Florida Gators

MIAMI -- Florida running back commit Kelvin Taylor (Belle Glades, Fla./Glades Day) is having a good run.

After impressing Sunday at the Miami Nike Football Training Camp, Taylor earned an invite to The Opening, a prestigious camp presented by Nike in Beaverton, Oregon July 5-8. The 5-foot-11, 205-pound back and the state of Florida's all-time leading rusher, said he was honored by the invitation.

"I'm very blessed," Taylor said. "I mean the best of the best are going to be there, so I'm going to work hard and get ready to compete."

Taylor's signature moment of the camp came during one-on-one passing blocking drills when he faced off against linebacker Michael Deeb. Taylor, who Deeb outweighs by 20 pounds, was able get the best of Deep and proceeded to do the 'Gator Chomp'in Deebs' direction. Taylor said he meant no disrespect to Deeb, he just let his emotions get the best of him.

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Bubba Watson was three strokes out of the lead heading into the final round of The Masters, but one of the first things he thought about after he got to Augusta National Golf Club last Sunday was Tim Tebow.

It was hard not to, Watson said, when he was handed his randomly-selected player badge for the day. It was No. 15 -- Tebow’s jersey number at the University of Florida and with the Denver Broncos and now the New York Jets.

Watson’s immediate thought: I got No. 15 on Easter Sunday? I gotta give this to Tim.

That’s what the University of Georgia alum did Friday when he arrived at the Tim Tebow Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic at TPC Sawgrass. It was an emotional moment between the two men, both of whom are devout Christians, and showed the kind of bond they have developed through their faith.

"I told my caddy, 'I’m going to keep it unopened and I’m going to hand it to him' " Watson said. "I don’t know if he really wanted it, but I just felt like I should give it to him because it’s his football number, and I thought he might even want it more now because I did win [The Masters]. Hopefully he thinks it was special."

Tebow certainly did. So much so that he didn’t want to show it off. He just patted his pocket when asked about it.

"He didn’t need to do anything like that," Tebow said. "He’s just an amazing guy."

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida signed wing prospect DeVon Walker (Winter Haven, Fla./Winter Haven H.S.) on Friday, quickly filling the scholarship of Bradley Beal, who departs for the NBA.

"[Beal] had an amazing, amazing impact on the program and the team, so I wouldn't mind copying him," Walker said just after signing his letter of intent during a ceremony at his school.

As he assisted Beal in assessing his draft stock, UF coach Billy Donovan made a late push for Walker, a well-rounded swingman who averaged 23.8 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists as a senior.

"He came a little bit harder towards the end when it got closer to signing," Walker said. "Coach Donovan said Brad was in the process of deciding to go to the league. But before Brad had even decided, [Donovan] had already told me I had a scholarship and everything was good. So I don't really think it came down to Brad leaving."

Walker, who has grown to 6-foot-6 1/2, 187 pounds and can play shooting guard and small forward, was at one point committed to Central Florida. He chose the Gators over Alabama, Florida State and Connecticut.

"It came down to Alabama and Florida, and I really loved both programs," Walker said. "Coach [Anthony] Grant at Alabama, he has something special going on. I feel that their program is one of the best programs in the country, and Florida is also.

"My decision came down to just being closer to home and being able to have my family come to a lot of games, being comfortable at UF's campus, because I've been up there the most times."

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Florida coach Billy Donovan replaced a departed assistant coach who had head coaching experience with one who is still practically a beginner on the college level.

Donovan hired Rashon Burno, a former point guard at DePaul, on Thursday to replace Norm Roberts, who left for Kansas earlier this week. Burno has been a college coach for just two seaons, spending the 2010-11 season at Towson University and the 2011-12 season at Manhattan College. Roberts had been the head coach at St. Johns for six seasons prior to joining UF's staff in 2011.

"[Burno] is a great worker and a high-character guy," Donovan said in a statement. "He's almost at a point now where he has a chance to grow into something special. He probably has some things he'll need to learn and grow, but he's got a great upside. and he's really invested into our program because of the opportunity being given him."

Burno played at DePaul from 1998-2002 and finished his career third in school history with 201 steals. He began his coaching career in 2007 at Marmion Academy in Chicago, where he also served as a economics and PE teacher. He joined the staff at Towson in 2010 under Pat Kennedy, who coached him at DePaul.

"This is a golden opportunity for me to come in and learn the business from a future Hall-of-Fame coach," Burno said in a statement. "How many guys can say that? It's a blessing."

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Little-used forward Walter Pitchford is leaving the Florida basketball program to transfer to a school closer to his home in Michigan because of a family situation, the school announced Wednesday.

The 6-foot-10, 221-pound Pitchford played in just 13 games and scored just six points. He went 3-for-11 from the field, including 0-for-3 from 3-point range. He grabbed four rebounds.

"It’s definitely the best thing for him and his family, just with some of his extenuating circumstances," UF coach Billy Donovan said in a statement. "Right now, he just needs to be near his family. They need him home and they want him home.”

Pitchford's departure means the Gators have 12 players on scholarship (including three incoming freshmen), one shy of the NCAA limit. UF hopes to still add power forward recruit Anthony Bennett, who said he will announce his school choice in May. Guard Bradley Beal also is considering leaving early for the NBA Draft and has until April 29 to decide.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Senior defensive tackle Nick Alajajian underwent surgery on his right wrist on Tuesday but is expected to recover in time for fall practice, Florida announced Wednesday.

Alajajian is expected to be in a cast for six weeks, the school said.

The 6-foot-4, 285-pound Alajajian spent his first three seasons as an offensive lineman before moving to defensive tackle in the spring.