Hail Florida Hail
Fansided

Florida football: Former guard Chris Bleich finds a new home

By Matthew Clark

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 30: The Florida Gators line up against the Florida State Seminoles during a game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 30: The Florida Gators line up against the Florida State Seminoles during a game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

At least one former Florida football player has found a home on Early Signing Day. And that new home is up north.

Florida football offensive guard Chris Bleich has found a new home.

On Wednesday, the former lineman said he was transferring to Syracuse to play for the Orangemen.

He announced his intention to leave Florida football in November.

It is likely Bleich will have to set out next year due to transfer rules, but he will have two additional years of eligibility with Syracuse.

Bleich stands 6-foot-6 and weighs approximately 330 pounds. He was part of a Florida football offensive line that struggled this year to find cohesion and holes for running backs.

https://twitter.com/Bleich67/status/1207421300593111040

Bleich said on his Twitter post that Syracuse was the first offer he had out of high school and that he was “happy and proud to now finally say I’m part of the Syracuse football program.”

"“Two years ago, I didn’t see me being in the circumstances I am in, but I wasn’t able to control what happened in my situation,” Bleich said. “Going through this decision all over again was the hardest thing for me mentally and physically.”"

Despite that, the line held enough to give back-up quarterback Kyle Trask time to throw for more than 2,600 yards and 24 touchdowns in 11 games this season.

Bleich had been giving way to fellow redshirt freshman left tackle Richard Gouraige in the last two games. Additionally, left guard Brett Heggie has moved to the right side, leaving room for Gouraige at left tackle.

Gouraige started in place of Bleich at South Carolina as Bleich had blisters on his foot. Bleich returned to the starting lineup for Florida football against Georgia but was replaced by Gouraige after the first three series of the game.

Anchored by one senior, center Nick Buchanan, the Gators are 107th in the country in rushing offense, averaging 128.9 yards per game on the ground — second-worst in the Southeastern Conference, ahead of Vanderbilt.

Next. Gators land 4-star safety Mordecai McDaniel. dark

But, Bleich, from Plymouth, Pennsylvania, was viewed as one of the players to replace four offensive linemen who graduated last season.

Home/Florida Gators Football