Billy Napier awards standouts from Florida Gators spring camp
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — A tradition that Steve Spurrier started was brought back by Billy Napier. At halftime of the Orange and Blue Debut Napier handed out awards to the Florida Gators for various performances throughout spring camp.
“I think I told each one of those guys when we were handing out awards, some of our leaders on defense, ‘Hey, we need to respond, get some stops.’ Certainly, the staff did a good job of changing it up a little bit in the second half,” Napier said after the game.
The spring game halftime awards show is a tradition that was started by former Florida coach Steve Spurrier. He held one all 12 years during his tenure.
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“One of the best things we used to do was we gave all the awards at halftime of the spring game,” Spurrier said on the Gators Online Podcast. “We gave about 50 awards. The Everyday Award. Offense, defense, special teams. Hustle Award. Most Consistent. Big Play Award. Whoever made a big play.
“Those kids love hearing their name. We’d give them a little tiny trophy. Their parents are up there going crazy. Halftime awards. Especially the walk on kids. They got recognized in The Swamp, in front of a crowd. Picked up a trophy and that was a memory of a lifetime for some of those kids. We did it every year here. Halftime award show.”
Full list of Gators honored this spring
CHANNING CROWDER HEADHUNTER AWARD
- #17 Scooby Williams
- #27 Cam Carroll
- #34 Mannie Nunnery
- #44 Jack Pyburn
- #82 Ja’Markis Weston
CHRIS DOERING I LIKE TO PRACTICE AWARD
- #16 Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman
- #27 Jadarrius Perkins
- #30 Taylor Spierto
- #66 Jake Slaughter
- #88 Caleb Banks
- #94 Tyreak Sapp
JACK YOUNGBLOOD DEFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD
- #99 Cam Jackson
LOMAS BROWN OFFENSIVE LINEMAN AWARD
- #58 Austin Barber
JOE HADEN DEFENSIVE BACK AWARD
- #3 Jason Marshall Jr.
EMMITT SMITH RUNNING BACK AWARD
- #7 Trevor Etienne
DANNY WUERFFEL MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
- #8 Jalen Kimber
- #10 Jack Miller III
- #12 Caleb Douglas
- #21 Desmond Watson
- #22 Kahleil Jackson
- #49 Adam Mihalek
- #67 Richie Leonard IV
- #76 Damieon George Jr.
TIM TEBOW LEADERSHIP AWARD
- #2 Montrell Johnson Jr.
- #12 Justus Boone
- #52 Antwaun Powell-Ryland Jr.
- #65 Kingsley Eguakun
VERNELL BROWN CULTURE AWARD
- #3 Xzavier Henderson
- #9 Keon Zipperer
- #15 Derek Wingo
- #23 Jaydon Hill
- #42 Rocco Underwood
STEVE SPURRIER COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE AWARD
- #5 Kamari Wilson
- #6 Shemar James
- #15 Graham Mertz
- #26 Jeremy Crawshaw
REIDEL ANTHONY RECEIVER AWARD
- #1 Ricky Pearsall
WILBER MARSHALL LINEBACKER AWARD
- #33 Princely Umanmielen
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
- #18 Dante Zanders
- #28 Devin Moore
LOUIS OLIVER OUTSANDING NON-SCHOLARSHIP PLAYER AWARD
- #28 Eddie Battle
- #32 Cahron Rackley
- #36 Bryce Capers
- #37 Javion Toombs
- #73 Mark Pitts
- #80 Zak Sedaros
- #85 Scott Isacks III
- #93 Keenan Landry
FRED TAYLOR MOST IMPROVED FRESHMAN AWARD
- #10 Miguel Mitchell
- #29 Trey Smack
- #56 Christian Williams
- #81 Arlis Boardingham
- #89 Hayden Hansen
