UF linemen to keep top recruit Martez Ivey in the loop during Gators' spring practice

[t-gator]

I doubt we see Ivey playing much early in the season unless he gains at least 25 pounds by then.

Who's gonna play?

 

[Gator Fever]

Who's gonna play?

Good point. I will have to go look at the roster. With no spring I highly doubt he starts unless its later in the season however.

 

[t-gator]

Good point. I will have to go look at the roster. With no spring I highly doubt he starts unless its later in the season however.

He may not be a starter out of the gate but he'll play. We only have 8 linemen at best he's gonna be forced to play.

 

[MidwestChomp]

"Me and David will hit him in the roll..." WTH does that mean

I hope that has nothing to do with the Gainesville green.

Ivey will have to play along with a few other freshman. The o line might not be good this upcoming season but that will only benefit the future.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Didn't apopka run behind him for back to back 8a state championships? Wasn't he the best o-line prospect in the last two years? If any o lineman can play as a frosh it would be Ivey

Probably a good run blocker as long as he comes in close to 300#...Yes, Apopka did run behind him a lot but they run a primitive offense.....kinda like we've done the past 5 years except it actually works in HS.

 

[maheo30]

He's around 275 lbs now so he needs to gain around 35 or 40 lbs to be able to hold up. Anything less than 315 he'll get thrown around like a rag doll.

I think 40 pounds is a bit much. He's listed almost everywhere as being about 275. I think gaining about 30 is good. I just said 295 or maybe even 290 for him to even be serviceable. If he plays under weight then gator fans need to understand he is going to get muscled on a regular basis. They don't need to overreact after his rough freshman year.

 

[TLB]

It's good the OL is already embracing him and trying to keep him in the loop, whether by necessity or really wanting him doesn't matter too much to me. Those saying he won't play as he's a freshman, I do have a question. We all acknowledge lack of depth will force playing time for anyone big enough and competent enough to stand in an OL position, so I'm not going to argue anything on that point. BUT, in looking at the others we have, do they not have just as little experience? Further to that point, if we don't have a spring game and can't practice as a unit on the OL until the fall, doesn't that put him on fairly even footing with the others? Only advantage I see for the others would be possible exposure to SEC schemes (with a heavy discount to previous staff's ability to underdevelop people, this is the one coach we retained so there is some continuity and presumably some quality coaching the OL has rec'd even if they didn't play), and the other players have a year of S&C and sitting and college buffets to achieve a desired weight (though, didn't we just get a report on weight changes - were any of them going up or down? I didn't read it).

Real question I'd want to ask - how soon can Ivey start training with us? I'd imagine as a HS grad in May, he could enroll for summer sessions to get on campus and start eating/lifting weights, and as smart as he is, I presume that would be his plan. But aren't there coaching contact restrictions until fall practice, that I assume doesn't start until August? It's a plus to be on campus, getting integrated with the OL players and they can guide him on diet/exercise if the coaches aren't allowed as well as talk to him about what they've learned thus far. It's up to him, I suppose, on when to enroll, but when can he legally start getting on board with the program?

 

[maheo30]

Real question I'd want to ask - how soon can Ivey start training with us? I'd imagine as a HS grad in May, he could enroll for summer sessions to get on campus and start eating/lifting weights, and as smart as he is, I presume that would be his plan. But aren't there coaching contact restrictions until fall practice, that I assume doesn't start until August? It's a plus to be on campus, getting integrated with the OL players and they can guide him on diet/exercise if the coaches aren't allowed as well as talk to him about what they've learned thus far. It's up to him, I suppose, on when to enroll, but when can he legally start getting on board with the program?

I know tight end Moral Stephens was about 200-205 when he signed his LOI. The coaching staff gave him a routine he could do on his own. He worked his butt off and by the time he got on campus he was 230. He is now listed at 247. I hope the staff did something similar with all the o-linemen that signed so that they can be adding weight now in addition to what they gain once they arrive.

 

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

I know tight end Moral Stephens was about 200-205 when he signed his LOI. The coaching staff gave him a routine he could do on his own. He worked his butt off and by the time he got on campus he was 230. He is now listed at 247. I hope the staff did something similar with all the o-linemen that signed so that they can be adding weight now in addition to what they gain once they arrive.

By the time the season rolls around Ivey will be at the right weight. I guarantee you that Mac and the Strength staff has told those boys what they need to do.