GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Harrison Moore does not need to be told he has big shoes to fill. He knows it.
He also tries not to see it that way.
As the expected starting center for the Florida Gators , he will replace All-American center Jake Slaughter , a program staple over the last three seasons and now a second-round pick in the NFL Draft . Slaughter also knows the task ahead for Moore, who transferred to Florida this offseason from Georgia Tech .
It led to Slaughter and his father playfully pranking Moore and fellow offensive line newcomer Eagan Boyer after running into each other at a bait shop.
"We went to one down in Yankeetown," Moore recalled. "It was funny, we pulled up there and we saw him at the bait shop at 5:30 in the morning. It was funny. He was with his dad, his dad came up to me and, I was with Eagan Boyer, one of the tackles from Penn State , and he was like, 'Oh my gosh, Harrison Moore and Eagan Boyer, I'm such a huge Florida Gators fan, it's so great to meet y'all.'
"We were just like, 'What the?' and then we see Jake in the passenger seat of the car just dying laughing. So that was funny but yeah, we caught some good fish that morning."
The moment was the latest between the two as Slaughter passes the torch of leading Florida's offensive line to Moore. Moore recalled first meeting Slaughter as Slaughter was working out to prepare for the NFL Draft. They talked about good fishing spots in the area, but more importantly, they discussed Moore coming to Florida.
"He just was like, 'I know there's probably a lot of pressure, just be you, don't worry about all the external factors.' That really helped me kind of calm myself down," Moore said. "Like I said, he was a really, really good football player."
Outside of fishing, Moore has quickly garnered comparisons to Slaughter in his first offseason with the Gators . At last month's SEC Media Day, head coach Jon Sumrall pointed to Moore as one of the offensive linemen who were setting the tone in offseason workouts . Offensive coordinator Buster Faulkner, who coached Moore at Georgia Tech, said last week that those who were with the program last year say they are very similar.
"It gives me Jake Slaughter vibes a little bit just because of the way he carries himself, his leadership," returning quarterback Tramell Jones Jr. said. "You see him, we work out in the morning, in the summer and you see him up here at 3 o'clock getting perfect snaps, making sure he's perfect. That's something like everyone sees and that's something that we're gonna follow and then just him up front how physical he is, how smart he is. That's someone that's Jake Slaughter vibes."
Moore, however, said he tries not to see it as filling Slaughter's shoes.
"I kind of just worry about what I can do to be the best version of myself," he said. "But like I said, obviously he's a really good guy and was a great leader for this team."
That is just fine. Florida won't need Moore to be Slaughter. They will need him to be Moore. And, his history and growth suggests a seamless transition.
Moore started out as a tight end in high school, playing the position for three seasons. Expected to play tight end for one final high school season, Moore willingly made a change for the betterment of his team.
"We had all five starting offensive line graduate, and my high school coach was like, 'Look, we're in some trouble.' I said,'you know what, I'm probably going to end up playing O-line in college anyways.' I was always a blocking guy. I think I had four or five catches in high school. I was the sixth offensive lineman. So it's like why not move in a little bit, put a little bit of weight on."
The move paid off.
Moore eventually landed at Georgia Tech, playing in 10 games with one start as a true freshman in 2024. One of those games - an eight-overtime loss to top-10 Georgia on the road - opened Moore's eyes to what he could be.
"Playing against that type of competition as a true freshman, my second year playing offensive line, obviously was a lot of pressure," he said. "But just going out there and knowing that if I put my mind to it, I can do whatever I want. That was really cool to see for myself."
Harrison Moore played two seasons at Georgia Tech before transferring to Florida. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
That turned into a strong sophomore campaign with the Yellow Jackets in which he played in 11 games with eight starts at center. Helping Georgia Tech's offensive line earn a spot as one of 10 semifinalists for the Joe Moore Award, which is given to the nation's best offensive line group, Moore's quick rise as a high school tight end to Power Four center stood out to those around him.
"He's got a dog mentality, there's no other way to put it," quarterback Aaron Philo , who spent two seasons with Moore with the Yellow Jackets before transferring to Florida, said. "He's a trench warrior. He's going to give it everything he's got every single play."
It also led him to Florida .
After the season, Faulkner accepted a position on Sumrall's staff as the offensive coordinator and primary playcaller. After him, Florida hired alum Phil Trautwein, one of the top offensive line coaches in the country, to coach the unit. With the Gators having an opening at center, a familiar face leading the offense and one of the top position coaches in the country leading the unit, the decision to leave Georgia Tech for Florida was an easy one.
There were also other familiar faces with Philo, tight end Luke Harpring and receiver Bailey Stockton all transferring to Florida, as well, which solidified the decision.
"Kind of a culmination of a lot of factors, and then obviously Florida is one of the premier programs in the country, and there's not a lot of other places that you'd want to play at the highest level," Moore said.
With the season less than a month away, Florida is still solidifying its starting offensive line. Moore, a member of the Rimington Trophy preseason watch list , appears set at center with Knijeah Harris and TJ Shanahan Jr. at the two guard spots. Tackle remains a question mark. Sumrall has publicly challenged the group to take steps forward throughout the offseason.
"Obviously, you don't want him to have to say that, but, with that being said, it's just fuel to the fire," Moore said, noting strength improvements by the unit and competition against Florida's defensive line. "I think we had a really, really, really good summer. We worked our tails off."
Florida will have just over three weeks to finish shaping up its offensive line before facing FAU on Sept. 5. With Moore leading the way, there is no reason they can't.
"It was fortunate that it worked out for the Gators," Faulkner said. "HarrisonMooreis one of the toughest guys I've ever had a chance to coach. The last two years, he played a lot for us as a freshman. I think he's now getting comfortable in his own skin.
"... He's starting to become a leader, a lot more vocal, and that's very important for what we ask the center to do in this offense."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/florida as Harrison Moore Leading Florida's OL, While Replacing Gators' All-American Jake Slaughter .
