Orange Bowl notebook: Joe Haden’s message, Local ties and Hall of Fame
It’s been nearly a decade since Joe Haden last donned the blue and orange.
But the former UF cornerback’s passion for his school hasn’t dimmed a bit.
Haden addressed a letter to the Gators that the Player’s Tribune posted Monday morning. His message was simple.
“Play your game, ball out, and do everything you can to make sure that, when it’s all over, you leave that field with absolutely no regrets,” Haden wrote.
Haden, who played in Gainesville from 2007-10, helped the Gators capture their last national championship in 2008. A remnant of UF’s last era of dominance, the cornerback knows what the program is capable of. That’s why he believed this game could be the catalyst for the Gators’ return to prominence in the next decade.
“This is the step that propels us into next season with the right momentum and mentality,” Haden continued.
Local ties
There are 19 combined players on UF’s and Virginia’s rosters who are from Broward or Miami-Dade counties.
For the Gators: linebacker Khris Bogle (Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons), linebacker Lacedrick Brunson (Miami Jackson), linebacker Andrew Chatfield (Plantation American Heritage), athlete Coleman Crozier (St. Thomas Aquinas), defensive back Shawn Davis (Miami Southridge), athlete Kyle Engel (St. Thomas Aquinas), tight end Kemore Gamble (Miami Southridge), wide receiver Trevon Grimes (St. Thomas Aquinas), wide receiver Josh Hammond (Hallandale), linebacker James Houston (Plantation American Heritage), defensive back CJ McWilliams (Miami Southwest), athlete Andres Salvidir (Coral Gables), defensive lineman Tedarrell Slaton (Plantation American Heritage), cornerback Marco Wilson (Plantation American Heritage) and running back Nay’Quan Wright (Miami Gardens, Carol City).
UF’s list does not include cornerback CJ Henderson, a Miami native and Columbus High alumnus. Henderson declared for teh NFL Draft before the bowl game and did not travel with the team.
For Virginia: defensive end Mandy Alonso (Miami Gulliver Prep), wide receiver Tavares Kelly (St. Thomas Aquinas), safety Brenton Nelson (Miami native, but went to high school at Dematha-Catholic in Maryland) and linebacker D’Sean Perry (Miami Gulliver Prep).
Orange Bowl Hall of Fame
Former Florida wide receiver Travis Taylor, Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman Vernon Carey and Notre Dame wide receiver Derrick Mayes were inducted as the 2019 class for the Orange Bowl Hall of Fame.
Taylor earned Most Outstanding Player honors in UF’s 31-10 win over Syracuse in the 1999 Orange Bowl after catching seven passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
Carey was a four-year letterwinner for the Hurricanes from 2000-2003, starting 23 games as a junior and senior. He closed his career helping UM to a 16-14 win over Florida State in the 2004 Orange Bowl.
Mayes was the co-MOP of the 1996 Orange Bowl after catching six passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns in Notre Dame’s 31-26 loss to Florida State.
This and that
▪ Lamical Perine rushed for and caught a touchdown pass in the first quarter. He now has two bowl games in his career with a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown after also doing so in the Peach Bowl last season. Only one other Florida player has accomplished that feat in a bowl game over the past 20 years: Percy Harvin in the 2008 Capital One Bowl against Michigan.
▪ Steve Spurrier served as the Gators’ honorary captain for the Orange Bowl. Chris Long was honorary captain for Virginia.
▪ With Henderson sitting out the game, freshman Kaiir Elam started opposite Wilson at cornerback. Amari Burney was in nickel.
▪ Jabari Zuniga started at defensive end despite dealing with an ankle injury.
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 9:05 PM.
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