Canes football takes break from beloved ‘gangsta’ David Feeley to hang with school kids
Summer approaches, but the hard work continues for the Miami Hurricanes football program.
In between classes and position meetings, running and lifting, tossing the football and gathering for player-led, 7-on-7 workouts, nearly 20 players carved time from their daily grind Wednesday to visit Frances Tucker Elementary School in Miami and hang out with dozens of grateful youngsters.
Among what the inquisitive children learned: Football players have cellphones, eat all kinds of food, definitely play video games and love movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.”
Among what the attending media members learned: Surprisingly talented freshman left tackle Zion Nelson, who came to UM as an early enrollee and played last year at Sumter (South Carolina) High school at 235 pounds, is downing Subway sandwiches, slurping protein shakes and now up to 275.
Also what the media learned: UM strength and conditioning coach David Feeley is a “gangsta’’ in a very positive way, according to players, despite no Hurricane particularly loving his intense running regimen.
“Coach Feeley is a gangsta,’’ said redshirt freshman offensive tackle John Campbell, who is competing with Nelson on the left side. “He really is a gangsta. He got a lot of stuff cooking up for us every day. We really have to be motivated and have our bodies hydrated. We have to drink water or it’s going to show out there, from going to 110-[yard sprints] to being in the sand pit or lifting weights. We always gotta be prepared for Coach Feeley.”
Defensive end Jon Garvin said “We’ll do different things that are strenuous and difficult, but they’re not unreasonable. Just hard running, that’s all. It’s more about the players and the players’ perspective, so we’re not going to allow each other to fail or allow each other to be average. So that’s a part of what pushes the intensity so high, the new standard from the players — especially with guys like Shaq [Quarterman] and [Michael] Pinckney coming back.”
Sophomore tight end Will Mallory called the running “intense,’’ but said he knew what he was in for “when [former Canes great] Ed Reed spoke at the alumni dinner and was talking about how many 110s they were running back when they won a championship. And I was sitting at the same table as Coach Feeley and he kind of lit up when he said that and I was like, ‘Oh man, I know exactly what we got going on.’
But Mallory, like his teammates, seems thrilled at the entire summer program.
“Everyone loves what the coaches are doing and what they’ve created this offseason,” Mallory said. “Everyone is buying in, and we’re kind of feeling like more [of] a team and collectively together. So far it’s been really good.’’
Campbell, up to 6-6 and 310 pounds, said he made a personal list of about a dozen football goals, put them on paper and hung the goals over his bed and in his bathroom and “everywhere in my house so I can see it every day.”
His first two goals are to “be a good team player — do what’s best for the team. And second, for me, just get stronger, get faster get more wisdom of the game so I can see the whole field, and just do whatever coach asks. ...It just keeps me working and pushing harder.”
Among the players who attended the community service event were redshirt sophomore quarterback transfer Tate Martell, fullback Realus George and new enrollees Christian Williams, a freshman cornerback; and UCLA graduate transfer Chigozie Nnoruka, who didn’t address reporters but said he arrived last week.
“Every day is important,’’ Garvin said. “Every day counts. But right now it’s time to take time out to do things like this. I’m glad to be able to give back...before we get back into actual football.’’
As for that little matchup on August 24 against the Florida Gators to begin the season, the players wholeheartedly approve.
“It’s great to jump off against them,’’ Campbell said, noting that it’s making them “work harder and prepared to be on our toes ready for anything.”
“Everybody can watch us,’’ Campbell said of being on national TV as one of the nation’s first FBS games. “We got the spotlight on us.”
Said Mallory: “With the season starting earlier we’ve kind of realized how short of a time we have. And whether it’s the Florida Gators or anyone else we have to step up the intensity... Everyone is really looking forward to it but we know we have a lot to work on.”
This story was originally published May 29, 2019 at 2:31 PM.
