Amidst Ever-Evolving College Football Landscape, Senior Day Still Burns Through

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The college experiences of student-athletes can be tedious and draining. For years, young men and women endure 6 a.m. lifts, late-evening film sessions and sprints across campus to class. They tolerate all of that for the opportunity to play the sport they love.

Despite the countless days of work, every competitor’s college career ends. When that happens, they experience their concluding celebration: Senior Day. That moment comes Saturday, as 21 Gators will participate in Senior Day ceremonies before facing No. 9 Ole Miss.

While college football has undergone a metamorphosis, Senior Day has also transformed. Many players Florida will celebrate on Saturday have seen time at multiple schools. Transfers litter UF’s roster, with many having been in college beyond four years.

Fifteen years ago, a coach would have suffered a stroke if they heard that, but now, that is the state of the land they navigate.

Since the launch of the transfer portal in 2018, student-athletes have utilized it more each year for various reasons. Over its six seasons of operation, the number of players blipping in and out of the portal has more than doubled to over 3,700 in 2023, the most recent year of NCAA data. That’s become notable for college coaches, especially in the schedule they follow when developing their teams.

“The process of acquiring a player has significantly changed every six months since I’ve been at Florida,” Florida head coach Billy Napier said. “And then the retention of players has changed, that process is significantly different.”

Napier added that he spends time every week during the season scouting potential transfers — it’s just something to balance as a coach in 2024.

In his third season, Napier has enticed several transfers to UF in his first few seasons and will see a group of notable ones move on after just one season. Receiver Chimere Dike, offensive lineman Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson and defensive back Trikweze Bridges are among the most recognizable, each arriving in Gainesville this past spring seeking a change.

Crenshaw-Dickson and Bridges have both contributed in their first season with Florida. Having seen significant time for three years at their previous colleges, San Diego State and Oregon, respectively, Crenshaw-Dickson has started every…