Ethan White has reshaped his body and mindset heading into his junior season. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/UAA Communications)
White's Weight Loss Could Mean Gains On Field
Saturday, August 21, 2021 | Football
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By: Will Levenson, FloridaGators.com Student Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- When he walked around campus, Ethan White was hard to miss.
Six-foot-5, 390 pounds. Those were White's measurables when he enrolled at UF in early 2019.
"He just needed to lose a little weight," said fellow offensive lineman Richard Gouraige.
Now, the junior offensive lineman from Clearwater sees a number in the 320s when he steps on the scale. He's nearly 70 pounds lighter thanks to the work he's put in this offseason. He's quicker and more agile. And he sees a much thinner man when he looks in the mirror.
"It's always nice when you see your work pay off," White said this week.
"He looks phenomenal. He's moving great. He has great feet," said Gouraige, the presumptive starter at left tackle for the Gators.
With his new weight, White has begun the transition from center to guard.
Last season, White was slated to start the year at center but suffered a knee injury in fall camp which kept him out of the first half of the season. Missing so much time could have derailed his career. But White put himself in the right mindset to rehab and get back on the field.
"My mind was on just getting back as fast as possible,'' he said.
Gators offensive line coach John Hevesy knows that confidence is the key for White now that he's back and fully healthy. Hevesy says that since the injury, White has been building confidence which has helped the whole unit.
Gators offensive line coach John Hevesy instructs left guard Ethan White and tackle Richard Gouraige at a recent practice. (Photo: Courtney Culbreath/UAA Communications)
With the season opener against Florida Atlantic on Sept. 4, White is projected to start alongside fellow Tampa Bay native Gouraige on the left side. The two played high school ball less than 20 miles from each other. Now, they'll prepare to play just inches from each other.
First, they must work to build a strong chemistry both on and off the field.
"Me and Richard have kind of been working together since I got here as a freshman… we have a pretty good chemistry," White said.
"Our chemistry is growing stronger every day," added Gouraige.
This chemistry is key for success in the trenches. But to build it, it's about more than how you play together. It's about how you talk about one another. And each speaks highly of the other.
"Richard takes pride in being able to do everything well," White said.
"Ethan's doing phenomenal," Gouraige said. "He's been working really, really hard. He's been great. He's really funny off the field. It's really great to have a friend next to you."
The two hope this friendship and chemistry lead to a dominant left side of the offensive line in 2021. And with White's weight in check, perhaps that can soon become a reality.
