Gators compartmentalizing about news of his impending departure

Craig Fitzgerald was appointed Florida’s strength coach by Billy Napier in late December. By the middle of February, he had accepted the same position at Boston College, working under his old boss, Bill O’Brien.

Nick De la Torre of Gators Online spoke with Andy Staples of On3 about the ramifications of Fitzgerald’s sudden exit and how he thinks Florida will fill the staffing void in the interim.”Mark Hocke continues to play a part on campus. De la Torre informed Staples, “He is aware of what is happening. However, from what I’ve been informed, Tyler Miles, the director of player athletic development, will be doing it. That was the year he joined the team. Before Craig Fitzgerald was hired, the players even advocated for him to be hired, and now he will guide the team through what Billy Napier likes to refer to as the “identity phase,” which is the second part of the summer.

“It is to be seen if Florida will just stick with the current group of players. Do they search for someone else? The interplay between head coaches and strength coaches still exists.Fitzgerald has a long history with Bill O’Brien, the head coach of Boston College, and Billy Napier has said that relationships are the foundation of the coaching profession.

He initially started working with O’Brien at Maryland. Fitzgerald followed him to Penn State and then to Houston, where he held the position of Director of Strength and Conditioning. That ultimately resulted in the Eagles poaching him for O’Brien’s first coaching staff.