How a Florida football walk on inspired teammates during recent spring scrimmage

When Florida football walk-on defensive lineman Tyreik Norwood intercepted a pass during UF’s first spring scrimmage nine days ago, it brought rousing cheers from players and coaches.

Teammates and coaches knew the sacrifice and struggle Norwood made to rejoin the Florida Gators this spring.

A sixth-year player and transfer from Kentucky Wesleyan, Norwood joined UF as a walk-on in 2022 but tore his ACL in the third quarter of last year’s Orange and Blue Game.

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It was inspiring enough for Florida coach Billy Napier to mention during his post-scrimmage recap with reporters.

“This guy is construction management, right? He’s in grad school,” Napier said. “OK he just tore his ACL. I mean, most people will say, ‘Hey, my football career is over, right?’ But this guy went through the rehab process, returned to play. He’s out there as a sixth-year player that’s a graduate student in construction management and picks off a pass, and the players went crazy.”

Norwood said it wasn’t the first time that Napier has shown his appreciation for one of his walk-ons.

“He always does that,” Napier said. “Even during practice, he always calls out third-stringers, fourth-stringers who would do something good. He’s always reassuring us and telling us to keep working.”

Tyreik Norwood’s journey to Florida football

A Winchester, Tenn., native, Norwood attended Franklin County High School before playing four seasons at Division II Kentucky Wesleyan, recording 6.5 sacks. In the summer of 2022, Norwood visited his girlfriend, who attends law school at UF.

“I didn’t feel I was completely done with football,” Norwood said. “I still felt like I had something in…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/florida-football-walk-inspired-teammates-080842517.html

Author : The Gainesville Sun

Publish date : 2024-04-08 08:08:42

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