Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Comparisons

[Escambia94]

The Florida Gator football team has 33 players with NIL valuations over $100k. For reference, UF has two gymnasts who have a higher NIL valuation than the offensive linemen ($95k). UF also has a couple basketball players with higher NIL valuation than several starting linemen and backup skill players.

School	Player	NIL Valuation
Florida​	Graham Mertz 2019 Blue Valley North(Mission, KS) QB 95.33​	$572,000.00​
Florida​	Princely Umanmielen 2020 Manor(Manor, TX) EDGE 90.72​	$480,000.00​
Florida​	Ricky Pearsall 2019 Corona Del Sol(Tempe, AZ) WR 83.10​	$418,000.00​
Florida​	Kiyaunta Goodwin 2022 Charlestown(Charlestown, IN) OT 95.92​	$295,000.00​
Florida​	Trevor Etienne 2022 Jennings(Jennings, LA) RB 90.36​	$269,000.00​
Florida​	Montrell Johnson 2021 De La Salle(New Orleans, LA) RB 85.00​	$220,000.00​
Florida​	Arlis Boardingham 2022 Birmingham(Van Nuys, CA) TE 87.88​	$215,000.00​
Florida​	Kelby Collins 2023 Gardendale(Gardendale, AL) EDGE 96.43​	$202,000.00​
Florida​	Ja'Keem Jackson 2023 Osceola(Kissimmee, FL) CB 95.86​	$174,000.00​
Florida​	Aidan Mizell 2023 Boone(Orlando, FL) WR 94.17​	$148,000.00​
Florida​	Dijon Johnson 2023 Wharton(Tampa, FL) CB 93.69​	$132,000.00​
Florida​	Kamari Wilson 2022 IMG Academy(Fort Pierce, FL) S 96.28​	$127,000.00​
Florida​	Eugene Wilson III 2023 Gaither(Tampa, FL) WR 94.07​	$126,000.00​
Florida​	Teradja Mitchell 2018 Bayside(Virginia Beach, VA) 96.34​	$126,000.00​
Florida​	Roderick Kearney 2023 Orange Park(Orange Park, FL) IOL 93.61​	$125,000.00​
Florida​	Kamran James 2023 Olympia(Orlando, FL) EDGE 93.19​	$119,000.00​
Florida​	Derek Wingo 2020 St. Thomas Aquinas(Fort Lauderdale, FL) LB 95.83​	$112,000.00​
Florida​	Jaydon Hill 2019 Bob Jones (Madison, AL) CB 90.55​	$112,000.00​
Florida​	Max Brown 2022 Lincoln Christian School(Tulsa, OK) QB 84.62​	$111,000.00​
Florida​	Jason Marshall 2021 Miami Palmetto(Miami, FL) CB 96.88​	$109,000.00​
Florida​	Jadarrius Perkins 2019 Hattiesburg(Hattiesburg, MS) S 91.14​	$108,000.00​
Florida​	Desmond Watson 2021 Armwood(Seffner, FL) DL 89.33​	$108,000.00​
Florida​	Jaquavion Fraziars 2020 Dunnellon(Dunnellon, FL) WR 92.41​	$108,000.00​
Florida​	Shemar James 2022 Faith Academy(Mobile, AL) LB 95.78​	$108,000.00​
Florida​	Devin Moore 2022 Naples(Naples, FL) CB 91.88​	$106,000.00​
Florida​	Jack Pyburn 2022 The Bolles School(Jacksonville, FL) EDGE 87.55​	$104,000.00​
Florida​	Jalen Kimber 2020 Mansfield Timberview(Arlington, TX) CB 93.46​	$103,000.00​
Florida​	Marcus Burke 2021 Trinity Christian Academy(Jacksonville, FL) WR 92.18​	$103,000.00​
Florida​	Sharif Denson 2023 Bartram Trail(Jacksonville, FL) CB 91.10​	$102,000.00​
Florida​	Will Norman 2023 Eastside(Camden, NJ) DL 91.93​	$102,000.00​
Florida​	Miguel Mitchell 2022 Oxford(Oxford, AL) S 85.03​	$101,000.00​
Florida​	Caleb Douglas 2022 Hightower(Missouri City, TX) WR 90.13​	$101,000.00​
Florida​	Dante Zanders 2018 Boca Raton(Boca Raton, FL) TE 87.4​	$100,000.00​

 

[Escambia94]

FSU has 42 football players with NIL valuation over $100k.

School	Player	NIL Valuation
FSU​	Jordan Travis 2018 The Benjamin School(North Palm Beach, FL) QB 85.00​	$1,200,000.00​
FSU​	Keon Coleman 2021 Opelousas Catholic School(Opelousas, LA) WR 89.67​	$822,000.00​
FSU​	Jared Verse 2019 Central Columbia(Bloomsburg, PA) EDGE​	$653,000.00​
FSU​	Jaheim Bell 2020 Valdosta(Valdosta, GA) TE 89.67​	$501,000.00​
FSU​	Trey Benson 2020 St Joseph(Greenville, MS) RB 89.37​	$385,000.00​
FSU​	Winston Wright 2019 Memorial Day School(Savannah, GA) WR 85.60​	$313,000.00​
FSU​	Bless Harris 2018 St. Augustine(New Orleans, LA) OT 77.94​	$302,000.00​
FSU​	Hykeem Williams 2023 Stranahan(Fort Lauderdale, FL) WR 97.13​	$259,000.00​
FSU​	Braden Fiske 2018 Michigan City(Michigan City, IN) DL 79.32​	$194,000.00​
FSU​	Kalen DeLoach 2019 Islands(Savannah, GA) LB 91.02​	$186,000.00​
FSU​	Fentrell Cypress 2019 Northwestern(Rock Hill, SC) CB 85.23​	$186,000.00​
FSU​	Jarrian Jones 2019 Northwest Rankin(Flowood, MS) CB 91.05​	$127,000.00​
FSU​	Azareye'h Thomas 2022 Niceville(Niceville, FL) S 94.55​	$126,000.00​
FSU​	Colin King 2022 Spruce Creek(Ormond Beach, FL) OT​	$120,000.00​
FSU​	Joshua Farmer 2021 Gadsden County(Apalachicola, FL) DL 86.83​	$119,000.00​
FSU​	Greedy Vance 2020 Edna Karr(New Orleans, LA) CB 87.13​	$118,000.00​
FSU​	Rodney Hill 2022 Bulloch Academy(Statesboro, GA) RB 88.22​	$117,000.00​
FSU​	Julian Armella 2022 St. Thomas Aquinas(Miami, FL) OT 92.47​	$116,000.00​
FSU​	Tate Rodemaker 2020 Valdosta(Valdosta, GA) QB 86.27​	$115,000.00​
FSU​	Destyn Hill 2021 Edna Karr(New Orleans, LA) WR 93.85​	$114,000.00​
FSU​	Patrick Payton 2021 Northwestern(Miami, FL) EDGE 91.52​	$114,000.00​
FSU​	Ja'Khi Douglas 2020 Terrebonne(Houma, LA) WR 90.10​	$114,000.00​
FSU​	Tatum Bethune 2019 Miami Central(Miami, FL) LB 82.53​	$112,000.00​
FSU​	Lucas Simmons 2023 Clearwater Academy International(Clearwater, FL) OT 93.59​	$111,000.00​
FSU​	Omar Graham Jr. 2022 Stranahan(Fort Lauderdale, FL) LB 87.53​	$110,000.00​
FSU​	Renardo Green 2019 Wekiva(Apopka, FL) CB 89.00​	$110,000.00​
FSU​	Kentron Poitier 2020 Miami Palmetto(Miami, FL) WR 88.10​	$110,000.00​
FSU​	Shyheim Brown 2021 Columbia(Lake City, FL) CB 84.67​	$110,000.00​
FSU​	Keiondre Jones 2019 Callaway(Hogansville, GA) IOL 92.21​	$110,000.00​
FSU​	Markeston Douglas 2020 Haywood(Brownsville, TN) TE 82.53​	$108,000.00​
FSU​	Akeem Dent 2019 Palm Beach Central(West Palm Beach, FL) CB 95.89​	$108,000.00​
FSU​	Byron Turner Jr. 2021 St. Augustine(New Orleans, LA) EDGE 89.33​	$106,000.00​
FSU​	Kevin Knowles II 2021 McArthur(Hollywood, FL) CB 88.21​	$106,000.00​
FSU​	Fabien Lovett 2018 Olive Branch(Olive Branch, MS) DL 88.73​	$105,000.00​
FSU​	Maurice Smith 2019 Miami Central(Miami, FL) IOL 84.60​	$102,000.00​
FSU​	Casey Roddick 2017 St. Bonaventure(Ventura, CA) IOL 84.75​	$101,000.00​
FSU​	Robert Scott Jr. 2020 Conway(Conway, AR) OT 88.07​	$101,000.00​
FSU​	Darrell Jackson 2021 Gadsden County(Havana, FL) DL 85.93​	$101,000.00​
FSU​	Blake Nichelson 2023 Manteca(Ripon, CA) LB 92.49​	$101,000.00​
FSU​	Jaylen Early 2022 Duncanville(Duncanville, TX) IOL 89.39​	$101,000.00​
FSU​	Darius Washington 2019 West Florida Tech(Pensacola, FL) OT 88.17​	$101,000.00​
FSU​	Gilber Edmond 2020 Fort Pierce Westwood(Fort Pierce, FL) DL 82.53​	$100,000.00​

 

[Escambia94]

Tennessee has 51 football players with NIL over $100k, plus a couple men's basketball players. UT does have one women's basketball player with an NIL valuation just under $100k.

School	Player	NIL Valuation
Tennessee​	Nico Iamaleava 2023 Warren(Long Beach, CA) QB 99.01​	$1,100,000.00​
Tennessee​	Joe Milton 2018 Olympia(Orlando, FL) QB 90.90​	$621,000.00​
Tennessee​	James Pearce 2022 Julius L. Chambers(Charlotte, NC) EDGE 93.46​	$604,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jaylen Wright 2021 Southern(Durham, NC) RB 87.98​	$500,000.00​
Tennessee​	Tyler Baron 2020 Knoxville Catholic(Knoxville, TN) EDGE 93.65​	$346,000.00​
Tennessee​	Kamal Hadden 2019 River Rouge(River Rouge, MI) CB 86.04​	$218,000.00​
Tennessee​	Daevin Hobbs 2023 Jay M Robinson(Concord, NC) DL 96.17​	$208,000.00​
Tennessee​	Aaron Beasley 2019 Heard County(Franklin, GA) LB 88.37​	$201,000.00​
Tennessee​	Dont'e Thornton 2021 Mount Saint Joseph(Baltimore, MD) WR 95.14​	$175,000.00​
Tennessee​	Bru McCoy 2019 Mater Dei(Santa Ana, CA) WR 97.63​	$153,000.00​
Tennessee​	Brandon Turnage 2019 Lafayette(Oxford, MS) S 93.49​	$153,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jacob Warren 2018 Farragut(Knoxville, TN) TE 86.77​	$149,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jabari Small 2020 Briarcrest Christian(Memphis, TN) RB 87.10​	$149,000.00​
Tennessee​	Ramel Keyton 2019 Marietta(Marietta, GA) WR 94.29​	$148,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jaylen McCollough 2019 Hillgrove(Powder Springs, GA) S 92.49​	$148,000.00​
Tennessee​	Ethan Davis 2023 Collins Hill(Suwanee, GA) TE 92.83​	$148,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jourdan Thomas 2022 Montgomery Catholic Preparatory(Montgomery, AL) S 85.72​	$147,000.00​
Tennessee​	Cooper Mays 2020 Knoxville Catholic(Knoxville, TN) IOL 90.18​	$146,000.00​
Tennessee​	Roman Harrison 2019 Bainbridge(Bainbridge, GA) EDGE 89.92​	$143,000.00​
Tennessee​	Nathan Leacock 2023 Millbrook(Raleigh, NC) WR 94.96​	$143,000.00​
Tennessee​	Caleb Herring 2023 Riverdale(Murfreesboro, TN) EDGE 94.47​	$143,000.00​
Tennessee​	Kaleb Webb 2022 McEachern(Powder Springs, GA) WR 91.50​	$142,000.00​
Tennessee​	Doneiko Slaughter 2020 Roswell(Roswell, GA) S 87.80​	$141,000.00​
Tennessee​	John Campbell 2018 Dr. Phillips(Orlando, FL) OT 88.03​	$141,000.00​
Tennessee​	Squirrel White 2022 Clay-Chalkville(Pinson, AL) WR 89.45​	$141,000.00​
Tennessee​	Warren Burrell 2019 North Gwinnett(Suwanee, GA) CB 87.77​	$141,000.00​
Tennessee​	Andre Turrentine 2021 Ensworth(Nashville, TN) S 91.57​	$141,000.00​
Tennessee​	Chas Nimrod 2022 Bentonville(Bentonville, AR) WR 88.88​	$140,000.00​
Tennessee​	Gerald Mincey 2020 Cardinal Gibbons(Fort Lauderdale, FL) OT 86.27​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	Joshua Josephs 2022 North Cobb(Kennesaw, GA) EDGE 91.70​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	Omari Thomas 2020 Briarcrest Christian(Memphis, TN) DL 94.21​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	Elijah Herring 2022 Riverdale(Murfreesboro, TN) LB 86.47​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	McCallan Castles 2018 South Tahoe(South Lake Tahoe, CA) TE 89.67​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	Christian Charles 2021 Chestatee(Gainesville, GA) CB 88.77​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	Kalib Perry 2022 Great Crossing(Georgetown, KY) LB 86.17​	$139,000.00​
Tennessee​	Elijah Simmons 2019 Pearl-Cohn(Nashville, TN) DL 87.47​	$138,000.00​
Tennessee​	Addison Nichols 2022 Greater Atlanta Christian School(Norcross, GA) IOL 92.62​	$135,000.00​
Tennessee​	Javontez Spraggins 2020 East St. Louis(East Saint Louis, IL) IOL 87.50​	$132,000.00​
Tennessee​	Ollie Lane 2018 Gibbs(Corryton, TN) OT 84.43​	$132,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jackson Lampley 2019 Montgomery Bell Academy(Nashville, TN) IOL 91.01​	$132,000.00​
Tennessee​	Andrej Karic 2020 Southlake Carroll(Southlake, TX) OT 90.00​	$131,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jeremiah Crawford 2018 Goddard(Goddard, KS) OT 84.53​	$130,000.00​
Tennessee​	Kurott Garland 2018 Heritage(Conyers, GA) DL 83.00​	$130,000.00​
Tennessee​	Arion Carter 2023 Smyrna(Smyrna, TN) LB 93.57​	$130,000.00​
Tennessee​	Chandavian Bradley 2023 Platte County(Platte City, MO) EDGE 93.29​	$127,000.00​
Tennessee​	Tamarion McDonald 2020 Whitehaven(Memphis, TN) S 86.83​	$127,000.00​
Tennessee​	Bryson Eason 2020 Whitehaven(Memphis, TN) EDGE 89.73​	$127,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jordan Matthews 2023 Woodlawn(Baton Rouge, LA) CB 93.28​	$126,000.00​
Tennessee​	Dominic Bailey 2020 St. Frances Academy(Baltimore, MD) DL 91.00​	$119,000.00​
Tennessee​	Cameron Seldon 2023 Northumberland(Heathsville, VA) RB 93.33​	$119,000.00​
Tennessee​	Jack Luttrell 2023 Colquitt County(Moultrie, GA) S 86.35​	$114,000.00​

 

[Escambia94]

Georgia has 45 football players with an NIL valuation over $100k. Georgia does not have athletes from other sports in their top 75 NIL valuations.

School	Player	NIL Valuation
Georgia​	Carson Beck 2020 Mandarin(Jacksonville, FL) QB 91.28​	$1,100,000.00​
Georgia​	Brock Bowers 2021 Napa(Napa, CA) TE 95.28​	$720,000.00​
Georgia​	Amarius Mims 2021 Bleckley County(Cochran, GA) OT 98.41​	$528,000.00​
Georgia​	Tate Ratledge 2020 Darlington School(Rome, GA) IOL 96.25​	$504,000.00​
Georgia​	Malaki Starks 2022 Jefferson(Jefferson, GA) S 98.38​	$480,000.00​
Georgia​	Tykee Smith 2019 Imhotep Institute(Philadelphia, PA) S 87.77​	$385,000.00​
Georgia​	Sedrick Van Pran 2020 Warren Easton(New Orleans, LA) IOL 94.59​	$384,000.00​
Georgia​	Kamari Lassiter 2021 American Christian (Tuscaloosa, AL) CB 91.29​	$362,000.00​
Georgia​	Damon Wilson 2023 Venice(Venice, FL) EDGE 97.59​	$318,000.00​
Georgia​	Earnest Greene 2022 St. John Bosco(Bellflower, CA) OT 96.27​	$317,000.00​
Georgia​	Ladd McConkey 2020 North Murray(Chatsworth, GA) WR 83.47​	$257,000.00​
Georgia​	Javon Bullard 2021 Baldwin(Milledgeville, GA) S 87.83​	$250,000.00​
Georgia​	Raylen Wilson 2023 Lincoln(Tallahassee, FL) LB 97.26​	$249,000.00​
Georgia​	Jordan Hall 2023 Westside(Jacksonville, FL) DL 97.33​	$240,000.00​
Georgia​	Smoke Bouie 2022 Bainbridge(Bainbridge, GA) CB 94.78​	$224,000.00​
Georgia​	Daijun Edwards 2020 Colquitt County(Moultrie, GA) RB 90.05​	$219,000.00​
Georgia​	Joenel Aguero 2023 St. John's Preparatory School(Danvers, MA) S 96.35​	$213,000.00​
Georgia​	Julian Humphrey 2022 Clear Lake(Houston, TX) CB 94.90​	$211,000.00​
Georgia​	Oscar Delp 2022 West Forsyth(Cumming, GA) TE 94.87​	$210,000.00​
Georgia​	Smael Mondon 2021 Paulding County(Dallas, GA) LB 97.01​	$207,000.00​
Georgia​	Mykel Williams 2022 Hardaway(Columbus, GA) EDGE 98.57​	$204,000.00​
Georgia​	A.J. Harris 2023 Central(Phenix City, AL) CB 96.60​	$203,000.00​
Georgia​	Monroe Freeling 2023 Oceanside Collegiate Academy(Mount Pleasant, SC) OT 97.14​	$199,000.00​
Georgia​	Samuel M'Pemba 2023 IMG Academy(Saint Louis, MO) EDGE 96.44​	$197,000.00​
Georgia​	Dylan Fairchild 2021 West Forsyth(Cumming, GA) IOL 93.92​	$175,000.00​
Georgia​	Kendall Milton 2020 Buchanan(Clovis, CA) RB 95.80​	$157,000.00​
Georgia​	CJ Allen 2023 Lamar County Comprehensive(Barnesville, GA) LB 94.91​	$157,000.00​
Georgia​	Gabe Harris 2023 IMG Academy(Valdosta, GA) EDGE 95.42​	$154,000.00​
Georgia​	Pearce Spurlin 2023 South Walton(Santa Rosa Beach, FL) TE 95.42​	$153,000.00​
Georgia​	Brock Vandagriff 2021 Prince Avenue Christian School(Bogart, GA) QB 97.23​	$152,000.00​
Georgia​	Troy Bowles 2023 Jesuit(Tampa, FL) LB 94.55​	$148,000.00​
Georgia​	Jamon Dumas-Johnson 2021 St. Frances Academy(Baltimore, MD) LB 91.17​	$148,000.00​
Georgia​	Tyler Williams 2023 Lakeland(Lakeland, FL) WR 94.46​	$140,000.00​
Georgia​	Roderick Robinson II 2023 Lincoln(San Diego, CA) RB 93.03​	$129,000.00​
Georgia​	Bo Hughley 2023 Langston Hughes(Fairburn, GA) OT 93.54​	$125,000.00​
Georgia​	Lawson Luckie 2023 Norcross(Norcross, GA) TE 93.27​	$121,000.00​
Georgia​	Anthony Evans 2023 Judson(Converse, TX) WR 92.16​	$119,000.00​
Georgia​	Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint 2020 St. Thomas Aquinas(Fort Lauderdale, FL) WR 94.97​	$111,000.00​
Georgia​	Daniel Harris 2023 Gulliver Prep(Miami, FL) CB 92.74​	$111,000.00​
Georgia​	Arian Smith 2020 Lakeland(Lakeland, FL) WR 94.61​	$105,000.00​
Georgia​	Chris Peal 2023 Providence Day School(Charlotte, NC) CB 92.68​	$105,000.00​
Georgia​	Marvin Jones Jr. 2022 American Heritage(Fort Lauderdale, FL) EDGE 97.50​	$105,000.00​
Georgia​	Jamaal Jarrett 2023 Grimsley(Greensboro, NC) DL 92.39​	$105,000.00​
Georgia​	Gunner Stockton 2022 Rabun County(Tiger, GA) QB 93.11​	$102,000.00​
Georgia​	Jalon Walker 2022 Salisbury(Salisbury, NC) LB 96.07​	$101,000.00​

 

[Escambia94]

Kentucky only has five football players with an NIL valuation over $100k, and the football players are valued less than the basketball players.

School	Player	NIL Valuation
Kentucky​	Ray Davis 2019 Blair Academy(Blairstown, NJ) RB 81.05​	$417,000.00​
Kentucky​	Devin Leary 2018 Timber Creek(Sicklerville, NJ) QB 89.62​	$395,000.00​
Kentucky​	Maxwell Hairston 2021 West Bloomfield(West Bloomfield, MI) CB 84.70​	$331,000.00​
Kentucky​	Jalen Geiger 2019 Spring Valley(Columbia, SC) S 85.27​	$182,000.00​
Kentucky​	Trevin Wallace 2021 Wayne County(Jesup, GA) LB 94.25​	$176,000.00​

 

[Escambia94]

LSU has 22 football players with an NIL valuation over $100k, but the top two valuations are women's gymnastics athlete Livvy Dunne ($12.1M) and women's basketball player Angel Reese ($1.7M). LSU has 3 women's basketball and 1 men's basketball player with $100k valuations.

 

[DRU2012]

I frankly don't know WHAT to make of all this; maybe it's just me and a kind of "old school" suspicion of "where we're at and where we're headed" in bigtime college football now.
I just "KNOW" it is all affecting, inundating every facet of the game we love--those "effects" continuing to multiply and further reveal themselves in seemingly accelerating fashion.
I admit it:
I DON'T LIKE WHERE IT'S ALL HEADED.

 

[Escambia94]

I guess the takeaway is that if Florida wants to be a national contender then it needs to spend a lot more money on football. These are the times we live in. If Florida does not want to spend the money then it needs to be happy being another Vanderbilt.

 

[DRU2012]

I guess the takeaway is that if Florida wants to be a national contender then it needs to spend a lot more money on football. These are the times we live in. If Florida does not want to spend the money then it needs to be happy being another Vanderbilt.

I was in truth a little shocked by those numbers--because FLORIDA DOES HAVE THE BUCKS, we HAVE been spending it of late and are in the process of soon spending much more--and yet are apparently STILL way behind the committed moves of many of our (indeed, if ANYTHING LESS flush) rivals!
What is THAT all about? Is it just a temporary difference in "timing" as far as accounting for "meetings" and "formal approval of funds"???
Or am I MISSING something here?
Is there some area we are glaringly lagging in or lacking FROM? Or is it somehow in the way the NIL moneys in particular are registered and distributed in which we have still not quite caught up to the "front-runners"?
It was just half a year or so ago that we were caught WAY OUT behind in that whole public embarrassment with Miami and that QB-recruit. That was never really properly explained--nor RESOLVED, for that matter. Neither one of us got him--and HE didn't appear to get the money (out in ARIZONA??!) that he and his family expected either.
I didn't really follow or understand the whole "NIL process" then, nor a whole lot more or better NOW. If we are still in some kind of "catch-up mode", could that affect/BE affecting our various current recruiting AND transfer portal efforts?
I ask this of course because it is CENTRAL to our immediate future--and BEYOND!
The "terrible truth" is that we are at PRESENT pretty well AT the level of a Vanderbilt in relation to the rest of most of the SEC--and the two incoming additions to an about-to-be divisionless Conference is to drive us FURTHER down the list of relative rankings. If we don't wish to be lodged there, it is PAST time to begin our clear climb BACK UP that list.
Yes, I am well-versed in all the things that brought us here, all the reasons and forces arrayed against our return. All that being the case, it is nonetheless time to, step-by-careful-step, begin our determined advance...
"Talent, depth, discipline." The off season ahead must strongly reflect these to start with; then comes work work WORK...intense practice time and film work--all to the absolute LIMIT of the rules. And something "more"...Am not sure what that can or will BE yet, but it involves somehow instilling a certain special bond of inspiration, "teamsmanship" if you will, in these nowadays more-self-centered-than-EVER otherwise young "pay-for-play" scholar-athletes (at least that second one's what we USED to call them).
More than that I am not yet in any position to say about our future. We are ALL pained at how far things have deteriorated, and how weak the current "program destiny" truly appears to be.
We may dismiss the howling complaints of the temporary and transient fans--but we can still understand and somewhat relate to the emotional emptiness reflected there!
Maybe it really HAS to be an actual, died-in-the-wool GATOR who once again actually somehow rides in at the right moment to "SEIZE THE REIGNS"...but if so, that "right moment" is not here yet, so the best we can do is hope THIS guy can at the very least begin the process, properly build a sound foundation and in so doing set the STAGE for whatever we can one day be--BE AGAIN!
But we have to at the very least SEE THE SIGNS OF ALL THAT, begin to see the "talent, depth and discipline" etc that I mentioned before--and start to see it NOW.

 

[Escambia94]

Florida has the bucks, but the UAA wants to be the everything school. Everyone understands that football is the revenue generator for all the 19 sports, but at Florida more of the revenue from football goes to other programs. NIL rankings are hard to determine, but it does appear that Florida is behind FSU and Georgia in terms of football valuations, but is about even in terms of overall valuations. This tells me that Florida is doing the right thing by spreading the wealth amongst all 19 sports programs, but at a cost of allocating fewer resources proportionally to football than other schools.

School	All Revenue	Football Revenue	Basketball Revenue	Profit	Donations
Florida	$190M #8	$85M #8 (45%)	~$15M (~$14M men; ~$1M women) (8%)	$37M #15	$763M #4
Georgia	$203M #5	$134M #5 (66%)	< $10M (5%)	$50M #6	$716M #5
FSU	$168M #15	$71M #16 (42%)	$18M ($17M men; $1M women) (11%)	$39M #12	$536M #10

 

[DRU2012]

@Escambia94,
This is IMPORTANT:
I believe you, E--...The numbers "add up" and your analysis "rings true".
However, IF "all this" IS "TRUE", then you are basically maintaining the following:

WE ARE NO LONGER A FOOTBALL SCHOOL

...And I must ask,
When was THIS decided?!!
And I am willing to BET, if put to a "Schoolwide", "Fanwide", "Townwide" or "Alumniwide" vote it would LOSE.
I maintain that The University of Florida is STILL a FOOTBALL SCHOOL.
Where do the "major-monied BOOSTERS " stand on this? I would ASSUME that they are FOOTBALL people...If I have this wrong then that is THAT--and we will likely never challenge for a CFB Championship again.
The only folks I know who even have contact with such people indicate otherwise--if anything they scoff at the idea!
What are YOUR impressions?
This question, now challenging us, must be viewed as "a potential MAJOR TURNING POINT"
...OR, to be more exact, that "Major Turning Point" was faced, decided and acted on sometime in the relatively recent past--and is now a "fait accomplit": One that certainly explains the last 2 or 3 seasons!
My gut-level reaction:
"SAY IT AIN'T SO!!!"
Beyond that, I can only hope the idea is possible to dismiss ENTIRELY--that we are simply in a bad slump, one that will take time, hard work and more ongoing pain and disappointment before we get and finally SEE the desired positive results!
I am uncertain whether we can expect solid, honest answers to this question based on FACTS--or whether we will indeed even find hope and/or reassurance there.
UF is a very fine academic institution...but this is NOT the Ivy League. It is the SEC.
You KNOW what I am saying here. Personally I could have GONE to an Ivy League school; perhaps, as a post-adolescent I was foolish for not doing so. But I was at that young age a lifelong Gator fan, and never regretted my choice--I met my goals, had enormous opportunities and experiences in the doing, and above all those were some of the best years of my life in so many ways...and the ups AND downs of Gator FOOTBALL over those and the ENSUING years were a big PART of that.
Is all that to be swept aside with a sweep of decisions made by some group of faceless individuals in an office (or on a golfcourse) somewhere?
It may somehow fit with our impression of the world we now live in--but at this moment I am still clinging to the hope that at least HERE, we are NOT somehow victims of more "forces beyond our control".
However, if this is the case, best to know soonest--a reality to be either FOUGHT, or ACCEPTED, as the case may be.

 

[Escambia94]

I can understand UF’s decision to market itself as the Everything School. They have been in the top six for the Learfield Trophy every year since its inception in 1993—one of only school two schools to do so (including Stanford).

I divide the boosters into two categories: investors and boosters. Investors will donate tens of millions of dollars to the University of Florida. Boosters donate tens of thousands of dollars to a particular sport. We the fans do not care about the difference, but the IRS does, and sometimes NCAA does. The boosters are football people and only care about football championships—just like us poor fans. The investors are Florida people who care about the University of Florida, their investment portfolio, and their tax write-offs.

I was accepted into all the military academies and UF (so I could be close to my girlfriend). Side note: I did spend part of the summer before senior year at the FSU campus. It sucked. I chose UF so I could be close to my two loves: my girlfriend (later wife), and Gator football. I like Florida’s attempt to be the Harvard or MIT of the South. If I lived closer to Gainesville I would donate more.

 

[DRU2012]

( @Escambia94, in response to above )
Agreed (in more ways than I have room for here...but by the way: I met MY future wife, a scholarshipped exchange student from Germany, my junior year at UF. Taught her the basics and intricasies of our "But Why Do They Call It FOOTball?!" during that infamous 0-10-and-1 season--while SHE pretty well taught ME a few things about DRINKING BEER at the same TIME!).
Yes, we really ARE "The Everything University"--but I STILL cannot accept the idea that we are not ALSO, when it comes to public sport, "A FOOTBALL SCHOOL"!!!
(AND a SECOND "by the way":
Growing up in Florida, among my fellow high-school seniors beyond a few going out of state, there were stark "factions"--the gold-neck-chain-and-Camaro set (UM-bound), the flower children (New School at USF), a few headed to the "coastal specialty schools (FAU, FIU, etc), and the rest of us, split VERY STARKLY between US (UF) and THEM (FSU). I did actually take a visit up to the FSU AND UF campuses with other "Florida Merit Scholars" my highschool senior year (free trips, during the school week no less)...The contrast ('tween campuses AND towns) could not have been more dramatically convincing, at least to me.
This morning comes another in a long line of entertaining "moments down through time", though:
"FSU dropped OUT of the CFB Playoff!"
Where is Nelson with a sing-song "HA-ha!"?
Would have been even better had we beat them and they'd be blaming it on US right now--but at least this way I can actually theoretically WATCH some of these games without fear of having to suffer that damned "Tomahawk Chop Chant"!

 

[Escambia94]

Cool. I spent most of my childhood overseas as a military BRAT, including some time in West Germany. My dad retired in Florida my junior year, so I had to cram a lot of Sunshine State experience into two years of high school. My family back in Florida sent Gator gear to my overseas address ever since I could remember, starting with my first memories in 1979. I had no idea what FSU was until that summer after my junior year going to Florida American Legion Boys State, which was held in Tallahassee.

Any way, the Gators are on a slow build. I would caution Gator fans on expecting a big jump in year three. It bears repeating that Stricklin gave Napier a seven year contract for a reason. Maybe Ben Sasse and the investors/ boosters will pressure Stricklin to in turn pressure Napier, but there is so much to fix and only so much cash to go around that I cannot see Napier (or Stricklin) being fired until 2026 at the earliest. This has to work. There will be frustrating losses. There might be another losing season or two. Yeah. That could happen. If Napier keeps recruiting classes in the top 10 (preferably top 5) and wins a couple key games I can see this losing going on for two more years at most before investors find the cash to fire Stricklin and Napier while still paying for the stadium upgrades…if and only if recruiting is good and investors continue throwing hundreds of millions of dollars into Florida.

 

[DRU2012]

Cool. I spent most of my childhood overseas as a military BRAT, including some time in West Germany. My dad retired in Florida my junior year, so I had to cram a lot of Sunshine State experience into two years of high school. My family back in Florida sent Gator gear to my overseas address ever since I could remember, starting with my first memories in 1979. I had no idea what FSU was until that summer after my junior year going to Florida American Legion Boys State, which was held in Tallahassee.

Any way, the Gators are on a slow build. I would caution Gator fans on expecting a big jump in year three. It bears repeating that Stricklin gave Napier a seven year contract for a reason. Maybe Ben Sasse and the investors/ boosters will pressure Stricklin to in turn pressure Napier, but there is so much to fix and only so much cash to go around that I cannot see Napier (or Stricklin) being fired until 2026 at the earliest. This has to work. There will be frustrating losses. There might be another losing season or two. Yeah. That could happen. If Napier keeps recruiting classes in the top 10 (preferably top 5) and wins a couple key games I can see this losing going on for two more years at most before investors find the cash to fire Stricklin and Napier while still paying for the stadium upgrades…if and only if recruiting is good and investors continue throwing hundreds of millions of dollars into Florida.

This is pretty amazing, dude...If I follow you rightly, I'm enough older so we don't exactly overlap (1979 was the year of that 0-10-and-1 season, as I recall), but my Dad had us in Wiesbaden (while he was also in Mannheim for a bit) back when I was really young...sent me and my sister back to Florida to stay with the grandparents (who had a house near the beach) for a while until he and mom came back (transfered to Eglin) and eventually retired in Florida himself. We moved around a lot too, during his AF career and after, but I had a little more "dependable solidity" in my high-school years BACK in Florida again....Lived a lot of places as a kid, but (especially after experiencing "surfing at lunchtime in middle school") quickly and ever after considered myself "a Florida boy"!
And through it all, I was, have been as long as I remember, a full-on Florida Gator fan. (Dad sorta really wanted to see me in Colorado Springs--but I was young, had all kinds of choices, and always walked my own road...Grandfather, Army hardass that he was, wanted to "pull some strings" and get me a commission at The Point, but in the end, MY dreams (and the fact he was also a rather large UF contributor himself) in a family where the one thing we all DID agree on was rooting for the Gators come Saturday, basically settled things in calm and satisfactory fashion.
As for the rest, well, yes, no doubt about it: This is gonna be one "slow build"...I just hope we get to the "BUILD" part soon, noticeably so--for our sake AND the Coach's. The sloppiness (on and OFF field) has to end, and there has to at least be "a steepening uphill curve" to the line tracing that improvement.
That point you made so well using the dollar amounts still needs further examination: Are we really "BUILDING"--or surrendering the field, as you yourself implies is one way of interpreting those numbers? I have been assured otherwise, but those figures really knocked me back, I admit it. Here's hoping further spending and resulting progress squarely addresses all that.
Let no one doubt that we LIVE AND BREATH our loyal support for our Alma Mater--and forgive us if this all manifests so extremely in our fervent focus on GATOR FOOTBALL!!!

 

[Escambia94]

That point you made so well using the dollar amounts still needs further examination: Are we really "BUILDING"--or surrendering the field, as you yourself implies is one way of interpreting those numbers?

I would say that this is the cost of business. Jeremy Foley did a great job of building up all the athletic programs as a balanced portfolio, which made sense both in terms of business (diverse revenue streams) and college athletics (equal opportunity across the 19 sports). There was a time when it was not just about the money and the Gator logo plus winning tradition could recruit itself. Those days are gone thanks to NIL.

Florida is not just a university in the state of Florida, but the flagship university in the state of Florida. Our alma mater has no choice but to lead in everything. I am fine with the UAA choice to carve funding out from football for other sports. Investors, boosters, and fans need to put some skin in the game where they see fit. For boosters and fans, that is NIL. For too long Gator fans were able to support the team with enthusiasm and merchandising purchases. If we want football to be relevant we have to open up our pocket books. That is what the coaches have been telling us, and they are right. This is what has become of college sports.

 

[DRU2012]

I would say that this is the cost of business. Jeremy Foley did a great job of building up all the athletic programs as a balanced portfolio, which made sense both in terms of business (diverse revenue streams) and college athletics (equal opportunity across the 19 sports). There was a time when it was not just about the money and the Gator logo plus winning tradition could recruit itself. Those days are gone thanks to NIL.

Florida is not just a university in the state of Florida, but the flagship university in the state of Florida. Our alma mater has no choice but to lead in everything. I am fine with the UAA choice to carve funding out from football for other sports. Investors, boosters, and fans need to put some skin in the game where they see fit. For boosters and fans, that is NIL. For too long Gator fans were able to support the team with enthusiasm and merchandising purchases. If we want football to be relevant we have to open up our pocket books. That is what the coaches have been telling us, and they are right. This is what has become of college sports.

OK...I won't go into the private details of how, without of course actually "KNOWING" what the future held, my Dad's dad somehow made sure a portion of his estate continued to support diverse aspects of UF "in perpetuity" AND ("Oh, by-the-WAY...") likewise at least TRIED to leave room for "those in his direct MALE line of descent" to be the ones who would make any required calls regarding the specific dispersion of that portion of the above that now might "require adjustment" with respect to NIL--in other words, at this point that "designated decision maker" may well be "ME":
It looks as if I MAY be called upon to make some decisions regarding how significant amounts are to be distributed into those NIL program(s)...the same ones that I confess I still know so little ABOUT.
So. Am now belatedly familiarizing myself with some aspects of "who/how/why/when and HOW MUCH?" of that whole mess.
No matter what, compared to the sort of "Institutional-level" finances involved with those contract numbers, beyond into "Stadium Skybox expansion", and the across-the-board support of all those OTHER sports, this is relative "small change"...It all adds up--and we each do what we can. But granddad couldn't possibly see NIL coming (and trust me--he wouldn't have LIKED it if he did--not at ALL!). He apparently DID anticipate changes, though.
I sure as heck neither want to be self-important nor CARELESS in any way that I find myself involved:
Like voting, and simply standing by one's principles, I TRY, when called upon, to "straighten up and FLY RIGHT!".