Maurice Hurt - The Big Hurt
Monday, September 6, 2010 | Football
By Corey Sobers, UF Communications
The man teammates have dubbed the 'Big Hurt,' certainly has an imposing figure. Listed at 6'3”, 320 pounds, his job as a offensive guard for the University of Florida football team as he describes it, requires him to “be physical and aggressive.” While Maurice Hurt certainly has proven capable of living up to his moniker during the 29 games he has played in a Florida Gator uniform, the less talked about attributes of resiliency and unselfishness that he possesses are also worthy of acclaim.
Nothing came easy for the Milledgeville, Ga., native. As a true freshman, Hurt was in the mix to earn a starting position in mid-August when he sustained cartilage damage in his right knee. The following season, he was again primed to land significant playing time when he suffered a neck injury that hampered him for the remainder of the season.
“It was so frustrating,” Hurt admitted of the injuries. “I faced a lot of challenges. Injuring my knee during my freshman year and then my neck my sophomore year. I was battling, trying to fight through it to get healthy and play on the field and excel in the classroom.”
Though adversity struck on more than one occasion, Hurt credited his inner circle for helping him not only survive, but ultimately, to thrive.
“My family, my faith, my teammates,” Hurt recounted after some reflection on how he persevered. “I credit my teammates a lot because they understand what I was going through and they pushed me to be better. Every time I got down on myself about an injury, there were always my teammates and my coaches who brought me back up and made me realize that I could make it through.”
Although Hurt has been a valuable contributor throughout his tenure as a Gator, he is eager to take on a larger role in his senior season.
“I think that I'm in a position now to have my value raised on the team and to earn a role as a starting offensive lineman,” Hurt said. “I worked as hard as I could in the offseason, harder than I ever have before and I understand that this is my last season. This is my last time to be a part of this great team, this great University. I prepared so that when my number is called, I'll be ready.”
Although his goal is to start, the team-first mentality remains at the forefront. Playing on the offensive line rarely garners much notice from fans and media but Hurt is not worried about how much attention he receives.
“I am willing to do whatever it takes for the team,” he explained. “We're all pushing each other. We all want each other to excel,” Hurt said of the mindset that he and his linemates share.
However, doing whatever it takes for the team is not limited to the playing field in Hurt's mind. He relishes the opportunity to be a mentor and has grown into a team leader that his younger teammates respect.
“I tell them adversity is going to strike here or there,” Hurt explained. “If it's not in the classroom or on the football field, it might be in your personal life. It is important to hold on and keep working hard.”
After all he has overcome in his four years in Gainesville, Hurt's sense of urgency entering his final season is palpable.
“I've played in some games here and there, but this year means the world to me,” Hurt said. “Running out of that tunnel on Saturdays to face another team in The Swamp, nothing can compare to that. I'm thankful that I'm healthy now and that I can be a part of our great offense.”
Although he now has an opportunity to earn a more prominent role on the field, the redshirt senior has not forgotten the journey that brought him to this point. There was never a doubt in his mind that when he elected to come to the University of Florida in the spring of 2006, the program was headed for great things.
“I knew that I was coming to a great team with a great group of guys. It was Coach Meyer's second year and I saw how they had already changed the program from what it was the year before (the Gators finished 9-3 in Meyer's first year in 2005 after a 7-5 record in 2004),” Hurt said. “I believed that I would be a part of a great class and a great program so I decided to come.”
Maurice Hurt is adamant that his legacy will go beyond the two national championships and two Southeastern Conference championships that he's been a part of as a member of the Gators. He is an active member of the Goodwill Gators, a community service program that collaborates with organizations around Alachua County to connect with kids.
With a passion for football and impacting the lives of youth, Hurt is determined to make a difference in the lives of youth now and in the future. “I would love to coach high school football,” he said, detailing what interests him when his football career is over. “I would love to give back to kids and help build up other young players. Somebody had to give back to me and I want to give back. I love helping out people and I feel like I would excel at that.”
After the success he has had overcoming the obstacles he has faced and the desire he has shown to help others, it would be difficult for Gator fans to doubt him.
