What changed

Florida's Patrick Durkin is Not a Regular Kicker. Here's Why

Updated Sep 9 · 3:00 PM EDT · via Sports Illustrated

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Florida Gators

Team deskFlorida GatorsFull report and sources below
Coverage2026Season as listed by the desk
Roster entries100Full personnel board below
Report sections8Open any section for the complete evidence

From the report’s saved schedule and roster. Live game status appears in the game widget.

The quick read

What matters now

The big picture

Florida has enough high-end talent to be dangerous, but a difficult SEC schedule leaves little room for a slow start or another season in which roster quality fails to become consistent football.

What is working

Jadan Baugh gives the offense a proven feature back. Myles Graham stabilizes linebacker, while Jayden Woods and LJ McCray give the defensive front legitimate high-end ability. Those are real building blocks, not recruiting-label optimism.

What holds it back

A 4-8 baseline, a first-year staff and unresolved quarterback consistency keep the talent from becoming a trustworthy team identity. The SEC schedule will punish any delay in turning the new systems into clean football.

What to watch next

The early games must show quarterback control and dependable line play before Auburn, Ole Miss and Missouri compress the margin for error.

Gators Desk · Column

Florida Has No Right to Make FAU Interesting

By Nick Cerbone, Editor-In-Chief · Sept 1, 2026

Florida Atlantic is not coming to Gainesville to test Florida.

Florida is supposed to test Florida Atlantic.

That is the entire deal Saturday night.

The Gators are at home. The Swamp is full. The new coach gets his first sprint through the tunnel. The new quarterback gets his first real snap. The roster is loaded with transfers, freshmen, returning stars, and enough offseason optimism to power a small city.

None of it matters if FAU is still breathing in the fourth quarter.

Florida does not need a gutsy win. It does not need a comeback. It does not need a moral victory disguised as "learning how to finish."

It needs to put its foot on FAU's throat and keep it there.

That is the post-camp primer.

Aaron Philo is QB1. He won the job because Jon Sumrall's staff believes he can run the whole operation: protections, checks, alerts, the ugly little details that separate a functioning offense from a quarterback sprinting for his life while the sideline pretends everything is fine.

Good.

Now do it under the lights.

Philo does not need to throw for 400 yards. He does not need to become a legend in Week 1. He needs to get Florida into the right play, protect the football, and make the offense feel like it has an adult in the room. Tramell Jones Jr. may get snaps. Fine. This is not about burying the backup. It is about ending the annual Florida quarterback séance. Pick a guy. Let him operate. Move on. Florida's QB decision

Then there is the talent.

Jadan Baugh. Dallas Wilson. Vernell Brown III. Myles Graham. Jayden Woods.

Florida has players.

That has never been the issue.

The issue has been whether Florida can play normal football for four quarters without turning every Saturday into an avoidable emergency. The Gators have spent too many years making talented teams look fragile. A missed protection becomes a turnover. A bad series becomes a quarter. A manageable game becomes a disaster because somebody forgets how to line up.

That is what Sumrall is here to kill.

He inherited a roster with 58 newcomers: 24 freshmen and 34 transfers. That is not continuity. That is a demolition crew with a playbook. It can become something dangerous. It can also become a team that looks great in August and confused in September. Florida's roster-reset context

The offensive line is the pressure point. Camp reports say the unit improved. Great. Camp reports always say somebody improved. Saturday is where "improved" becomes a clean pocket on third-and-seven, a fourth-quarter drive that bleeds the clock, and a running game that makes FAU quit.

That is the Make-It-Boring Meter.

Run the ball.

Protect Philo.

Force punts.

Create a lead so large the starters can spend the fourth quarter in a hat.

Because Auburn is coming. Ole Miss is coming. The SEC does not care about your August energy or your spring-game clips. It finds the soft spot and keeps hitting it.

FAU is not the test.

But if Florida makes FAU a test, everybody in Gainesville should start worrying.

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Gators Desk · Column

The Next Chapter

By Nick Cerbone, Editor-In-Chief · Sept 5, 2026

Jon Sumrall’s Florida Gators opened the book with a warning.

Sixty-six to twenty-one. FAU never had a chance and never looked like it wanted one. The Swamp got loud. The offense got violent. The first page of the new era already has ink all over it.

Aaron Philo looked comfortable in his first start, completing 16 of 21 for 275 yards and three touchdown passes while adding a rushing score. Jadan Baugh ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries and treated the Owls like a speed bump. Vernell Brown III added 117 receiving yards and a score. Florida scored on its first six possessions and finished with 624 total yards. This was not careful. This was a team that decided the debut should leave a mark.

The defense was a different story. Sumrall did not sugarcoat it. He called the unit “atrocious at times” and said the Gators are not as good as they think they are on that side of the ball. FAU still put up 21 points and moved the ball in stretches. That is the honest read. The offense can light up a non-conference opponent. The defense still has work that will get exposed against real SEC speed.

This was never about Florida Atlantic. It was about whether the new coach, the new quarterback, and a roster still figuring itself out could deliver a clean, loud opening night in The Swamp. They did. Sumrall’s debut produced the most points by a Florida team in a season opener since 1994 and the highest-scoring home debut by a Gators head coach in program history.

None of that solves the schedule that comes next. Ole Miss. Missouri. Texas. Georgia. Oklahoma. The SEC does not grade on offseason vibes or good first impressions. It grades on wins against teams that hit back. Sumrall won the offseason with personality and urgency. Saturday was the first chance to prove the culture talk can survive contact.

Florida has talent. The roster says climb. The last few seasons said prove it. That is still the entire next chapter in one sentence.

FAU was the warm-up. The real tests start when the conference games stop being theoretical. Sumrall’s group just put a loud first result on the board. The offense looked fun and dangerous. The defense still has to catch up. Now the hard part begins: turning one clean night into a season that actually moves the program.

The next chapter is open.

The Swamp is watching.

The SEC is waiting.

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01Team outlookThe complete editorial outlook and game-week context.
FLSportsDesk.com · The Read

The big picture

The latest verified result: Florida beat Florida Atlantic Owls 66-21. Florida has enough high-end talent to be dangerous, but a difficult SEC schedule leaves little room for a slow start or another season in which roster quality fails to become consistent football.

What is working

Jadan Baugh gives the offense a proven feature back. Myles Graham stabilizes linebacker, while Jayden Woods and LJ McCray give the defensive front legitimate high-end ability. Those are real building blocks, not recruiting-label optimism.

What is holding it back

A 4-8 baseline, a first-year staff and unresolved quarterback consistency keep the talent from becoming a trustworthy team identity. The SEC schedule will punish any delay in turning the new systems into clean football.

What changes the read

The early games must show quarterback control and dependable line play before Auburn, Ole Miss and Missouri compress the margin for error.

02Game center + scheduleMatchups, kickoff information and the season ahead.
The road ahead

Schedule

Sat Sep 12 · 5:30 PM ET

vs Campbell Fighting Camels

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Sep 19 · 7:00 PM ET

at Auburn Tigers

Jordan-Hare Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Sep 26 · 12:00 AM ET

vs Ole Miss Rebels

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Oct 3 · 12:00 AM ET

at Missouri Tigers

Memorial Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Oct 10 · 12:00 AM ET

vs South Carolina Gamecocks

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Oct 17 · 12:00 AM ET

at Texas Longhorns

DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Oct 31 · 3:30 PM ET

at Georgia Bulldogs

Mercedes-Benz Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Nov 7 · 12:00 AM ET

vs Oklahoma Sooners

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium · Scheduled

Sat Nov 14 · 12:00 AM ET

at Kentucky Wildcats

Kroger Field · Scheduled

Sat Nov 21 · 12:00 AM ET

vs Vanderbilt Commodores

Ben Hill Griffin Stadium · Scheduled

Fri Nov 27 · 3:30 PM ET

at Florida State Seminoles

Doak Campbell Stadium · Scheduled

03Intelligence + availabilityTeam news, availability and what it changes.
FLSportsDesk.com Intelligence Assessment

The full read

The big picture: The latest verified result: Florida beat Florida Atlantic Owls 66-21. Florida has enough high-end talent to be dangerous, but a difficult SEC schedule leaves little room for a slow start or another season in which roster quality fails to become consistent football.

What is working: Jadan Baugh gives the offense a proven feature back. Myles Graham stabilizes linebacker, while Jayden Woods and LJ McCray give the defensive front legitimate high-end ability. Those are real building blocks, not recruiting-label optimism.

What is holding it back: A 4-8 baseline, a first-year staff and unresolved quarterback consistency keep the talent from becoming a trustworthy team identity. The SEC schedule will punish any delay in turning the new systems into clean football.

What changes the read: The early games must show quarterback control and dependable line play before Auburn, Ole Miss and Missouri compress the margin for error.

How it fits together

The opener against FAU should be a controlled introduction, not a referendum. Auburn, Ole Miss and Missouri arrive in a three-week September stretch, with Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma and the trip to Florida State still behind it. Florida's schedule does not allow a long development runway. Florida recruits against Miami and Florida State for many of the same players, but the SEC also forces a national comparison. The useful measure is not one commitment; it is whether Florida closes enough premium linemen and difference-makers to narrow the gap between recruiting reputation and Saturdays.

04Portal + recruitingThe portal, commitments and roster-building picture.
Shared Florida board

Portal + Recruiting

Florida recruits against Miami and Florida State for many of the same players, but the SEC also forces a national comparison. The useful measure is not one commitment; it is whether Florida closes enough premium linemen and difference-makers to narrow the gap between recruiting reputation and Saturdays.

Every prospect or transfer is stored once with Miami, Florida and Florida State attached as participants. A commitment updates the winner, the programs that missed, the affected position rooms and the statewide homepage.

More reporting (10)
05Roster + depthThe full personnel board and sourced starting units where available.
Actual game starters

First-Team Units

Florida vs. Florida Atlantic · September 5, 2026

Offense 1st team · 11 starters

Pos.#Player
QB12Aaron Philo
RB13Jadan Baugh
WR2Eric Singleton Jr.
WR6Dallas Wilson
TE7Amir Jackson
TE17Lacota Dippre
OG52Harrison Moore
OL53Bryce Lovett
OL66Emeka Ugorji
OL67TJ Shanahan Jr.
OL77Knijeah Harris

Defense 1st team · 11 starters

Pos.#Player
DE0Jayden Woods
DE11LJ McCray
DL90Brendan Bett
DL93DK Kalu
LB5Myles Graham
LB8Aaron Chiles
CB12Ben Hanks III
CB25Cormani McClain
DB20Kanye Clark
S1Bryce Thornton
S33DJ Coleman

First-team units use the actual starters in this game. Personnel reflect the opening formation; positions follow the official record. Reserve depth order is not confirmed here.

Source: Florida official box score, starters.

Roster intelligence

Quality before headcount

Florida's best rooms are easier to identify than its complete identity. Baugh gives the offense a proven feature back, Graham stabilizes linebacker and Woods/McCray supply high-end defensive-front potential. Everything now runs through first-year coach Jon Sumrall and coordinator Buster Faulkner; quarterback consistency and how quickly their systems translate remain the larger unknowns.

Players who shape the read

Core + Breakout Board

Offensive foundation

Jadan Baugh

The 1,170-yard back is Florida's most bankable offensive player and a preseason second-team All-SEC selection.

Defensive compass

Myles Graham

He led Florida with 76 tackles in 2025, added seven tackles for loss and enters 2026 on the Butkus watch list.

Edge upside

Jayden Woods

Freshman All-SEC recognition and a preseason third-team All-SEC selection make him central to the pass-rush ceiling.

Field-position weapon

Vernell Brown III

His preseason All-SEC return recognition gives Florida an explosive-change candidate beyond the standard offensive box score.

Comeback hinge

LJ McCray

The former five-star is on the Comeback Player watch list; health and snap volume matter more than the label.

Active roster snapshot

Official Roster

CB 10 · DB 3 · DL 14 · LB 14 · LS 2 · OL 16 · P 3 · PK 3 · QB 3 · RB 8 · S 6 · TE 8 · WR 10

#PlayerPos.YearSize
4TJ AbramsWRJunior5' 10" · 198 lbs
13Jadan BaughRBJunior6' 1" · 225 lbs
64Eagan BoyerOLJunior6' 8" · 306 lbs
59Corey BrownOLFreshman6' 1" · 295 lbs
1Vernell Brown IIIWRSophomore5' 11" · 178 lbs
89Tripp Brown Jr.TEFreshman6' 5" · 240 lbs
79Chancellor CampbellOLFreshman6' 8" · 318 lbs
61G'Nivre CarrOLFreshman6' 4" · 311 lbs
33Brian CaseRBSophomore6' 0" · 212 lbs
85Evan ChiecaTESenior6' 4" · 253 lbs
51Tyler ChukuyemOLFreshman6' 6" · 300 lbs
82Ace CiongoliWRSophomore5' 10" · 181 lbs
20Duke ClarkRBSophomore6' 2" · 208 lbs
88Marquez DanielWRFreshman6' 5" · 219 lbs
55TJ Dice Jr.OLSophomore6' 3" · 298 lbs
17Lacota DippreTESenior6' 3" · 248 lbs
14Jaden EdgecombeWRSenior5' 8" · 190 lbs
76Mark FairclothOLJunior6' 5" · 312 lbs
78Desmond GreenOLFreshman6' 5" · 321 lbs
11Will GriffinQBFreshman6' 3" · 219 lbs
18Davian GroceWRFreshman6' 2" · 199 lbs
15Luke HarpringTEJunior6' 3" · 237 lbs
77Knijeah HarrisOLSenior6' 3" · 308 lbs
7Amir JacksonTEJunior6' 5" · 232 lbs
22Kahleil JacksonWRSenior6' 3" · 214 lbs
34Kelvin JimenezRBJunior6' 1" · 216 lbs
63Caden JonesOLSenior6' 8" · 319 lbs
84Micah JonesTESophomore6' 4" · 254 lbs
9Tramell Jones Jr.QBSophomore6' 0" · 196 lbs
81Mason JordanWRFreshman5' 9" · 173 lbs
80Jaylen JordonTESenior6' 5" · 247 lbs
71Roderick KearneyOLSenior6' 4" · 303 lbs
86Heze KentTEFreshman6' 6" · 288 lbs
19Jaylen LloydWRSenior5' 10" · 185 lbs
27Byron LouisRBSophomore6' 0" · 195 lbs
53Bryce LovettOLSenior6' 5" · 305 lbs
54Javarii LuckasOLFreshman6' 6" · 313 lbs
5Micah Mays Jr.WRSenior6' 1" · 197 lbs
56Jahari MedlockOLSophomore6' 5" · 309 lbs
24London MontgomeryRBSenior5' 10" · 192 lbs
52Harrison MooreOLJunior6' 4" · 293 lbs
12Aaron PhiloQBJunior6' 1" · 207 lbs
73Daniel Pierre LouisOLSophomore6' 4" · 327 lbs
21Evan PryorRBSenior5' 10" · 189 lbs
25Anthony RubioRBSenior5' 9" · 187 lbs
43Alfonzo Allen Jr.SSenior5' 11" · 196 lbs
22Kofi AsareLBSenior6' 5" · 247 lbs
90Brendan BettDLSenior6' 4" · 319 lbs
15CJ BronaughCBFreshman6' 0" · 183 lbs
36Vincent Brown Jr.CBSenior5' 7" · 168 lbs
17Titus BullardLBJunior6' 4" · 239 lbs
16TJ BullardLBSenior6' 1" · 213 lbs
8Aaron ChilesLBJunior6' 3" · 238 lbs
20Kanye ClarkDBSenior5' 10" · 184 lbs
98Mason ClintonDLSenior6' 5" · 293 lbs
33DJ ColemanSSenior6' 0" · 206 lbs
10Cam DooleySJunior6' 2" · 207 lbs
55Charles Emanuel IIILBJunior6' 3" · 235 lbs
6J'Vari FlowersCBSophomore5' 10" · 189 lbs
14KJ FordLBFreshman6' 4" · 250 lbs
5Myles GrahamLBJunior6' 1" · 228 lbs
40Jayden GrossDLFreshman6' 3" · 246 lbs
94Kendall GuervilDLFreshman6' 5" · 309 lbs
34Kaiden HallSFreshman6' 2" · 210 lbs
12Ben Hanks IIICBSophomore6' 1" · 186 lbs
2Lagonza HaywardSSophomore6' 1" · 207 lbs
21CJ HesterCBFreshman6' 0" · 192 lbs
7Ty JacksonLBSophomore6' 2" · 228 lbs
24Kamran JamesDLSenior6' 6" · 278 lbs
27Dijon JohnsonCBSenior6' 1" · 202 lbs
44Myles JohnsonLBSophomore6' 1" · 232 lbs
23Javier JonesCBJunior6' 1" · 181 lbs
42Matthew KadeLBJunior6' 0" · 223 lbs
93DK KaluDLSenior6' 3" · 309 lbs
56Stive-Bentley Keumajou-YonduiDLFreshman6' 3" · 295 lbs
3Onis KonanbannyCBSophomore6' 0" · 190 lbs
52Dylan LeightonLBSophomore6' 1" · 229 lbs
13Jordy LoweryCBSenior5' 10" · 183 lbs
95Jamari LyonsDLSenior6' 4" · 312 lbs
97Joseph MbatchouDLSophomore6' 5" · 321 lbs
25Cormani McClainCBSenior6' 2" · 181 lbs
91Jeramiah McCloudDLSophomore6' 3" · 294 lbs
96JaReylan McCoyDLFreshman6' 7" · 268 lbs
11LJ McCrayDLJunior6' 6" · 277 lbs
50Malik MorrisLBFreshman6' 0" · 246 lbs
28Elijah OwensDBSophomore6' 2" · 209 lbs
99Emmanuel OyebadejoDLSenior6' 6" · 299 lbs
32Eric ParksSFreshman6' 0" · 193 lbs
30Dylan PurterDBFreshman6' 0" · 184 lbs
29Jaden RobinsonLBSenior6' 0" · 227 lbs
92Sebastian ScottDLSenior6' 2" · 360 lbs
48Erich SeagerLBJunior6' 3" · 233 lbs
54Lincoln AndersonLSFreshman6' 2" · 243 lbs
38Alec ClarkPSenior6' 0" · 186 lbs
91Patrick DurkinPKJunior5' 11" · 189 lbs
47Miller FealyPJunior6' 1" · 208 lbs
48Nicholas InglisPJunior6' 5" · 227 lbs
39Carter MillironLSSenior5' 11" · 236 lbs
41Liam PadronPKJunior5' 9" · 191 lbs
40Brandon RabascoPKJunior6' 4" · 215 lbs
06Standings + rankingsThe division or conference race and national context.
Conference table

Southeastern Conference

Every team begins level. The table becomes explanatory only after results create separation.

TeamProgramOverallConference
ALAAlabama Crimson Tide1-00-0
ARKArkansas Razorbacks1-00-0
AUBAuburn Tigers1-00-0
FLAFlorida Gators1-00-0
UGAGeorgia Bulldogs1-00-0
UKKentucky Wildcats1-00-0
LSULSU Tigers1-00-0
MSSTMississippi State Bulldogs1-00-0
MIZMissouri Tigers1-00-0
OUOklahoma Sooners1-00-0
MISSOle Miss Rebels1-00-0
SCSouth Carolina Gamecocks1-00-0
TENNTennessee Volunteers1-00-0
TEXTexas Longhorns1-00-0
TA&MTexas A&M Aggies1-00-0
VANVanderbilt Commodores1-00-0
07PerformancePerformance measures, baselines and supporting evidence.
FLSportsDesk.com · The Read

What last season says–and does not

The previous-season numbers provide the benchmark for a 4-8 season that fell well short of the roster's recruiting reputation. They are comparison points for 2026, not a prediction pasted onto a changed roster.

Previous-season baseline

Verified Performance Metrics

Passing62.6Completion Percentage
Passing204.6Net Passing Yards Per Game
Passing20Total Sacks
Rushing4.3Yards Per Rush Attempt
Rushing136.8Rushing Yards Per Game
Miscellaneous-1Turnover Ratio
Defense26Sacks
Kicking81.8Field Goal Percentage

Detailed metrics come from ESPN and are checked against the school, conference and NCAA record before they are promoted into editorial conclusions.

Adaptive statistics desk

The lenses stay fixed

Outcomes, offense, defense, possessions, money downs, scoring-area execution, discipline, opponent context and explosiveness populate from verified game data.

Alerts need both a season benchmark and a corroborating window. One strange game does not become the team identity.

08Reporting + sourcesThe reporting and source links behind the desk.
Evidence ledger

Sources

Official records establish the facts. Local and independent reporting adds context. News indexes help find stories but never verify one by themselves.

More reporting (10)

Current team reporting

More reporting (10)

Recruiting and portal reporting

More reporting (10)