Expect big things: Jachai Polite’s hard work is finally paying off
By Matt Brannon | Oct. 12, 2017Jachai Polite saw it coming.
Jachai Polite saw it coming.
It has been a trying week for the Florida Gators football program. The team lost by one-point to LSU, lost multiple players with injuries and lost the respect of some fans by ditching the orange and blue uniforms this weekend. The Gators will take the field Saturday against Texas A&M wearing green jerseys that the Oregon Ducks passed on. The jerseys took 18 months to design since the artist accidentally opened Internet Explorer and had to wait for it to close. He then used the remaining 10 minutes to put black polka dots on a greenish-gray background. The team first got the idea for the jerseys when Nike approached them and told them that no one was buying Gators merchandise. A year and a half later, here we are. The Florida-Texas A&M game is sure to be one of the most interesting picks this week. But before we get into all of our picks and meet our competitors, Alligator sports editors Matt Brannon and Dylan Dixon will break down the much-anticipated matchup between Delta State and West Florida. Be sure to catch Statesmen and the Argonauts on Saturday on BLAB TV.
With a Florida State forward on her back, redshirt senior defender Kristen Cardano made a calm back pass to goalkeeper Kaylan Marckese in the match’s opening minute. Marckese took a touch and then did the one thing a goalkeeper cannot do when a teammate passes her the ball: pick it up.
Last season in the Gale Lemerand Athletic Center, Alex Holston cocked back her left arm and fired a kill into the middle of the Ole Miss defense. Her kill set the tone in the third set for Florida and boosted its offense for the rest of the match.
With a quick turnaround coming off the ITA All-American Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Florida men’s tennis team returns to action this weekend at the USTA/ITA Regional Championship in Atlanta.
Taven Bryan calls him Shrek. Jim McElwain calls him one of the “Bam Bam” kids. Jordan Sherit calls him the 400-pound freshman from Fort Lauderdale.
According to the University Athletic Association’s staff directory, coach Jim McElwain has over 30 employees working for him to help oversee Florida’s football program.
On Aug. 30, 2015, midfielder Sarah Troccoli started her first collegiate game against a Florida State squad defending its national championship. Thanks in part to a Troccoli assist, Florida found itself up 1-0 and looking to add to its lead.
Seven weeks into the season the 13-0, top-ranked Gators have won their first five SEC matches and face Ole Miss and No. 8 Kentucky this weekend.
The players were still in their meeting room. The coach had left, but Jordan Sherit knew this issue needed to be addressed. He felt responsible: Florida has caused five turnovers this season, tied for 104th in the nation.
The Gators recently released photos of the alternate uniforms they plan to wear on Saturday night, and I couldn’t be more excited. The greenish-gray uniforms are designed after actual alligators and will be paired with matte green helmets featuring a Gator logo.
More than 9,000 people competed in the Maccabiah Games in Israel over the summer. Of them, 1,120 represented Team USA, and of those, only one of them was Florida Gators swimmer Kelly Fertel.
Delicia Washington told reporters on Monday that first-year coach Cameron Newbauer has some moves, but he also has some more to learn.
The Florida soccer team is on an offensive tear.
Following the completion of a long, arduous, 162-game regular season, the MLB playoffs are officially in full swing.
Rhythm, pace and communication were three offensive pillars noticeably lacking in the Gators’ 17-16 loss to LSU on Saturday.
It started with the suspensions. First, the loss of starting wideout Antonio Callaway, then starting running back Jordan Scarlett. Add in a backup left tackle, a couple backup linebackers and three defensive linemen, and Florida was facing depth shortages all over the field following the nine suspensions for possible credit card fraud ahead of the season. After this past weekend’s loss to LSU, the numbers are even worse, and they span the entire field.
The last day of competition was far from uneventful for Florida’s men’s tennis team.
The ball was tilted, sure. Leaning slightly to the left. The hold was a bit awkward, and the kick could have been straighter, and the score could have been different. But they weren’t.
Florida ruins offensive players. That’s just what it does, with a few notable exceptions.