves has been tasked with covering some of the league’s most prolific receivers — including Alabama’s Amari Cooper and South Carolina’s Pharoh Cooper, both of whom were first team All-SEC selections — and has done an efficient job of shutting them down.

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Antonio Morrison entered the year with more off-the-field questions than on-the-field ones, but the junior finished the season as one of Florida’s best linebackers.

His 98 total tackles ranked eighth in the conference and were 40 more than linebacker Mike Taylor, the Gators’ second leading tackler.

Morrison also forced and recovered a fumble.

Kyle Christy rebounded from a rocky 2013 campaign and finished the regular season as the nation’s 12th-ranked punter in yards per punt (44.4).

The senior helped Florida’s defense by flipping the field on many of his attempts.

Twenty of his 57 punts went for more than 50 yards. Four went beyond 60.

Dante Fowler Jr. received an honorable mention for his 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks.

Andre Debose, who was Florida’s primary kick and punt returner, also received an honorable mention.

Debose finished the season averaging 14 yards per punt return and 24.7 yards per kickoff return, which ranked second and fifth in the SEC, respectively.

Follow Jonathan Czupryn on Twitter @jczupryn

Vernon Hargreaves III makes a tackle during Florida's 38-20 win against Georgia at EverBank Field in Jacksonville.

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