Billy Donovan’s son, also named Billy Donovan, could soon follow in his father’s footsteps.
"Against the wishes of his mother, yes that is what he wants to do, he wants to coach," Donovan said after Florida’s exhibition game against Barry.
Donovan added his son isn’t quite sure at what level he wants to coach.
"Listen, I think it’s a great profession," Donovan said. "I think it’s very, very rewarding. It’s one of those professions where you really have got to be passionate about it and he appears to be that way about the game."
The younger Donovan is a redshirt senior guard in his second year with the Gators. Last year he made 16 appearances, in which he scored a total of four points.
"A man of many traits… He’s a little bit of everything,"
Donovan said his son is practicing, though very little, doing some film work and spending a time with the team.
"I think it’s been a good year for him so the fact that he’s got the chance to experience a lot of different things right now," Donovan said. "He’s just available when we need him."
During Florida’s exhibition against Barry, the younger Donovan was in the film room inside the O’Connell Center watching with suspended sophomore forward Chris Walker, who is suspended for the first three games of the season.
"He was back there with my son and another video guy," Donovan said. "They just sat there and tried to help him through watching what was going on and trying to talk him through some things."
Walk-on mentality: Walk-on Jacob Kurtz played 17 minutes against Barry on Thursday. In that time, Donovan wasn’t pleased with what he saw from the senior forward.
"I’m very, very disappointed with him because I think Jake is very important to this team and I think sometimes Jake views himself as a walk-on and I think sometimes Jake doesn’t want to step on anybody’s toes," Donovan said.
On Thursday, Kurtz contributed six points and two rebounds.
"We don’t have a very full bench of front court players and he can do more and he’s not doing more," Donovan said. "He’s got to stop maybe just being this nice guy and just happy to be here and he’s gotta start getting back to the things he did a year ago."
Kurtz saw more play at the start of last season because the Gators were facing similar depth issues because of suspensions. In the first seven games of the 2013-14 season, he averaged 19.7 minutes, 4.1 points and 3.9 rebounds.
"He’s a far better player a year ago than he is right now and I got to find a way to get him back to where he was before," Donovan said.
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Billy Donovan looks on from the bench during the 2014 SEC Tournament in Atlanta.
