88 days to kickoff (Counting Down with Gator Greats)

With 56 days to go we celebrate one of our greatest OL ever in center Maurkice Pouncey (2007-09).
Pouncey and his twin, Mike (55), were part of a seven-player contingent from Lakeland High that signed with Florida in the 2007 recruiting cycle. He started at guard as a freshman (he was
the first true freshman to start a season-opener at guard in school history), then moved to center in his final two years on campus. Pouncey won the Rimington Award as the nation’s best center in 2009, when he was a consensus All-American. He left school after his junior season and was a first-round pick in the 2010 draft.

 

With 55 days to go we honor two great Gator linebackers from the past.

Ralph Ortega (1972-74)
Ortega is considered one of the all-time great defensive players in UF history. He was a two-time All-SEC selection and a first team All-American in his senior season.
He was a three-year starter who had 357 tackles, 12 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries and five interceptions in his career.



Scot Brantley (1976-79)
He was the national high school defensive player of the year in 1975 at Ocala Forest and was an immediate starter at UF, earning SEC freshman of the year plaudits in 1976. He was a first-team All-SEC selection in 1977 and ’78. He is second in school history with 467 tackles even though he missed the final nine games of his senior season after suffering a head injury.

 

With 54 days to go we honor two more defensive greats.

James Harrell, LB, (1975-78)
Yet another walk-on success story for the Gators. Harrell, an unknown coming out of high school and for much of his UF career, had a big 1978 season and followed it up with a long career in the NFL.



Mark Murray, DE (1987-90)
Murray was a touted inside linebacker from Apopka High who moved to an edge rush spot as a sophomore in 1988. He never weighed more than 233 pounds at UF but still was a two-year starter, at tackle and then end. He was a second-team All-SEC pick at end as a senior in 1990.

 

With 53 days to go before kickoff we remember linebacker Charlie (Charlie Horse) Williams (1974-77).

LB Charlie Williams
The man they called “Horse” was a tackle machine in the mid-’70s. After starring at Jacksonville Raines, Williams became a three-year starter for the Gators and racked up 409 tackles, fourth-most in school history; he had three seasons with at least 126 tackles. He is tied for second in school history with eight fumble recoveries.

 

With 52 days to go until kickoff we celebrate another two great Gators.

Chris Bromley G (1987-90)
Older brother Phil was a starting center and, truth be told, a bit better than Chris. But Phil wore No. 50 and he wasn’t better than Brad Culpepper. Like his brother, Chris starred at Pensacola Woodham and played center when he got to UF. But Chris moved to guard as a sophomore and was a part-time starter that season. He then started fulltime in 1989 and ’90. He was a captain as a senior in ’90, when he was named second-team All-SEC.



Jon Bostic LB (2009-11)
A big-time hitter, Bostic had an outstanding season in 2012, leading the Gators in tackles (94) and earning second team All-SEC honors. He helped lead UF to the Sugar Bowl.

 

With 51 days to go we honor two outstanding Gator linebackers.

Brandon Spikes (2006-09)
One of the highest-rated recruits in the Urban Meyer coaching era, Spikes certainly lived up to his potential in his four years in Gainesville. He was a two-time All-American and a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski, Chuck Bednarik and Dick Butkus awards and a two-time finalist for the Lombardi Award. For his career, he piled up 307 tackles, 31.5 tackles for losses, 14 pass breakups and 6.5 sacks. He’s the only player in UF history to return four interceptions for touchdowns.



David Little (1977-80)
David Little arrived at UF with little fanfare from Miami Jackson; his main claim to fame was that he was the brother of eventual NFL Hall of Fame guard Larry Little of the Dolphins.
But David was a three-year starter who owns the school record with 475 tackles; he also had nine interceptions. He was an All-American as a senior in 1980.

 

With 50 days to go until kickoff we continue our celebration with two more Gator greats.

Brad Culpepper (1988-91)
He grew up in Tallahassee, but his dad and uncle played at UF and Brad followed. He was a reserve as a true freshman in 1988, then started for three seasons. He wasn’t big — he was listed at 6-2 and 263 pounds as a senior — but had a quick first step and was relentless. He had 47.5 career tackles for loss, which is seventh in school history and the most by an interior lineman. With his combination of quickness and power (and will), he was one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in school history. In his senior season, he set the school record for tackles for losses by an interior lineman with 21.5.



Phil Bromley (1981-84)
He was the rock-solid center on Florida’s “Great Wall” offensive line in 1984. He may have been overshadowed at times by Lomas Brown, Crawford Kerr and Jeff Zimmerman, but he was one of the dominant players on that line, earning All-SEC recognition his junior and senior seasons.

 

With 49 days to go we honor another great defensive player from the past.

Fernando Jackson (1979-82)
Jackson, from small-town Blountstown in the Panhandle, might have been the hardest hitter in school history, especially considering his size (5-11, 207). He played with the proverbial reckless abandon and frequently blew up opposing ball-carriers. He was a three-year starter and finished with 353 career tackles, which is seventh in school history. He is tied for third
in UF history with nine forced fumbles. He was second team All-SEC in his junior season.

 

With 48 days to go until kickoff of the 2024 season we continue our celebration of Gator greats.

Dexter Daniels (1992-95)
He was the USA Today National High School Defensive Player of the Year at Valdosta (Ga.) High, and his signing in 1992 was seen as a coup for Spurrier and his staff.
He was a reserve as a true freshman, then started for the next three seasons. He was a first-team All-SEC pick as a senior and a second-teamer as a junior.