Florida Gators: Forget Jaden Rashada and praise gymnastics instead

We all know that football is the driver of all discussion when it comes to the Florida Gators. The Swamp can pack 90,000 people, the ratings are off the charts, and when the team is good all of Gator Nation feels good.

But in the wake of an exhausting week regarding a player that would still be a high school senior in a different era, it’s time we focus out attention elsewhere is Gainesville and acknowledge a program that year after year does things right.

Florida Gators: Acknowledge me

We highlighted last week the stable of quality coaches the Florida Gators gymnastics program has and he stability the coaching staff has had. Combine that with a continued commitment to excellence and there is a reason why Florida is continually one of the top programs in the country.

9,676 people showed up to the O Dome last night to watch the 2nd ranked Florida Gators defeat the 5th ranked Auburn Tigers 197.825 to 197.200. Fans were treated to a show as Leanne Wong earned a perfect 10 on both the uneven bars and on the balance beam while Trinity Thomas closed out the night with a perfect 10 on the floor.

Recruiting matters

It’s not an accident that Florida has some of the top all-around college gymnast in the country. Wong for example was the top rated recruit in the country by College Gym News in 2021. As it stands now, Florida has the 5th ranked class for 2023 and the top rated recruiting class for 2024, so the future looks to stay bright.

One could argue that gymnastics is taking hold as the second most popular sport in the SEC behind football, so it’s not like Florida is winning these recruiting battles because no one else is trying. 9,676 fans are more fans than what attended the basketball game last week between Florida and Georgia.

So yes it stings that Jaden Rashada isn’t on campus, but Florida Gator fans can’t claim to be an everything school and then ignore the sports that make it an everything school. Sure we all want football to do well, but we are entering the time of year when Florida will have multiple sports ranked towards the top.

That doesn’t mean you can’t hold to the fire Scott Stricklin for having no real NIL plan (and for hiring coaches across the board that don’t know what they are doing), the Gator Collective for seemingly having no teeth, and Billy Napier for going all-in on Rashada and cutting ties with Marcus Stokes.

But give support to the teams holding down the fort this Spring and don’t let a high school student from California ruin your day.