Galen Hall

Galen Hall coached football at the college and pro levels for more than 40 years, including six seasons as the head coach of the Florida Gators from 1984-1989. He was hired as the Gators’ offensive coordinator prior to the start of the 1984 season, and was promoted to head coach three games into the year as former Gators coach Charley Pell became the subject of an NCAA investigation regarding more than 100 rules violations. Hall finished the ’84 season with a perfect 8-0 record to lead Florida to its first-ever SEC title, but it would later be vacated due to Pell’s transgressions while serving as head coach.

Hall and the Gators followed the 1984 season with an equally impressive 1985 campaign, posting a 9-1-1 record including a 5-1 record in the SEC. Once again the Gators tied for first in the conference but remained ineligible to win the SEC crown or compete in a bowl game. The NCAA’s sanctions began to catch up with Florida’s program, and the Gators proceeded to finish 6-5, 6-6 and 7-5 over each of the next three seasons under Hall’s leadership. Florida began the 1989 season with a 4-1 record before Hall was forced to resign amid a new batch of NCAA allegations. The Gators never posted a losing season in Hall’s tenure and only finished with a losing record in the SEC one time. He left Florida with a record of 40-18-1 as head coach. He has since been inducted into the Florida-Georgia Hall of Fame.

Ethan Levine

A former newspaper reporter who has roamed the southeastern United States for years covering football and eating way too many barbecue ribs, if there is such a thing.