Florida football’s fall training camp continues along despite the searing temperatures that have baked the southern portion of this summer. One of the biggest challenges of such extreme weather is getting the players up to speed on their game-time habits, which can often be limited by both the heat and the rain Gainesville experiences this time of year.
While the Gators have some covered facilities to give the player relief from the scorching inferno — specifically, the Gary Condron Indoor Practice Facility – there is still a lot of work to be done on the outdoor grass. Head coach Billy Napier made it clear that he understands this dynamic during his press conference on Monday.
“There’s a certain conditioning element to this game that is different, and certainly the fundamentals and techniques that are important at each position group, they’re different with gear on,” Napier offered. “I think we’re hard at work here trying to create a practice environment where we’re building habits that will hold up on game day, communication that will hold up on game day, fundamentals and execution that will hold up on game day against the absolute best competition in the country.”
Prior to the start of the preseason practice schedule, Napier noted that the program was getting leaner and stronger after summer workouts.
“We had 53 players that set records for max velocity this summer, which I think was really positive,” Napier said at his fall training camp opening press conference on Jul 30. “TJ Searcy gained 12 pounds of muscle since January, Jalen Kimber has gained eight pounds since April, Jack Pyburn – 10 pounds of muscle mass since January. His body fat percentage went down 6%, so Jack really did a terrific job.”
So while the team has made some headway since the new staff took over, it appears that there is still some room for growth — at least until the summer heat abates. The important part is that Napier recognizes this and is openly holding himself accountable for the program’s progress regardless of the conditions he has to work with.
The Gators opened camp Sunday, July 30, and the team held its first practice of the 2023 season on Monday, July 31. Florida opens its 2023 schedule on the road against the Utah Utes on Aug. 31, with a kickoff time of 8 p.m. EDT.
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