We tell you everything you need to know about the 2023 Gainesville football team, including roster changes and what fans can expect from the Red Elephants this season.
2022 Stats
- Overall Record: 14-1
- Points Scored: 585
- Points Allowed: 251
Key Losses
“There were a lot of really good guys we lost from our defense last year,” Gainesville head coach Josh Niblett told ITG Next. “Stacy Hopkins, Nasir Summerour, Aveion Young … I mean, I can go on and on. We lost some really good players that made last year such a special season for our Red Elephants football program.”
Also on that list of graduated defensive standouts is LB Jeremiah Telander, who had a stellar senior season with 112 tackles, including 25 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. Telander is headed to the University of Tennessee.
WR/KR Darius Cannon had a senior season to remember as he hauled in 49 receptions for 778 yards and 9 TDs. He also returned 14 kickoffs for an average of 36 yards per kick return, with 2 kicks returned for TDs, including a 99-yarder. Cannon committed to the University of Kentucky.
DB Samaj “Slim” Brown will continue his football career at Hutchinson Community College after a standout senior season with the Red Elephants in 2022.
Who’s Back
“I knew coming in that Baxter Wright was going to be the right guy that we needed to run our offense,” head coach Josh Niblett said about his returning starting quarterback, who is coming off a season in which he completed 71% of his passes with 40 TDs while also rushing for 9 TDs. One of Wright’s top receivers will be senior ATH Travien Watson, who could also see time at DB this season.
Another top returning receiver will be senior TE/FB Sky Niblett, who had 30 receptions for 450 yards and11 TDs last season.
“Sky is a true hybrid type player for us, and he can help us in a lot of different ways,” Niblett said.
Junior DT Julius Columbus will return to give Gainesville a major run stopper on defense. Joining him on that side of the ball will be senior DB Nick Taylor, who is receiving a good bit of attention from recruiters.
What to Expect
Niblett is a master motivator and one heckuva football coach. Yes, Gainesville lost some really good players, but you get the feeling that as long as Niblett is in charge of the Red Elephants, he will continue to build the program from the bottom up. The team already has a freshman class that contains several top recruits, and some of those players may not even see the field for another season or two.
The big question is what must Gainesville do to reach the top? That was the only thing they were not able to do last season, winning every game except the state title game against Langston Hughes. But look a little deeper than the final score. Niblett and his staff put together a game plan and came very close to doing what no one else could do, which was to find a way to stop Hughes.
Class 6A is going to be very competitive once again, and Gainesville will be lurking somewhere close by in those final weeks.
Prediction
The 2023 Gainesville football team will roll through the playoffs and into the Class 6A state championship game-again. 14-1 overall record.
Game to Watch
The opener against Marist on August 18.
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