Walter Clayton Jr. throws a football during a Final Four team outing on Thursday night. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)

During Thursday’s open locker room session, Walter Clayton Jr. spent much of his time immersed in EA Sports’ NCAA Football 24, drawing attention as he played a Florida vs. Miami matchup on a large screen. Chants of “DJ Lagway” echoed through the room while reporters mingled nearby. On Friday, Clayton stepped into a breakout room for interviews, but the relaxed atmosphere in the locker room continued—with video games and laughter still in full swing.

Players exchanged jokes and banter between media questions, appearing just as fascinated by the media frenzy as the journalists were by them.

"This is amazing," said 7-foot-9 redshirt freshman Olivier Rioux, who hasn’t seen game action this season but drew a steady stream of visitors to his locker. "I have watched the Final Four and now I'm here."

MODEL GATORS

Assistant coach Kevin Hovde is set to begin a new journey as head coach at Columbia following the Final Four. As he wraps up three seasons on Todd Golden’s staff, Hovde remains grateful for the lessons learned at Florida—especially those tied to building successful teams.

In preparing for his next role, Hovde connected with several figures from Florida’s basketball legacy, including former head coach Billy Donovan and past assistants Donnie Jones and Dusty May. Across those conversations, one theme consistently emerged: Florida is a uniquely rewarding place to coach.

Gators assistant coach Kevin Hovde sees many similarities in attitude of the players on Florida's roster to that of former UF Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Tim Tebow. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)

Assistant coach Kevin Hovde shared what he’s learned about Florida’s basketball culture through conversations with past coaches and his own experience on Todd Golden’s staff.

"The common theme was it's a place where you try to bring in guys with great attitudes that work really, really hard,'' Hov de said.

"And that's, I think, what they had back in the back-to-back national championship teams. Obviously, they were extremely talented, but they had great dudes on the team."

Golden and his staff have followed that blueprint, assembling a roster that blends overlooked transfers like Walter Clayton Jr., Will Richard, and Rueben Chinyelu with emerging young talent such as Denzel Aberdeen, Alex Condon, and Thomas Haugh.

"When we got to Florida, I can remember talking to Todd and talking about just trying to bring in guys that were incredible attitudes, like Tim Tebow, for example,'' Hovde said.

"This is the kind of place that you can attract those guys who are talented enough. And if you can do that – obviously you have to evaluate the basketball part – the sky's the limit. Every one of these guys has a great attitude and work really, really hard. They're so appreciative of being at Florida, and that's what makes us great, that pride and unselfishness."

PRESSURE POINT

Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin shared his enthusiasm for head coach Todd Golden’s impact on the program during a Friday interview with Florida Victorious.

"Excited that Todd is a Gator and the job he's done,'' Stricklin said. "I think from a timeline standpoint, he's exceeded what anyone would expect, to come in and in his third year to take the Gators to the Final Four."

Golden’s swift ascent has energized the program, marking a major milestone in just his third season at the helm.

FINAL SHOT?

On Friday, Walter Clayton Jr. and Tyrese Samuel Martin sat down for an interview just outside the locker room with Daymeon Fishback of the SEC Network. Fishback, a former Auburn standout and captain of the Tigers’ 1999 SEC regular-season championship squad, posed a buzzer-beater scenario to the Florida duo.

If Saturday night’s Final Four clash with Auburn comes down to one final possession, who gets the ball?

"Him,'' Martin said, gesturing toward Clayton"

"I'd say myself,'' Clayton replied with a grin.

ALBERT'S WAKEUP CALL

This year’s Final Four is a far cry from the quieter tournaments of decades past.

College basketball’s marquee event now mirrors the energy of the Super Bowl, with thousands of fans pouring into San Antonio for three high-stakes games and a packed entertainment lineup—including performances by Pitbull, T-Pain, Jelly Roll, and Chris Stapleton at the March Madness Music Festival.

Behind the scenes, Florida’s support staff is working nonstop to keep operations smooth. From managing ticket distribution and coordinating with donors and boosters to executing precise travel plans for players and coaches, the off-court hustle is just as intense as the action on the hardwood.

Gators mascot Albert has been in high demand at the Final Four. (Photo: Maddie Washburn)

Among the many behind-the-scenes responsibilities during Final Four weekend, one started bright and early Friday morning for Nicole Jones, Florida’s senior associate athletics director for marketing, fan engagement, and branding. At 5:30 a.m., Jones and a colleague escorted Albert, the Gators’ beloved mascot, to Fan Fest for a segment filmed by the Today Show and other national media outlets.

The scale of the Final Four has expanded dramatically since Florida’s first appearance 31 years ago in Charlotte, North Carolina—so much so that today’s version feels like an entirely different spectacle.

Todd Golden on late-game execution:

"Hopefully on Saturday, we don't have to have those types of conversations down the stretch. Hopefully it's more about, 'we got to finish this game the right way, let's play to win and to not lose.'"

Golden was reflecting on his message to the team during the closing minutes of their tight win over Texas Tech, where near-perfect execution was required to advance.

Rueben Chinyelu on family and purpose:

"I have always wanted to make pops proud. Everything I do is for him and my family. It's all for my family, my pops, my mom and everything she's been through, my siblings. So, just being able to come out here and represent my family and represent Africa and represent the organization, it's a big moment for me."

Chinyelu spoke from the heart about honoring his late father and representing his roots in Nigeria.

Alijah Martin on Final Four perspective:

"I'd say I had more fun at the first one with FAU, just because it was new. I didn't know what to expect. This one was more like staying focused and trying to get the job done. I'm still trying to balance having fun, but it's kind of hard when you haven't won a national championship and you want to do that."

Martin compared his current mindset to his first Final Four appearance two years ago, highlighting the shift from wide-eyed excitement to locked-in determination.