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Former Florida and Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith is back in Gainesville for Saturday’s big game against Texas A&M as the honorary “Mr. Two Bits.”
Smith, the all-time NFL rushing leader and Super Bowl champion with the Dallas Cowboys, is also here this weekend to spread awareness about the opioid overdose crisis in the U.S. He will be tailgating outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in lot 25 from 1-3 p.m. and will be available to meet fans and take photos.
Our honorary Two-Bits for the Texas A&M game is Gator and NFL Great, Emmitt Smith! 🐊
✍️: https://t.co/9nQJfm1A9y#GoGators | #GatorMade pic.twitter.com/y1uALn7jFB
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) September 10, 2024
If Smith, 55, needed yet another reason why Saturday’s game is so important, it would be that his son, EJ, will play in The Swamp on today. However, E.J. will be on the opposing sideline as a running back for the Aggies. E.J. was a running back at Stanford for the last four years, however, he transferred to Texas A&M for his fifth-year senior season.
Smith, a Pensacola native now a businessman in Texas, says Saturday will be a unique experience for him while watching his son run onto the field he used to play on.
Smith: Gators Struggling
Smith seemed to choose his words carefully when asked how he felt about the current state of Florida’s football program. He said the program is “floundering” and not going in the right direction.
He said he recognizes UF coach Billy Napier’s efforts to get the program going, but he doesn’t think it’s enough. Smith said the program needs to do more than just recruit well to be successful again, it needs to take advantage of the talent it has available:
Smith said he also believes the new players need to continue to be retrained by Napier and the program:
The Gators still have a long way to go, he said.
Thoughts On College Athletics Today
With the new wave of college athletics and the immersion of NIL deals, Smith joked that he wishes he was still playing college football today. He seems on board with the direction the NCAA is heading and remembers wishing he was compensated as a college athlete:
However, Smith, one of just six players in the UF “Ring of Honor,” still believes there’s a long way to go in regard to what the NCAA can do to properly set up college athletes for the future. Smith recognizes the importance of financial literacy for all people, especially young college athletes with access to money and he believes there should be “more guardrails around it.”
Gator Game
Kickoff is at 3:30 p.m. today at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, with live coverage on ABC, ESPN 98.1-FM/850-AM WRUF.
