2024 Florida Football Postgame Notes

Blue 19, Orange 17

April 13, 2024 | Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, Gainesville, Fla.

THE OPENING DRIVE

K Trey Smack (Blue) drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired to secure a 19-17 victory for Blue.
o QB Graham Mertz (Blue) led the game-winning drive with three passes of 11-plus yards with
a pair of 18-yard passes to WR Chimere Dike and TE Arlis Boardingham.
o Smack made four field goals this afternoon, setting a new spring game record as the
previous mark was three accomplished three times.
Freshmen stars shined for the Orange offense, with QB DJ Lagway (Orange) passing for 173 yards
and 2 touchdowns, and RB Jaden Baugh (Orange) the leading rusher of the game, picking up 77
yards on 12 carries.
.
42 players made their first appearances in a Gator uniform.
The two-point margin of victory was the slimmest in an Orange and Blue game since 2012, when
the contest ended with a 21-20 win for Blue.
o The 2014 edition ended in a 23-23 tie.
The Blue team collected six sacks on the day, which ties the all-time record for total team sacks in
an Orange and Blue game. The feat has been accomplished twice before, in the ’00 and ’97
games.
o EDGE Quincy Ivory (Blue) and EDGE George Gumbs Jr. (Blue) lead the team with 1.5 sacks
apiece.
QB Graham Mertz (Blue) connected with WR Eugene Wilson III (Blue) for a 60-yard TD pass in the
second quarter.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
Blue
QB Graham Mertz threw for 243 yards passing on 15-27 passing along with one touchdown and
one interception
QB Graham Mertz and WR Eugene Wilson III connected for two passes (20-yard, then 60-yard) in a
two-play, 22-second drive that resulted in a Blue’s first touchdown of the day.
WR Eugene Wilson III lead both teams in yards-after-catch (YAC) with 77.
RB Ja’Kobi Jackson led both teams in average rush, averaging 12 yards per carry. He also
collected the longest rush of the game with his 32-yard dash in the second quarter.
QB Graham Mertz connected with WR Eugene Wilson III for a 60-yard TD pass in the second
quarter, the longest touchdown reception of Mertz’s Gator career.
Orange
Orange was awarded 3 points prior to todays game, on account of competitions won during
Thursday’s practice.
QB DJ Lagway threw for 173 yards passing on 12-21 passing along with 2 touchdowns and 1
interception.
QB DJ Lagway connected with WR Aidan Mizell for a 22-yard touchdown reception in the first
quarter, which marked the first touchdown of the contest and the first score in a Gator uniform for
both players.
WR Taylor Spierto reined in his first touchdown in a Gator uniform with his 5-yard reception from
Lagway at the end of the second quarter.
RB Jaden Baugh led both teams in rushing yards with 77 on 12 carries.
WR Marcus Burke led Orange in receiving yards, picking up 66 yards on three catches.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
Blue

EDGE Quincy Ivory led the Blue team in both tackles with 6, and TFL with 2.0
EDGE Kamran James notched the first sack of the contest on the second play of the game.
ILB Mannie Nunnery collected the first interception of the contest, snagging a 7-yard interception
off of a Lagway pass attempt in the third quarter.
The Blue team collected six sacks on the day, which ties the all-time record for total team sacks in
an Orange and Blue game. The feat has been accomplished twice before, in the ’00 and ’97
games.
o EDGE Quincy Ivory and EDGE George Gumbs Jr. lead the team with 1.5 sacks apiece.

Orange

ILB Grayson Howard and ILB R.J. Moten led the Orange squad with six tackles and three Solo
tackles each.
DB Sharif Denson hauled in an interception in the third quarter, picking off Mertz.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
K Trey Smack (Blue)delivered the first points of the game, hitting a 31-yard field goal to cap Blue’s
opening drive
o Smack kicked the game-winning field goal in back-to-back Orange and Blue games
Smack’s four FG’s set a new Orange and Blue game record. The previous record of three FG’s had
been accomplished three times.
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
● (O) Jaden Baugh: 25-yard rush, first quarter
● (O) Aidan Mizell (from Lagway): 22-yard reception, TD, first quarter
● (B) Ja’Kobi Jackson: 15-yard rush, second quarter
● (B) Ja’Kobi Jackson: 32-yard rush, second quarter
● (O) Jaden Baugh: 14-yard rush, second quarter
● (O) Taylor Spierto (from Lagway): 32- yard reception, second quarter
● (B) Eugene Wilson III (from Mertz): 20-yard reception, second quarter
● (B) Eugene Wilson III (from Mertz): 60-yard reception, TD, second quarter
● (O) DJ Lagway: 12-yard rush, second quarter
● (O) Marcus Burke (from Lagway): 24-yard reception, second quarter
● (O) Marcus Burke (from Lagway): 37-yard reception, second quarter
● (B) Ja’Kobi Jackson: 11-yard rush, second quarter
● (B) Kahleil Jackson (from Mertz): 50-yard reception, third quarter
● (O) TJ Abrams (from Lagway): 20-yard reception, third quarter
● (O) Anthony Rubio: 16-yard rush, fourth quarter
Fresh Faces
The 2024 Orange and Blue Game marked the first appearances in a Gator Uniform for many of the
game’s participants. Among those making their first appearances in a game were:
Orange: DB Teddy Foster, S Trikweze Bridges, ILB Grayson Howard, EDGE LJ McCray, DB Asa
Turner, DB Jameer Grimsley, DB Ahman Covington, DB Ethan Wilson, ILB Jake Xeller, DL Andre
Morris, DL Connor Homa, QB DJ Lagway, WR TJ Abrams, RB Jaden Baugh, QB Clay Millen, RB KD
Daniels, RB Anthony Rubio, WR Jaden Edgecomb, OL Mike Williams, OL Caden Jones, OL Fletcher
Westphal, OL Bryan Rosenberg, WR Brian Green Jr., TE Gavin Hill, K/P Hunter Smith, LS Gannon
Burt
Blue: DB DJ Douglas, DB Josiah Davis, DB Gregory Smith, EDGE Brien Taylor Jr., DL D’Antre
Robinson, DB Brayden Slade, ILB Justin Pelic, DL Sebastian Scott, DL Michai Boireau, DL Joey

Slackman, WR Tank Hawkins, WR Chimere Dike, OL Devon Manuel, OL Chase Stevens, OL
Brandon Crenshaw Dickson, WR Jackson Wade.
Spring Football Awards
CHANNING CROWDER HEADHUNTER AWARD

0 Sharif Denson

29 Jaden Robinson

49 George Gumbs Jr.

95 Jamari Lyons

CHRIS DOERING I LIKE TO PRACTICE AWARD

12 DJ Douglas

18 Bryce Thornton

57 Devon Manuel

65 Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson

71 Roderick Kearney

94 Tyreak Sapp

JACK YOUNGBLOOD DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD

99 Cam Jackson

LOMAS BROWN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD

77 Knijeah Harris

JOE HADEN DEFENSIVE BACK AWARD

3 Jason Marshall Jr.

EMMITT SMITH RUNNING BACK AWARD

1 Montrell Johnson Jr.

DANNY WUERFFEL MOST IMPROVED PLAYER

5 Treyaun Webb

24 Kamran James

25 Ja’Kobi Jackson

56 Christian Williams

86 Tony Livingston

88 Caleb Banks

88 Marcus Burke

TIM TEBOW LEADERSHIP AWARD

15 Graham Mertz

15 Derek Wingo

66 Jake Slaughter

89 Hayden Hansen

SPECIAL TEAMS ALUMNI AWARD

0 Ja’Quavion Fraziars

9 Ja’Markis Weston

26 Jeremy Crawhsaw

VERNELL BROWN CULTURE AWARD

11 Kelby Collins

14 Jordan Castell

16 R.J. Moten

20 Asa Turner

22 Kahleil Jackson

75 Kamryn Waites

STEVE SPURRIER COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD

7 Trikweze Bridges

8 Arlis Boardingham

17 Chimere Dike

19 T.J. Searcy

28 Devin Moore

70 Damieon George Jr.

REIDEL ANTHONY RECEIVER AWARD

3 Eugene Wilson III

WILBER MARSHALL LINEBACKER AWARD

10 Grayson Howard

COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

30 Taylor Spierto

63 Caden Jones

LOUIS OLIVER OUTSANDING NON-SCHOLARSHIP PLAYER AWARD

14 Parker Leise

32 Cahron Rackley

37 Javion Toombs

38 Sebastian Vargas

39 Brayden Slade

43 Jaden Edgecombe

47 Justin Pelic

73 Mark Pitts

80 Zak Sedaros

84 Brian Green Jr.

85 Scott Isacks

FRED TAYLOR MOST IMPROVED FRESHMAN AWARD

2 Ja’Keem Jackson

11 Aidan Mizell

13 Aaron Gates

27 Dijon Johnson

53 Bryce Lovett

GAME DETAILS
● Florida Game Captains: (Blue)#1 Montrell Johnson Jr., #15 Graham Mertz, #26 Jeremy Crawshaw |
(Orange)#3 Jason Marshall Jr., #15 Derek Wingo, #9 Ja’Markis Weston
● Coin Toss: Orange won the toss and elected to receive. Blue defended the south endzone.
● Attendance: 48,000 (Highest since 2018 – 53,015)

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