Florida Gators TE Jake McGee receives NCAA approval for sixth year of eligibility

Florida Gators tight end Jake McGee announced Tuesday on Twitter that he has received approval from the NCAA to play a sixth season of college football. The program confirmed Tuesday evening that he will remain with the team for the 2015 season.

McGee, a graduate transfer from Virginia who joined Florida for the 2014 season but only played a handful of snaps in its opener against Eastern Michigan before breaking his tibia and fibula, applied for additional eligibility but was patiently waiting for the NCAA’s response to his waiver.

“Lets try this college thing one more time! thanks @ncaa see you in the fall!” he excitedly wrote Tuesday on the social media service.

Virginia’s leading receiver in 2013 with 43 catches for 395 yards and two touchdowns, McGee received his undergraduate degree in May of that year. He amassed 769 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 catches over his last two full seasons, averaging 10.8 yards per reception and hauling in five touchdowns on 28 touches as a junior in 2012.

McGee was expected to be a big part of Florida’s offense in 2014 as a large, sure-handed target for quarterback Jeff Driskel. His absence left the Gators without a true playmaker at tight end and some of UF’s lowest points of the season resulted from its failure to make plays at that position.

McGee underwent surgery on Sept. 7, 2014 and is expected to be cleared by the spring.

Florida only has three other scholarship tight ends on the roster in sophomore DeAndre Goolsby and redshirt freshmen C’yontai Lewis and Moral Stephens.