One down, 14 to go: Gators sign the first block on their schedule wall

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•09/05/22•

ZachAbolverdi

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Gators football team has a new Sunday routine under first-year coach Billy Napier and his staff.

It’s no longer an off day for the players, who now hold their first practice for game week on Sunday instead of Monday. But before completely turning their attention to the next opponent, they commemorate their most recent win.

At the entrance of the team’s locker room in the new $86 million facility, there’s a wall with 2022 schedule and a block for all 12 regular season opponents, the SEC East, the SEC Championship and the College Football Playoff.

When the Gators arrived at the locker room on Sunday following their 29-26 win over the Utes, there was a table with a couple sharpies and the block with the Utah logo.

UF defensive end Tyreak Sapp didn’t know what he walked into at first. Once Florida coach Billy Napier explained, Sapp was immediately sold on the idea.

“Honestly, this is all brand new. So, when they brought it up, I was just like, ‘OK, we’ll run with it’,” he said. “Coach just brought it up and he was like, ‘We’re going to sign this thing and we’re going to put our name on it and stamp every win because we’re going to work for it.’

“Week by week, we’re going to build brick by brick. We’re going to keep on stacking them and chopping wood every week. Every time we sign that block, it just shows that we really put the work in.”

In a game that featured eight lead changes, the Gators fell behind twice in the second half and responded with go-ahead drives both times, the latter proving to be the game-winning march.

The upset over No. 7 Utah is tied for Florida’s highest-ranked victory in a season opener in program history.

One down, 14 more to go.

“All the blocks (represent) all our wins,” UF running back Montrell Johnson said, “so all our wins are going to go up in the new facility with everyone’s signature on it.”

That’s a cool concept until you lose you a game and have to make that walk into the locker room the next day. Not only will there be no table and sharpies waiting, but the schedule wall will now have a block without signatures on it.

“I wouldn’t say it adds extra motivation,” Sapp said, “but you’re going to most definitely have it in the back of your mind, ‘I want to be signing the opposing team’s block after Saturday.’”

Next up is Kentucky.

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