KYLE CURTIS: Justin Shorter Hung Around A Little Longer. Super Senior WR Looking For A Big Season.

On his way for a bigger, better year? Justin Shorter Staying Longer (UAA Photo)

“I close my eyes and I was holding up the national championship trophy, honestly. I envision the plane ride back and my coaches and teammates dancing and going crazy.”--Justin Shorter

A go-route down the right side of the field in the final minutes of the Gasparilla Bowl is the final thing Justin Shorter remembers from the 2021 football season.

Shorter laid out for a big-time catch but was interrupted by a scary collision that left him nearly unconscious and motionless and the stadium in shock. He was transported to the local hospital and then released the following morning.

“I felt like we needed to get something going, and then it just went black from there,” said Shorter.

The former five-star, 6-5, 220-pounder was the top wide receiver in his class and spent his first two years at Penn State before transferring to Florida under the Dan Mullen. Shorter is an athletic freak with only 5 percent body fat, who poised for a breakout season last year.

With the offense struggling, he was not able to put up the kind of numbers projected but under Napier’s new system he feels confident things will be different.

“It was a bittersweet taste in my mouth from the previous season … I wanted to come back because I felt like I have more to give to Florida,” he said.

Shorter announced his decision to return to UF after speculation he may enter the draft. He will be one of the main leaders for Billy Napier’s wide receiver room with potential to be one of the more lethal downfield threats in the nation. Already he has goals to improve.

Shorter said he had been working on a lot of 50/50 balls this offseason but is now referring to them as “90/10” balls.

“I love the ‘go’ ball. I love it deep, throw it high, 50/50 just give me a chance to jump and get it,” said Shorter. “That is the main thing I have been working on.”

With Shorter’s length, it would be hard not to give him the edge vs. most SEC cornerbacks. Shorter has been working toward these goals since a young age.

From eighth grade, all the way until his senior year, Shorter’s routine would consist of waking up at 4:45 a.m. with his father and catching 250 balls, running two miles and finishing it off by doing speed drills. He did this every day until he graduated high school enroute to being the highest recruited wide receiver in the nation for his class.

Even after Shorter’s scary injury, he is chomping at the bit to wear the orange and blue again on Saturdays.

“The next day (after his scary collision) the next season started, and I just decided to get back to work,” said Shorter. “Especially after the season we had last year, I just come in with the mindset to get better every day.”

Shorter hopes for a breakout campaign in his comeback for himself, but he has even bigger goals for the Gators.

“I close my eyes and I was holding up the national championship trophy, honestly. I envision the plane ride back and my coaches and teammates dancing and going crazy.”

Whatever it takes to catch and score is what Shorter has in mind. (UAA Photo)

Question: What happened the night of the bowl game and your injury, how are you doing now?

Answer: “I was running a go route and saw Emory throw it and I was like I got to go up and make a crazy catch. I feel like we needed to get something going. Then it just went black from there, and I open my eyes and I just remember looking up at our trainer, Paul, and he was over the top of me, and I couldn’t move my legs. I was asking him where I was, I was just so confused. I just thank God for helping me heal and I just want to thank everyone who prayed because it helped me heal. The next day the next season started, and I just decided to get back to work. Especially after the season, we had last year. I came in with the mindset to get better every day, I love football and school so right now that’s my focus.”

Question: When did you make up your mind you wanted to stay at Florida another season?

Answer: “I feel like it was a bittersweet taste in my mouth from the previous season, especially with the season we had before that with Pitts, KT (Kadarius Toney), Grimes and Trask. I hate losing, I’m a competitor by nature. I just hate losing and I did not want to end my season like that. In my head, I felt like I wanted to come back because I felt like I have more to give to Florida. I feel like I could be more, start leading more, so we can go out there and start winning games and create a better team. My goal is to win a national championship. If you work hard enough then you can accomplish anything. It is a whole different team; focus-wise, mental-wise and coaching-wise. It was a family choice to come back. I can’t wait for this year to give it my everything.”

Question: How has being in a room with NFL caliber wide receivers all around you?

Answer: “Just splitting time with grimes and playing with Pitts and KT (Kadarius Toney) you really realize how much work and time you have to put in to become one of the best. Especially Pitts, every day he was going 100 percent, there was never an off switch. I really look to him and was like that’s what it takes. But I would say joint suffering is what brings us closer, I want to see everyone succeed we have all gotten so close. That’s brotherhood and when you have teams like that, that’s what produces national championships.”

Question: What is the mood and culture of the direction the program is going?

Answer: “Before we even met the coaches it was kind of a dead period where we didn’t know who our coach was going to be, and people were iffy about next year. But once coach Napier came in and the million other coaches, he hired to help us to get better the culture changed within a few days of him being there. The players by themselves are putting in work, which is rare to see. I see it and I just think ‘yep we’re going to be good’. We are coaching everyone to be together as one and we are all becoming closer together. Workouts have been hard… I almost passed out. All work is good work though. We’re on the right track to being a very good team.”

Question: What is it like having Keary Colbert as your wide receiver coach and what is your guy’s relationship like?

Answer: “My first day ever meeting him I went up to his office and told him ‘Hey I’m just going to be a sponge’ and pass every bit of information to me. He is very serious about details; he makes it easy for us as players. He puts in the extra effort to make sure we get it right. Having that kind of experience is exciting for me because he has been in my position before. Me and him have gotten a lot closer, I try and hang out with him as much as I can. If anyone can get me to that next level, I think it could be him, so I am very thankful that coach Napier made that choice for me. One thing I loved is that he had coached big wide receivers before … I feel like having a coach with that kind of experience can really help me this year. It’s just God putting great pieces into my life.”

Question: New Jersey or Gainesville what was the hardest transition?

Answer: “Those first few workouts when I got here was really a shock to me. Coach (Nick) Savage was here when I got here, and everything was just so intense and hard. Even like a campus run just because it was so hot and humid, and I wasn’t used to that. I like it here way more because I can go outside whenever I want and put in work. But I would definitely say that heat was a huge change for me.”

Question: Can you talk a little about Anthony Richardson and what exactly you want to see in the scheme for you this upcoming season?

Answer: “I just want do anything that will help us win. Each game plan is different, the game plan for the previous week could be different than the current week based on the team’s players and defense. Me personally, I have been working on 50/50 balls since the season ended… I’ve been getting better at it. I call them 90/10 balls now. Anthony Richardson, freak. Great arm, fast, there’s nothing else you want in a quarterback. I can’t wait for Spring ball and put pads on and be able to play.”

Question: When you’re envisioning what you want to happen next season what do you see?

Answer: “I close my eyes and I was holding up the national championship trophy, honestly. I envision the plane ride back and my coaches and teammates dancing and going crazy. That is a dream of mine.”

When you're 6-5, you make a great target in the end zone. (UAA Photo)

Question: At what point did you know that you’re ready?

Answer: “I would say I have been like that throughout my whole life whether it was school, football or even baseball. I give 100 percent to everything I do always, I just don’t feel like I could give anything less. I remember my dad literally eighth grade all the way up until my senior year I would wake up at 4:45 in the morning and catch 250 balls and run two miles and then speed drills then school, every single day. Growing up my visual was never stop working until you get where you want to be. This year though I am a lot more focused mentally and me being older also helps me out. I feel like now I see the game in a different way, and everything is just slowing down for me.”

Question: What is your favorite route?

Answer: “I love the ‘go’ ball. I love it deep, throw it high, 50/50 give me a chance to jump up and get it. In my career I haven’t had a lot of my opportunities, but I pray to God this year I get the chance to get some chances. I have been working on technique and depth and getting all my steps down. The main thing I have been working on is 50/50 balls, 90/10 balls I apologize.”

Question: Have you talked to Kyle Trask since he left?

Answer: “He’s been doing good. He was telling me about the NFL and how everyone is just so focused on detail. He was saying if you don’t know your stuff then you will be gone in a heartbeat. Especially seeing him under Tom Brady, I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do next year.”

Question: What makes you such a good leader?

Answer: “One of my main goals is to wear that gold jacket by the time I’m done with my career. Last year I didn’t really say much, and I had to earn my place, so I just worked, and everyone saw that. Every single day I’m in there doing something, it’s awesome seeing people starting to gravitate towards me, not even just wide receivers. Most of the time I don’t even have to say anything because they are already putting in work. The culture is really changing, and I can’t wait for that first game so we can prove everyone wrong.”

Question: What was going through your mind while making your decision to transfer from Penn State and how did you end up at Florida?

Answer: “It was a family choice. I loved Penn State and the coaching staff too. I wanted to be in an offense where the ball was being spread out more and I wanted it to be stable. I had like three different wide receiver coaches when I was at Penn State in two years. Coming to Florida knowing that coach Mullen and coach (Billy) Gonzales had coached a lot of good wide receivers before that. I’m thankful they were able to bring me here because now I feel like we are able to do something special.”

Question: What is it about the coaching staff that is different?

Answer: “The effort they are putting into us is insane. Off the field and on the field the support is incredible. They put things on our plate to become better men and not just football players. They want to know me personally as well; every coach has come up to me and had at least a 10-minute conversation with me. They are just putting in so much effort to us. Every single coach is at workouts giving us everything they have. Effort is a huge change.

Question: What makes you believe that Florida could be the last team standing?

Answer: “How everyone is working and already it feels like family. The players and coaches are working hand in hand. Everyone is trying to learn from each other. It’s just the grind, the coaches, the players, the trainers. Everyone wants to make a change… The culture is really changing, and everyone is putting in work, I think we’re going to be a whole different team this year.”

Question: What should people know about Justin Shorter as the person?

Answer: “I’m goofy. I am goofy with the people that are directly in my life circle. Not everyone knows my true personality, but I am goofy and crazy with my roommates.”