After practice ended Friday, coach Will Muschamp broke some news to wide receiver Mike McNeely and kicker Frankie Velez.
The fourth-year coach awarded both redshirt seniors a full scholarship for their final season at UF.
“Both of those guys will contribute to our football team,” Mushchamp said.
Awarding scholarships to walk-on players hits home to Muschamp.
It happened to him.
Muschamp walked on to the Georgia football team in 1991 as a strong safety, and then-UGA head coach Ray Goff offered him a scholarship one year later.
“That means you have now gained the respect of your staff and your teammates, not that you didn’t have it before,” Muschamp said. “But now you’re recognized as one of the guys, not that you weren’t before.
“And that’s why walk-ons are so important to me. They’re treated no different than a scholarship player.”
McNeely appeared in 23 games from 2011-2013, mostly as a special teams player on the kickoff unit. He recorded his first special-teams tackle during Florida’s 17-12 loss to South Carolina on Nov. 12, 2011.
“Mike has been a fantastic special teams player and just a wonderful young man and has done everything we've asked him to do,” Muschamp said. “He will be a huge contributor on special teams.”
Velez was thrown into the fire in the middle of the 2013 season.
The Ocala native made his first appearance against LSU after starter Austin Hardin went just 3 of 6 during the first five games of the season. Velez sailed both of his field goals through the uprights, including a 44-yarder that ended up being UF’s longest kick of the season.
Velez finished the year going 6 of 8 and is still in contention for the starting kicker job.
“I think he has done a fantastic job in camp,” Muschamp said, “and has been here for five years and done everything we've asked him to do as far as those things.”
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Frankie Velez kicks a field goal during Florida's 17-6 loss to LSU on Saturday in Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, La.
