The Florida Gators staff experienced a notable setback in early February when the former Director of Player Athletic Development, Craig Fitzgerald, left Gainesville. After only about a month on the job, Fitzgerald took a similar position at Boston College with his close friend Bill O’Brien. Despite this, Florida’s head coach Billy Napier expressed appreciation for the work Fitzgerald had done.
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“Fitz did a great job for us, Napier stated after opening spring practice. “He gave us five weeks of great work, established some things. A ton of respect for Fitz as a man and as a coach. I think a unique dynamic there. One of your best friends gets a head gig there at BC and ten years with the guy. I get it.”
Tyler Miles, a natural choice
Fortunately for Napier and Florida, Fitzgerald’s replacement was already waiting in the wings. “I think we were fortunate that we had built our staff in a way where there was collaboration, Napier declared. “Coach (Tyler) Miles had done a phenomenal job with the programming part.”
This is where Tyler Miles steps in. Recognized for his significant role within the program and a key player in the team’s collaborative dynamic, his transition to the forefront was a natural one.
“Really, he and the rest of his staff giving Fitz insight into maybe where we were at as a program and what we needed. Tyler Miles was at the core of everything that we were doing. I think our players knew that. Our staff knew that. We didn’t want to blow it up and start over but more importantly we felt confident in Tyler relative to being able to do the job. He was, essentially, a huge part of what we were doing.”
On February 20th, it was announced that Tyler Miles would be promoted to Director of Player Athletic Development, bringing joy to Florida’s players and staff. Prior to the 2023 season, Miles joined the Gators in a player development role, assisting players in recovering from injuries and returning to the field. Napier observed his players’ trust in Miles, which was evident through their repeated suggestions for him to replace Fitzgerald.
“I think when your players have confidence in the person and the methods and a system, when I’ve got a dozen players in my room, if they’ve got conviction about a coach and what they’ve observed as a leader, ultimately that’s what gave me confidence and my staff felt the same way,” Napier stated. “Tyler has been phenomenal since the first day he’s been here.”
Miles shows gratitude
Receiving such support is not overlooked by Miles as he steps into a crucial role within the staff.
“I love everybody on this team and for them to do that, to help with this monumental change in my life, I owe them the best that I can give them every day, and I’ll never, ever forget that,” expressed Miles, speaking on Thursday, following Florida’s inaugural spring camp practice session. “So having them do that means the world to me, and it shows, as much as I might be hard on them or stern with them, that they love me for it, and they love us for it.”
Napier stated that this was the best winter conditioning session he’s had since he arrived at Florida. Miles was quick to credit the players for their work so far.
“The players responded and then they took to it,” Miles said. “They were extremely receptive of the changes and I think that plays a huge role as to why Coach Napier might have said that. We’re healthy because these guys have taken to these changes and they’ve been very, very open to it. And it was tough at times. It was tough at first. It’s a big change. It was a big change for them, just a whole new way of doing things.”
Tyler Miles’ move to Director of Player Athletic Development at Florida Gators has been positive, earning player trust and respect. His leadership brought about excellent winter conditioning, indicating a promising start for the Gators. The team’s adaptability and resilience have been crucial, showing a determination to improve Florida’s performance on the field.
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