GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The subject actually came up in conversations with friends. Cooper Brown talked about aspiring to throw out the first pitch at a Florida baseball game or to execute the "Mr. Two Bits" chant at a Gators' football game.
When you're president of the study body, you can dare to dream a little differently than most.
It just so happens that Brown took the mound before UF's Feb. 25 game against Georgia State and checked the first-pitch box. That was only six weeks ago. Next up is Thursday night's engagement at Spurrier/Florida Field, where Brown will do the "Two Bits" honors before Coach Billy Napier's debut in the run-up to the Orange & Blue Spring Game.
"I'm super excited," Brown said.
Coach Napier and President Brown chomp at "Gator Day" in Tallahassee.
A couple weeks ago, Brown got an email from the University Athletic Association's marketing department extending the "Two Bits" invite, hoping Brown could provide a presidential seal of approval — and encouragement — for more students to participate in game-day festivities. The pitch came with the blessing of Napier, who has placed the atmosphere inside "The Swamp" (which includes heavy-duty student participation) among his away-from-the-field priorities. Brown and Napier actually talked about that very topic when they met Feb. 15 during "Gator Day," hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis, at the state capital in Tallahassee.
Napier, in turn, has done is part during daily strolls across the campus. He talked about it Saturday in his remarks to media following the team's final spring scrimmage.
"Obviously, it's an open invitation, it's free [and] we're excited that this is our first opportunity to engage the student body," Napier said. "I went for a few walks this week and every kid I met when I was out there I asked if they were coming to the spring game Thursday night. I got a lot yeses, so we're excited about that."
That excitement, Brown believes, is genuine.
"I think he's been great so far," Brown said of the new UF coach. "He seemed so down to earth when I talked to him. Just super friendly and nice. The way he interacts with people, with the students, and has put an emphasis on us coming out to cheer on the Gators, I mean, to me it feels like he's been here for five years already."
Not exactly. Brown, on the other hand, has been here five years. The 2017 graduate from Winter Park High School was elected to office last year and became the first student admitted through the Pathways to Campus Enrollment (PaCE) to be elected student body president. Along the way, he pledged Kappa Sig, joined Florida Blue Key and never missed a home football game, a run he began with the Feleipe Franks' "Hail Mary" touchdown strike to Tyrie Cleveland against Tennessee in 2017.
Pretty good way to start.
Now comes a pretty good way to go out.
Brown graduated in 2021 with a degree in Agricultural Education & Communication and next month will receive his Master of Science in Management. This summer, he'll move to Charlotte and begin a career as a banker at Truist. Obviously, he'll take his UF allegiances with him.
"I just think Coach Napier's idea of putting the [spring] game on a week night to get as many students in there as possible is a great, and just shows how much he cares about wanting the study body to be more involved," said Brown, who in his president's role has tried to reach out to as many students as possible and get their pulse. "Building relationships with students, being a friend to students and trying to be real with them, that's what I've tried to do, all the while showing my love for the Gators."
From the baseball diamond to the football field. What a way to go out.
