Former Gators LB Mohamoud Diabate previews to visit to ‘ex-wife’s house’
Florida Gators football is the No. 1 topic in Good Morning Gators every day — but we cover news, notes and analysis from across the Gators sports world. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything in the world of Florida football, UF recruiting, Gators basketball, Florida baseball and more.
When Florida hosts No. 8 Utah for the 2022 season opener on Sept. 3, it will be a homecoming for one Utes player.
Former Gators linebacker Mohamoud Diabate makes his return to The Swamp after transferring to Utah in January. He appeared in all 37 games during his three years at UF, starting the entire 2021 season and finished second on the team with 89 tackles.
Diabate discussed the upcoming game at his old stomping grounds.
“There is nothing that can compare,” Diabate said of The Swamp. “I don’t know what to compare it to. I’ve been thinking about it a long time. Nothing compares to it. It’ll be a great environment, a great opportunity, and it’s like going to my ex-wife’s house. We’ll see.
“It’s going to be fun. I still have a lot of love and respect for those guys and university, but right now we are focused on what we have got to do and when that time comes, we will be ready.”
The Gators agreed to a home-and-home series with Utah two years ago, with a trip to Salt Lake City scheduled for 2023. Florida coach Billy Napier previewed the matchup during the offseason.
Top 10
- 1Hot
Kirk Herbstreit
Shot fired at First Take, Stephen A. Smith
- 2New
Ohio State vs. Oregon odds
Early Rose Bowl line released
- 3
Updated CFP Bracket
Quarterfinal matchups set
- 4Trending
Paul Finebaum
ESPN host rips CFP amid blowout
- 5
Klatt blasts Kiffin
Ole Miss HC called out for tweets
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
“Any time you can open the season with a formidable opponent that you know your entire organization, staff and players respect, I think that’s a huge positive,” Napier told Gators Online. “We got tremendous respect for Utah. Very familiar with their blueprint. They’ve had tremendous success. They’ve been one of the most consistent contenders in the Pac-12. Probably had one of their best teams in a long time last year.
“It’s evident when you put the tape on, this team’s got height, length, speed. They’re tough. They play with effort. They’ve got a reputation and a brand that they play to. So, we’ve got a ton of respect for Utah. We’ve got a lot of work to do in preparation for the opener. But I do think that it’s a positive that it’s a formidable opponent, one that we all can agree deserves respect. They play really good football out there.”
SUBSCRIBE TO THE GATORS ONLINE YOUTUBE PAGE
In other Florida football news
- Offensive observations and intel following the Gators’ sixth fall camp practice on Tuesday.
- Defensive observations and intel following the Gators’ sixth fall camp practice on Tuesday.
- Florida starting quarterback Anthony Richardson is taking the next steps in his development.
- Jack Miller III has secured the backup quarterback role as the Gators look for more depth.
- Running back Nay’Quan Wright, UF’s Wuerffel Man of the Month, “lives life with integrity.”
UF recruiting roundup
- Top-100 D-tackle Jordan Hall raves about the home-like feel with Billy Napier and the Gators.
- Presence of Keary Colbert has Florida “definitely up there” for a 2024 top-100 wide receiver.
- A top-100 safety in the 2024 class has UF on top and another visit to Gainesville scheduled.
- An elite linebacker in the 2025 class with nearly 30 offers has set a return trip to the Swamp.
Gators sports roundup
- Summer Ball Roundup: How did the Florida Gators do over summer break?
Let’s keep talking
Want to keep the conversation going? Head over to our Florida message board, Swamp Talk. Sign up here and join the discussion.
Also, you can sign up for Gators Online’s FREE Newsletter to have the latest in Gators sports sent directly to your mailbox every day.
Gators Twitter updates
- Florida QB Anthony Richardson mic’d up in practice:
- UF punter Jeremy Crawshaw with a new look for 2022:
- The Gators are now in full pads for training camp:
