MARK LONG Sports Writer, Author at The Rapid City Post

FILE - Florida defensive lineman Caleb Banks (88) sacks LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (13) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

SEC lacks first-round NFL talent in 2026 because players have not met expectations, evaluator says

November 19, 2025

Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks is returning to the field in hopes of impressing NFL scouts. The 6-foot-5, 330-pound senior spent the last two months recovering from foot surgery and plans to play the final two games for the Gators. Banks has plenty to prove, beginning with Saturday’s rivalry game against No. 20 Tennessee. It’s a common theme for players in the powerhouse Southeastern Conference. With the NFL draft five months away, the SEC looks like it could have its fewest number of first-round picks since sending seven to the stage in 2015. Up for debate is whether it’s a one-year fluke or top talent spread across more programs.

Mississippi head coach Lane Kiffin watches his team play against Oklahoma during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Alonzo Adams)

Lane Kiffin to the Swamp? The buzz surrounding the Ole Miss coach creates a subplot to the game

November 13, 2025

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin is Florida’s presumed top target in its search to replace fired coach Billy Napier. It creates an intriguing dynamic when the sixth-ranked Rebels (9-1, 5-1 Southeastern Conference) host the reeling Gators (3-6, 2-4) on Saturday. Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin has remained quiet in the three weeks since he fired Napier, but there’s a growing belief inside the program that Kiffin is at least considering a return to the Sunshine State. It’s been THE topic in Oxford and Gainesville this week and is a subplot to the matchup that includes College Football Playoff implications.

CORRECTS TO SECOND HALF NOT FIRST HALF - North Florida guard Dante Oliver, left and North Florida forward Nestor Dyachok, right, guard against Florida center Olivier Rioux, center, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris Watkins)

The world’s tallest teenager becomes the tallest player in college basketball history

November 6, 2025

Olivier Rioux became the tallest person to ever play college basketball when he made his debut in third-ranked Florida’s 104-64 victory over North Florida. Rioux, a 19-year-old redshirt freshman from Canada and the world’s tallest teenager, checked with 2:09 to play and with the home crowd chanting “We Want Ollie.” He drew so much attention from the Ospreys that he didn’t even touch the ball. When asked about making history, Rioux quipped: “It’s another day, I guess.”

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton looks for a receiver during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

No. 5 Georgia rallies and escapes ‘Cocktail Party’ with a 24-20 victory against Florida

November 1, 2025

Gunner Stockton threw two touchdown passes, Chauncey Bowens scored on a 36-yard run late and No. 5 Georgia escaped the rivalry known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” with a 24-20 victory against Florida. It was the Bulldogs’ fifth consecutive victory in the series and their eighth in the last nine meetings. But this one was closer than any of those others. Georgia stopped Florida on a fourth-and-1 at the Bulldogs 18-yard line with a little less than eight minutes to go, a momentum-turning play in a back-and-forth game. It set the stage for Georgia’s fourth come-from-behind victory in six league games.

Florida head coach Billy Napier gestures during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Miami, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Florida AD Scott Stricklin says rules allow him to be ‘very thorough’ with coaching search

October 20, 2025

Even though Florida has retained a search firm to help land the school’s next football coach, athletic director Scott Stricklin says he will have final say in the hiring process. And he won’t be in a rush to get it done. Thanks to new NCAA legislation, teams that fire head coaches during the season no longer trigger an open window for players to enter the transfer portal. So the Gators have weeks, maybe even months, to find Billy Napier’s replacement. Stricklin says “time is an asset.” Tweaked rules allow Stricklin to wait for other coaches to finish their regular seasons or even potentially exit the College Football Playoff.

Florida head coach Billy Napier looks up during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Miami, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

Florida fires coach Billy Napier after four-year run that ends with a 22-23 record

October 19, 2025

Florida fired coach Billy Napier a day after an error-filled win against Mississippi State. Athletic director Scott Stricklin made the move following a 23-21 victory that looked like it was going to be gut-wrenching loss until defensive tackle Michai Boireau picked off a pass with 21 seconds remaining. Even so, the home crowd booed Napier as he sprinted off the field. Napier went 22-23 in four seasons at Florida, including 12-16 in SEC play. He was 5-17 against ranked opponents, including 0-14 away from home.

Florida head coach Billy Napier calls in plays to his offense during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game against Texas A&M on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

Florida coach Billy Napier could be fired with bye week looming

October 17, 2025

Florida coach Billy Napier knows it’s coming. Everyone does. Napier is in his final days, possibly weeks, with the Gators. He seems resigned to the ending. He’s been a total pro about it. He’s not making excuses. He’s not pointing fingers. Napier’s calm demeanor and positive approach are probably why he still has his job while seven college football coaches, including Penn State’s James Franklin and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy, already have been shown the door. Napier’s next game could be his last. Florida hosts Mississippi State in the Swamp on Saturday.

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Texas, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Lagway improves, Wilson shines in his debut and Florida upsets No. 9 Texas 29-21 in the Swamp

October 4, 2025

DJ Lagway threw for a season-high 289 yards and two touchdowns, both to a true freshman making his college debut, and Florida upset No. 9 Texas 29-21 to end a three-game skid. Arch Manning and the Longhorns had a chance in the final minute thanks partly to a defensive penalty, but he threw incomplete deep and was sacked twice. Florida enjoyed its first victory since beating Long Island in the season opener. Lagway looked better than he had in four previous starts this season, and Dallas Wilson had a lot to do with it. Wilson showed speed, hands and arguably the most physicality of any Florida receiver in years.

FILE - Florida State mascot Osceola, aboard Renegade, rides across the field before an NCAA college football game against Virginia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla., Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. (AP Photo/Mark Wallheiser, File)

Chief Osceola and Renegade have dazzled Florida State fans with tribe’s approval for nearly 50 years

October 3, 2025

Chief Osceola and Renegade make up one of college football’s grandest traditions. Osceola, a student rider donning war paint and wearing Native American regalia, rides Renegade, a spotted Appaloosa horse, across the field before every Florida State home game. Osceola carries a flaming spear and thrusts it into the ground minutes before kickoff. It’s a tradition that started in 1978 with the approval of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and has become a must-see spectacle for college football fans. The iconic scene has played out flawlessly hundreds of times over nearly five decades.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning (16) celebrates with teammates after he scored a touchdown against Sam Houston State during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas, Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Once Heisman front-runners, QBs Arch Manning and DJ Lagway have become SEC disappointments

October 1, 2025

Texas’ Arch Manning and Florida’s DJ Lagway opened the season as Heisman Trophy hopefuls. Some even considered them front-runners. The highly touted quarterbacks with TV commercials, endorsement deals and probably as much name, image and likeness money as anyone in college were supposed to be the next great ones at their schools. But a month into the season, Manning and Lagway are two of the most disappointing players in the Southeastern Conference. Manning and Lagway will share the spotlight Saturday when the ninth-ranked Longhorns open SEC play at reeling Florida in the Swamp.

FILE - Houston Rockets Vernon Maxwell, who played college basketball at Florida, speaks with the media after practice June 9, 1994 at the Summit in Houston, as the Rockets prepare for Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)

Florida restores Vernon Maxwell’s college stats, making him the program’s leading scorer again

September 19, 2025

Florida has formally restored basketball great Vernon Maxwell’s final two years of college statistics. The move once again makes him the program’s all-time leading scorer. The 60-year-old Maxwell will celebrate the turnabout with friends, family and former teammates during a program reunion this weekend. Maxwell scored 2,450 points during his four seasons at Florida in the late 1980s. But he also was the focus of an NCAA investigation that ultimately placed the Gators on unsanctioned probation. Florida was forced to vacate three NCAA Tournament victories in which Maxwell participated. Then-Florida AD Bill Arnsparger stripped Maxwell’s stats from the record books for those two years.

Florida head coach Billy Napier, right, talks with quarterback DJ Lagway during time out in the first half of an NCAA college football game against South Florida, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Unranked Florida faces a daunting stretch with coach Billy Napier’s job on the line

September 10, 2025

Florida coach Billy Napier faces a challenging path to secure a fifth year in Gainesville. The now-unranked Gators are coming off an embarrassing loss to South Florida in the Swamp. Over the next three games, they have a chance to turn things around against No. 3 LSU, fifth-ranked Miami and No. 7 Texas. It’s one of the most daunting stretches in program history. Florida rallied from an early hole last year, but this season’s road to redemption looks tougher. Napier’s future may depend on how the Gators perform during the Top 10 trifecta that begins against the Tigers on Saturday.

Florida coach Billy Napier back on the proverbial hot seat after meltdown against USF

September 6, 2025

Florida coach Billy Napier is back on the proverbial hot seat after an 18-16 home loss to South Florida. Napier raved about his team’s character and composure heading into his fourth season in Gainesville. Yet the 13th-ranked Gators melted down in nearly every way possible while losing to the Bulls in the Swamp. No one should be surprised if that was Napier’s last game at Florida Field. After all, he dropped to 20-20 overall, including 14-7 at home, and has consecutive road games upcoming against No. 3 LSU and No. 5 Miami. Lose both and Florida could make a change during its first off week.

South Florida place kicker Nico Gramatica celebrates his game winning 19-yard field goal against Florida as time expired on the clock in an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Gramatica’s kick lifts South Florida to an 18-16 upset at No. 13 Florida and heats Napier’s seat

September 6, 2025

Nico Gramatica hit a 20-yard field goal as time expired and South Florida stunned No. 13 Florida 18-16 to give the Bulls consecutive wins against ranked opponents to start the season. Gramatica missed a 58-yarder with 2:52 remaining but got a chance to redeem himself after Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett spit at a South Florida player on the Bulls’ next possession. Bett was ejected with a little more than 2 minutes to play, and the Bulls got 15 yards and an automatic first down to spark an 87-yard drive. It was the latest setback for embattled Florida coach Billy Napier, whose team is 1-1 for the fourth consecutive year.

Ryan Blaney, front, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Ryan Blaney is the NASCAR driver to beat after a win at Daytona and a 6th straight top-10 finish

August 24, 2025

Ryan Blaney closed NASCAR’s regular season with a flurry, winning at Daytona International Speedway and moving into fourth in the Cup Series standings heading into the playoffs. He will open the postseason next week at Darlington Raceway three points behind Denny Hamlin and six shy of co-leaders William Byron and Kyle Larson. And Blaney might just be the favorite to win it all. The 31-year-old Blaney notched his sixth consecutive top-10 finish with his Daytona victory. This one was special because he made up 12 spots over the final two laps and had his parents on hand to watch.

NASCAR driver Connor Zilisch answers questions during an auto racing news conference at Daytona International Speedway, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Daytona Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

NASCAR Xfinity Series points leader Connor Zilisch lands a Cup ride with Trackhouse Racing

August 23, 2025

Connor Zilisch, a 19-year-old driver with seven victories in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series this season, is moving up to the Cup Series in 2026. Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks says Zilisch has signed a multiyear contract to drive full-time next year. Zilisch will replace Daniel Suárez and join teammates Ross Chastain and Shane van Gisbergen on the three-car team. Zilisch has been a Trackhouse developmental driver since 2024 and leads the Xfinity Series points. He has achieved success in various racing series, including winning the 2024 Rolex 24 and the 12 Hours of Sebring. Marks calls Zilisch a rare talent.

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, center, performs a drill as defensive end Arik Armstead (91) looks on during a team NFL football practice, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Mass in the past: Josh Hines-Allen and his Jaguars teammates slim down in hopes of turning up

June 7, 2025

Josh Hines-Allen tipped the scales like never before in 2024. The seventh-year pro beefed up to 285 pounds at the behest of former Jacksonville Jaguars defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen, whose “mass kicks ass” motto was a mainstay during the offseason and in training camp. It was catchy — and ultimately consequential. Hines-Allen and several defensive teammates swelled past the point of stout, and it showed on the field. The Jaguars ranked 31st in the NFL in total defense last season. With Nielsen gone, so is the weight. Hines-Allen and several defensive teammates have slimmed down in hopes of turning up their performance this season.

President Donald Trump speaks as he hosts the 2025 NCAA Champion, University of Florida men's basketball team in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Washington, as head coach Todd Golden, listens at right. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Florida coach Todd Golden reaps rewards of national title, including reloading his roster

May 22, 2025

It would be tough to top the month Florida coach Todd Golden has enjoyed since winning the national championship. Golden and the Gators visited the White House, a trip that included an invitation to the Oval Office. He landed one of the top guards in the transfer portal, Arkansas’ Boogie Fland. He threw out the first pitch at a Chicago Cubs game. He received the Winged Foot Award at the New York Athletic Club — along with a yearlong membership to the famed golf club. And he signed a six-year, $40.5 million contract extension. Golden says “there’s no guarantee that you’ll ever get this opportunity again.”

FILE - Arkansas guard Boogie Fland (2) runs a play against Florida during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods, File)

Former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland commits to national champion Florida

May 20, 2025

Former Arkansas standout Boogie Fland, widely considered the top guard in the transfer portal, has chosen to play for defending national champion Florida. Fland committed to coach Todd Golden following a two-day visit to Gainesville and posted his decision on Instagram. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Fland averaged 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 21 games with the Razorbacks last season. He joins Princeton transfer Xaivian Lee and Ohio University transfer AJ Brown in Florida’s revamped backcourt.

MARK LONG Sports Writer.