Utah coach Kyle Whittingham announced last week that he is stepping down as the head coach of the program. Whittingham took over for Urban Meyer when Meyer left for Florida and has seen the rise of Utah from a Mountain West program to the Pac-12 and now in the Big 12.
Much like we looked at with Michigan and their coaching situation, Utah will probably have some players hit the transfer portal once it opens in January. And Utah does have five players on the roster who are from the state of Florida who will have eligibility for 2026.
Whether or not these players opt to hit the portal or would have any interest in the Gators is still a giant mystery, but these are the five Florida natives on Utah’s roster to keep an eye on in case they opt to find a new home.
Creed Whittmore - WR - Gainesville
The brother of former Gator WR Trent Whittmore and a former Gator commit himself, Creed Whittmore started his college career at Mississippi State before opting to transfer to Utah. The former four-star prospect has struggled to find a consistent spot in either rotation, though injuries derailed his 2025 season.
When Whittmore did come back, he had some solid games to close out the year, including a six catch performance for 51 yards against Kansas State.
The Whittmore's weren't exactly fans of the Billy Napier Era, but could that change in the Jon Sumrall Era?
Daidren Zipperer - WR - Lakeland
Another member of Utah’s roster with a notable last name, Daidren Zipperer is the younger brother of former Florida TE Keon Zipperer.
Daidren Zipperer was a lower-rated three-star prospect coming out of Lakeland High, but he was starting to get playing time in 2024 with intentions of a breakout year in 2025. Unfortunately, injuries derailed his 2025 season, and he missed the entire year.
Elijah Davis - DB - Winter Haven
A former mid-tier three-star from Auburndale High, Elijah Davis worked his way into being a mainstay in Utah’s rotation these past two seasons and took over 500 snaps in 2025.
After giving up eight catches against Baylor, though, he was relegated from a starter to a rotational guy for Utah’s final two games of the season.
Jason Stokes Jr. - DB - Cocoa Beach
Jason Stokes Jr. is listed on Utah’s roster as being from Cocoa Beach, but played his high school football in Texas.
He was a three-star prospect who saw minimal action in 2025.
Ryker Kemp - DE - Ponte Vedra Beach
Kemp was a member of the Florida Class 5A All-State first-team in 2025, though he took no snaps as a true freshman in 2025 at Utah.
He is listed at 6’6” and 244 pounds, so he has the size to fit in Florida’s defensive line room if needed.