Hevesy updates status of Gators lineman Brett Heggie

Brett Heggie’s redshirt freshman season came to an early end with a knee in the first quarter of a loss at Missouri. At the time interim head coach Randy Shannon didn’t have details of what Heggie’s exact injury was or a timetable for his return, just that he would be out for the remainder of the 2017 season.

On Thursday new offensive line coach John Hevesy offered up the first glimpse at a timetable for the lineman’s potential return to football activities coming off of successful knee surgery.

“He should be back for camp,” he said. “Now spring, he’s walking around, he’s doing some things, jogging around a little bit right now. So for me, it’s just going to be everyday talking to [the trainer] What can he do every day to get himself ready?”

Heggie was the SEC offensive lineman of the week prior to his injury at Missouri. He played in eight games with seven starts and was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll.

Although his knee injury and rehab means he isn’t participating in Nick Savage’s weight and conditioning program, Hevesy did have good things to say about the redshirt sophomore-to be.

“I think he has the ability and he has the work ethic,” Hevesy said of Heggie. “Watching him just do his rehab, he has all those things. Now it’s a matter of just making sure he’s learns it and he’s doing everything properly.”

Heggie won’t be able to go through drills this spring. That means Hevesy and Heggie will spend a lot of time together.

“I’ll tell him, he’ll do his rehabs and stuff during practice, but anytime mentally we’re learning something, whether it’s a team period, side drill, stay right behind me,” Hevesy said. “That’s just because obviously you played, but he’s got to learn the system and stand behind me at practice. He’s going to get coached standing behind me as I coach the other ones.”

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC