Maxwell Hiller isn’t wavering.
Florida’s five-star 2027 commit said the Gators’ road win over No. 7 Texas only strengthened what he already felt about his future, even with Penn State and Tennessee continuing to push. The 27-24 comeback in Austin gave the 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive lineman another reason to stay locked in with Jon Sumrall’s program.
“I don't really have any intentions of going anywhere.”
That confidence came after Florida erased a 17-3 first-half deficit and rallied past Texas behind second-year quarterback Tramell Jones Jr., who finished with 196 yards of total offense and two touchdown passes. On the other side of the ball, Brad White’s defense made life miserable for Arch Manning, getting to the junior for sacks and ending the game with a forced fumble with 34 seconds left.
Hiller, who is from Coatesville, Pennsylvania, also has his eye on another major piece of Florida’s recruiting class in Easton Royal. The top-ranked wide receiver in the cycle flipped from Texas to Florida this month, and Hiller made it clear he likes what that adds to the Gators’ future.
“He's a dude. He's a baller,” Hiller said of the top-ranked wide receiver in the cycle.
According to Swamp247, Hiller had considered a trip to Penn State, but after talking through things with his parents, he decided not to go. Instead, he’s set to be back in Gainesville on Nov. 7 for the Oklahoma game, another chance to watch Sumrall’s plan take shape in person.
“I could feel like I could have seen this coming, knowing Coach Sumrall and who he is and what he's building down there.”
In Other News...
Jon Sumralls Late-Game Mindset Said Everything About Florida Vs Texas
Late in the fourth quarter against Texas, Jon Sumrall made it clear he was thinking the same way plenty of aggressive coaches do in a tight game: he wanted the first down, not the safer kick. The Florida coachs mindset fit the moment, with the Gators trying to finish off a victory and trusting the offense to make one more play instead of settling for points and handing the outcome back to the Longhorns.
On the critical third down, Tramell Jones answered with a nine-yard run that sealed it, removing the need for any debate about a field goal or a fourth-down call. Still, the whole sequence said a lot about how Florida viewed the end of the game, and it leaves the interesting question of what Sumrall would have done if Jones had been stopped short. [Read more 🡒]
Billy Napier Is Suddenly Back In A Job Florida Fans Know Well
Marylands coaching search is officially underway after the school moved on from Mike Locksley following an eight-season run and a 2-5 start, and one familiar name is already floating into the conversation. Athletic director James Smith now has to find the next leader for a program looking for a reset, and former Florida coach Billy Napier is among the candidates being mentioned.
Napier, of course, is a name Gators fans know well from his time in Gainesville, where the spotlight and pressure came fast. He is currently at James Madison and has the Dukes off to a 7-0 start, which only adds intrigue to any job talk surrounding him. For Florida fans, it is another reminder that Napiers career remains very much in motion, even if the next step is still unclear. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Defense Finally Showed An Edge With Georgia Looming
Floridas defense had been under fire for looking too cautious under coordinator Brad White, especially when explosive plays started piling up against it. Against Texas, though, the Gators looked far more willing to take chances, leaning into pressure and forcing Arch Manning to deal with a much different look than the one opponents had seen earlier in the season.
The shift was noticeable enough to raise the bigger question now hanging over Florida: was that just a one-game adjustment, or the start of a real change in how this defense wants to operate? With Georgia coming up, the Gators have a chance to show whether the more aggressive approach can hold up against a deeper, more punishing offense. [Read more 🡒]