Wuerffel wowed by Napier’s start, praises Richardson’s processing ability
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New Florida basketball coach Todd Golden is embracing UF history in a major way, set to hire two-time national champion point guard Taurean Green to his staff as director of player development. New Florida football coach Billy Napier has also embraced the program’s storied past.
Napier has a number of UF football alumni working for him already, with former linebacker Mike Peterson serving as an on-field assistant coach and several other former players on his support staff.
The first-year UF coach has also made it a point to encourage former players to visit Gainesville whenever possible.
“I’ve been very encouraged at so many of the things that I’ve seen,” said 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, who was on campus Saturday for the team’s practice.
“The sheer number of quality people that are part of this program now, from all the coaches to the people doing all sorts of other aspects. The GatorMade program, Katie Turner and Bri (Wade) and what they’re doing with recruiting, it is really remarkable. I’ve been very grateful to have a little bit of bandwidth in my life and said, ‘Hey, if I can help with some things…’ So I’ve been around a little more, and I’m enjoying it.”
Wuerffel is one of the most beloved figures in Florida football history.
His statue sits outside the Swamp, with Steve Spurrier sandwiched in between Wuerffel and Tim Tebow. Needless to say, when Wuerffel gives some thoughts on the program, fans tune in. So does Napier.
The two spent several minutes speaking after Saturday’s practice, pointing to different areas of the practice field.
“We were just chatting about a whole lot of different things,” Wuerffel said with a grin. “I was telling him about a couple of plays we ran when I was on the flag football team.”
But Wuerffel has also shared more serious advice with the current players.
“I’ve had a chance to talk with the players at different times, really on the subject of leadership and trying to develop leaders,” he said. “I met with some of them as a group and others individually; it has been really encouraging. I’m really excited to be associated with GatorMade and help really highlight some of the great stuff that they’re doing.”
Florida plans to more fully unveil what the GatorMade program run by Savannah Bailey is in the next week. Napier has been slowly rolling out members of his support staff to meet with the media throughout spring practice, allowing each of them to explain exactly what role they fill in the grand scheme of things.
Wuerffel beamed about the GatorMade program Saturday, so excited he nearly let the cat out of the bag early.
Another thing he’s excited about? The potential of redshirt sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson.
“Like everybody, you immediately see the physical skills,” Wuerffel said. “He’s a tremendous passer. Really strong guy and runner. Tremendous athlete. But I think what’s encouraging to me is to see the way he processes the game. He’s a really smart guy, and I think he’s got so much potential. And as everybody’s been saying, you hope that you see that potential translate and there’s consistency. And you hope he stays healthy.”
The latter part Wuerffel can’t really help with. What he does know, though, is the intense amount of pressure and scrutiny that comes with being a quarterback at a place like Florida. Especially now, after Wuerffel and Tebow have made those shoes even bigger to fill in the last 30 years.
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If he can lend some advice to Richardson on managing that, he’s all for it. Napier’s all too happy to step aside and let guys like Wuerffel who have been in it first-hand at Florida have the floor for moments like that.
“We’ve talked about a lot of different things,” Wuerffel said. “Mainly, I really just wanted to thank him and encourage him. I felt like both he and Emory (Jones) went through a really difficult situation last year, and they both showed a lot of class and support for one another, and I think that goes a long way.”