Skip to main content
Join
Team Avatar
Florida

Trey Dean makes huge announcement about football future

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•01/05/22•

NickSchultz_7

On3 image
Florida safety Trey Dean III reacts after breaking up a pass against Vanderbilt last season. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Florida got some welcome news Wednesday night. Senior safety Trey Dean posted a two-minute video on his Twitter and said seven words that are music to Gators fans’ ears.

“See you in the Swamp this fall,” he said.

Dean is returning to the Gators for his fifth year. That’s great news for Billy Napier and Co. as they take over in Gainesville.

“It has been said that a journey is never ending,” Dean said in the video. “There are lessons to be learned along the way. There will be adversity, there will be growth. There will be endless opportunities to improve. The work done in the dark when no one else is around. All of those things make the journey worth while. But despite all that, still know that the journey isn’t quite done yet. For me, I know I still have work to do.”

In his four years at Florida, Dean has 174 tackles — including 94 solo tackles — four sacks and four interceptions. He finished 14th in the SEC with 91 tackles this season.

Dean’s biggest game this season came in the Gasparilla Bowl against UCF when he had eight tackles in the Gators’ 29-17 loss to the Knights. He’s just the latest Gators player to return to the program this week.

Florida defensive lineman withdraws name from NCAA Transfer Portal

Florida Gators defensive lineman Dante Zanders decided to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal in November. Now, according to On3’s Matt Zenitz, Zanders had opted to withdraw his name from the portal, indicating that he intends on returning to Florida next season.

Zanders appeared in all 12 games this season for Florida prior to entering the portal. He was not with the team when the Gators lost to UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl in December.

This season, Zanders totaled six tackles and 0.5 sacks. He began his career as a tight end before he switched to the defensive side of the ball last season. In his collegiate career, Zanders has 11 total tackles and 0.5 sacks.

By withdrawing his name from the portal, Zanders becomes the second Florida player to do so this week. Linebacker Lloyd Summerall also withdrew his name from the portal over the weekend.