GAMEDAY UPDATE: Florida quarterback DJ Lagway didn’t start against Texas on Saturday. He suffered a hamstring injury in last week’s loss against Florida and couldn’t fully participate in practice all week. He’s listed as a game-time decision on the Southeastern Conference’s availability report.
Aidan Warner, the Gators’ third-string quarterback who came in to finish last week’s game, is the next option for head coach Billy Napier. The Gators are 4-4 overall and 2-3 in SEC play, but university officials gave Napier a vote of confidence and will retain him as coach amid calls to fire him due to performance issues.
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Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said in a letter that he’s, “confident that Billy will meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
Running back Montrell Johnson Jr. is also listed as a game-time decision for the Gators.
For Texas, edge rusher Colton Vasek is officially out but Andrew Mukuba and Isaiah Bond are both probable. Defensive lineman Vernon Broughton will miss the first half due to a targeting penalty during the win over Vanderbilt two weeks ago.
Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. with the broadcast on ABC.
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Wide receiver Johntay Cook II ‘moving on’ from Longhorns
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian confirmed reports Thursday that sophomore wide receiver Johntay Cook II is no longer with the program and that the decision to part ways was “mutual.”
Cook, a 4-star 2022 prospect out of DeSoto, came to the Longhorns primed to be one of the most dynamic wideouts the program has had. However, three receivers came to Austin via the transfer portal, and along with freshman Ryan Wingo, there just wasn’t enough room on the field for everyone.
“We have nothing but respect for him and his family, and we wish him the best of luck,” Sarkisian said.
Cook had eight catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns in six games this season. According to Adam Gorney, national recruiting director for Yahoo! Sports and Rivals, the Oregon Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs and Ole Miss Rebels have already contacted Cook about transferring. He’ll undoubtedly be one of the top players in the transfer portal for next season. He’s represented by Athletes First founder David Mulugheta who also negotiates contracts for NFL players such as Green Bay’s Jordan Love and Miami’s Jalen Ramsey.
In the transfer portal and NIL era, players have the freedom to move like free agents in professional sports to a certain degree. If a player isn’t getting the playing time they feel they deserve, they can hit the portal and move on to a team with potentially a better situation. Sarkisian knows that’s part of the game now and he’s adapting to it like every other coach.
“Some of that is natural, but we try to pride ourselves as being a heck of a developmental program and we have some examples of that on our roster,” he said. “We have guys that maybe weren’t frontline starters in Year 1 or 2, but developed into really productive players by the third or fourth year. I try not to fall prey to that … that is just what’s going to happen, but I understand it when it happens.”
The transfer portal opens Dec. 9 and Cook won’t be able to play until the 2025-26 season.