Florida’s offensive line is still a work in progress, but two transfers have already started to shape the room before fall camp even begins.
Head coach Jon Sumrall said at last week’s SEC Media Day that the group has made major strides since he arrived in Gainesville, especially in the weight room. The change, he said, has been noticeable.
"The biggest thing that that group has done this summer has gotten stronger. I was very underwhelmed with our strength when I got to Gainesville with our offensive line," he said at last week's SEC Media Day.
"The weight being moved wasn’t up to the standard of what I’m comfortable with. The guys in that room, they’ve gotten real comfortable with pushing heavy weight.
Like, they’ve improved, their bodies look different.
"There’s certain guys that still have maybe some body things we need to work on comp-wise. Some guys it’s weight gain, some guys it’s weight loss, everybody’s different."
The two newcomers drawing the most attention are center Harrison Moore and guard TJ Shanahan Jr., both of whom Sumrall said have helped set the tone in the room.
"I think we got great leadership in that room. Two transfers that have really set the standard how we work. Harrison Moore, offensive center from Georgia Tech, and TJ Shanahan, offensive guard from Penn State have both kind of elevated maybe the rhythm that that room marches to,” Sumrall said.
Moore arrives in Gainesville after two seasons at Georgia Tech, where he played in 21 games and made nine starts under now-Gators offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner. In 2025, he was named a Joe Moore Award Semifinalist after starting eight games at center for the Yellow Jackets. Faulkner, speaking last February, described Moore as a player built in a familiar mold.
"He’s a throwback. Tough guy.
Played through everything and coachable," Faulkner said. "So it was good for us, but again he’s going to have to come in here, compete and earn everything that’s out there.
But we’re excited for him and excited that he’s here. He’s a mentality type of guy.”
Shanahan Jr. also brings a strong résumé and a familiar connection. He transferred to Florida after playing at Penn State under now-Gators offensive line coach Phil Trautwein, after previously transferring from Texas A&M.
At Penn State, he appeared in all 13 games and made five starts while working at both guard spots. His 75.1 PFF pass block grade ranked among the top 100 for FBS guards.
That edge has already shown up in offseason work and spring camp. In March, defensive lineman Brendan Bett pointed to Shanahan Jr.’s intensity as something that raises the level of everyone around him.
“Iron sharpens iron. Every time we have pods or one-on-ones, I’m always going against him because I know he’s going to be a guy who makes me better, and he knows that as well," Bett said.
"He’s always asking, ‘Hey, let me get a rep with you at 3-tech on a pass rush,’ and I’ll go get it. But for the most part, he’s really been getting me better.
After practice, there are times when I’ll come up to him and say, ‘Hey, you hit me with this-what did you see?’ Just trying to pick his brain, pick the offensive line’s brain, just to see what they see and help elevate my game, while also giving him pointers to help elevate his game as well.”
Moore and Shanahan Jr. look like the early favorites for two starting spots, with Moore battling Jason Zandamela at center and Shanahan Jr. competing with several players at right guard. The rest of the line is still very much unsettled.
Eagan Boyer and Caden Jones are competing at left tackle, while Jones is also working at right tackle and going against Stanford transfer Emeka Ugorji. Knijeah Harris, who has been a steady presence on Florida’s offensive line over the last three seasons, is also in the mix at left guard.
Even with those names in the picture, Sumrall made it clear nothing is locked in yet.
"I don’t know if we’re settled on the best five, no. I think we’ve got who’s in contention," Sumrall said.
"There’s kind of an above the line maybe in the competition right now. It’s mixing and matching, and we’re not done.
We’ll go through training camp and continue to work different groupings."
Florida opens fall camp on Aug. 5, and the Gators will kick off the season on Sept. 5 at home against FAU.
In Other News...
Dan Mullen May Have A Path Florida Fans Won't Want To See
Dan Mullens next chapter at UNLV is starting to look like the kind of setup that could fit him better than the one he left behind in Gainesville. The former Florida coach has been recruiting in a different lane out West, building classes in the national middle with three-star players, and the early returns suggest a program that may be tailored more to his approach than the pressure-cooker expectations that followed him at Florida.
The intrigue for Gators fans is what comes next if that fit keeps improving. CBS Sports analyst Brad Crawford recently projected UNLV as the Group of Six team in the 2026 College Football Playoff, while Florida was left out of that forecast, a reminder that Mullen still has a path to national relevance even if it comes far from the SEC spotlight. For a coach whose Florida tenure produced plenty of wins, the possibility of him climbing again in a place like Las Vegas is the kind of storyline that will not go unnoticed in the Swamp. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Quietly Made A Staff Move Fans Will Notice In Close Games
Special teams can swing a season in the margins, and Florida is making a quiet move to try to sharpen that edge before the next kickoff. Greg McMahon is set to join the Gators as a special teams analyst, bringing a long coaching rsum that includes work in both the NFL and college ranks, plus a familiar connection to head coach Jon Sumrall from their time together at Tulane.
For a team looking to be cleaner in close games, the addition adds another experienced voice to a unit that rarely gets the spotlight until it decides field position, momentum or even the final score. McMahons background at places like LSU, Tulane and with the Saints gives Florida a veteran presence behind the scenes, and it signals the staff is taking the hidden parts of the game seriously heading into the season. [Read more 🡒]
Florida Legend Sees Something In Jon Sumrall Fans Cant Ignore
Jon Sumrall has spent the offseason giving Florida fans plenty to chew on, and not just because of what he might do on Saturdays. His candid personality has landed well, and the early returns on player retention and staff assembly have helped steady a fan base that was looking for reasons to believe after a noisy coaching search. Former Florida quarterback Danny Wuerffel has noticed the shift, saying the skepticism around Sumrall has started to give way as people see how he operates.
Wuerffels support carries real weight in Gainesville, and he pointed to the way Sumrall has already made an impact beyond the practice field. Recruiting, fundraising and fan engagement all matter in this job, especially before a season even starts, and Sumrall seems to be checking boxes in each area. For a program trying to build momentum, the encouraging part is not just that he has made a good first impression, but that the people who know the job best are beginning to sound convinced. [Read more 🡒]