Watch: Gators LB Chief Borders Earns Wuerffel Man of the Month Honor

With GatorMade, the Florida Gators have begun a new tradition, presenting the Danny Wuerffel Man of the Month to its players.

Photo: Chief Borders; Credit: Zach Goodall

Yesterday, the Florida Gators and head coach Billy Napier announced a new tradition within the GatorMade part of the organization to the Florida football team, the Danny Wuerffel Man of the Month honor. This month, the honor was presented to redshirt freshman linebacker Chief Borders.

The honor is given to "a football scholar-athlete that exemplifies the Gator Standard, demonstrating holistic excellence in leadership, character, service and academics," the Florida football program said via Twitter. The honor is not an on-field achievement, but rather one about the character of the player.

Wuerffel, who was the program's quarterback from 1993-96 met with the media last week to discuss his involvement with the Gators and the GatorMade program.

"I've had a chance to talk with the players at different times, really on the subject of leadership and trying to develop leaders," Wuerffel told the media. "I met with some of them as a group and others individually; it has been really encouraging. I'm really excited to be associated with GatorMade and help really highlight some of the great stuff that they're doing."

The Gators football social media team posted a video of Napier announcing the honor to his team and Borders as the first recipient of the honor. 

"We're starting a new tradition within the GatorMade part of our organization where we're gonna have the Wuerffel Man of the Month," Napier said to the team via the video posted by the Florida football program on Twitter.

Congratulations to The #GatorMade @DannyWuerffel Man of the Month, @ChiefBorders!

This award is presented to the football scholar-athlete that exemplifies the Gator Standard, demonstrating holistic excellence in leadership, character, service, & academics.#GoGators | #UFuture pic.twitter.com/d3UIzYSpsk

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) April 6, 2022

"And this is not about ability on the field, this is more about your character, it's more about selflessness, it's more about how you treat people.  The ability to live life to impact other people, to bring things to the team, that extra dimension."

It's clear to see in the video how well-liked Borders is, a player that has all of the intangibles that Napier looks for within the football program he's building. Borders was also on the SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll in 2021, another testament to his hard work and dedication, not just on the field, but off it as well.

Borders, 6-foot-4, 232 pounds enters his second season at Florida with a real shot to earn serious playing time at linebacker, and more specifically;y the team's Jack, or edge rusher position on the right side of the defensive line. His prowess for getting after the quarterback will have an opportunity to be on full display this fall.

In 2021, Borders would appear in just four games, redshirting the season. He registered his first career tackle against UCF in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23.

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