The Florida Gators had four players selected in the first two days of the 2013 NFL Draft; two taken in the opening round. 

Defensive Tackle Sharrif Floyd was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings with the 23rd overall pick, while safety Matt Elam was selected by the defending Super Bowl Champions with the 32nd and final pick of the first round.

Floyd, a first-team All-SEC and All-American player last season, was recruited and played his freshamn year for Urban Meyer. A Philadelphia native, arrived in Gainesville as the highest rated football recruit since Percy Harvin in 2006. Floyd was one of seven true freshmen to make a start for the Gators in 2010.

As a sophomore, Floyd started the final 11 games of the season at defensive end in Muschamp's hybrid 3-4 defense totaling 46 tackles, including 6.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, a pass breakup and a blocked kick and tied for the team lead with four quarterback hurries. 

In 2012, Floyd moved back to defensive tackle, his natural position and had 31 tackles (including 19 solo), a team-high 8.5 tackles for a loss, and was second with four quarterback hurries. 

Following Florida's Sugar Bowl loss, Floyd announced that he would forego his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.

Elam, a native of Palm Beach Gardens, attended the accalimed William T. Dwyer High School where he was a multi-positional player and accepted an athletic scholarship to play for Meyer's Gators squad.

As a freshman in 2010, Elam played in all 13 games and recorded 22 tackles. The following season, Elam was a full-time starter during his sophomore campaign and registered 78 tackles, 11 TFL, two interceptions and two quarterback sacks.

In 2012, Elam capped off his three-year career with 58 solo tackles (76 total), two sacks, 11 TFL, four interceptions and forced a fumble. Elam was named a first-team All-American and All-Southeastern Conference selection and was a semifinalist for both the Thorpe Award and Bednarik Award.

ROUND 2:
Chicago Bears - 50th overall - Jon Bostic, LB

ROUND 3:
Washington Redskins - 85th overall - Jordan Reed, TE

ROUND 4:
Miami Dolphins - 104th overall - Jelani Jenkins, LB

ROUND 5:
Miami Dolphins - 164th overall - Mike Gillislee, RB
Miami Dolphins - 166th overall - Caleb Sturgis, K
Jacksonville Jaguars - 169th overall - Josh Evans, S 

GAINESVILLE, FL (University of Florida Communications) —Twenty-one year coaching veteran Jeff Choate has been hired as the University of Florida football team’s Special Teams’ Coordinator and Outside Linebackers Coach, head coach Will Muschamp announced on Wednesday. Choate, who coached during the 2012 season at Washington State and comes to Gainesville after serving as the defensive coordinator at UTEP this Spring, has nine years of experience coaching special teams. 

“We are excited to have Jeff Choate join our staff,” said Muschamp. “He is a high-energy coach, an outstanding recruiter and evaluator, and has a reputation as one of the top special-teams coaches in the nation. He has coached on both sides of the ball and was most recently a defensive coordinator. He sees the big picture and will be a great addition to our staff. 

“I got to know Jeff several years ago when I as at Texas and he was at Boise State. He visited Austin and we spent a lot of time talking defensive and special teams schemes. He also visited us in Gainesville last spring and we are very much on the same page philosophically.” 

“I’m excited about the opportunity to join the Gator staff and have the chance to compete at the highest level,” said Choate. “I’ve gotten to know Coach Muschamp over the past couple of years and have a tremendous amount of respect for him as a coach and a person. I’m looking forward to continuing the great special-teams tradition that has been established here and can’t wait to get to work.

“I would also like to thank everyone at UTEP, and most importantly Coach Kugler, for the support and opportunity they gave me. I wish him and the program nothing but the best of luck.” 

Prior to spending the 2012 season as the linebackers coach at Washington State under head coach Mike Leach, Choate coached special teams at Boise State for six seasons. In addition, he has had stints at Eastern Illinois and Utah State as the special teams coach. 

Last season, Choate coached three linebackers to All-Pac 12 honorable mention honors (senior Travis Long, sophomore Cyrus Coen and freshman Darryl Monroe). Washington State ranked eighth in the nation in tackles for losses (7.7 avg.) and 11th in sacks (2.9 avg.) in his lone season. 

While at Boise State, Choate tutored several special teams’ stars. BSU kicker Kyle Brotzman became the highest-scoring kicker in school and conference history (439 points) and also holds the Broncos’ career leader in punting average (44.6). In 2008, Kyle Wilson led the country in punt return touchdowns (three) and ranked 12th in punt return average (14.2). 

Boise State’s 2009 special teams unit was rated no. 1 in the nation by Phil Steele, led by Titus Young, who returned two kickoff returns for touchdowns to garner first team All-WAC honors.  Young averaged 26.9 yards on kickoff returns that season to rate 20th in the nation. 

Under Choate, Boise State ranked in the top-25 nationally in kickoff returns three times (2007, 10th; 2009, 4th; 2010, 23rd) under Choate, and in the top-25 in punt returns four times (2007, 22nd; 2008, 20th; 2010, 16th; 2011, 18th). The Broncos were rated as high as 12th in the FBS in kickoff return coverage in 2009, and 14th in punt return coverage in 2008. 

Choate also worked with nickelbacks in 2010 at Boise State, helping Winston Venable earn first team All-WAC honors as the Broncos rated second nationally in scoring defense (12.8 ppg) and total defense (254.7 ypg). In 2009 working with linebackers, he helped BSU rank 14th nationally in both total defense (300.2 ypg) and scoring defense (17.1 ppg). The Broncos led the WAC in six defensive statistical categories in 2009 – passing efficiency defense, total defense, scoring defense, pass defense, tackles for losses and sacks allowed. 

As running backs coach at Boise State, he was instrumental in the development of Ian Johnson, who became both the Boise State and Western Athletic Conference all-time leader with 58 rushing touchdowns.  Johnson ran for 4,183 yards in a Bronco uniform – second in school history – and led the NCAA in rushing touchdowns (25) and scoring (152 points) in 2006.  He established a school single-season standard with 1,714 rushing yards that year. 

In Choate’s lone season with Eastern Illinois, the Panthers finished first in the Ohio Valley Conference. He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Utah State, working with the defensive line and the safeties, before becoming the special teams’ coordinator for the 2003-04 seasons. 

From 1997-2001, Choate was the head coach at Post Falls (Idaho) High School and also served as athletic director the final two years. Post Falls advanced to the state playoffs in both 1998 and 1999. Before coaching at Post Falls, Choate was the defensive coordinator at Twin Falls (Idaho) High School in 1996 and was the head coach at Challis (Idaho) High School from 1994-95. He earned District Six Coach of the Year honors after Challis registered its first winning season in 10 years and made the playoffs for the first time in nearly 20 years. 

Choate graduated from Montana Western after a playing career as a linebacker. He and his wife, Janet, have one son, Jory, and one daughter, Jacy. 

Coaching Experience
2013 Florida (Special Teams Coordinator)
2013 UTEP (Defensive Coordinator)
2012 Washington State (Linebackers)
2010-11 Boise State (Special Teams Coordinator/Nickelbacks)
2009 Boise State (Special Teams Coordinator/Linebackers)
2006-08 Boise State (Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs)
2005 Eastern Illinois (Special Teams Coordinator)
2003-04 Utah State (Special Teams Coordinator)
2002 Utah State (Graduate Assistant)
1997-2001 Post Falls HS (Idaho) (Head Coach)
1996 Twin Falls HS (Idaho) (Defensive Coordinator)
1994-95 Challis HS (Idaho) (Head Coach)
1992-93 Montana Western (Linebackers)

Prominent Players Coached
BOISE STATE

·         K KYLE BROTZMAN – Former walk-on went on to become the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer with 439 career points (since surpassed). He finished with 67 career field goals and 238 PATs in four seasons. Also served as the punter, averaging 44.6 yards per punt in his career, a BSU school record.

·         DB/PR KYLE WILSON – Wilson played in 50 games and earned starts in 45 consecutive contests during his college career. Second-Team All-WAC Special Teams Player in 2008 while leading the country with three punt return touchdowns and ranking 12th in punt return average (14.2). Selected 29th overall by the Jets in the 2010 NFL Draft.

·         WR/KR TITUS YOUNG – Named First-Team All-WAC Special Teams Player in 2009 as a kick returner. Returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 26.9 yards per kick return, 20th in the nation. Selected in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions.

·         LB WINSTON VENABLE – First-Team All-WAC selection in 2010 and Second-Team All-WAC selection in 2009, totaling 116 tackles with 17.5 tackles-for-loss and 5.5 sacks in his two seasons with the Broncos. Signed as an undrafted free agent with the Chicago Bears in 2011.

·         RB IAN JOHNSON – Ranks fifth all-time in WAC history with 4,183 rushing yards and set the WAC record for career touchdowns scored (58, since surpassed). Twice selected to the First-Team All-WAC (2006, 2007) and was an All-American in 2006 by Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports.

NFL Players (Round Drafted)

FB Korey Hall (6th) – Boise State ’07 – Green Bay Packers FB Derek Schouman (7th) – Boise State ’07 – Buffalo Bills RB Ian Johnson (UFA) – Boise State ’09 – Minnesota Vikings DB Kyle Wilson (1st) – Boise State ’10 – New York Jets WR Titus Young (2nd) – Boise State ’11 – Detroit Lions LB Winston Venable (UFA) – Boise State ’11 – Chicago Bears DB Brandyn Thompson (7th) – Boise State ’11 – Washington Redskins

Bowl Games as a Coach
2007: Fiesta
2007: Hawai’i
2008: Poinsettia
2010: Fiesta
2010: Las Vegas
2011: Las Vegas

GAINESVILLE, FL (University of Florida Communications) -University of Florida defensive line coach Bryant Young has stepped down from his post with the Florida football team due to personal reasons, Young announced to the team on Wednesday afternoon. Young served on the Gators' football staff for the past two seasons. 

"After heavy consideration and giving over two decades to the game of football, I have made a personal decision to resign from my position at the University of Florida in order to pursue more time with my family," said Young.  "I am humbled by and grateful for the opportunity I have had to positively influence the hardworking student-athletes and young men whom I will surely miss. 

"However, I have come to the realization that it is time to invest more in my family during this fleeting season in life. I have truly loved my time being a Gator, enjoyed a great working relationship with Coach Muschamp and will also miss the dedicated staff at this University. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity and support I have received from Coach Muschamp, Jeremy Foley and the entire athletic department." 

Young joined Muschamp's staff prior to the 2011 season after coaching for one season at San Jose State in 2010 and one season at Notre Dame in 2009. After an All-America career at Notre Dame, Young was selected seventh overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 1994 NFL Draft. He played in the NFL for 14 seasons with the 49ers, was a four-time Pro Bowl selection and was named to the 1990's All-Decade Team. 

"We are very thankful for Coach Young's contributions to the program and I respect his decision. This is strictly a personal decision and has nothing to do with NCAA compliance, but just an opportunity to evaluate his future path," said Head Coach Will Muschamp. "I always have and will continue to be very supportive of Coach Young and his family. Our entire staff will be there for him to provide any assistance and guidance in the future. We wish he and his family nothing but the best."

It had been six years since Tubby Smith (then head coach of Kentucky) and Billy Donovan faced eachother, but old foes die hard with Smith owning the all-time record against the long-time Gators head coach 14-10. 

As far as Florida and Minnesota went, the two schools had met on the court only once in the 1993 NIT when the Golden Gophers defeated the Gators 74-66. 

Sunday evening in Austin, Florida evened the record, while Donovan moved one closer to the former Georgia and Kentucky skipper. 

Mike Rosario, who lit up the scoreboard from behind the arc, led the Gators with 25 points; the most in the NCAA Tournament for a Florida player since Vernon Macklin dropped a quarter-of-a-hundred in 2011. 

Erik Murphy fouled out with under three minutes to play in the contest, but managed to tally 15 points all in the first half to help give the Gators a 48-27 lead after the first 20 minutes.

It seemed as if Florida would walk away with this one, but Minnesota opened the second half with a 13-2 run to start the second half, and got as close as within eight. but better shot selection and focused free throw shooting extended the Gators lead and they never looked back.

Next up, Florida will meet Florida Gulf Coast - the first No. 15 seed to make it this far in the tournament's history - in the Gators' third-straight trip to the Sweet 16; the first time they have accomplished the streak in the school's history.