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View all postsPat Dooley is the the author of The Front 9, a must-read weekly column on Gators sports featured in the Gator Bites newsletter. A Gainesville native and University of Florida graduate, Dooley has been involved with multiple radio shows and currently hosts Another Dooley Noted Podcast twice a week. Previously, Dooley was the Gainesville Sun's lead sports columnist for a quarter century.
The Front 9: The noise has arrived for Sumrall’s Gators
Oct 11, 2026
Gators coach Jon Sumrall saw this coming in the preseason when he told people close to him that they would win early.
The Front 9: Gators humbled, plus Teako Brown on No. 33
Oct 4, 2026
The Gators' 45-17 loss at Missouri was exactly what Jon Sumrall warned us all about. If you aren’t humble, you’ll get humbled, right?
The Front 9: Are the Gators back? So you’re telling me there’s a chance
Sep 27, 2026
When Jon Sumrall said after the 52-28 win over Ole Miss that he is “not Eeyore, mad at life” because he said the Gators have not played their best football, he’s not degrading Saturday’s win.
The Front 9: Gators found their swagger at Auburn. Now Ole Miss.
Sep 20, 2026
There is something about Gators coach Jon Sumrall and his “track record” as Steve Spurrier likes to call it. He wins football games.
The Front 9: Gators head to Auburn with warts and wonder
Sep 13, 2026
Gator fans get to find out if this team is for real with the game at Auburn at 7 on ESPN.
The Front 9: Gators made the Swamp fun again
Sep 6, 2026
Just to have a Gators game where you weren’t grousing and feeling nervous was a pleasure in the Swamp.
The Front 9: Matthews recalls the first snap of the Spurrier era at Florida
Aug 30, 2026
There was a level of excitement when I woke up Saturday morning. Was I entertained? A little.
The Front 9: Gators’ Aberdeen in limbo, Meyer reflects on ‘most talented team’
Aug 23, 2026
I tried to tell everyone who proclaimed Denzel Aberdeen eligible when the first ruling came down that this was far from over. And it still is.
The Front 9: Condron opens wallet (again), Staples talks CFP and barbecue
Aug 16, 2026
Anyone who wants to join the Condron Club will help UF’s football team raise money for NIL. It seems brilliant.
The Front 9: Legislative lethargy, faux poll outrage and Wuerffel’s memories
Aug 9, 2026
Seriously, did anyone think that Congress was going to save college football expediently?
The Front 9: An injunction, Horschel talk and Sumrall’s true tests in first season with Gators
Aug 2, 2026
The court ruling out of Colorado has people freaking out. But yes, we are all hoping this means Denzel Aberdeen will be able to play for the Gators this season.
The Front 9: SEC Media Days recap, and an extended ‘four questions’ with Gators great Patric Young
Jul 26, 2026
Every SEC team is excited about the upcoming season and is working harder than anyone else. Yawn.
The Front 9: Sports dead zone, roster buzz and 4 questions with Gators great Alex Brown
Jul 19, 2026
Is it football season yet? These are the two most boring weeks of the year if you are a sports nut like me.
The Front 9: Donovan’s NBA move, Gators’ 5 numbers to fix in ’26
Jul 5, 2026
The news really didn’t come out of nowhere that Billy Donovan is going to San Antonio to be the No. 1 assistant. He had been bouncing the idea off close friends for a couple of weeks.
The Front 9: Gators football buzz, Carter’s rings and Mickelson’s fall
Jun 28, 2026
OK, OK. I’ll stop writing about how I think Jon Sumrall will eventually bring the glory back to Gainesville, but it may not be as quick as we would like. Too many people think it will be bullet-train fast and maybe I am just wrong.
The Front 9: World Cup fever, Gators great Chris Doering on ‘The Catch’
Jun 21, 2026
We still have a long way until college football begins, but it is amazing to see how people respond to the “other football.” Whether it’s celebrities showing up or fans taking over the streets of major American cities, you can feel the enthusiasm that is usually reserved for SEC football games.
The Front 9: Renovations, roster moves and three Gators at Shinnecock
Jun 14, 2026
Florida has a new president, the $1.45 billion stadium renovation has been approved, construction of the 36-hole golf course is under way and UF has a new pitching coach.
The Front 9: Blue bloods, ballots, and a beast worth waking
Jun 7, 2026
We all love a good debate (also known as arguing), and one came up last week when they announced the ballot for the college football Hall of Fame. Three Gators – Percy Harvin, Alex Brown and Kevin Carter – are on the ballot and face stiff competition.
The Front 9: ‘Team Weird’ Gators take weird to a new level in NCAA Regional
May 31, 2026
As crazy as this baseball season has been for these Florida Gators (I call them Team Weird), we saw something that took weird to a new level in the Gainesville Regional.
The Front 9: Chinny returns to Gators, and a strike zone the size of a Mason jar lid
May 24, 2026
Thanks to the boosters who have changed the dynamics in a college sports world none of us recognize any more, Rueben Chinyelu is back. Chinny is the heart of this Gator team and Thomas Haugh is the soul.
The Front 9: Three’s company as Gators own the weekend, plus 4 questions with Sean Kelley
May 17, 2026
The key to the weekend was the number 3. The softball team won its regional in three games, baseball swept LSU in three and the women’s track team completed the triple crown by adding the SEC outdoor title to the indoor and the cross country.
The Front 9: Gators baseball surging, softball hosting regional, and some ping pong
May 10, 2026
The Front 9 comes at you after a rainy few days that made you think Florida was playing in a baseball regional because of the delays at Condron.
The Front 9: Golden speaks, softball stumbles, and five Gator teams robbed by history
May 3, 2026
Sumrall chest puffing is paying off.
The Front 9: Gators basketball preseason No. 1, undrafted legends, and an Axe Murderer
Apr 26, 2026
The 2026-27 Gators basketball team will be ranked No. 1 in the preseason and will have to deal with it. Just win, baby.