Florida set to bring in new strength and conditioning coach from NFL

Billy Napier has landed on an assistant from the New York Giants to head the Gators’ strength and conditioning department next year.

Florida football is set to bring in New York Giants director of strength and performance [autotag]Craig Fitzgerald[/autotag] to replace Mark Hocke as the head of the team’s strength and conditioning program, according to Swamp247’s Jacob Rudner.

Head coach Billy Napier mentioned that he expected a change of leadership in that department on Wednesday, adding that Hocke would transition into a coaching role. Fitzgerald has over 25 years of coaching experience, working with elite college programs in the past — most notably with former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier at South Carolina from 2009-2011.

Fitzgerald recently coached in the SEC, spending two years at the University of Tennessee as the director of football sports performance. He’s also worked at Arizona State, Catholic, Harvard, Maryland and Penn State. Before UT, he was the head strength and conditioning coach of the Houston Texans.

Most players who come to the SEC are looking to get to the NFL, and having a strength and conditioning coach who’s already been through two stints in the pros is a valuable asset.

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