ATLANTA ( Associated Press) — Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, who wears a No. 15, has dropped the “AR-15” nickname because he doesn’t want to be associated with a semi-automatic rifle used in mass shootings.
Richardson told Media Days at the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday that he is “just trying to rebrand himself and be a better person.”
The sophomore said he was thinking about “what the future holds” when making the decision.
“I won’t be able to play football for the rest of my life,” Richardson said. “I think it was largely a business decision. There’s a lot going on and that kind of played a part in it. Just trying to understand who I am as a person.
“The AR-15 doesn’t necessarily describe who I am. I’m Anthony Richardson and that’s what I’ve been since I was born.”
zero counter
A day later Alabama coach Nick Saban said his players made more than $3 million In name, image and likeness deals, Georgia coach Kirby Smart would not give an aggregate count on his players’ earnings.
Smart said he prefers to insist on keeping 95 players with zero deals. He said that winning the 2021 National Championship helped his players to take advantage of the opportunities of NIL.
“I would rival anyone in the country with 95 NIL deals from the national championship, a very garish number we’ve been able to deliver,” Smart said, adding that he didn’t think the total value of the deals was the highest. was. Important
“I think it’s more about the depth of our deals than the total amount,” Smart said.
Permanent in Kentucky
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops is 59-53 as he enters his 10th season, setting a school record for endurance.
The Wildcats follow a streak of six consecutive bowl seasons in 2022.
“10 years in Lexington is something I’m proud of because I know how difficult it is,” Stoops said. “I know how difficult it is to walk with recruits, with great coaching in this league… then try to climb that ladder as high as we can.”
Stoops said, “However, we’re not satisfied. We want to keep growing. We want to keep that going. Obviously, there are some teams at the top of the food chain in the East and West doing some really special things. So you have to. You have to step up your game.”
New Deal for Smart
Smart confirmed that he is close to agreeing to a contract extension. He’s 66-15 in Georgia in six years.
Smart is earning more than $7.1 million a year on his current deal, which runs through the 2024 season. His extension is expected to span 10 or more years and make him one of the game’s highest-paid coaches at around $10 million per year.
“I’m not worried about it at all,” Smart said of the conversation between Georgia’s administration and their agent, Jimmy Sexton.
“They have been tremendous in their communication with my representation,” Smart said. “I’m completely comfortable where everything is. Both sides have worked really hard to make this work.”
Bennett welcomes his brother
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett is five years older than his brother Luke Bennett, who is a wide receiver. Under normal circumstances, that age difference would have prevented the brothers from playing together in college.
Thanks to giving the NCAA an extra year of eligibility due to the coronavirus pandemic, Stetson is taking advantage of his sixth year—and an unexpected opportunity to play alongside his younger brother, a freshman who has served as a walk-on with Georgia. signed in.
“It’s probably the best thing that’s come out of COVID-19 for me, if you may say so,” Stetson Bennett said. “We were always super tight, but I was five years older than him. We were never able to team up together.
“Being able to have that opportunity, it’s special. We’re both super lucky. I know my mom is a big fan of having that happen. Hopefully, the stars align, and we can see each other close.” Can give, but for now, we are good to be on the same team.”
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