Little Things Are Big Things To Players, Derek Wingo Says Of Napier’s Temporary Parking Fix

“Man I got my own parking at the stadium and good food all day long, life is great!” -- Derek Wingo Tweet

By KYLE CURTIS

GatorBait Intern

With the recent arrival of Billy Napier, Gator nation has been buzzing about his culture change and visions for the program. In recent press conferences, he has outlined that vision and how he hopes to take the professional approach in rebuilding his program and bringing it back to the top. Already in his first 40-plus days on campus, Napier seems to have already made a popular move in the locker room.

One of Napier’s focal points since taking over the Florida football program has been embracing and implementing the new Name/Image/Likeness deal that the NCAA has passed. NIL allows players to get money based off their social media influence and off the field presence.

Napier has fully accepted this new era of college football and has staff members dedicated to insuring the players are making the right decision when making NIL deals with companies. He reportedly has told one NIL group that he plans to make the NIL a big part of his program.

This level of initiation and drive by Napier goes farther than just NIL. In an interview on the Buddy Martin Show, Derek Wingo, a sophomore linebacker, touched on how one of Napier’s first moves as coach was asking the players what they thought needed to be changed. One of the first answers was lack of parking in and around the stadium.

If you have ever attended the University of Florida and used a car or scooter regularly, you are aware of a parking problem many face. Throughout campus it has always been a hassle to find a spot on the way to class, whether you are out by Ben Hill Griffin or the engineering school. What many don’t realize is that Gator players for years have been issued tickets and parking violations at the stadium while at practice due to a lack of parking. Some have even had boots placed on their cars and been forced to play large fines.

Players cars parked at stadium. (Kyle Curtis Photo)

Many football players, and athletes in general, tend to live off campus forcing them to commute via scooters or cars. It is already stressful enough being a college student, let alone a student-athlete. Coaches don’t want to add another layer of stress over receiving a parking violation while at morning lifts. After a hard, grueling practice, the last thing they want to see as an athlete is a ticket violation on their dashboard. From the players point of view, that had to of been aggravating and frustrating.

The likes of Percy Harvin, Kyle Pitts, Kyle Trask and even Tim Tebow have all experienced inadequate parking procedures during their time here in Gainesville. Napier made his presence felt by taking that one on as one of his first assignments. Within his first week on the job, Napier and his staff were able to accommodate the players by setting up the players with prime parking on the north end lawn of the stadium – even though it is temporary. Once the new athletic facility is finished that problem should go away.

Napier’s quick action resonated with his players.

Derek Wingo chimed in on the Buddy Martin Show about the parking: “In and out, real easy for us. We can leave our cars there as long as we need to. It’s amazing!”

Current players have also expressed their appreciation for this through social media. Wingo also brought his thoughts to Twitter, “Man I got my own parking at the stadium and good food all day long, life is great!” Right after that Napier and his newly staff treated the team to lobster tails and steak. Wingo was not the only player to chime in on the gestures by Napier, most all players seemed energetic and excited by this move.

Napier’s attention to detail along with his passion for going above and beyond with how he treats his players has been established prior to any snaps played under the lights of Ben Hill Griffin stadium.

A Happy Derek Wingo (UAA Photo)

Furthermore, on the Buddy Martin Show, Wingo proceeded to dive deeper into the kind of impact Napier has had on the program since stepping on campus. “People felt closer as a team. Guys we’re pushing each other. Having the right attitude, right work ethic... the enthusiasm is the best I have ever seen before,” he said.

While getting parking spots for players or even getting a nice dinner may not seem like the biggest gesture, it is a brick that has been placed on the path for this program to be successful.

Paying attention to small details, as Napier has proven during his short time here, will hopefully transfer onto the field as well. Winning over the players quickly has allowed Napier to implement his thoughts. Based off the thoughts of Wingo and Twitter of current players, things seem to be trending upward for Gators.