Less than a month after UF ended its season, football started in Gainesville again.
The All American Football League, a fledgling professional league that will play three games in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium from April to June, conducted its inaugural draft Saturday.
Team Florida, which will be coached by former Gators quarterback Shane Matthews, drafted 10 players in addition to the 40 protected players already on the roster.
To be protected, players must have graduated from a college in the specified region of the team protecting them. In Team Florida's case, the protected players are from Florida colleges.
"It was kind of fun," Matthews said of the draft process. "I guess things fell into place for us because we got the guys we targeted. Usually that doesn't happen. We had a backup plan that we didn't have to use."
Players who weren't protected by a team were taken in the early and late periods of the six-team, 50-round draft. Team Florida used its first and last five picks to select other athletes.
Matthews and his staff chose quarterback Eric Kresser with their first pick, the fourth overall.
Kresser attended the team's draft party at the Hilton University of Florida Conference Center Gainesville, as did the top choices of the teams in Alabama, Arkansas, Michigan, Tennessee and Texas in their respective states.
The AAFL required each team to submit its first-round choice well in advance of the draft, Matthews said.
"I guess we're fortunate that nobody wanted the same guy," he said. "I don't know what would have happened had that been the case."
Kresser played for the Gators for three seasons before transferring to Marshall for his senior year in 1996. He still holds the UF record for passing yards in a game by a junior, which he set while serving as a backup to Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel.
Learning Team Florida's playbook shouldn't take long for Kresser, since Matthews will use the same offense that he and Kresser played in under Steve Spurrier at UF.
"This is like coming home to me," Kresser said. "It's a dream come true to be able to play professional football again, especially with a bunch of guys that I already know and played with. I don't know how I lucked into this situation, but it's a really great opportunity."
Still, the selection of Kresser provoked some head-scratching around Gainesville, as former UF signal-caller Chris Leak had already signed on to play quarterback.
Leak was the Most Valuable Player of the Gators' 2007 BCS National Championship Game win against Ohio State, and he chose the AAFL after being cut by the NFL's Chicago Bears.
Matthews expects Leak and Kresser to battle for the starting job in training camp, which begins March 12. The team will open its season on April 19 at Team Michigan.
With its next three picks, Team Florida drafted defensive lineman Thomas Smith (Pittsburgh), offensive lineman John Wilson (Penn State) and defensive back Pete Hunter (Virginia Union).
Matthews then addressed a glaring need at running back by taking James Lemon (Stanford) in the fifth round. Only one of the team's 40 protected players, UF graduate Elijah Williams, was a running back.
A supplemental draft will be conducted on Feb. 16. Each team will select 10 players and be allowed to protect three more.
All involved with the AAFL are hopeful for its success, as many of the players, including Leak, want to use the exposure to get another shot in the NFL.
"That's what a lot of these guys are getting a chance to do - showcase their talents and hopefully make a jump to the NFL," Leak said. "A lot of these guys didn't get that chance through free agency or the draft, so that's what this league is going to do."
Few football leagues have been able to establish a long-term existence in the shadow of the NFL, but if the steady turnout of fans and autograph seekers at Team Florida's draft party is any indication, the team will have lots of support in Gainesville.
After playing in the NFL, Arena Football League, NFL Europe and the Canadian Football League, Kresser has explored just about every possibility in professional football, and he thinks the AAFL has a formula for success.
"We just have a lot of support from the community," he said. "I think the locals are what's going to make it work."
Beyond Gainesville, Team Florida should have plenty of admirers around the state. Nine Florida colleges are represented on the roster, with 18 players from UF, eight from Miami and four from Florida State.
"This could be something special," said Peter Warrick, a former FSU and current Team Florida wide receiver. "You know how it is down here in Florida with the fans. When the Florida State and Miami fans all come together here, it's going to be nice."
