88 days to kickoff (Counting Down with Gator Greats)

With 41 days to go we celebrate two great linebackers from the 1990's.

Ed Robinson, LB (1991-93)
Robinson, from DeFuniak Springs Walton, was a three-year starter at inside linebacker 1991-93) and is fifth in school history with 363 tackles.
He wasn’t flashy, just a solid inside ’backer. Despite his productivity (he twice had more than 115 tackles in a season), he never earned any All-SEC notice.



Keith Kelsey, LB, (1995-99)
He’s a local kid (Newberry) who went on to do big things for the Gators. His biggest attribute might have been how big a hitter he was.
He certainly brought the wood and was one of UF’s heaviest hitters in the Steve Spurrier era.

 

With 40 days (and nights) until kickoff we honor another great linebacker from the past.

Jarrad Davis, LB (2013-16)
He was a backup in his first two seasons, then a productive starter in his final two years as a Gator. He was a second-team All-SEC pick as a senior in 2016,
when he also earned some All-America mention and was a Butkus Award finalist. He was a first-round pick in the 2017 draft.
Other notables: FB Mike Rich, DE Johnnie Church, LB Brandon Siler, LB Brandon Hicks.

 

With 39 days to go we honor two of the most famous Gators in American culture and sports.

Dale Van Sickel, TE (1927-29)
Van Sickel, who went to Gainesville High, was the Gators’ first All-American, earning the honor as a junior in 1928. He and Clyde “Cannonball” Crabtree were one of the best pass-catch duos in the nation. He also played baseball and basketball, and later became one of the leading stunt men in Hollywood. Among the movies he appeared in: “Spartacus,” “North by Northwest” and the 1954 version of “A Star is Born.” His last credit was in the movie “Duel,” which was Steven Spielberg’s directorial debut.



Nat Moore, RB/WR (1972-73)
An unknown player who had been driving a truck in Miami, Moore came to UF as a junior college transfer in 1972 and was an instant success, quickly emerging as one of the most electrifying offensive players the school had ever seen. He switched to No. 33 for his senior season. Incredible Miami Dolphin career. (also known as Nats Moore - Gator insider joke).

 

With 38 days to go until kickoff we celebrate another great defensive player from the past.

Harvin Clark, CB (1969-71)
Clark was one of the prominent defensive players among the Super Sophs in 1969. And, yes, he was super, not just in ‘69 but throughout his three-year career as a starter. He was an excellent defensive back, but may have been an even better return man. He retired a kickoff 96 yards against Kentucky in 1969 and took a punt back 82 yards for a TD against Miami in the final game of his career.

Ironic twist to the returned punt against Miami.
The Gator Flop might never have been necessary if not for a special-teams play earlier in the fourth quarter, when Florida's Harvin Clark fielded a Miami punt and returned it 82 yards for a touchdown. If he'd signaled for a fair catch or simply had a typical 10- or 15-yard return, Reaves probably would have set the record on the ensuing possession. Instead, Florida had to give the ball right back to Miami.

DOUG DICKEY, former Florida coach: "Harvin Clark, he caused me all kinds of misery over the years by running back that punt for a touchdown. If he hadn't done that, we wouldn't be talking about this today. That's the real mistake I made, not having him fair catch that punt."

Harvin Clark Florida Gators - Yahoo Video Search Results

 

With 37 days to go before we start the 2024 season we honor two defensive backs from the past.

Eddie Lake DB (1991-94)
From Tarpon Springs High, Lake made eight career starts — six at cornerback in 1993 and two as an injury replacement at strong safety in ’94. He had two career picks — and both came in big games. He had an interception of Eric Zeier in the rain in a 33-26 win against Georgia in ’93 and a game-sealing INT against Alabama in the ’94 SEC Championship Game.

Guss Scott S (2000-03)
A fast and physical playmaker in his three years as a starter, Scott will always be remembered for his 47-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Gators’ 20-13 win over Georgia in 2002.

 

With 36 days to go we remember two more outstanding Gators from the past.

Bobby Joe Green, P (1958-59)
He played for two years at UF after transferring from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. He averaged a then-school-record 44.9 yards per punt as a senior in 1959, and graduated with a career average of 42.6, which also was a school record at the time. That career figure now is sixth. His punt of 82 yards against Georgia in ’58 is the longest in school history. He punted for 14 seasons in the NFL.

Jack Charles Burns, CB (1967-70)
As a junior on the 1969 team, Burns was a steadying influence on the defensive players among the Super Sophs. He was a consistent player in his three years as a starter. After his playing days, Burns went on to have a long career as an assistant coach in the NFL and at Louisville. His 15 seasons included stints with the Washington Redskins, Minnesota Vikings, and Atlanta Falcons. Burns was the offensive coordinator for the Vikings from 1992 to 1993 and part of the Redskins' 1991 Super Bowl championship team

 

With 35 days to go we honor two great Gator running backs from the past.

Larry Dupree, RB (1962-65)
One of the best players in program history and a member of the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame.
Dupree led Florida in rushing from 1962-64, totaling 1,725 yards and 14 touchdowns despite playing his senior campaign with a knee injury. He was also first on the Gators in total offense in 1962, racking up 604 yards from scrimmage. His 31 carries for 138 yards against Florida State in 1963 set a school record for most rushes by a single player. It took 19
years for Neal Anderson to break the record though seven total Florida running backs have now met or eclipsed the mark.




Jimmy DuBose, FB (1972-75)
He owns one of the best single seasons by a running back in school history. In his senior year, playing fullback in Doug Dickey’s wishbone offense, DuBose was practically unstoppable running between the tackles. For the season, he rushed for 1,307 yards, the third-most in UF history, behind only Emmitt Smith. In a rout of FSU, he rushed for 204 yards.
Other notables: S Ahmad Black, CB Michael Gilmore, LB Chip Hinton.

 

With 34 days to go before kickoff we remember another two great Gators from the past.

Jackie Simpson, RB (1953-56)
Simpson, from Miami Edison, did it all for the Gators in the mid-1950s. He was a good runner, a high-level defensive back and a great return man. He led UF in rushing in ’55 and led the SEC in punt returns in ’56 as a senior. He had a 100-yard interception return in 1955, tied for the longest in NCAA history. He was a third-team all-league pick in 1954 and ’55 and a second-teamer in ’56.



John Clifford, DB, (1970-72)
Not only was he Mr. Steady and Reliable in the UF secondary for three seasons, he was a playmaker who played with great instincts. In his sophomore season, he had three interceptions in one game (North Carolina State). In 1970, John Clifford set the single-season record for interceptions with the Gators, with seven interceptions. He would return to Gainesville after his playing days were done to serve as P.K. Yonge's head coach and eventually the program's athletic director after 34 years as a high school head coach. Other notables: LB Alex Anzalone, LB Lerentee McCray, DB Dorian Munroe, DB Daryl Dixon, FB Jerome Evans, DB Brian Hipp.

 

With 33 days to go we honor our greatest producing running backs.

Errict Rhett (1989-93)
Rhett, who starred in high school at Hollywood McArthur, holds UF career records for carries (873) and rushing yards (4,163) and is third in rushing TDs (34); he also is fourth in school history with 153 receptions. He was a workhorse for the early Spurrier teams, as evidenced by three seasons with at least 220 carries (there are only 10 of those in school history). He was an All-American as a senior in 1993 and was a first-team All-SEC pick in ’91 and ’93. He was the first player in NCAA history to rush for 4,100 yards and catch 140 passes in a career.



Larry Smith (1966-68)
Larry Smith earned a name for himself as one of the most-talented tailbacks ever to don the Orange and Blue. An All-American in his final season at Florida (1968), Smith finished his career as the school's all-time leading rusher with 2,186 yards, a mark that still stands eighth on the all-time list. His 24 career touchdowns place him ninth all-time for the Florida Gators and he led the squad in rushing three-straight seasons from 1966-68. Other notables: RB Jack Harper, RB Lindy Infante, RB Tommy Durrance, RB Tony Green, DB Tony George, S Teako Brown, LB David Reese.