Gumbs Jr. has No Regrets on Planting Flag at FSU, Ready for Leadership Role in Final Year

The rising senior reflected on his viral moment as he takes on a larger leadership role in 2025.

George Gumbs Jr. will look to build off his breakout 2024 campaign in his final season of collegiate eligibility. | Kyle Lander / Gators Illustrate

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Reflecting on his breakout campaign in 2024, Florida Gators senior edge rusher George Gumbs Jr. kept it blunt regarding his viral flag-planting on the midfield logo at Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium after the team's 31-11 win over rival Florida State.

“I would do it again," he said Tuesday.

ICYMI last night, Florida got in on yesterday’s flag-planting chaos after beating Florida State.

Huskie fans might recognize the Gator that planted the flag at midfield. That’s NIU transfer George Gumbs Jr.pic.twitter.com/oGkLAVXGNz

— Skyler Kisellus (@skylerkisellus) December 1, 2024

Continuing a trend from this past season's rivalry week in which multiple away teams planted flags after defeating their rivals on the road, Gumbs Jr. took the initiative just moments after the regular season finale concluded, which sparked multiple melees between players and a heated exchange between UF head coach Billy Napier and FSU head coach Mike Norvell.

"Obviously, what happened there at the end of the game is not who we would want to be as a program, and it's embarrassing to me, and it's a distraction from a really well-played football game," Napier said at the time. "So I want to apologize on behalf of the entire organization, just in terms of how we represented the university there. We shouldn't have done that. We won't do that going forward, and there'll be consequences for all involved."

Gumbs Jr. did not say what his punishment was but was clear that he enjoyed the moment.

“It was fun. Just like, once I stamped it, I feel like that was me stamping the Gators. OK, it’s over. We did it," he said.

Now, though, a new season approaches for the Gators with Gumbs Jr. being one of the headliners on defense. Moving on from last season's viral moment, 2025 will all be about making the most of his final collegiate season in what's been a storybook career.

"Obviously, he has a whole lot of athletic ability. He’s strong. He’s fast. Obviously, you’ve seen that last season, he showed flashes of that," fellow senior edge rusher Tyreak Sapp said. "He’s got a whole other side to his game that a lot of people are going to see this year."

The former Northern Illinois transfer began his career as a walk-on receiver before transitioning to tight end, although he had little impact at either position.

However, a second position change to edge rusher is where Gumbs Jr. found his best success. After recording 34 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 2023, he took a chance on himself by entering the NCAA Transfer Portal. Landing at Florida, the former walk-on shined after setting new career-highs in tackles (35) and sacks (5).

Despite the constant change, Gumbs Jr. continued to thrive. Now that there's some steadiness heading into his final season, he's ready to take the next step in his game.

"I feel like I’m a person that can develop and evolve and change to my surroundings very well," he said. "Going from receiver to tight end, to D-end to new school, new system. And then, I was watching some of my old spring call clips, and I was like ‘Dang, this is like kinda hard. Damn that was me.’ Okay, but like, I feel like, just taking big jumps and just always taking coaching. Never getting too much of a big head. Like, I never feel like, no matter how good people may say I am, I never feel like ‘Okay, I’m done.’ It’s always something I could do better, you know?”

On that note, Gumbs Jr. explained he is focusing on his footwork and hand placement as he continues to improve his pass-rushing. Still, the confidence that he can not only replicate but also improve upon his breakout campaign from a year ago.

"His best football’s still way ahead of him," defensive coordinator Ron Roberts said. "And I know we’re gonna get him for one more here, but hopefully he’s gonna get that opportunity to continue to play, and he’ll continue to develop, but I expect him to be an impact player this year."

With those expectations as an impact player come other expectations as a leader on the defense. Although he's only in his second year with the program, Gumbs Jr. is emerging as a vocal leader alongside veteran Tyreak Sapp in the edge rushers room, especially with two true freshmen in Jayden Woods and Jalen Wiggins already enrolled.

“Especially with this being my last year, I’m trying to take the younger guys and show how a vet taught me like: ‘This is how I train, this is how I watch film.’ So like, then I have a platform before I leave," he explained.

While the edge rushers room lost depth after exits from Jack Pyburn, TJ Searcy and Justus Boone through the portal, Gumbs Jr.'s and Sapp's returns alongside a strong rotation duo in Kamran James and LJ McCray and the two aforementioned true freshman, Gumbs Jr. has high expectations for the room in 2025.

“I feel like it’s great. A lot of guys took a good leap and just thinking about what we’re learning now and just adding more to our game," he said. "So I feel like, it will be more. Just having that out the gate instead of the second half of the season.”