Andrew Savaiinaea, TE, of Florida, will use the transfer portal.

Andrew Savaiinaea, a tight end for Florida; photo courtesy of the University of Florida Athletic Association Florida’s Gainsville — After spending two seasons with the Gators, Florida redshirt freshman tight end Andrew Savaiinaea announced on Sunday that he intends to use the NCAA transfer portal. “I want to thank [the] man above for putting me in my current situation. I am appreciative of the chance, experiences, and connections I’ve made at the University of Florida. I would like to express my gratitude to all of my coaches, coach [Billy] Napier, and the staff for providing me with this opportunity. Additionally, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone at GatorMade and [the Otis] Hawkins Center,” Savaiinaea wrote.

I’ve made the decision to put my name on the transfer portal after giving it some thought and praying about it. Gator Nation, thank you!” As one of eight recruits to formally align with Florida on National Signing Day, Savaiinaea’s dedication to the Gators helped bring the final touches to the Gators’ 2022 recruiting class, capping Napier’s first and interim cycle as UF’s head coach. The native of Graham, Washington, enrolled at Florida as a defensive end and was ranked as the No. 95 lineman in his class by 247Sports. However, Savaiinea’s freshman season injuries forced him to switch to tight end because the Gators lacked depth at the position.

However, Savaiinaea redshirted his first year at UF and saw no action thereafter. He would only play in one Gators game in 2023, against Charlotte in Week 4. He didn’t record any data.

Following defensive back Jadarrius Perkins, offensive tackle Jordan Herman, tight end Jonathan Odom, kicker Adam Mihalek, defensive back Kamari Wilson, defensive lineman Will Norman, quarterback Max Brown, wide receiver Caleb Douglas, wide receiver Thai Chiaokhiao-Bowman, and defensive lineman Keenan Landry chronologically, Savaiinaea is the 11th member of Florida’s 2023 roster with announced and/or reported plans to transfer this offseason. Underclassmen, including Savaiinaea, will be formally qualified to use the transfer portal between December 4, 2023, and January 2, 2024, which is when its winter window opens. We’ll keep you updated on this breaking news story as more information becomes available.

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