Tuesday, January 20, 2026

VOLUME 120 - ISSUE 17

TUESDAY,

UF presidential search committee member appears in files related to Jeffrey Epstein

Doug Band, a UF alumnus, received favors and gifts from Ghislaine Maxwell

By Alexa Ryan Alligator Staff Writer

Douglas “Doug” Band, a 1995 UF alumnus and member of UF’s presidential search advisory committee, is referenced in nine documents, transcripts and email chains related to the cases of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell released in the time since Epstein’s arrest in 2019.

The documents reveal that from 2002 to 2006, Band was purchased an expensive watch as a Christmas gift from Epstein and Maxwell, asked Maxwell to use her plane to watch the Gators play in the 2006 NCAA men’s basketball finals, took over 35 flights with them and received an invitation from Maxwell to a dinner with a “sluty Spanish girl.”

Epstein was a convicted sex offender and multimillionaire known for his connections to high-profile politicians and celebrities. He died in prison in 2019 after being convicted for sex trafficking of minors. His longtime accomplice, Maxwell, was sentenced to 20 years for her

role in their crimes.

Beginning Dec. 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice released several batches of files pertaining to Epstein’s prosecution as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Over 2 million additional documents are still under review.

Band worked for former President Bill Clinton in various positions beginning in 1998 after graduating from UF, according to his LinkedIn. He parted ways with the administration in 2011 to focus on his global advisory firm, Teneo Holdings.

In December 2025, the university announced his appointment to the presidential search advisory committee by the UF Board of Trustees. Though the announcement came three days before the DOJ file release, three of the documents linking Band to Epstein were publicly available before that time.

The UF Board of Trustees did not respond to a request for comment after two phone calls and one email over the span of two weeks.

The board’s chair, Morteza “Mori”

EPSTEIN, PAGE 4

from Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey

The GRU lawsuit goes to court next month. Here’s what you need to know.

The court’s decision will either disregard or approve the 2025 referendum results

By Maria Arruda Alligator Staff Writer

In a special election last November, Gainesville residents voted for the second time to return control of local utilities to the city after the previous referendum was nullified because of unclear wording on the ballot.

But an appeals court blocked further action until ongoing lawsuits against the city were settled.

Gainesville’s utilities have been led by a five-member authority board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis since 2023. Before the governor stepped in, the city controlled its own utilities.

The 2023 authority change was spearheaded by former state Rep. Chuck Clemons, who drafted the house bill signed

SPORTS/SPECIAL/CUTOUT

University administration

Story description finish with comma, pg#

UF student clinic halts genderaffirming care. Read more on pg. 2

by the governor. At the time, Clemons said Gainesville Regional Utilities was headed for bankruptcy and an independent board could help organize the service.

The authority board filed complaints against the city for both the 2024 and 2025 Local Public Utilities referendums, and the 2024 case is still pending an appellate court decision.

Oral arguments for the appeal in the 2024 case will be heard on Feb. 10 at the First District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee.

The first round

The first GRU referendum passed with a nearly 73% vote in 2024. However, the state-appointed GRU Authority maintained control of local utilities after a judge nullified the results.

The ruling came after the GRU Authority filed a lawsuit against the city alleging unclear ballot wording and an overstep of authority. It also claimed the city failed to include a business impact estimate alongside the referendum, in which Gainesville city commissioners are required to list any additional costs private and for-profit businesses may need to take on to follow an ordinance.

Circuit Judge George M. Wright agreed the ballot contained unclear wording and lacked a business impact estimate, thus nullifying election results. However, he added the city could amend its charters under the Florida statutes and Constitution — ushering in the opportunity for the city to “redo” the referendum and try again to pass it.

The GRU Authority appealed the case.

Alachua County Volunteers plant 15 trees for Arbor Day, pg. 3 The Avenue: Nightlife Meet the bartenders of Gainesville, pg. 6

Eric Lawson, a GRU Authority board member, told The Alligator he believes the decision to do so originated in the need to uphold state law.

“I feel like it’s my duty as a board member to defend the legislation that was signed by the governor,” he said.

Lawson said he believes it’s important for utilities to be controlled by an independent body to ensure residents outside city limits are fairly represented. Under city control, he said, GRU was used as a tool to increase citywide revenue, essentially taxing non-Gainesville residents by raising rates.

The Gainesville City Commission approved a plan in 2021 to increase rates yearly until 2027, citing a lack of sufficient revenue to maintain utility systems. That

SEE GRU, PAGE 4

Alachua County Arbor Day Celebration offers morning of ecological escape, education

VOLUNTEERS PLANTED 15 TREES

By Kaitlyn McCormack Alligator Staff Writer

On a breezy Saturday morning, Earl P. Powers Park buzzed with the sounds of people chatting, children playing and dogs barking as more than 75 volunteers came to celebrate Arbor Day in Alachua County. People of all ages conversed under the park’s pavilion, sharing one interest: a love for trees.

Florida Arbor Day is celebrated on the third Friday in January, according to the Florida Wildlife Federation. It’s a chance for community members to support their environment by planting trees.

Lacy Holtzworth, Alachua County’s arborist, helped coordinate the annual event, which featured tree planting, guest speakers and plant giveaways.

“Today is about celebrating trees, of course, but also about learning about them,” Holtzworth said.

According to Holtzworth, Alachua County celebrated Arbor Day on Saturday to give a greater opportunity for more people to attend.

The event’s goal was to plant 15 trees of species specifically chosen to benefit pollinators, Holtzworth said.

The event opened with speeches from

Holtzworth, UF professor Terry Harpold and County Commissioner Marihelen Wheeler. After a tree-planting demonstration by Holtzworth and presentations about tree care by local arborists, volunteers gathered in small groups around the park and began to plant.

Holtzworth reflected on how important volunteers are to maintaining Alachua County’s environmental mission.

“Volunteers are so good because they want to do it correctly,” she said. “It’s not about getting the job done quickest and cheapest and as fast as possible.”

County officials emphasized the importance of celebrating Arbor Day as a way to combat growing environmental issues. Changing climate, stronger storms and increased foliage disease are some of the biggest issues trees face, Holtzworth said.

Planting trees is one of the most effective climate change mitigation solutions readily available, according to UF’s Imagining Climate Change Initiative.

Holtzworth said another central theme for Saturday’s event was balancing expansion with the needs of the surrounding ecosystem.

“We’re constantly trying to balance the protection of our culture and our natural resources with making space for newcomers,” Holtzworth said.

Wheeler read the Arbor Day

Proclamation during the opening ceremony and emphasized the county’s support of an environmental mission amid expansions to account for a growing population.

According to the World Population Review, Alachua County’s population has increased by 20% since 2010.

“This board is trying to make sure that there is enough green space left that we can make sure that we have a healthy environment for everybody,” Wheeler said. “If we don’t have the resources we need, there’s no way we can support the population that’s coming into the area.”

Harpold, a UF associate professor of English, teaches classes related to environmental humanities, such as Literature of Sustainability and Resilience and Cinema of Environmental Crisis.

In the past seven years, Harpold said he’s never missed an opportunity to help plant trees in the community — and he never comes alone. Harpold motivates his students to help plant trees whenever they can, he said. Many of his students were at Saturday’s celebration.

Planting trees gives locals a sense of hope and purpose, Harpold said, which is something he said can be hard for young people to come by these days.

The action is not only constructive, Harpold said, but it can also help their community for decades. He noted the trees planted Saturday will likely live for more

than 200 years.

“I like to joke with my students that it may be the most productive Saturday morning you’ve ever spent in your life to this point,” he said.

One of Harpold’s former students, 23-year-old Caitlyn Cavender, has helped plant trees in Alachua County for the past four years.

“It helped me a lot in my personal life because [my] first two years at UF were pretty rough,” Cavender said. “This was kind of a nice little escape.”

Cavender graduated from UF in December with a degree in botany. She hopes more students feel inspired to get involved with environmental issues in their communities, she said.

Studies show planting trees or just spending time around them can reduce stress and loneliness, restore attention spans and improve overall mental health.

“It’s a nice way to feel like your individual action is actually having an impact, because I think that’s a big issue now,” Cavender said. “I feel like the problems that we face are so big that you feel pretty helpless, but I think staying involved with your community and doing stuff like this is a good way to feel encouraged about what is coming.”

@kaitmccormack20

kmccormack@alligator.org

Gainesville gears up for GRU appeal

from pg. 1

same year, the commission approved a resolution to increase electric rates by 3% annually from 2023 to 2027.

Lawson said voters may oppose the board because of its ties to DeSantis. However, he said he’s never spoken to the governor or legislators during his time on the board.

“This is not on the governor’s agenda,” he said.

The city tries again

Over a year later, the second GRU referendum passed. This time, 75% voted in favor of returning utility control to the city.

The city announced plans to rewrite the legislation in June, and the authority filed its second lawsuit in August, claiming an attempt to supersede state power. The court ruled in favor of the city. When the authority tried to appeal, the court denied because the 2024 appeal was still active.

Two days after the election, though, a court granted another of the authority board’s wishes: The 2024 lawsuit appeal would need to be resolved before the city took further action.

Lawson said he is optimistic about the authority’s case against the city, but if the city wins, he would work to make the transition of power smooth.

“[GRU] is a fantastic local asset to Gainesville, and so however I can support that, I will,” he said.

Bobby Mermer is the president of Gainesville Residents United, a nonprofit

focused on advocating for community issues. In that role, he led the campaign for local control of public utilities. In his eyes, the GRU Authority is just trying to extend its time.

“They're trying to hang on to power and their money as long as they can,” he said.

Mermer argued it’s important for the city to control utilities to ensure taxpayers and residents have a say in how they’re governed. While city officials may be held accountable through elections, he noted the authority board is appointed by the governor, leaving residents powerless.

Still, Mermer said he believes the GRU Authority’s case won’t succeed in court.

“I think, ultimately, the city will prevail,” he said.

What’s next?

The appeal hearing will take place Feb. 10. There, Mayor Harvey Ward expects the city’s case will surround Florida’s home rule statute, which gives local governments the right to govern themselves.

If the results of the referendum are disregarded in the GRU Authority’s favor, he said home rule would suffer a “major blow.”

“It would be abnormal for the current situation to continue,” Ward said.

If the court rules in the city’s favor, Ward said it would be the responsibility of interim City Manager Andrew Persons to take control of GRU. Persons, he said, has prepared many avenues for GRU management and ensured the city has the

right personnel in place to oversee local utilities.

Persons declined to be interviewed.

Gainesville has years’ worth of plans on how to responsibly manage utilities, Ward said, and the city-run model voters passed is not uncommon. Some of Florida’s largest cities — Jacksonville, Orlando

and Tallahassee — all control their own utilities.

“There is not a single example of a board of a municipal utility that is appointed exclusively by the governor, other than GRU Authority,” he said. “This is the only one that exists anywhere, and that's why it doesn't work very well.”

@mariazalfarruda marruda@alligator.org

Daniela Peñafiel // Alligator Staff

Gainesville residents voted twice to restore city control of local utilities, but court action has paused the transition pending an appeal set for Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.

Prominent UF alumnus has Epstein connections

Hosseini, also did not respond to an email sent Jan. 15.

Band previously served on the UF Foundation’s national board, nominating committee, board of directors and the student affairs development advisory board, according to the UF Alumni Association.

The university has reviewed the documents concerning Band and decided no actions against him need to be taken, UF spokesperson Steve Orlando told The Alligator.

“Mr. Band served as a committee member for the two most recent presidential searches and, throughout both processes, demonstrated a deep commitment to the university and finding an individual that best fit the university’s approved presidential qualifications and criteria,” the statement said.

Band did not respond to requests for comment on his relationship with Epstein. A message sent to an email address believed to be associated with him was not returned. On Jan. 10, an intermediary close to him said Band would not respond to requests for comment.

The emails and documents show Band interacted with Epstein and Maxwell from 2002 to at least 2006, the same years Epstein enticed and recruited dozens of mi-

nor girls to visit his mansion. The extent of Band’s relationship with the two remains unknown.

In a 2016 deposition, Maxwell described her relationship with Band as a friendship. The deposition was originally released by the Washington Post with Band’s name redacted in 2020 but was later released in full by Newsweek in 2024.

Many of the documents linking Band to Epstein and Maxwell involve their mutual connections to former President Bill Clinton. Band is often described as the “key architect” of Clinton’s post-presidency activities, including on his UF Alumni Association profile. During that time period, he attempted to distance the Clintons from Epstein and Maxwell, he told Vanity Fair in a 2020 interview.

It’s unclear when the rift between Band and Maxwell formed. Emails between the two, obtained by Drop Site News, show Band was on good terms with Maxwell until at least 2006.

In an email to Band, released by the DOJ as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, Maxwell invited Band to a dinner in New York and mentions the attendance of two “sluty” girls.

“Let me know when you next go to Europe as I do have some interesting and fun friends that you

could hook up with,” she wrote to Band.

Maxwell signed the email, “Hopefully we will meet up again soon.”

It is unclear whether Band responded.

Emails from 2005 showed a discussion of a $35,000 Audemars Piguet watch Epstein and Maxwell wanted to give Band. According to the emails, Band did not want to accept the gift if it was from Epstein.

“If its bc he wants to buy me one then no can do,” Band wrote in the email to Maxwell discussing the watch.

On Dec. 21, 2005, Maxwell emailed Epstein to tell him she had made the purchase. Epstein told her to sign the note from both of them.

“Make sure he gets it for xmas,” Epstein wrote to Maxwell in the email.

It’s unclear if Band accepted the gift.

Band also asked to pay to use Maxwell’s airplane to travel lastminute to Indianapolis to watch the Gators play in the NCAA men’s basketball finals in April 2006, as commercial flights were unavailable, the emails show.

Maxwell offered to let him use one of her planes for free after consulting Epstein about it over email.

Band declined and said he had already reserved another plane. Epstein advised Maxwell they should pay — or at least offer to pay — for his travel.

Flight logs released by the DOJ show Band took over 35 flights with Epstein and Maxwell from 2002 to 2005, including at least two in which the three were the only listed passengers on board.

In 2002 or 2003, Maxwell took a trip with Clinton and Band to South America, she said in a July 2025 interview released by the DOJ. The transcript of the interview shows Maxwell mentions Band four times. When the interviewer asked who invited her to go on the trip, she said “probably Doug Band.”

Another document claims Band asked Epstein to use his plane for Clinton’s post-presidency humanitarian tour of Africa in 2002, for which Epstein, Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker tagged along.

Band is now an adjunct professor at New York University and a member of Georgetown University’s Board of Regents, from which he graduated with a law degree in 2001.

Shaheen Shariff, a professor of education specializing in its intersection with the law at Canada’s McGill University, said UF has a responsibility to respond to a situation like this.

She said the influence or connections Band may continue to carry with people involved with Epstein and Maxwell could affect his selection of the university’s new president, and for that reason, it is important for him to step down from the advisory committee.

“It might be just safer for the university, for the protection of the students at the university, to ensure that he doesn’t recommend a principal who has also been involved,” Shariff said.

Ann Skeet, the senior director of leadership ethics at Santa Clara University’s Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, said she worries Band’s association with Epstein and Maxwell and his association with UF will distract from the presidential search process, and that this aspect alone is enough of a reason for him to leave the committee.

“Ideally, he would identify that there are going to be questions about his background that are going to distract from the process of the search, and he would choose to resign,” she said.

People should ask themselves if Band is the best person to be sitting on a presidential search committee, she added.

Krishna Lunch launches online fundraiser for equipment

Expenses for a new truck and food carts are high

By Leona Masangkay Alligator Staff Writer

From 11 a.m to 1:30 p.m on weekdays, the smell and warmth of Krishna Lunch has become a staple on the Plaza of the Americas. Krishna has become ingrained in UF culture, and recently, the organization sought to step up its game.

Hare Krishna, a religious organization providing donation-based vegetarian meals, created a GoFundMe on Nov. 26, 2025, for new lunch equipment, including new food carts and a truck. The improvements would help make midday lunch distribution smoother, said Adi Syama, the 36-year-old Krishna member who organized the fundraising website.

Syama said Krishna currently has between 10 and 15 small carts for lunch. Its older, in-use carts come from decommissioned airlines and are modified to be wider to fit Krishna’s growing lunchtime menu options.

“Those carts are not meant to be ridden on the hard concrete floors but more meant for the soft carpet of the airplane aisle,” he said. “It makes them go out much faster.” Syama said he always thought their carts could be more efficient, and as he brainstormed ideas, he thought having bigger electrical carts would be more effective than smaller airline carts.

However, in order to suit Krishna’s deliveries, the carts would need to be custom-made, with an estimated total price of $7,500.

In addition to its carts, Krishna is also looking to upgrade its truck. Syama used to be a mechanic, and he said he noticed some issues with the current truck, like the reverse gear taking too long to engage. Krishna’s

truck is used to bring food from the off-campus Krishna House to Plaza for lunches, a distance of a little over half a mile.

Krishna’s online donation page currently has a goal of $30,000. As of Jan. 19, $710 had been raised.

Krishna’s meals are always offered for free, Syama said, but donations are important to help pay for even just the food used in meals. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, donation inflow slowed, he said.

“We are donation-based, but at the same time, we have to buy all the produce,” Syama said. “We have a saying that Krishna Lunch doesn’t grow on trees.”

In Spring 2025, Krishna disclosed that it

lost $89,000 in the prior two years. Donations are essential to cover insurance and food costs. UF encouraged Krishna to clarify its meals were free, and donations were encouraged but not required.

On top of providing meals for those who need them, Krishna values quality meals, he said.

“If you go to any other place, your beans or chickpeas, they’ll come in cans,” Syama said. “We buy them dry; we spend extra time cooking them.”

With the costs of produce already in the picture, he said, the online fundraiser was initiated to help with the high costs for the new truck and carts.

“It’s been a bit of a slow start, but we’re hopeful,” Syama said.

Krishna in the community

Kenneth Solomon, a 67-year-old who has been involved with Krishna since 2006, describes the atmosphere as vibrant, joyful and full of youthful energy.

“It’s quite a feat to prepare and serve that many meals,” Solomon said. “People are very cooperative and like what they’re doing.”

Solomon not only volunteered with Krishna but also ate food from the lunch carts during his time as an employee at Smathers Library.

“I was right there, and I would go to Krishna Lunch multiple times per week,” he said.

Solomon retired from UF in 2021, but he’s still an active member working with Krishna, crafting meal menus and making them more cost effective.

Sofia Tarno, a 21-year-old UF political science junior, said she gets her lunch from Krishna every once in a while, but she feels tempted to stop by more often than she already does.

“They always smell so good, and I feel like the environment is so nice here,” Tarno said.

Krishna provides for a variety of people, she said, which helps build community on campus between all backgrounds. She added services bring people together, because it isn’t meant for one certain demographic, but to help everyone.

“My mom is an alum from UF, and even she remembers Krishna,” Tarno said. “It’s something that I feel like is essential to school.”

@leo_amasangkay lmasangkay@alligator.org

Graduate nursing degrees aren’t considered ‘professional.’ How are Florida nurses reacting?

THE ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT’ SET LOWER LOAN LIMITS FOR NURSES THAN OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS,

STARTING JULY

By Cameron Countryman Alligator Staff Writer

In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Education made a list of graduate programs it considered “professional degrees.” Some nurses were outraged to see nursing programs weren’t on the list.

The classification change came as part of a larger crackdown on federal graduate student loans baked into President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” The loan limits will go into effect July 1.

Students from professional degree programs — including medicine, dentistry and law — will be able to take out $200,000 in federal loans. Nonprofessional graduate degrees, such as nursing, are limited to $100,000 in federal loans.

Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs won’t be affected by the loan limits.

The Department of Education defended its decision in a “Myth vs. Fact” press release, where it wrote the definition of professional degrees is an internal classification, not a “value judgement about the importance of programs.”

Now, nurses across the country are protesting what they view as a devaluing of their profession. The protest spread to the UF Health community, where the Florida Association of Nurse Practitioners leads the resistance.

Four members from FLANP held up signs reading “Don’t pissoff the nurses!” and “Devalue Nursing → Endanger Patients” at a protest Jan. 3 outside UF Health on Archer Road. The signs had the phrase “Nurses are watching” written on the bottom.

Rosemarie Latham, the FLANP government affairs chair, said the rally was meant to keep the classification of nursing degrees and the changes to loan limits in the news.

“The purpose is always to keep this in the forefront of people’s minds and knowledge,” Latham said. “A lot of times people don’t even think of or worry about something such as this until it affects them.”

UF Health and the UF College of Nursing did not respond to requests for comment for this story after multiple emails and phone calls over the course of two weeks.

The Department of Education said graduate nursing programs are expected to respond to the loan caps by lowering their program costs. That way, nurses won’t be left with more student loan debt than they can pay.

The new caps won’t affect 95% of nursing students, wrote Ellen Keast, the press secretary for higher education at the Department of Education, in an email statement to The Alligator Jan. 6. Most of them already borrow below the annual loan limit, the Department of Education said. The department also emphasized the change won’t affect bachelor’s or

associate’s programs, saying eight in 10 nurses in the workforce don’t have a graduate degree.

Of the 1,500 nursing students enrolled at UF, 410 — or a little over one in four — are working on either advanced graduate or nursing doctorate degrees as of the Spring 2026 semester. Of those pursuing bachelor’s degrees, about 80% attend graduate school within three years of completing their BSN degrees, according to a Fall 2025 press release.

Under the new act, students who are already enrolled in graduate programs can continue under the current loan limits for up to three academic years.

Madeleine Chewning, the Region 2 director of FLANP and a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, said she’s disturbed by the proposed act.

“What I foresee happening is that it’s going to make grad school less accessible to people who are not elitists,” Chewning said.

Chewning said she thinks the loan limits will prevent members of the middle and lower classes

from earning high-level degrees, which would then prevent them from moving to higher positions in their careers.

Clovis Monkhorst, a 20-yearold UF nursing junior, said she plans to attend graduate school to do psychiatric nursing. Monkhorst said she’s uncertain about how she will pay for it if her tuition is more than the loan limit.

Monkhorst still plans to attend graduate school, but it may be further into the future than she initially planned, she said. Depending on tuition costs, she might have to go to a less-desired school.

“From talking to a lot of the nursing students in my classes and stuff, almost every single person I’ve talked to wants to either go straight into CRNA school or a graduate-level program,” Monkhorst said. “I haven’t really talked to anyone that was maybe satisfied with just a bachelor’s.”

@cpcountryman ccountryman@alligator.org

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026

www.alligator.org/section/the-avenue

Gainesville metal band Sandcrawler seeks to ‘snuff out the vermin’ on new EP

POLITICALLY CHARGED “UNSAFEHOUSE” DEFINES THE LOCAL METAL BAND’S SOUND

By Isabel Kraby Avenue Staff Writer

Sandcrawler’s latest release is more than a five-track compilation of heavy riffs and gruff vocalism. It’s a call to action.

“Unsafehouse,” the Gainesville metal band’s latest EP released Jan. 9, finds the band locking in its sound. But more importantly, it voices the band’s grievances toward the state of the country — and pleads for others to take a stand.

“‘Put up a fight, don’t stand aside,’” said Will Williams, the 33-year-old vocalist and songwriter, repeating the lines in the record’s opening verse. “If you do, you’re writing your death warrant.”

Williams said he wrote the EP out of a place of aggression, and his lyricism largely targets what he describes as injustices caused by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The new release also explores issues like class injustice and the rise of fascism.

Similarly to “Amongst the Rats,” the band’s first EP released in November 2024, “Unsafehouse” features more theatrical themes, too.

“Burden,” a song from the debut record,

NIGHTLIFE

is about “The Lord of the Rings.” The new EP references the film “The Crow” and explores the Greek legend of the River Styx. After all, 35-year-old drummer Jeremy McGuire said the band members are nerds, as evidenced by their “Star Wars”-inspired name.

While several tracks may be based on movies or mythology, the themes align with the perspectives and opinions of the band, McGuire said.

For “Unsafehouse,” the band returned to Gainesville’s Studio Nublar to work with 41-year-old audio engineer Chris Chaires, who has operated the in-house recording studio for over 20 years.

Chaires, who engineered, mixed and mastered both the band’s EPs — and plays in The Mermers with Sandcrawler bassist Tony Farah — said the band’s work ethic separates it from other groups he’s come across.

The band members arrive at the studio prepared, with song tempos mapped out and the energy to record take after take until they get it right. Chaires recalled one session where guitarist Rob Paradise recorded his parts for eight hours straight.

“They want to get stuff done, and they want to do it right, and they want to do it well,” Chaires said. “I think that reflects in the music. You can hear the workmanship.”

Because the band records perfect takes, its music requires little editing and postproduction, he added. That means the final prod-

uct captures Sandcrawler’s live and natural sound. McGuire uses his own unique curation of cymbals in the studio, and the guitarists play on classic, heavy amps as they would on stage.

Having worked with Sandcrawler on “Amongst the Rats,” Chaires said “Unsafehouse” presents a new dynamic. On the EP’s last track, “Corvid,” there is a notable contrast between the band’s characteristic growly vocals and heavy riffs and a new, stripped-

down acoustic style, with vocals Chaires described as “anguishy.”

Though Williams’s lyricism is hard-hitting and addresses serious themes, Chaires added he’s a real softy off the mic.

“He sounds so gruff and so intimidating on the record, but he’s actually such a funny, sweet teddy bear,” Chaires said. “In between takes, he’s just doing all sorts of silly voices and doing bird calls and telling little jokes.”

Though the band likes to goof off in the studio, Chaires said, it’s obvious all the members are seasoned musicians, and on “Unsafehouse,” they leaned into maturity and solidified their style.

McGuire has been with the band since it began as an instrumental duo, and he said the group is emerging at a peak time for local hardcore music. Sandcrawler is already working on new music and trying to take advantage of the scene’s resurgence.

That scene, he added, is crucial for bands like Sandcrawler to creatively express their disgust with the world around them.

“I feel very grateful that the band has given us, as people, a platform to talk about these things, and I hopefully think that it empowers other people to talk about them,” he said. “Because unfortunately, silence only benefits the oppressor.”

@isabelgkraby ikraby@alligator.org

Life behind bars: Meet the Gainesville mixologists serving your drinks

TAKE A LOOK AT THE LIVES OF VARIOUS LOCAL

BARTENDERS

By Christopher Rodriguez Avenue Staff Writer

Growing up, I used to find the idea of a pet Whether it’s consoling a customer’s sorrows or fueling a wild night out, bartenders witness Gainesville at its rowdiest — and help keep the chaos alive. These late-working mixologists form the backbone of Gainesville’s nightlife scene and are silent recordkeepers of the effects of alcohol. A night might feel erased by spirits — but the bartender remembers.

Francesca Nelsas, a 19-year-old UF history sophomore, started bartending in the summer of 2025. She worked for MacDinton’s Irish Pub before moving to White Buffalo and The Range, where she works currently.

Nelsas is no stranger to crazy

experiences working in nightlife. She recounted an experience she had following the Fall semester’s home football game against Florida State University.

“This one guy just kept coming back to me for every little thing,” she said. “[He] wouldn’t order from anybody else, even when I was swamped with a lot of other people in my area, and then he just started saying, ‘You’re beautiful.’”

The student from FSU continued to compliment Nelsas and get progressively more drunk, and he would only accept drinks she made. He even concluded at one point in the night that Nelsas was too pretty to go to UF and insisted she show him her student ID.

After being cut off, the student approached Nelsas for a final shot at love.

“He started whispering, and then he grabbed the back of my head, and he was just like, ‘You’re so beautiful. I need you in my life. Why are you here, not in FSU?’”

Security promptly escorted him out.

While Nelsas affirmed that stories like these aren’t common, especially now that she works at White Buffalo, they’ve happened enough to build a thick skin.

“I’m desensitized to it,” she said. “Honestly, I just find it fun. I just like to joke around, and I know for a fact you’re not going to remember me the next morning, so I really have no care for it.”

Dealing with unruly customers can be a challenge, and Nelsas noted that as a female bartender, she is often taken less seriously, especially when it comes to cutting customers off.

“They fight back a lot, actually,” she said. “They always say, ‘Why is a girl telling me what to do?’”

Making tasty cocktails isn’t the only passion of these late-night workers, however. Before the bars open, Nelsas and Michelle Ucelo, a 20-year-old business management junior and bartender at the Midtown nightclub Grove, pursue degrees at UF.

Finding a balance between maintaining academic performance and working a job with shifts stretching all the way to 3 a.m. can be challenging, but there are ways to make it easier.

In Ucelo’s case, she tries to schedule her classes no earlier than noon, giving a comfortable amount of wiggle room to accommodate the late nights. Unfortunately, not every student is this fortunate, Ucelo said.

“One of my coworkers, she’s a grad student, and she has her 8 a.m.s, and I don’t know how she does it,” Ucelo said. “They somehow do it — could not be me.”

But through all kinds of weather, these Gator bartenders stick together. Even after the shift ends, there’s still a strong sense of community among bartenders. Ucelo and her coworkers often spend time together off the clock, and even if it’s with someone from a different bar, there’s a sense of mutual respect among them.

Gainesville’s bartenders can also serve as emotional support for their customers.

Evan Berben, the 36-year-old general manager and bartender at Gainesville bars Cry Baby’s and Baby J’s, has likened the role of a bartender to that of a therapist. Customers come in and relay their struggles, whether it’s a recent divorce or a lack of paternal love. Berben said serving such a wide array of clients over his 15 years of bartending opened his eyes to new perspectives and made him more sympathetic.

“The nice thing about being in the service industry and growing is changing your perspective and realizing you don’t know everything,” he said. “You don’t know what everybody is going through.”

@ChrisRodri29386 crodriguez@alligator.org

“I love my co-workers, genuinely. They’re like my family,” Ucelo said. “It is the best workplace ever.”

El Caimán

MARTES, 20 DE ENERO DE 2026

www.alligator.org/section/spanish

'Una batalla cuesta arriba’: Bufetes de abogados de inmigración de la Florida reportan mayor demanda

EL CONDADO DE ALACHUA SE VE GRAVEMENTE AFECTADO POR EL AUMENTO DE ARRESTOS POR PARTE DE ICE BAJO LA ADMINISTRACIÓN TRUMP

Por Angelique Rodriguez

Escritora de El Caiman

La política nacional de inmigración bajo la administración Trump ha dejado a los bufetes de abogados de la Florida sobrecargados y desbordados, incluso en el condado de Alachua. De mayo a octubre del año pasado, agentes del Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas en la Florida arrestaron a más de 14.000 personas, un aumento de 5.000 con respecto a los primeros cinco meses de 2025. El gobernador de la Florida, Ron DeSantis, se jactó de la iniciativa en su discurso del Estado del Estado el martes, afirmando que "nuestra gente estaba más segura" gracias a la colaboración de ICE con funcionarios

estatales y locales.

Sasha Vásquez, del bufete Vásquez Law Firm en Orlando, afirmó que el aumento en la aplicación de la ley migratoria ha provocado un aumento en los casos para su bufete.

Diariamente, afirmó, se reciben muchas más llamadas sobre personas detenidas que antes de la entrada en vigor de las políticas migratorias de la administración Trump. El aumento es mayor que cualquier otro que haya visto antes y prevé que la demanda siga creciendo.

Afirmó que los abogados de inmigración están en desventaja, ya que trabajar dentro del sistema legal ya es un desafío, y el aumento de casos lo agrava.

“Nos toca la peor parte”, dijo Vásquez. “A menudo nos encontramos en una situación muy difícil”.

La realidad, añadió, es que a veces los abogados de inmigración no pueden ayudar a los clientes que lo necesitan. Las organizaciones sin fines de lucro que ayudarían a los clientes también están sobrecargadas de trabajo, han perdido fondos y enfrentan nuevas restricciones a diario, añadió Vásquez.

“La comunidad de abogados de inmigración está cansada”,

dijo. “Trabajamos constantemente e intentamos encontrar maneras de ayudar a nuestros clientes”.

Muchas ciudades y universidades de la Florida han firmado acuerdos 287(g), que permiten a los agentes locales del orden actuar como agentes de ICE. Las detenciones de presuntos inmigrantes indocumentados han aumentado en los últimos seis meses, según la abogada de inmigración María Batres, de James Immigration Law en Gainesville.

Aproximadamente uno de cada ocho residentes del condado de Alachua nació en el extranjero, una proporción que ha aumentado lentamente en los últimos años. El condado vio aumentar los arrestos por parte del ICE el año pasado, con registros carcelarios que muestran que casi 30 personas fueron arrestadas en agosto de 2025.

Lea el resto en línea en alligator.org/section/spanish. @angeliquesrod arodriguez@alligator.org

‘An uphill battle’: Florida immigration law firms report increased demand

ALACHUA COUNTY IS HIT HARD AS ICE ARRESTS TICK UPWARD UNDER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

By Angelique Rodriguez Alligator Staff Writer

National immigration policy under the Trump administration has left Florida law firms overloaded and overwhelmed — including in Alachua County.

From May to October of last year, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Florida arrested over 14,000 people, an increase of 5,000 from the first five months of

Opinions

2025. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis boasted about the initiative in his State of the State address Jan. 13, saying “our people were safer” because of ICE’s partnerships with state and local officials.

Sasha Vasquez, who works with Vasquez Law Firm in Orlando, said the increase in immigration enforcement has led to an increase in cases for his firm.

On a daily basis, he said, there are many more calls about people being detained than before the Trump administration’s immigration legislation was put into effect. The increase is greater than anything he’s seen before, and he expects demand to continue to grow.

He said immigration lawyers are at a disadvantage, as working within the legal

What does Gainesville look like through an exchange student’s eyes? Read more on pg. 8.

system is already challenging, and the rise in cases amplifies that.

“We have the short end of the stick,” Vasquez said. “We’re often fighting an uphill battle.”

The fact of the matter, he said, is sometimes immigration lawyers can’t help clients in need. Nonprofit organizations who would help clients are also overworked, have lost funding and face new restrictions every day, Vasquez said.

“The immigration attorney community is tired,” he said. “We’re constantly working and trying to figure out ways to help our clients.”

Many towns and universities in Florida have entered 287(g) agreements, which

Síganos para actualizaciones

allow local law enforcement officers to act as ICE agents. Detentions of suspected undocumented immigrants have increased over the past six months, according to immigration attorney Maria Batres with James Immigration Law in Gainesville.

About one in eight Alachua County residents are foreign-born, a ratio that’s increased slowly over the past few years. The county saw ICE arrests grow last year, with booking records showing nearly 30 people arrested in August 2025.

Read the rest online at alligator.org. @angeliquesrod arodriguez@alligator.org

Para obtener actualizaciones de El Caimán, síganos en línea en www.alligator.org/section/spanish.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2026

www.alligator.org/section/opinions

Introducing ‘Shaine in Spain’: Spring in Madrid through the eyes of a UF exchange student

I’ve previously been an editor and reporter for The Alligator, but this semester I will take on a different role: a columnist.

While I sadly won’t be able to attend Alligator Sunday print nights or editors meetings twice a week, I will still be on staff — just halfway across the world.

For as long as I can remember, I have always wanted to study abroad in college. Through UF’s study abroad exchange program, I am finally fulfilling that dream.

I will be living in Madrid for the Spring semester and attending classes at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. On the night of Jan. 21, I’ll board a seven-hour flight from my hometown, Philadelphia (go Birds), to Madrid, knowing almost no one and not feeling the least bit confident in my Spanish-speaking skills.

want to see. From Barcelona to Toledo, and even as far south as Seville and Granada, I hope to travel extensively within Spain.

While all of my friends and my Alligator family are back in Gainesville, I’m still at home preparing for what’s ahead, including packing for the weather. Since coming to school in Florida, I haven’t experienced a chilly winter in over three years. I’m physically — and mentally — preparing for the 40-degree weather with my puffy parka.

Though my travel plans aren’t concrete yet, I do have a long bucket list of places I

Beyond Spain, I plan to visit Portugal, France, Germany, Switzerland and, if I’m lucky enough, Ireland for St. Patrick’s Day. Despite being more accustomed to the Gainesville warmth, I look forward to spending some time in the colder regions, including Scandinavia and Western Europe. And as the weather heats up toward the end of my time abroad, I want to visit places like Italy, Greece and Croatia.

Regardless of where I end up traveling, my main goals remain the same: learn new cultures, meet new people and see new places. And, of course, learn new material through a mix of journalism, history and economics classes at an entirely different institution.

opinions@alligator.org

For those of you planning to follow, I’m excited to take you along with me.

@shaine_in_spain sdavison@alligator.org

Introducing ‘Evelyn Goes Gator’: What does Gainesville look like to an Irish exchange student?

Hello, I’m Evelyn.

I’m a junior exchange student from Trinity College Dublin in Ireland. I arrived in Gainesville a few days ago, and I’ll be writing a recurring column about what the move feels like, from culture shock and logistics to the small stuff people don’t warn you about. Why UF? I wanted to study at a U.S. university with its own culture and actually see what a “big American college” feels like in real life, not just online. I moved out of my family home three years ago to attend university, and I’ve worked summers abroad in Europe, so I’m used to landing somewhere I don’t know anyone. But this is different. It’s not just a new city. It’s a new country, a new campus culture and a daily routine I can’t properly picture yet.

Right now, I’m writing this with

my suitcase open on the floor, halfunpacked as I pull things out for class and then shove them back in again. I have a checklist that I keep “finishing” and then adding three more things to. I’ve read the same emails too many times, doublechecked the same documents and convinced myself I’ve forgotten something essential, even though I can’t name what it is.

All of this nervous energy has to go somewhere, and it’s made me hyper-aware of what’s different around me, specifically culturally. My initial surprise was the scale. UF isn’t a campus you casually pass through. It feels like its own city, with buses, campus police, gyms the size of sports centres and buildings that look like they could have their own weather system. Back home, the university sits inside the

city. Here, the university basically is the city.

The next thing I noticed is how quickly people talk to you like they already know you. Someone will ask, “How are you?” and actually wait for the answer. I got called “ma’am” on my first day, which made me feel oddly respected and about 40 years older at the same time. I’m still getting used to how constant the friendliness is. Not in a bad way, just in a “my brain needs a second to catch up” way.

The temperature situation is its own adjustment. Outside is warm and inside is freezing. I did not expect to need a jumper in Florida, but apparently this is normal for winters here.

I also didn’t realize how much life is built around driving until I tried to do something basic like walk

somewhere. Distances that look fine on a map suddenly aren’t, and some roads feel like they weren’t designed with pedestrians in mind. At home, walking is just part of the day. Here, it can feel like something you need to plan.

Even the classroom culture feels different. People speak up easily, even when they’re still forming the thought as they say it. In Ireland, you’d rather stay silent than risk sounding wrong. In Gainesville, getting it half-right out loud seems to be part of the process.

And I’ve become “the Irish one” faster than I expected. My accent does most of my introduction for me. It’s strange going from being completely normal at home to being a conversation starter everywhere I go.

So I’m starting this column here,

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Alligator.

Evelyn O’Carroll opinions@alligator.org

after just arriving and before I have confident opinions. I want to write about the practical reality of moving: how you actually settle in, what feels unexpectedly easy, what’s harder than you thought and what you miss in ways you didn’t anticipate. If you’re already at UF, you’ll probably recognise a lot of it. If you’ve ever been new somewhere, you definitely will.

@evelynocarroll

eocarroll@alligator.org

The Alligator encourages comments from readers. Letters to the editor should not exceed 600 words (about one letter-sized page). They must be typed, double-spaced and must include the author’s name, classification and phone number. Names will be withheld if the writer shows just cause. We reserve the right to edit for length, grammar, style and libel. Send letters to opinions@alligator.org, bring them to 2700 SW 13th St., or send them to P.O. Box 14257, Gainesville, FL 32604-2257.Columns of about 450 words about original topics and editorial cartoons are also welcome. Questions? Call 352-376-4458.

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Sports Quiz

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MEN'S BASKETBALL

Florida’s upset at Vanderbilt adds to list of top-10 road wins under Todd Golden

FLORIDA IS NOW 4-6 UNDER GOLDEN IN ROAD GAMES AGAINST TOP-10 OPPONENTS

By Jeffrey Serber Sports Writer

Florida men’s basketball is coming off one of its biggest wins of the season in the midst of a four-game winning streak.

On Jan. 17, No. 19 Florida (13-5, 4-1 SEC) defeated No. 10 Vanderbilt (16-2, 3-2 SEC) 98-94 in Nashville, Tennessee. The Gators pulled off the victory as a result of 20-point efforts from Xaivian Lee, whose 3-pointer gave Florida the lead with under a minute left, and Rueben Chinyelu, who grabbed his 10th double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds.

“This is a huge win for our program,” said head coach Todd Golden. “It makes me even more proud of our group being able to come in here and find a way to win in a great environment. We showed a lot of grit and toughness today.”

The Gators are now 4-6 in road games against top-10 ranked opponents under Golden. While this record may not seem noteworthy, Florida held a 5-62 record in these games before Golden’s arrival.

Here’s a look back at the three other instances Golden led Florida to a road victory against a top-10 opponent.

No. 1 Auburn, Feb. 8, 2025:

No. 6 Florida went to Auburn looking to grab its first win on the road against a No. 1 team. While the Gators beat No. 1 Tennessee at home 73-43 a month prior, this test was different. Florida came into the game having lost three of its last four games in Neville Arena and with injuries to its frontcourt.

Walter Clayton Jr. was absent from the game prior to Auburn with an ankle sprain. Additionally, second-leading scorer Alijah Martin was scratched 30 minutes before tipoff due to a hip pointer.

Nonetheless, Clayton — as he did numerous times throughout the Gators’ national championship run — showed up when the team needed him. He finished the contest with a team-high 19 points, playing all 40 minutes of the game. He also recorded four 3-pointers and a career-high nine assists.

"He looked great," Golden said. "I warned him at that point, 'Dude, there's a good chance you play 40 [minutes].' He was like, 'I got it.' The rest is history."

Fueled by Clayton’s efforts, Florida (20-3, 7-3 SEC) defeated No. 1 Auburn (21-2, 9-1 SEC) 90-81. Florida’s offense put on a clinic, shooting 48% from the field and converting 13 3-pointers, helping the team to a 21-point lead in the second half before the Tigers crawled back.

Alex Condon provided Florida with a double-double. The then-sophomore logged 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and 10 rebounds. His dunk with 12:31 left in the second half gave the Gators a 70-53 lead.

Off the bench, Thomas Haugh put up 16 points and nine rebounds on 4-of-10 shooting. He also had a team-high three blocks, all of which came in the second half. His sole 3-pointer in the contest put Florida up 47-38 with 16 seconds before the half.

"That's just the kind of player I am," Haugh said. "It takes grit. Sometimes you got to just go do those things."

As a result, Florida handed Auburn its second home loss in 26 games over the last two seasons, and the Gators moved up to the No. 3 spot in the AP Top 25 poll. The Gators would get the last laugh later in the season when they tamed the Tigers in the Final Four.

No. 7 Alabama, March 5, 2025:

The No. 5 Gators headed to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for a primetime matchup in their last regular-season away game of the 2024-25 campaign. Florida entered the contest winless in its last three trips to Coleman Coliseum. Moreover, two games prior,

Florida was upset on the road against Georgia, 88-83. Alabama entered the contest as the highest-scoring and fastest team in the nation, but it was slowed by the physical Gators, led by Condon.

The Aussie made his return to the court and first start after spraining his ankle Feb. 11, 2025, against No. 22 Mississippi State. He finished the game with a career performance, logging 27 points on 9-of-16 shooting and 10 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the season.

“The first little section that I played, I was just getting my feet back under me, getting used to starting again," Condon said. "Credit to our guys. They did a great job of getting me in the right spots tonight."

With 4:47 left in the contest, Condon received a lob from Clayton and dunked over Alabama’s Clifford Omoruyi to give UF an 82-71 advantage.

Clayton recorded 22 points on the night, going 8-for-20 from the field. He also had a team-high eight assists in 36 minutes of action. His free throw with four seconds left sealed the 99-94 victory for Florida (26-4, 13-4 SEC) over Alabama (23-7, 12-5 SEC).

Martin and Haugh were the two other Gators to put up double-digit points. Martin had 10 points and five rebounds, while Haugh led the bench with 12 points on 3-of-5 shooting, including two 3-pointers.

This win marked the first time in program history that the Gators had multiple top-10 road wins in the same season. After winning its following game against Ole Miss 90-71, UF moved up one spot to No. 4 in the AP poll.

No. 10 Kentucky, Jan. 31, 2024:

An unranked Florida came into the game against SEC rival

Kentucky riding a three-game win streak, looking to make a push for the NCAA Tournament.

A then-junior, Clayton led the Gators with 23 points on 7-of13 shooting from beyond the arc. With five seconds left in the second half, he drilled a 3-pointer to send the game into overtime.

“Me and the guys been saying all year, ‘It’s us versus us,’ so we know what we are capable of, and tonight, we came out and showed that,” Clayton said.

After 15 ties and 29 lead changes, Florida (15-6, 5-3 SEC) defeated No. 10 Kentucky (15-5, 5-3 SEC) 94-91 in overtime. UF ended a five-game losing streak to the Wildcats and grabbed its first road win against a top-10 opponent since 2003 at No. 7 Mississippi State.

Graduate transfers Tyrese Samuel and Zyon Pullin also had 20-point efforts for the Gators.

Samuel logged 22 points on 9-of-21 shooting and 13 rebounds en route to his ninth double-double of the season. He also had a team-high four blocks. He opened the scoring for the Gators in overtime with a jumper.

Pullin, who led the team with 41 minutes of action, recorded 21 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He had seven rebounds in addition to a team-leading seven assists and two steals. He provided the assist for Clayton’s 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime.

With this win, Golden grabbed his first top-10 road win as Florida’s head coach; however, the Gators did not make the next AP poll as a result of losing their next outing 67-66 at Texas A&M.

@JeffreySerber Jserber@alligator.org

us for updates

updates on UF athletics, follow us on Twitter at @alligatorSports or online at www.alligator.org/section/sports.

Assessing Florida’s offensive strengths and weaknesses after the transfer portal cycle

QUARTERBACK

POSITION AMONG UF’S QUESTION MARKS

By Curan Ahern & Max Bernstein Sports Writer

On Jan. 2, the doors to the collegiate transfer portal burst open. Programs and athletes found themselves with two full weeks — until Jan. 16 — to make changes they felt could bring them one step closer to producing a championship-caliber unit.

For some schools, the portal brought in a slew of roster-bolstering talents vying for a fresh start. For others, the two-week window was filled with question marks as teams’ top athletes were forced to make difficult personal decisions about their futures and were often poached by rival schools.

In 2026, the Gators lost 34 players to the portal but picked more than 20 new additions in hopes of strengthening their roster under first-year Florida head coach Jon Sumrall.

Fueled by new additions and stunning commitment flips, the transfer portal in today’s era of Name, Image and Likeness payments has created a college sports world where programs increasingly rely on the transfer portal to make or break their dreams of a National Championship run.

After another busy fortnight that saw changes in loyalty, commitment flips and legacy players deciding to stay home, here’s how Florida football’s offense stacks up after the transfer portal cycle.

Strengths

Wide receivers:

Arguably, no part of Florida’s overall roster has a better combination of skill and depth than its wide receivers room. Leading the way are Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson, who showed flashes of excellence in their freshman seasons.

Brown, a Freshman All-SEC selection, paced the Gators with 40 catches and 512 receiving yards. Among freshman wideouts who saw at least 20% of their team’s targets, Brown nationally ranked sixth in receptions, 13th in receiving yards and fifth in yards after catch (277).

Meanwhile, Wilson, who was limited to only four games due to injury, showcased his dominance in UF’s victory over Texas Oct. 4. In that game, he grabbed six passes for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, his 6.8 yards after catch per reception ranked tied for 11th among freshman wideouts who saw at least 20 targets, placing him just behind Brown (6.9).

With the departures of Eugene Wilson III, Naeshaun Montgomery and Tank Hawkins to the transfer portal, Sumrall and his staff heavily prioritized the receiver position in the portal. Then, on Jan. 10, the Gators landed a big fish: Eric Singleton Jr., the No. 40 overall player and No. 7 wideout in the portal, per On3’s rankings.

Singleton spent the first two years of his collegiate career at Georgia Tech under the coaching of new UF offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner and inside wide receivers coach Trent McKnight. Over 2023 and 2024, Singleton had a combined 104 receptions for

1,468 yards and nine touchdowns.

He transferred to Auburn for the 2025 season, where he recorded 58 receptions but only totaled 534 receiving yards. In his lone season with the Tigers, 78.8% of his targets were either behind the line of scrimmage or between zero and nine yards. He had never exceeded the 50% threshold in either of his seasons with the Yellow Jackets.

Behind Brown, Wilson and Singleton, the Gators have numerous options who could factor into the receiver rotation.

Georgia Tech transfer Bailey Stockton has experience in Faulkner’s system, while Oklahoma State transfer Jaylen Lloyd and Wake Forest transfer Micah Mays Jr. both have unique skills. Also, rising sophomore TJ Abrams and incoming freshmen Davian Groce and Marquez Daniel were all highly touted recruits with plenty of potential.

Running backs:

Leading not only the running back room but UF’s offense as a whole, Jadan Baugh is expected to be one of the nation’s top ball carriers in 2026.

In 2025, the rising junior finished third in the Southeastern Conference and 18th in the country with 1,168 rushing yards. He also tied for eighth in the nation with 65 missed tackles forced, and he was one of five runners to record over 1,000 yards without fumbling.

Overall, Baugh’s 87.7 Pro Football Focus grade rated him as the best Gator player in the 2025 season among those who appeared in at least four games.

Behind Baugh, Florida saw plenty of turnover in the running backs room as KD Daniels, Ja’Kobi Jackson, Treyaun Webb and Chad Gasper Jr. all entered the transfer portal. However, two talented backs and a crucial retention are set to compete for carries under new running backs coach Chris Foster.

Cincinnati transfer Evan Pryor and East Carolina transfer London Montgomery had nearly identical overall PFF grades in 2025, but their playstyles are unique.

Pryor, who posted a 73.8 PFF grade, is a tough runner who thrives after contact. He averaged 4.20 yards after contact per rushing attempt, which ranked 31st in the nation. He is also an efficient back, as his 6.9 yards per attempt was tied for 18th among qualified runners in 2025.

Meanwhile, Montgomery, who earned a 73.3 PFF grade last season, has plenty of experience in a zone-concept scheme, the preferred scheme for Foster. His 110 zoneconcept carries were tied for 32nd in the nation in 2025.

portal Dec. 16 after a disappointing 2025 season. He officially committed to Baylor Jan. 18.

With Lagway out of the picture, the battle for Florida’s starting spot looks to be a two-man race, with both players having certain advantages over the other.

Rising redshirt freshman Tramell Jones Jr. served as Lagway’s primary backup in 2025 and made two appearances. He completed 60% of his passes for 191 yards and two touchdowns over four quarters of play against Long Island and Kentucky.

Jones’ completion percentage was hit negatively by five drops from the UF receiving core. Without those drops, his 78.8% adjusted completion rate ranked third among true freshman quarterbacks who had at least 40 dropbacks.

DUSTY

The Jacksonville native has also built rapport with Florida’s weapons through plenty of practice time. That could give the 6-foot QB a leg up in the competition.

While Pryor and Montgomery bring plenty of experience to the running back room, Duke Clark showed flashes when given opportunities during his debut season. The Tampa native averaged 2.67 yards after contact per rushing attempt.

Weaknesses

Quarterbacks:

The biggest question surrounding Jon Sumrall’s team in 2026 is who will be under center.

DJ Lagway, who many expected to be the Gators’ long-term starting quarterback, entered the transfer

Georgia Tech transfer Aaron Philo is expected to compete with Jones for the starting job. Over the past two seasons, Philo has been coached by Faulkner and has been developed as a future high-level starter.

Now, the Bogart, Georgia, native follows his offensive coordinator to Gainesville, where he will immediately have a chance at earning the first-team position.

Read the rest online at alligator.org/section/sports

@CuranAhern cahern@alligator.org @maxbernstein23 mbernstein@alligator.org

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