Last week was a packed week of visitors for the Florida Gators coaching staff for not only the 2022 class but the 2023 recruiting class as well.
2023 offensive lineman TJ Shanahan (6-4, 300, Orlando, FL. Timber Creek) was on campus in Gainesville last Wednesday and enjoyed meeting with the staff.
“The visit was awesome,” Shanahan said of his visit to Florida. “I got a very well detailed and thorough tour of the campus, did a photoshoot, got to talk with Coach [Dan] Mullen, and met a bunch of coaches and some players. I loved it.”
Shanahan made it a priority to get to Gainesville quickly after the dead period ended because of his relationship with the coaching staff.
“Honestly the relationship me and Coach [John] Hevesy have,” he said on why it was important to visit Florida so quickly. “I have always been a fan of the Gators too.”
Offensive line coach John Hevesy met with Shanahan at length on Wednesday and had a message about how badly the Gators want the lineman.
“They got the message across to me that they would love for me to be a Florida Gator,” Shanahan said on the message from Hevesy. “He said they aren’t going to stop recruiting me until I sign my name on the dotted line.”
Head coach Dan Mullen also met with Shanahan and the lineman was just glad to finally be able to meet the headman in person.
“The conversation with Coach Mullen was very causal,” he said. “Getting to finally meet him face to face after all these phone calls was great. He’s a great guy and also a great head coach. I loved talking to him.”
Shanahan has always expressed his interest in the Gators and he says that interest only grew after the visit to Gainesville.
“My interest level was very high before the visit, now it’s at an all-time high. I’m very, very interested in Florida,” Shanahan said. “Just Florida being Florida, they have a great set of coaches and a great program.”