Offensive lineman Marcus Tatum (6-6, 254, Daytona Beach, FL Mainland) has visited the Florida Gators several times over the last few months and he was once again at Florida last Friday night.
Friday night was different though, because Tatum had the opportunity to work out with offensive line coach Mike Summers during the offensive line camp.
“Camp was really good, a lot of good coaching in a great atmosphere,” Tatum said of the Gators football camp. “It was good to work with coach Summers one-on-one and see how he coaches and see how he teaches technique.”
A lot of offensive linemen have said that Summers is different from most offensive line coaches and that was something that Tatum repeated on Friday night.
“He doesn’t really cuss a lot,” Tatum said of Summers personality. “He’s very laid back but he’s also assertive as a coach too. He doesn’t like to yell a lot, like he was telling me to use my length to my advantage but he was calm coaching me up.”
Friday was mostly about getting Tatum better as a player, but Summers also made sure to slip in some recruiting talk during the camp.
“Recruiting wise he was just saying that he would love to have me and that he needs me,” Tatum said. “That was really his message because when we talk we usually just talk about other things not just football anymore.”
Head coach Jim McElwain spent much of his time on Friday night watching the 7-on-7 tournament, but he made sure to let Tatum know that he was watching him some as well.
“I talked to Coach McElwain before the camp, during the camp and afterwards,” Tatum said. “He was talking to me about the indoor facility and he wanted to know how I finished in school this semester. He was asking what my plans going forward were.”
After camp was over with Tatum sent out a tweet saying he had some decisions to make, but Tatum has now put those plans on hold at the request of his family.
“My mom wants me to visit some other places before I make a decision since it’s a big decision,” Tatum said. “She doesn’t want me to rush into anything. Right now I don’t have any school visits planned but she wants me to wait and make some plans first.”
Despite his mom not wanting Tatum to take other visits, the Daytona Beach offensive lineman is already thinking about his next trip to Florida.
“I’m still trying to plan another visit to Florida,” Tatum said. “I have to wait and see what all my families’ plans are first and then we will go from there. Right now I have no visits planned to anywhere.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Florida is by far the school to beat here for Tatum and the Gators would love to lock him up this summer and build around him. Another visit to Florida with his family would help a ton.