TAMPA — Cristian Garcia never gave up on his dream of playing Division I College football and because of that he’s now living his dream.
Garcia, a Miami native, played football at Belen Jesuit. When his high school days ended he didn’t have Division I football offers that led Garcia to Malone University in Cantaon, a Division II school, before transferring to Florida Tech in Melbourne. That wasn’t enough. There wasn’t any Division I schools talking to him, so Garcia took matters into his own hands.
Garcia transferred to Santa Fe College near the University of Florida. He volunteered to work in the video staff as a way to just be near the program, maybe, just maybe that close proximity would get him a look.
“I’ve always wanted to play Division I football. I played at two Division II colleges before coming to the University of Florida, so I knew I came here wanting to walk-on,” Garcia said after the Outback Bowl. “I was at Santa Fe Community College before I came to Florida, so I worked video to get in touch with the coaches. I worked video for a year then once I got into UF I walked on. And I’ve just taken my opportunity and ran with it since then.”
Garcia spent a year biding his time, sitting in a row cutting highlights, working with the football team but he wasn’t a part of the team. He made the decision to walk on in 2015. He joined the football team during the third week of the season and had to continue taking matters into his own hands.
As a walk-on that didn’t know the defense Garcia was behind. He had to make up for it by getting extra work and making his limited reps count. He wasn’t a priority for the coaching staff so he spent his nights doing homework for class and then burning the midnight oil learning Florida’s complicated defense on his own.
“As a walk-on you get pushed to the back of the line a lot, but I knew I was a good player,” he said.
“I mean I’ve exceeded my expectations to a point. My first goal was to walk onto the team and maybe play a play, then it was like ‘OK, I’m on special teams now’, now I want to play on defense.”
Garcia got his first chance to play on defense when the Gators played Michigan last year in the Citrus Bowl. He assisted on two tackles but achieved his ultimate goal of playing defense at the University of Florida.
He went into the offseason with a renewed enthusiasm and hope. Then he made headlines off the field.
Garcia was working a security shift at 101 Cantina, a bar in Midtown across the street from Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. While taking trash out to a dumpster he noticed two individuals behind the dumpster. Garcia originally thought the two were having consensual intercourse but realized as he got closer that the woman was unconscious. Garcia told First Coast News that he intervened because, “I hold strong moral values and I don’t think anybody should be treated that way.”
Garcia appeared on Good Morning America to talk about the incident and was later invited to the White House by Vice President Joe Biden to accept one of the inaugural “It’s On Us” Courage Awards.
“2016 could be arguably the best year of my life,” Garcia said. “A lot of people know me from what happened in the summer with the ‘hero thing,’ I got to shake Joe Biden’s hand. It’s been an up and down year football wise but I played in every single game as a walk on. That’s pretty unheard of.”
Garcia found a home on special teams where, as he noted, he played in every game this season. It wasn’t until both Jarrad Davis and Alex Anzalone went down with injuries that he really had a chance to play. He played during garbage time against Missouri, recording a tackle and then again in the SEC Championship game, recording one more.
When it became apparent that Anzalone wouldn’t be able to play in the bowl game because of a broken arm Garcia got the nod from Randy Shannon. The Division II walk on, video coordinator would start a game for the Florida Gators. Not only would he start, he would be playing middle linebacker, responsible for calling out the play from the sideline, making calls and checks before the snap — essentially run the defense.
“I called mom and I’m like, ‘hey mom, I’m starting,” Garcia said as tears welled in his eyes. “She was just so emotional about it. I haven’t started a game since I was at Malone my freshman season. It was awesome. Just being able to call out the checks, call out the fronts and, basically, run the defense because I was playing the Mike linebacker. Just a great experience.”
Garcia tallied five tackles in the Outback Bowl, one more than his career total.
“That’s awesome. Anytime you see a guy walk on and get a big role, get a big start in a game like this it’s awesome,” senior defensive tackle Joey Ivie said of Garcia. I could tell how much it meant to him. He probably never thought walking onto this team that he’d be starting for the Florida Gators defense. We’re one of the best defenses in the country.”
The story isn’t over.
Garcia has a year left to play and he’s looking forward to returning to school for his redshirt senior season. The Gators have a lot of talented players at his position. David Reese and Kylan Johnson took off in 2016 when given opportunities and Vosean Joseph has flashed at times. Garcia isn’t worried about them. He’s overcome the odds already and basked in the glow of earning his first start in a defensive dominant performance by the Gators over Iowa.
“It’s been an awesome story and I hope it’s not over yet,” he said Monday. “I have one more season and I hope I get to play a lot more and make some more big plays for the Gators.”