Florida unveils Jordan Retro 12 cleats ahead of 2023 season

Florida will be taking the field in some new custom cleats this fall. The Gators Football Twitter official account sent out a picture of new Jordan brand cleats that Florida will wear in 2023.

The shoes, which are the Jordan 12 Low Cleat, are mostly white and blue, with a touch of orange. They also have a Gators logo on the tongue of the shoe.

Florida has worn Jordan brand apparel for football since 2018. The Gators will be looking stylish for the 2023 season.

New heat. 🔥

Introducing the Jordan 12 Low Cleat. 🐊 pic.twitter.com/GVwXFnPpSa

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) July 11, 2023

There is hope that Florida will not only look good but also be much-improved in 2023 in Year 2 under Billy Napier.

The Gators were 6-7 in Year 1 under Napier, but the former Louisiana coach has recruited well and appears to have the program heading in the right direction. UF currently has the No. 3 recruiting class in the country for 2024, according to the On3 Industry rankings. Florida signed the No. 13 class in the country in 2023.

While there is hope that Florida will be improved, Napier’s team has a brutal schedule. The Gators open the season at Utah and have matchups against likely top 15 teams in Tennessee, Georgia, LSU and Florida State.

Marco Wilson doubles down on decision to throw shoe against LSU

Speaking of Florida and cleats, former Gators star Marco Wilson recently doubled down on his decision to throw a shoe against LSU a few years back.

Most folks would probably like a do-over on a moment that caused them immense public embarrassment but not Wilson. The former Florida defensive back became infamous in 2020 for blowing the Gators’ chances at the College Football Playoff when he received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in a key moment of a late-season game vs. LSU.

The score was tied at 34 with just under two minutes to play when Wilson helped make a tackle on Tigers tight end Kole Taylor well ahead of the first down marker when it was third down. However, during the takedown, Taylor’s shoe fell off and wound up in Wilson’s hands.

What happened next is a folk legend in the American southeast as Marco Wilson catapulted the shoe across the field to earn a 15-yard flag, giving LSU a first down and a second chance to go win the game on their final possession — and they made good on that opportunity.

That single shoe toss resulted in an 8-1 Florida team losing its regular season finale to a 3-5 LSU squad to knock the Gators out of possible College Football Playoff contention. Yet, years later, Wilson has zero regrets about the ordeal.

He was asked on the Footballville podcast if he would still throw the shoe if he had a chance to go back and re-do that play. Wilson’s answer: “100%. I’d probably throw it further.”