The status of safety Asa Turner was a question for the Florida Gators throughout the offseason. He was not listed on the spring training camp roster and did not participate in practices. While Turner suffered a season-ending hamstring injury at the end of Florida’s loss to Miami, the bigger answer Turner and the Gators were waiting on was whether the NCAA would grant him a seventh year of eligibility due to a “medical hardship.”
It was recently announced to Swamp247 and the media by Billy Napier that Turner was granted that seventh year of eligibility and that he would be returning to Florida for the 2025 season.
Turner has dealt with numerous injuries between his time at Washington and his time at Florida and has also had several surgeries, including three wrist or hand surgeries and, most recently, hamstring surgery in February following his injury against Miami.
The NCAA only grants players with five years of eligibility, however because of his injury woes, the has missed enough play time to be granted his second extension in several years. His first extension came in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he medically redshirted in 2024 at Washington and suffered fractures in both hands that season and played in just four games.
Napier told Swamp247 in January that the University of Florida was just trying to help the injury-plagued safety until he made a decision and decided if he wanted to keep playing and request the seventh year of eligibility, which included offering to cover his classes still, make him a coach, and just make sure his scholarship player was cared for.
Napier’s willingness to help Turner through his injury rehab is a testament to the relationship that Florida builds with their players. Having only played in one game and recording one tackle, Napier wanted to help Turner get the full Gator experience through classes, being a part of practices, and making sure he was taken care of like an active player.
The Gators have not yet announced if Turner will be returning on his scholarship or as a walk-on, but what is known is that the redshirt senior safety will be returning for the 2025 season.