‘It means everything’: Jacksonville native Jack Pyburn speaks in Florida, Georgia

The Florida/Georgia game is one of the unique rivalries in college football, dating back to their first meeting in 1915 in Jacksonville. The Florida team, led by Gator great Brandon Spikes, is doing a good job educating the roster on the history and importance of this game. this game. Florida held a ‘Georgia day’ in the offseason, where transfers and freshmen came to the facility to learn about the rivalry.

One player who doesn’t need help understanding Florida/Georgia is junior running back Jack Pyburn, who grew up playing high school football in Jacksonville and attends the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party every year.

“I can tell you this means everything to me,” Pyburn said of the Florida-Georgia game. “There hasn’t been a Georgia/Florida game since I was growing up that I didn’t remember going to. I’ve been to every game since I can remember what Florida/Georgia is… It’s a heated rivalry that is truly special.”

Pyburn makes sure everyone in the building, from the support staff to his teammates on the field, knows how important this game is to the University.

“I’m reminding everyone how important this game is. Whether it’s someone at EQ, whether it’s someone in the training room, whether it’s a player, whether it’s a transfer, everyone needs to understand the importance of this game and the rivalry in Florida because this is a special place,” he said. said Pyburn.

Pyburn has become a fan favorite because of his love for the university, his effort on the football field, and his aggressive style of play.

“I’m honestly looking forward to sticking my face in one and running over one. I love contact,” Pyburn said. “That’s what I do, man. I love the contact. At the end of the day, you watch the best edges in the NFL, you watch the best edges in college football, the best edges are the ones who set boundaries and set boundaries with violence.

Pyburn has the fearless mentality you need to be an edge linebacker in the SEC, and that helped him get on the football field in 2024. According to Pro, Pyburn ranks second among Florida edge defenders in ‘win rate’ in run defense and pass rushes. Football Focus.

“It’s better to be a hammer than a nail, because if you’re a nail, you’ll be the one getting hurt. If you’re a hammer, you won’t feel a thing,” Pyburn added. “So when I get there, there’s the mentality that I’m going to get in your face and you’re going to have to stop me. It hurts them more than it hurts me. It’s fun.”

As Florida (4-4, 2-2 SEC) looks to knock off No. 2 Georgia (6-1, 4-1 SEC) in Week 10, Pyburn is focused on maintaining the Gator standard left by former players.

“The rivalry that has built up over the years has been because of the great players that have come through there,” Pyburn said. “We must maintain the standard that these players set for themselves and play for, and we must respect those who came before us by doing our best every Saturday.”