Florida basketball player Olivier Rioux, a 7-foot-9 center who played for the Under-19 Canadian national team this summer, recently worked out for the Gators’ football team.

Rioux, 19, donned an orange helmet and took snaps on special teams, with Florida assistant coaches hoping his massive wingspan might be a difference maker when it comes to blocking field goals and extra points.

“I like the idea,” Gators basketball coach Todd Golden said during a booster event Thursday evening. “I give them credit for trying it.”

There was one issue: The 305-pound Rioux has an 11-inch vertical, so even with his extra-long reach, he was unable to block any kicks during the workout.

“They were a little disappointed,” Golden said.

No worries. Rioux can simply stick to his full-time gig with the basketball team.

After redshirting as a true freshman last season, he’s expected to get on the court in limited capacity this fall. He’s unlikely to play much considering the defending national champions return their entire frontcourt, but he should at least get on the court in garbage time.

Golden already has considered using him to guard inbound passes, something Rioux did to perfection just before halftime against the United States in the FIBA U19 World Cup in Switzerland earlier this month. Rioux forced an errant pass that led to a turnover and a 3-pointer just before halftime.

Rioux’s unusual height landed him in the Guinness World Records a few years ago and he has become a walking viral video at Florida. While coaches and teammates climbed a ladder to cut pieces of the nets after the Gators won the Southeastern Conference Tournament, Rioux was able to do it while standing flat-footed.

“Alberta reached out about doing a TikTok,” he says.

Blank stares.

“Alberta, the mascot,” he adds.

Ahh.

Rioux, the world’s tallest teenager, is one of top-seeded Florida’s most popular players heading into the NCAA Tournament — even though he has to take the court. Photos. Videos. Autographs. Interviews. The attention is immense. The requests are worldwide.

The 19-year-old Rioux handles them all as effortlessly as he touches a 10-foot rim and without anything in return. But the Canadian whose unusual height landed him a spot in the Guinness World Record is hoping to start earning money from use of his name, image and likeness in the United States.

Rioux has formally applied for an 0-1 visa, which is reserved for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement in fields of science, art, education, business or athletics.

There’s precedent for it in the NCAA, which provides limited opportunities for international students to capitalize on NIL while attending college in the U.S. Former Northwestern State and current Austin Peay guard Hansel Enmanuel of the Dominican Republic was granted that type of visa in 2022.

Enmanuel’s left arm was amputated just below the shoulder after an accident when he was 6; he is considered one of the most inspirational college basketball players because he helps countless kids dealing with physical limitations find hope.

Enmanuel has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, 2.8 million on TikTok and has security at road games. He has lucrative NIL deals with Adidas, Gatorade, Oakley, T-Mobile and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s ZOA Energy drink that total roughly $1.5 million, according to ESPN.

Rioux’s popularity is nowhere near that level right now. But it’s expected to grow, especially when he starts playing. He’s already a walking viral video; while coaches and teammates climbed a ladder to cut pieces of the nets after Florida won the Southeastern Conference Tournament on Sunday, Rioux was able to do it while standing flat-footed.

“I feel a bit strange about it because you see a lot of deals happening worth millions of dollars, which I’m like, ‘Dang, that’s a lot of money,’” Rioux told The Associated Press. “I feel like we’ll be good.”

Rioux has a few future endeavors already in the works.

At the launch party of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway’s foundation last week, it was announced that Rioux would join Lagway on a future “ Gators at Sea Cruise.” A two-person suite on the cruise sold for $3,000 during Lagway’s charity auction.

Rioux doesn’t enjoy boats or anything else that can cause motion sickness. Rollercoasters are definitely out. And on a recent trip to Alabama, the Gators had to fly through storm-related turbulence. “It was iffy, and I did not like it,” Rioux said.

But he’s going to suck it up for a few days on the open seas and plans to shoot a video series about it — “Ollie’s Adventures” has a nice ring.

He’s never been on a cruise, but he knows cabins usually don’t have much space and doorways aren’t designed for 7-footers — let alone someone closer to 8 feet tall.

“It’s going to be funny,” he said. “I don’t really know what I’m going to do.”

He does know this: a tryout with the Canadian national team awaits him following March Madness. He’s excited to see how he performs after four-plus months focused on getting strong and improving his quickness. His on-court work, though, has been limited.

Florida coach Todd Golden gave Rioux the choice of playing garbage-time minutes as a non-scholarship player this season or redshirting and saving a year of eligibility. Rioux chose the latter.

“It’s been a process,” Rioux said. “I feel good about it. I feel like I’ve been doing a tremendous job in terms of lifting. Obviously, practicing is a bit different. You’re not playing as much as you want to, but you still got to show up and practice as much as they want me to.”

Added Golden: “He’s way more athletic now than when he got here, and we always thought of Ollie is kind of a longer-term project so to speak. … He’s been incredibly coachable. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do from a practice standpoint. I still feel good about his opportunity and his potential to become a good player.”

For now, though, he’s a sizable side attraction. Fans line up to meet him after games, and he’s always willing to pose for pictures or sign autographs. And the NCAA Tournament — the Gators open Friday against Norfolk State in Raleigh, North Carolina — will offer him a chance to reach new audiences and potentially line up future paydays.

It might even include dancing with mascots.

“I’m ready for it,” he said.

The sides officially agreed to terms a day after Coen called Bucs coach Todd Bowles and others to tell them he planned to sign with the Jaguars.

“To repeat my message earlier this week, I am deeply committed to building a winner here in Jacksonville,” Khan said in a statement. “I also believe in being judged by action, not words. That’s why I took swift and decisive action this week to hire Liam Coen as the new head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars.”

How Khan made it happen will be remembered as one of the wildest coaching searches in NFL history.

Khan surprisingly fired Baalke on Wednesday to clear a path for Coen to wind up in Jacksonville. Coen initially declined an in-person interview with the Jaguars because of Baalke, 60, who has a less-than-ideal reputation in league circles and talked Khan into firing Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson after his third season in Jacksonville.

Coen instead agreed to a new three-year contract with the Bucs that would have made him the NFL’s highest-paid coordinator, although it was contingent on him not taking a second interview with the Jags. But Coen never showed up to sign the deal — he ghosted his Tampa colleagues for hours — and secretly traveled to Jacksonville to meet with Khan, interim GM Ethan Waugh, Hall of Fame left tackle Tony Boselli and others Thursday.

The Jaguars met with Coen after a sit-down with former Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, a second interview that was needed to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule.

Coen left Jacksonville without a deal, but everyone considered it done.

It had been trending that way for days. Coen crushed his virtual interview with Khan last week and seemed to be the owner’s top choice, especially after Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson took the Chicago Bears job.

But Baalke proved to be a roadblock, one Khan realized he needed to remove in hopes of securing an up-and-coming offensive mind to pair with promising quarterback Trevor Lawrence and standout wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. for the foreseeable future. And anyone questioning Khan’s commitment to winning in Jacksonville should look at his behind-the-scenes efforts to get Coen.

“Becoming the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars is an opportunity of a lifetime, and one that I am going to run with to instill a championship culture and winning tradition here in Duval (County),” Coen said in a statement.

Khan said earlier this month he wanted a head coach who would bring more creativity to Jacksonville, saying “being unpredictable is I think modern football, and we have to be able to show that on the field.”

Coen, 39, was the architect of one of Tampa Bay’s most productive offenses in its history in 2024. The Buccaneers ranked third in the NFL in yards (399.6 per game) and fourth in points (29.5).

Coen became the first NFL coordinator in at least the last 25 years to average more than 28 points per game and more than 6 yards per play, convert more than 50% of third downs and score touchdowns 65% of the time in the red zone. Tampa Bay was the first in nearly 800 offenses since 2000 to accomplish the feat.

He was so impressive this season with veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield and rookie running back Bucky Irving that even die-hard Bucs fans suggested moving the 61-year-old Bowles into another role and handing the reins to Coen to keep him in Tampa.

Instead, Coen relocated four hours north to Jacksonville.

Some obvious questions to be answered next: What kind of coach/GM structure will Khan employ moving forward? Will Waugh stick around as GM or will Coen bring in his own guy? Will Khan hire an executive vice president — Boselli would make sense — to help the first-time head coach?

Regardless, the Jaguars believe they had one of the best jobs available — especially with Baalke out of the picture.

They have a young quarterback (Lawrence), a budding star at receiver (Thomas), a few defensive building blocks (cornerback Tyson Campbell and pass rushers Travon Walker and Josh Hines-Allen), a relatively new practice facility, a $1.4 billion stadium renovation upcoming and a hands-off owner with deep pockets.

They have the fifth draft pick in April and roughly $50 million in salary-cap space for 2025, play in arguably the NFL’s weakest division (AFC South) and work in a state with plenty of sunshine and no income tax. They also went 3-10 in one-score games — an indication it could be a quick fix.

It’s up to Coen to make it happen.

With the transfer portal open, and more than 1,000 players potentially on the move, now is a good time to look at some of the biggest winners and losers from last year’s round of what is essentially college football free agency.

In this, the College Football Playoff edition, we’ll look at players who either left CFP teams for a new start, or turned their new school into one of this season’s lucky 12.

Winners

WR Isaiah Bond, Alabama to Texas

When Nick Saban left the Crimson Tide, Bond decided it was time to go, too. With no certainty about what Alabama would become, he knew going to the Longhorns would give him a spot in a big-time offense.

Stats: 33 receptions, 532 yards, five touchdowns

RB Trevor Etienne, Florida to Georgia

He moved to Florida’s archrival, but Etienne said he saw the uncertainty around the Gators rebuild and instead “decided to bet on myself and take a chance somewhere else.”

Stats: 571 yards, nine TDs

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma to Oregon

When Gabriel’s draft status didn’t appear as good as he was hoping, he decided to use his sixth year of eligibility. OU coach Brent Venables said he was surprised when Gabriel told him he wanted to transfer to be closer to home (Hawaii). Neither the Ducks nor Gabriel has lost since.

Stats: 3,558 yards, 28 TDs, 6 interceptions

Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel is the 2024 winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football

QB Will Howard, Kansas State to Ohio State

With one more year of eligibility, Howard made the decision to go to a school with a more traditional passing offense, and one where he’d have a better chance to be a title contender. Check and check.

Stats: 2,860 yards, 27 TDs, 8 INTs

QB Sam Leavitt, Michigan State to Arizona State

Leavitt played sparingly as a freshman and the Spartans fired coach Mel Tucker, who had recruited the QB. Tucker’s replacement, Jonathan Smith, came from Oregon State, which sealed the deal because Smith never offered Leavitt even though Leavitt went to high school in Portland

Stats: 2,663 yards, 24 TDs, five INTs

QB Riley Leonard, Duke to Notre Dame

Leonard’s 2023 got off to a great start, with a win over Clemson and an 4-0 record. Then, he got hurt. Then, his coach left. When Notre Dame became an option, it was a no-brainer.

Stats: 2,092 yards, 16 TDs, five INTs

QB Kurtis Rourke, Ohio to Indiana

Rourke had one season of eligibility left and new Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti came calling. Cignetti was trying to start something at a school with zero football tradition and Rourke decided to move up to the Big Ten.

Stats: 2,827 yards, 27 TDs, four INTs

WR Evan Stewart, Texas A&M to Oregon

This social media post says it all for Stewart, who was the top receiver in the portal last year: “I saw it coming freshman year when I didn’t get paid a dollar from A&M but ‘sliced bread’ had y’all thinking we was all millionaires.”

Stats: 48 receptions, 613 yards, five TDs

Losers

WR Elijhah Badger, Arizona State to Florida

The fifth-year senior jumped in the portal this spring, bailing on the Sun Devils despite catching 135 passes for 1,579 yards and 10 TDs in two years under coach Kenny Dillingham. He’s now headed to the Gasparilla Bowl.

Stats: 37 receptions, 789 yards, four TDs

DB Trikweze Bridges, Oregon to Florida

The 6-foot-3 Alabama native was looking for more playing time and a chance to switch to safety when he moved closer to home after four years with the Ducks. He ended up back at cornerback following a slew of injuries at the position.

Stats: 69 tackles, one INT

LB Jamon Dumas-Johnson, Georgia to Kentucky

A two-year starter and two-time national champion with the Bulldogs, Dumas-Johnson transferred to Lexington to “have more fun with it.” The Wildcats lost six of their final seven games and will miss a bowl game for the first time since 2015. Dumas-Johnson was a bright spot, though.

Stats: 67 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks

DE B.J. Green, Arizona State to Colorado

Despite being ASU’s best pass rusher for three seasons, Green joined Deion Sanders in Boulder for his senior year. He raised his production slightly but will play in the Alamo Bowl instead of the CFP.

Stats: 30 tackles, 7 1/2 sacks

S Bryan Massey, SMU to Houston

Massey looked like one of the best kick returners in the country in 2021. But injuries cost him playing time as a senior. He found a fresh start about 250 miles away, although he ended up sharing return duties.

Stats: 227 all-purpose yards, 4 tackles

S Kobee Minor, Indiana to Memphis

Despite earning honorable mention status on the All-Big Ten team as a junior, Minor transferred for the second time in two years. He missed two games.

Stats: 31 tackles, five pass breakups.

RB Savion Red, Texas to Nevada

Red had a solid season with the Wolf Pack. But he may have been able to put up similar numbers at Texas after the Longhorns lost starter CJ Baxter and backup Christian Clark during fall camp.

Stats: 687 yards, eight TDs

QB Brock Vandagriff, Georgia to Kentucky

Vandagriff might have been in position to start a CFP game in place of injured senior Carson Beck. But he left Athens for a guaranteed job in Lexington. It surely didn’t go as planned. Vandagriff was benched in October.

Stats: 1,593 yards, 10 TDs, eight INTs