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- Thread starter Helpinghand
- Start date
How things are going well for you, Taz. Best of luck on earning a starting spot this season. I'd imagine things are getting more exciting for you as the season approaches...
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scooter1369
HTTR Forever.
Glad to see you still making appearances here, Taz. I'm looking forward to watching you flatten SEC chumps all year. I'll be at the Shoe a lot but I'll be recording UF games when they are on up here.
Good Luck on the season and earning that starting spot.
CHOMP
Good Luck on the season and earning that starting spot.
CHOMP
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It'll be fun to have an inside perspective on the SEC and Florida, besides just hearing from a fan-favorite recruit. I'm sure there will be plenty you can't say, but I'm looking forward to your other posts. And I'll be changing your first name to Taz in future NCAA football game rosters...
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OSUsushichic
Fired up! Ready to go!
Taz, you have so much class. You deserve nothing but the best at UF. Good luck!
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Taz
Junior
Recent Article From Gainsville
http://www.gatorsports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050706/GATORS01/207060306&SearchID=73214550002940
http://www.gatorsports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050706/GATORS01/207060306&SearchID=73214550002940
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Congrats on dropping those 44 pounds, Taz, that shows real dedication. Best of luck in the SEC this year!
Here's the cut/paste of the article Taz linked.
Ahead of the class
The freshmen class arrived less than two weeks ago, but three players are miles ahead thanks to an early start.
By ROBBIE ANDREU
onnie Wilson feels a little out of place hanging with the freshmen football players at Florida. They seem so young, so immature, so lost.
So, well, high school.
"I was around some of them the other day and I was wondering if I used to act like that, too," he said. "Looking back, when I came here I still had that high school mentality and I used to act just like that."
Not anymore. Even though Wilson also is a true freshman and, at age 17, one of the youngest members of UF's 2005 signing class, he's a wise and grizzled veteran compared to most of his freshmen brothers.
Wilson, an offensive lineman from Pompano Beach, is one of three freshmen football players who enrolled in January, joining quarterback Josh Portis and offensive lineman Eddie Haupt.
While the rest of the freshmen arrived on campus less than two weeks ago, Wilson, Portis and Haupt have already gone through two semesters of classes, participated in spring practice (and played before a crowd of 58,500 for the Orange and Blue Game) and have been working out with the varsity players for the past six months.
Wilson, Portis and Haupt no longer look or act or carry themselves like freshmen. They are sort of a recruiting class unto themselves.
"We haven't even gotten to know the freshmen yet," Wilson said. "We feel like we're part of the (recruiting) class before. We've already been around all the people who are already here. We joke about the freshmen."
The freshmen are easy targets because they seem so lost right now.
"None of them know where to go," Portis said. "They seem lost. They're asking us where everything is. ... Tutoring, the training table, the buses. They want to know what the routine is."
Portis, Wilson and Haupt already know the routine. While the other freshmen are tentatively going through the tough transition from high school senior to college freshman, the three early enrollees are already comfortable with their surroundings and will be ready to start competing for playing time when two-a-days roll around in August.
"(Freshmen enrolling early) is the next phase, the new wave," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "I think there is zero chance for a young man to come in in August and play (immediately as a true freshman). If you go through a spring practice, there's a chance you can be functional in the fall."
Portis, Wilson and Haupt are having a hard time relating to the other freshmen right now because this six-month head start has put them at a different level physically and emotionally.
"It gives us such a head start," Haupt said. "I'm much more advanced than I would have been (if I just enrolled this summer)."
Haupt, Wilson and Portis aren't like true freshmen any more.
Portis has learned Meyer's spread offense and has a chance to be the No. 2 quarterback in the fall after an outstanding performance in the spring game. He's also grown physically, gaining 15 pounds.
"I've had six months in the offense and that's a big advantage," Portis said. "The other freshmen are going to have an opportunity in two-a-days. We'll see what they've got."
Wilson and Haupt have both changed their body type since they've been at UF and will have a chance to contribute this season.
Wilson has lost 44 pounds (down to 301) and increased his lean muscle mass, while Haupt has gained 40 pounds, bulking up to 305.
"I'm a lot more ready to play now," Wilson said. "I'm just glad I came in early. If I had come in now at 345 pounds and worked out with the freshmen, it would have been real hard (to get to 301) because I wouldn't have had that one-on-one time I had with the coaches (over the past six months)."
Haupt looks so different now that his high school coach almost didn't recognize him when he recently returned to campus.
"He teaches a class and when I walked into his room, he was like, 'Wow,' " Haupt said. "None of my clothes really fit any more. I have to get shirts that are three or four times bigger in the neck."
Wilson's old wardrobe doesn't fit, either.
"I've had to get all new clothes because my old ones are too big," he said. "I went home last week and saw one of my friends I hadn't seen since I've been here and he said he thought I was a stranger. He said, 'Boy, you're skinny.' "
Wilson, Portis and Haupt are all much different than when they left high school in December.
All three say their early enrollment at UF has been a good thing.
"It's been great for all three of us," said Portis, who returned to California recently to participate in his high school graduation ceremony. "We've gotten an advantage in football and in school. It's a head start on our future basically."
Haupt concurs.
"I don't think there are any disadvantages to coming early," he said. "I still got to go back (to Merritt Island) to my prom and graduation and I'm thankful for that. Even if I'd missed those things, this is the next step in my life. I've got a head start on all these new challenges."
Here's the cut/paste of the article Taz linked.
Ahead of the class
The freshmen class arrived less than two weeks ago, but three players are miles ahead thanks to an early start.
By ROBBIE ANDREU
So, well, high school.
"I was around some of them the other day and I was wondering if I used to act like that, too," he said. "Looking back, when I came here I still had that high school mentality and I used to act just like that."
Not anymore. Even though Wilson also is a true freshman and, at age 17, one of the youngest members of UF's 2005 signing class, he's a wise and grizzled veteran compared to most of his freshmen brothers.
Wilson, an offensive lineman from Pompano Beach, is one of three freshmen football players who enrolled in January, joining quarterback Josh Portis and offensive lineman Eddie Haupt.
While the rest of the freshmen arrived on campus less than two weeks ago, Wilson, Portis and Haupt have already gone through two semesters of classes, participated in spring practice (and played before a crowd of 58,500 for the Orange and Blue Game) and have been working out with the varsity players for the past six months.
Wilson, Portis and Haupt no longer look or act or carry themselves like freshmen. They are sort of a recruiting class unto themselves.
"We haven't even gotten to know the freshmen yet," Wilson said. "We feel like we're part of the (recruiting) class before. We've already been around all the people who are already here. We joke about the freshmen."
The freshmen are easy targets because they seem so lost right now.
"None of them know where to go," Portis said. "They seem lost. They're asking us where everything is. ... Tutoring, the training table, the buses. They want to know what the routine is."
Portis, Wilson and Haupt already know the routine. While the other freshmen are tentatively going through the tough transition from high school senior to college freshman, the three early enrollees are already comfortable with their surroundings and will be ready to start competing for playing time when two-a-days roll around in August.
"(Freshmen enrolling early) is the next phase, the new wave," UF coach Urban Meyer said. "I think there is zero chance for a young man to come in in August and play (immediately as a true freshman). If you go through a spring practice, there's a chance you can be functional in the fall."
Portis, Wilson and Haupt are having a hard time relating to the other freshmen right now because this six-month head start has put them at a different level physically and emotionally.
"It gives us such a head start," Haupt said. "I'm much more advanced than I would have been (if I just enrolled this summer)."
Haupt, Wilson and Portis aren't like true freshmen any more.
Portis has learned Meyer's spread offense and has a chance to be the No. 2 quarterback in the fall after an outstanding performance in the spring game. He's also grown physically, gaining 15 pounds.
"I've had six months in the offense and that's a big advantage," Portis said. "The other freshmen are going to have an opportunity in two-a-days. We'll see what they've got."
Wilson and Haupt have both changed their body type since they've been at UF and will have a chance to contribute this season.
Wilson has lost 44 pounds (down to 301) and increased his lean muscle mass, while Haupt has gained 40 pounds, bulking up to 305.
"I'm a lot more ready to play now," Wilson said. "I'm just glad I came in early. If I had come in now at 345 pounds and worked out with the freshmen, it would have been real hard (to get to 301) because I wouldn't have had that one-on-one time I had with the coaches (over the past six months)."
Haupt looks so different now that his high school coach almost didn't recognize him when he recently returned to campus.
"He teaches a class and when I walked into his room, he was like, 'Wow,' " Haupt said. "None of my clothes really fit any more. I have to get shirts that are three or four times bigger in the neck."
Wilson's old wardrobe doesn't fit, either.
"I've had to get all new clothes because my old ones are too big," he said. "I went home last week and saw one of my friends I hadn't seen since I've been here and he said he thought I was a stranger. He said, 'Boy, you're skinny.' "
Wilson, Portis and Haupt are all much different than when they left high school in December.
All three say their early enrollment at UF has been a good thing.
"It's been great for all three of us," said Portis, who returned to California recently to participate in his high school graduation ceremony. "We've gotten an advantage in football and in school. It's a head start on our future basically."
Haupt concurs.
"I don't think there are any disadvantages to coming early," he said. "I still got to go back (to Merritt Island) to my prom and graduation and I'm thankful for that. Even if I'd missed those things, this is the next step in my life. I've got a head start on all these new challenges."
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Thanks for the update, Taz - I'm looking forward to following your career at UF! Best of luck!
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