Florida Football: Gators win off the efforts of some dude named Ricky

We here at Hail Florida Hail chronicle all the recruiting efforts of Florida football. As one may know, the Gators are currently assembling a top recruiting class, which is in stark juxtaposition to what the previous regime did or didn’t do.

And yet, what saved the day for the Florida Gators in Columbia was a guy who was the 1,250th-rated prospect in the class of 2019.

Florida Football: Run Ricky Run

When Ricky Pearsall transferred to Florida football from Arizona State last season, it was seen as a nice little pickup for the Gators, but not Earth-shattering. Pearsall had 48 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns in 2021. He only had one game that season with more than four catches.

Last season with the Gators, Pearsall had a nice little season, but his overall stat line was mostly the same. He had his true breakout performance against FSU when he caught five passes for 148 yards.

Now in 2023, and the undisputed WR1 for the Gators, and Pearsall has seemed to thrive the brighter the lights get.

His 10 catches for 166 yards are emblematic of something deeper than just career highs. They came in a game where Florida’s defense was mortal. They came in a game where a defeat would have devastated the Gators’ bowl prospects. They came at a time when it would have been easy to take one of the towels fans wave during “Sandstorm” and throw it in.

Six of his ten catches came in the fourth quarter. Before his game-winning touchdown, he hauled in a 26-yard catch on 4th and 10 earlier in the drive.

Pearsall may have had his “iconic” moment earlier this season when he made his Superman catch, but his touchdown grab to win the game is the most impactful moment he has had in his career.

Coming into the season, there wasn’t much buzz for Pearsall as an NFL Draft prospect. Given the season he is having, though, he is going to catch the eye of someone to give him at least a chance.

Not bad for just some dude named Ricky.