Gators linebacker Derek Wingo, left, has leaned on former Gators receiver and SEC Network analyst Chris Doering for broadcasting and career advice this spring.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Within minutes of walking through the front doors of the nondescript office complex where the SEC Network studios are located, Derek Wingo took a seat in front of a wall of mirrors next to Chris Doering.
A fifth-year linebacker for the Gators, Wingo and a pair of guests tagged along with Doering as he worked as an analyst during the network's coverage of the NFL Draft on Thursday night. Wingo and Doering have become pals over the past few years, first through Doering's daughter Taylor, a UF student and friend of Wingo's, and this spring via Wingo's internship at Doering's Gainesville-based mortgage company.
Of course, they also share the bond of playing for the Gators. Doering was a record-setting receiver in the Fun 'n' Gun 1990s and has served as a college football analyst for the SEC Network for the past decade, a career path Wingo is considering when he is done playing. That is why Wingo spent the first round of the draft at the SEC Network studios instead of joining quarterback Graham Mertz in Arizona at teammate Ricky Pearsall's draft party. Doering invited Wingo to shadow him to get an idea of what the job entailed on one of the biggest nights in football.
But before Wingo and Doering got a glimpse of a TV camera, a visit with makeup artist Lori Fisher painted the opening scene. Doering is an old pro, comfortable in front of the camera or getting touched up by Fisher.
Wingo, taking cues from Doering, flashed a big smile as Fisher worked her magic while wielding a facial brush.
"I haven't done this since the Nat Moore Trophy [ceremony],'' said Wingo, a finalist at a Hard Rock Stadium ceremony honoring the top high school player in South Florida when he was a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas High in 2019. "That was the first time I did makeup."
Fisher quickly put Wingo at ease as he contemplated what was next.
"It will be cool to meet Finebaum,'' he said.
A regular viewer of the SEC Network, Wingo knows all about Paul Finebaum, the host of the famous "Paul Finebaum Show" and a man the Wall Street Journal once tabbed "The Oprah Winfrey of College Sports."
Doering and fellow analyst Cole Cubelic, a former offensive lineman at Auburn, had a 15-minute segment with Finebaum before Wingo's appearance.
As the two Gators departed the makeup room for showtime, they walked through hallways lined with canvas prints of SEC games, team banners and helmets. The energy began to pick up noticeably.
Doering led the way, offering his mindset before going on air.
"This is now like my running out of the tunnel at the Swamp,'' he said. "You get an adrenaline rush."
Gators linebacker Derek Wingo joined Paul Finebaum on his show Thursday at the SEC Network studios. (Photo: Scott Carter/UAA Communications
Once they entered the studio set where Finebaum's show is broadcast, Finebaum greeted Doering and Cubelic in the casual way of old friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, Doering introduced him to the athletic, bulky figure dressed in a dark blue suit with orange trimming around the button holes.
After a brief chat with Finebaum during the commercial break, Wingo flashed another wide grin and stepped behind the cameras as Finebaum talked with Doering and Cubelic about the upcoming draft.
Finally, the time had arrived for Wingo to take his spot in front of the camera.
"We've got a treat for you,'' Finebaum told viewers. "A real, live player. Not a former player. A real, live player."
The segment quickly moved past the player Wingo, who had recently been cleared for full workouts after a limited spring camp due to shoulder surgery and the prospects of Florida's 2024 season. Once Finebaum discovered Wingo was scheduled to depart for Japan next month with a group of teammates for a service trip with the GatorMade program, created when head coach Billy Napier took over the program, the veteran host perked up.
Wingo has already traveled to Greece and South Africa with GatorMade and regularly participates in local community service events in the Gainesville area.
"That is really extraordinary,'' Finebaum said.
Wingo explained during spring camp that his interests have always stretched beyond the field and that at a place like Florida, opportunities are presented that you don't get at other schools. While the transfer portal era has created more movement in college football than ever, Wingo is the rare player who has stayed committed to one place despite coaching changes and teammates coming and going.
"The biggest thing I can say is probably going back to my family and understanding that when you start something, you finish. I came to the University of Florida, not for specific coaches. I came for the University of Florida,'' he said. "I wanted to be close to my family, so I bought into the program. Even though the program might have changed, I had a plan for myself, and when these new coaches came in, they presented a plan for that, and I believe that with everything going on in the transfer portal world and all these kinds of things, if you just trust yourself, trust your abilities and trust the people you have around you even know that might come and go, you're going to be alright at the end of the day."
As Wingo's appearance neared the finish line, Finebaum asked him about his interest in broadcasting, clearly impressed by his guest's presence.
"You are going to be a star in this business whenever you stop playing football,'' Finebaum said.
"If you eventually get off this show, maybe I'll take over,'' quipped Wingo.
Wingo's opportunity to go live on the air with Finebaum was significant to Doering as part of the experience.
"It was awesome to see how well he did and how engaged Paul was in listening to the perspective of an active college football player that is experiencing all the craziness that is college football right now,'' Doering said.
From there, Wingo joined Doering, Cubelic and SEC Network host Peter Burns as they talked about the upcoming telecast with coordinating producer Brad Buchanan and Jonathan McDonald, who produced that night's show.
The group sat in front of a wall of TV screens showing ESPN's draft coverage, SEC baseball games and NBA playoff games. Wingo listened studiously as they discussed the next 30-minute segment, which Burns hosted with Doering and Cubelic providing analysis. When it was time for the trio to move to the "SECNow" set, Wingo and his guests grabbed gold-colored chairs from the set of "Marty & McGee" to watch the pros in action.
"This is the largest studio audience we have had in a while,'' Burns said.
When the preview show was finished, it was time to return to the nearby office area to watch the first round unfold and for the broadcast team to glean facts and observations for their final show of the night, which would recap the draft coverage later that evening. Derek Wingo in action last season against Missouri. (Photo: Maddie Washburn/UAA Communications)
As one offensive player after another went off the board – a record 14 straight before UCLA edge rusher Laiatu Latu was selected at No. 15 overall – Wingo fit right in, pointing out how no linebackers went in the first round.
"There are some good ones available,'' he said.
At one point, the crew hustled to prepare for a potential earlier-than-anticipated recap show when the Missouri-Tennessee baseball game threatened to end early due to the 10-run rule. The Tigers scored a run, and the game went nine innings, so by the time it ended, Burns, Doering and Cubelic were already positioned at the news desk for their final show.
Wingo watched the one-hour broadcast from a comfy chair off to the side of the set, getting notification of Pearsall's selection with the 31st overall pick by the 49ers from Mertz and Co. in Arizona. Wingo has played 45 games in the past four seasons and is preparing for his final year of eligibility.
He is opening as many doors as possible for the future, but as he watched the draft, he was asked if playing in the NFL is still a dream.
"Of course,'' said Wingo, the 2019 Florida Gatorade Player of the Year. "That is something I would love to have an opportunity to do. That's always been a goal."
The 2025 draft is a year away. Time will tell if Wingo gets an opportunity or not. What impresses Doering is Wingo's approach, whether it's at the mortgage company on Fridays or his growing interest in broadcasting.
"He is always prepared. He shows up, takes notes and listens because he wants to learn," Doering said. "Thinking back to my career, I wish I had been exposed to some of these things earlier to make some different decisions. These guys are getting presented with opportunities now that we never had a chance in college."
Back at the SEC Network studios, the draft's first round was over, and the cameras were turned off. By the time Doering and Wingo exited the building, it was after midnight.
The shows had gone well. In some ways, the mood felt like the winning team after a big game.
Wingo had gained more knowledge from the trip, a victory in his eyes.
"Getting to hear from all those guys and understanding that it takes reps to get comfortable and understand what you're talking about,'' Wingo said of the main takeaway. "Your love for the game makes that job easier when you care about football. Being around [Doering] a lot, you get to see what it's all about."
