Florida Gators

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The UF football team reconvened Monday following a week off for spring break.

And on Tuesday, Gators head coach Jim McElwain held a press conference to provide a progress report on spring camp. The Gators had just two practices before spring break and hit the field this afternoon for their third.

Here are the five most interesting things I heard on Tuesday from McElwain, starting with some breaking news:


 
1 – Del Rio to go under knife – again

Quarterback Luke Del Rio, who started six games in 2016 before injuries derailed his season, is scheduled to undergo his second shoulder surgery of the offseason on Wednesday. This time Del Rio will have his throwing shoulder "cleaned out" according to McElwain. Del Rio underwent surgery to repair his non-throwing shoulder shortly after the season ended. While not providing a specific timetable on Del Rio's return, McElwain said the surgery is minor and appeared optimistic Del Rio would be ready by fall camp. "He'll be fine. It's not major." Meanwhile, McElwain said receiver Rick Wells (leg) recently underwent successful surgery. Wells is out for spring camp.
 
2 – Players kept active during break

Most players went home or got away from campus for spring break, but that doesn't mean they took the week off. Several players posted workout videos on social media over the break to show their commitment, including receiver Antonio Callaway working out with incoming quarterback Jake Allen. McElwain visited his 95-year-old mother during his time away. While on break, he was impressed by the way the players responded over spring break by staying in shape. "I was really proud of them. We asked them to take some workouts with them,'' McElwain said. "They took it to heart. That's something that we as a program have stressed and these guys are really getting after it."
 
3 – Toney makes early impression

Freshman quarterback Kadarius Toney enrolled in January to get an early start on his college career. While Toney is behind redshirt freshmen Feleipe Franks and Kyle Trask on the depth chart, he offers a different skill-set as a quarterback accustomed to running more of a wildcat-type offense in high school. McElwain said Toney flashed some of those skills in the first two practices. "I think there's going to be some things we're going to be able to do with him in some package, a lot like we were doing with Dre [Massey] a little, only more so because he really has been a quarterback."
 
4 – Eastern Washington staff in McElwain's garage

McElwain played at Eastern Washington University and spent more than a decade as an assistant coach there at the start of his career. In his third season at Florida, McElwain invited EWU's staff to visit Gainesville this week to watch the Gators practice and talk ball. Where are the Eagles staying? "They came all the way out there and are staying at my house,'' McElwain said. "We put them in the garage. They're sleeping in my garage. That's what you do at that level." Fortunately for the visitors, McElwain's garage isn't dotted with oil leaks on the floor and dusty old furniture. Karen McElwain hosts visitors from places throughout stops on McElwain's career during the season and they usually stay in the garage.
 
5 – Gators get bling

The Gators held a team dinner on Sunday night, where they received championship rings for winning the SEC East last season. Florida took a different approach in 2015 when the Gators won the East but got wiped out by Michigan in the bowl game. No championship rings. However, the Gators capped 2016 with a victory over Iowa in the Outback Bowl. "As a group, well-deserved,'' McElwain said. "Back-to-back champs in the East. That's something that is no small feat. For me the way they approached the bowl game, it was more of a bowl game-type deal that they approached it with the right mindset to go win the game. They're always excited to get some bling."
 
Bonus – Mac's new look

In his two years at Florida, McElwain has kept a clean-shaven face. He showed up Tuesday sporting a goatee, a look he has pulled from the shaver's playbook before, including as a head coach at Colorado State. Is he going to keep it? "I don't know. I'll leave it up to my wife."
 

Jim McElwain has a goatee... Happy Tuesday! #Gators pic.twitter.com/WRD2L4QR6l

— Jordan McPherson (@J_McPherson1126) March 14, 2017