GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The headliners that first year at One Bucs Place in Tampa included Heisman Trophy winner
Marcus Allen from Southern Cal, BYU quarterback
Jim McMahon, Texas defensive lineman
Kenneth Sims, Ohio State quarterback
Art Schlichter, and a University of Georgia receiver Florida fans did not like:
Lindsey Scott.
They gathered in late January 1982 for what is now considered the
inaugural NFL Scouting Combine. Back then, in the limited news reports that covered the event attended by 16 NFL teams, it was referred to as the National Invitation Camp or United Combine. The original session in 1981 had included only physical examinations, but the next year is when NFL teams began to work out players like they are doing this week in Indianapolis in preparation for April's draft.
The Gators have become staples at the event over the years. While UF has an unusually small number at this week's combine —
receiver Ricky Pearsall and center Kingsley Eguakun — former Gators quarterback
Anthony Richardson was the showstopper a year ago, rising to become the fourth overall pick of the draft.
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The combine has grown to become nearly as big as the draft, and if you are a football junkie who wants to know every 40-yard dash time and vertical leap,
NFL.com's
combine portal has you covered.
Meanwhile, the offseason has not really slowed down for Gators head coach
Billy Napier with the coaching carousel continuing to spin and other personnel moves in the news. A look at some of the latest headlines covering the Gators:
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MAKING THE READS
—The Gators are adding former Arkansas offensive coordinator
Dan Enos as an analyst, according to multiple reports, including
this one from
Edgar Thompson of the
Orlando Sentinel. While the UAA has not officially announced the hire, Enos is well-traveled in the college game, having made recent stops at Alabama, Miami, Cincinnati, Maryland and Arkansas.
A look at the latest Enos bio from his stop at Arkansas.
—Florida is
finalizing details to promote tight ends coach Russ Callaway to co-offensive coordinator, a move that has been widely speculated this offseason.
Jacob Rudner of
Swamp247 broke the news. Callaway joined the Gators as a defensive intern in 2022 after a stint with the New York Giants and then moved to tight ends coach a season ago.
Here is Callaway's bio.
—Gators director of scouting
Joe Hamilton is leaving to go to Texas A&M writes
Nick de la Torre of
On3.com. Hamilton has spent the past five seasons with Napier, three at Louisiana and the last two with the Gators.
—
Kali James, a defensive graduate assistant who drew praise recently from Napier for his work in the offseason,
is reportedly leaving to become defensive line coach at Jackson State, writes
J.T. Keith of the
Mississippi Clarion Ledger.
—
Tyler Miles, Florida's director of player athletic development,
is being promoted to take over as head strength coach, writes Thompson in the
Orlando Sentinel. While the move has not been officially announced by the UAA, Miles has worked extensively with the players this offseason.
Here is his bio after Miles joined the Gators a season ago from Duke.
—
No. 22 is important to Gators receiver Kahleil Jackson writes
Kevin Brockway of the
Gainesville Sun.
—A good column on Gators icon
Steve Spurrier losing good friend and former teammate Allen Trammell and his outlook on getting older from
Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
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TOPICAL TWEET
Former Gators slugger
Wyatt Langford is drawing serious attention in his first spring training with the Rangers …
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