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Florida football: Gators who were on the field in the XFL this weekend

By Will Thomas

Feb 18, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Roughnecks cornerback Sean Davis (23) returns an interception against Orlando Guardians running back Kelvin Taylor (28) in the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 18, 2023; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Roughnecks cornerback Sean Davis (23) returns an interception against Orlando Guardians running back Kelvin Taylor (28) in the fourth quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Florida football is still ramping up their offseason workouts and getting ready for spring practice as they prepare for the 2023 season.

But there are plenty of former Gators currently playing football away from Gainesville. We just saw Kadarius Toney, Carlos Dunlap, and Tommy Townsend win a Super Bowl, and a bunch of Gators are pursuing a championship on a different field.

This weekend, the XFL came back, and Gator fans got to see some familiar names take the field in week one.

The Orlando Guardians have three former Gators on their roster: RB Kelvin Taylor, S Matt Elam, and P Johnny Townsend.

A lot of fans have fond memories of Kelvin Taylor and for good reason. He’s the Gators’ most recent 1,000-yard rusher and was a big part of the offense during his time in Gainesville.

In Orlando’s game on Saturday, he had five carries for 28 yards. Matt Elam made bigger headlines than Taylor this weekend, however. He had three tackles and an interception, in what was otherwise a forgettable day for the Guardians on defense.

Johnny Townsend got busy for Orlando, with five punts totaling 202 yards, which nets an average of 40.4 yards per punt.

Over with the Arlington Renegades, we can find Will Hill, a former Gator DB who was a part of the 2008-2009 National Championship team.

Like Elam, Hill got three tackles yesterday in Arlington’s win and helped facilitate a great defensive performance for the Renegades.

The final Gator player on a roster is Josh Hammond, a former receiver in Gainesville. He’s playing for the D.C. Defenders and had one catch for 14 yards in the Defenders’ win over the Seattle Sea Dragons.

The Gators also have a former coach in the XFL. Head coach Ron Zook is now the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Sea Dragons.

It’s always fun to see former players playing pro football, wherever it is, and the XFL is a great spot for these guys to revive their careers and remind everybody of what they can do.

Keep up with Florida football at Hail Florida Hail.

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