88 days to kickoff (Counting Down with Gator Greats)

With 68 days until kickoff we celebrate center Mike Degory (2001-05).
Degory was one of the most fundamentally sound football players to ever play for the Gators. He had incredible football smarts and started all 50 games he played during his career – something only accomplished by Degory and Larry Kennedy. He anchored the offensive line during the last 2 seasons in which the Gators had a 1,000 yard rusher (2002, 2004).
Honorable Mention: Rhondy Weston, DT (1985-88)

 

With 67 days to go we honor guard John Barrow (1954-56).
G John Barrow
Barrow, from Delray Beach Atlantic via Georgia Military Academy, arrived at UF as an end, and his first college play on the freshman team was a TD reception. He was moved to guard as a sophomore and became a three-year starter. He was the SEC lineman of the year and an All-American as a senior in 1956. He played for 15 years in the CFL, later became a GM in that league and is in the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
Highlights of the 1956 season included conference road wins over the Mississippi State Maroons (26–0) in Starkville, Mississippi, the Vanderbilt Commodores 21–7 in Nashville, Tennessee, and the LSU Tigers 21–6 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, a shutout homecoming victory over the Auburn Tigers (20–0), and a second consecutive win over the Georgia Bulldogs (28–0). Woodruff's 1956 Florida Gators started a promising 6–1–1, but lost their final two games to finish 6–3–1 overall and 5–2 in the Southeastern Conference, placing third in the SEC among twelve teams.

 

With 66 days to go we honor nose tackle Robin Fisher (1978-81).
A 6-0, 240-pound nose tackle? Yep (and the 6-foot listing is, uh, generous). Fisher, from Satellite Beach, started for most of his career from 1978-81 and used his quickness and surprising strength (he could bench 505 pounds) to amass 21 sacks (tied for eighth in school history) and 41 tackles for loss (13th). He also is eighth in school history in tackles with 348.

 

With 65 days to kickoff, we celebrate OL Jawaan Taylor (2016-18).
Originally committed to Miami, he switched his commitment to Florida.
Taylor was an unheralded recruit from Cocoa High who basically was a starter at right tackle from the moment he stepped on campus.
He was a freshman All-America selection in 2017. He turned pro after his junior season and was a second-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

 

With 64 days to go we celebrate OL great Burton Lawless (1972-74).
Lawless was a high school tight end at Punta Gorda Charlotte who was converted to guard during his freshman season. He became a three-year starter at guard. He earned All-American honors as a senior in 1974, when the Gators averaged 271.8 rushing yards per game. UF asked its guards to pull a lot, and Lawless’ athleticism (he also starred in basketball in high
school) served him well.

 

With 63 days to go we celebrate offensive tackle Mike Williams (1972-75).
Williams was one of the best players in the state as a high school senior at Orlando Jones in 1971 and ended up being a three-year starter for the Gators. UF ran the Wishbone in those years, and Williams helped pave the way for three of the most prolific rushing attacks in school history. He was a first-team All-SEC pick and an honorable mention All-American
as a senior in 1975.

 

With 62 days to go before kickoff we celebrate OL great Malcolm (Mac) Steen (1967-69). G/T Mac Steen
Steen, from Melbourne High, started for three seasons with the Gators; he played guard in 1967 and ’68, then moved to tackle as a senior.
He was a team captain as a senior, when he was a first-team All-SEC pick. He also was an academic All-American, and became an orthodontist.
Coach Ray Graves rated Steen as the Gators best right tackle of the 1960s.