The UF football team is in that part of the year when coaches can't have direct contact with players. That means the Gators are getting to know strength-and-conditioning coach Mickey Marotti better than ever.
Marotti is leading the offseason conditioning program the Gators are currently taking part in. They were tested in the 40-yard dash and other drills earlier this week to prepare for the start of fall camp in August.
With first-year coach Will Muschamp stressing the best players will play regardless of experience, the competition to make an impact next season has already started.
Many of the Gators are also busy with classes and other off-the-field commitments. On Tuesday the team invited more than 80 Gainesville-area school kids to visit Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for a pizza party and video game tournament among the players.
Trey Burton, Jaye Howard, Matt Patchan, Mack Brown, Josh Evans, Jon Halapio and Sharrif Floyd were among the players competing in two different tournaments – “Madden 11” and “Call of Duty.''
The players signed autographs and mingled with the kids in between video games.
As a dozen kids from the Reichert House Youth Academy roamed in the Heavener Football Complex, teacher Emmanuel Anderson could tell the trip was worth it for the at-risk kids in his class.
Anderson is a middle school team leader at the Reichert House and awarded the best students in his class with the after-school trip.
“We're hoping that they see success and what it looks like and use it for their own lives,'' said Anderson, a Gainesville resident who attended Florida A&M. “We want to teach them that if you make the right decisions in life.''
As for the coaching staff, Muschamp concluded the spring portion of his Gator Club Tour on Tuesday night in Deland. The rest of the coaches have been in and out of town recruiting during the NCAA spring evaluation period.
