The defending national champions on the hardwood have one of the tallest basketball players in the world on their roster entering the 2025-26 season. Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 center who Guinness World Records declared the tallest teenager on the planet back in 2021, will suit up for Florida basketball next season.
But, since he was on campus already, the Florida football program wanted to try something crazy.
Florida basketball coach Todd Golden said at a booster event Thursday evening that Rioux recently worked out for the football team on specific special teams packages. With unheard-of length, Florida wanted to see if he could block any field goals or extra points.
“I like the idea,” Golden said, per the Associated Press. “I give them credit for trying it.”
Unfortunately, Rioux’s vertical is almost non-existent, so the experiment failed.
“They were a little disappointed,” Golden said.
No matter, Rioux can continue to develop within Golden’s basketball program.
A redshirt freshman, Rioux did not appear in a single game for Florida last season. He has been used as an inbounds defender on the international circuit, but his game is still very much a work in progress.
As for the Gator football program, coach Billy Napier will have to look elsewhere for a solution to his field goal defense. Florida blocked 1 kick in 2022 and 2 during the 2023 season, but it didn’t get a hand on anything last fall. Maybe he can call up Shane Beamer for some pointers. South Carolina has blocked 12 kicks over the last 3 seasons.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
