If it weren't Florida, if the Gators hadn't won back-to-back national championships, then the simple request for a few big men on campus might not have been so jarring.
But the reality facing the Gators this season is that they don't have enough big men for practice. We're not talking about games, here. The Gators have a core group that is more than serviceable in 6-foot-10 sophomore Marreese Speights, 6-7 classmates Dan Werner and Jonathan Mitchell and incoming freshmen 6-9 Chandler Parsons, 6-8 Alex Tyus and 6-8 Adam Allen.
But the feeling among the coaching staff is that the team only has nine scholarship players and the scout team -- the team that will be essentially the opposition throughout practice and available for much-needed breaks -- was considerably low in big men.
So, the Gators put out an announcement on the school's Web site looking for walk-on candidates, specifically interior players (i.e. forwards or centers only).
"You could say we lost a few big guys," said Darren Hertz, who is the assistant to the head coach (Billy Donovan) and is running the walk-on recruitment. Hertz of course is referencing the departures of Joakim Noah, Al Horford and Chris Richard (not to mention wing Corey Brewer and guards Taurean Green and Lee Humphrey, as well as the three walk-ons from last season in Garrett Tyler, Brett Swanson and Jack Berry). Of the three walk-ons last season, only Tyler was considered an interior player.
Hertz said if he had put out on the Web site that he needed walk-ons, he would have received "200 calls from guys all 6-foot who could shoot." By being specific for interior players, he's only had about five or six calls from players about 6-5. He did get a call from a player from North Dakota who told him he'd love to transfer to Florida to be a walk-on. But that's not the intent here.
"We need to find the right fit, the guy who has good grades, knows he's not going to play and will help with team chemistry," Hertz said. "We don't want someone going into coach's office saying he deserves to play more."
Florida assistant coach Larry Shyatt said that ensuring that the nine players on scholarship don't wear down will be critical this season. That's why a scout team, specifically walk-ons, will take on a larger role. The Gators nabbed two perimeter walk-ons in freshmen Hudson Fricke and Shane Payne to be scout team opponents for junior guard Walter Hodge and incoming freshmen Nick Calathes and Jai Lucas.
The Gators started individual workouts this week but without a basketball. Shyatt said the focus is on defensive situations.
Later, the team will start working out together on the court as a full group, which is now allowed by the NCAA for two hours a week on Sept. 15. A year ago the Gators didn't use this time for team workouts since they had just gone on a Labor Day trip to Canada. This season, teaching the Gators' schemes and ensuring there is more team chemistry early will be critical.
"With so many new players, we're modifying how Billy is going to teach this group and when he chooses for them to compete and for how long," Shyatt said. "Normally we would absolutely smash them early with 12 or 13 players and then let them come up for air. But I don't think we can do that with this group."
Andy Katz
