There was a time last season when Jake McGee questioned his decision to come to Florida – albeit briefly.
After expressing interest in transferring from Virginia in the summer of 2014 with a year of football eligibility left, the fifth-year senior chose the Gators and former head coach Will Muschamp as the benefactors of his talents.
But McGee suffered a broken tibia and fibula in his left leg in Florida’s season-opening 65-0 triumph over Eastern Michigan, and just like that his season was over before it could even really begin.
"It’s something you don’t expect," McGee said. "Playing football you know what can happen, you know injury is a part of the game. It’s sort of a freak accident."
McGee said he was disappointed and in shock over his injury, but that feeling didn’t stay for long.
Instead, McGee’s thoughts turned to how he would return to football.
Having already used his redshirt in his first season at Virginia, McGee was far from guaranteed another year of NCAA eligibility.
Undeterred, McGee started filling out the paperwork and taking the necessary steps to apply for another year.
He called it a stressful situation that had him checking with UF’s compliance department almost daily to make sure he followed the correct procedures.
Based on previous NCAA decisions, it seemed like a long shot that the association would grant his request.
McGee wondered if he would be rehabbing for the purpose of receiving a potential draft evaluation from the NFL.
He thought his career as a Gator would be labeled a disappointing one.
"It wasn’t looking good for a while," McGee said. "If I had to bet money I would say I wouldn’t be back here this year. It was something I didn’t expect, to be back this year, obviously."
When Florida fired Muschamp in November, McGee was still without word from the NCAA. After the Gators hired new head coach Jim McElwain, McGee took a look at the systems McElwain used at Colorado State and previously at Alabama under coach Nick Saban.
"When we came in, our use of the (tight end) position was something that kind of excited him a little bit," McElwain said. "I sure didn’t want him to leave. I talked to him. And yet, that really was out of our hands. It was in the NCAA’s hands."
As the break passed, McGee enrolled in spring classes with the intent of finishing his Master’s degree in sport management. But classes were stressful without a definitive answer as to whether he could finish out the semester or not.
Finally, two weeks into classes on Jan. 20, McGee received word that the NCAA would grant him a sixth year of eligibility.
He would have one more shot at being a college football player, and a Florida Gator.
While the injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for McGee’s career, he knows it came at the right time for the NCAA to grant him an exception.
"I was not thinking I’d get it, but the way the NCAA is doing more for the athletes with the extra money, extra meals, stuff like that, it felt like another thing they were looking out for," McGee said. "I would say that, a couple years ago, even last year, something like this — I wouldn’t be playing this year."
Follow Graham Hall on Twitter @Graham311
Jake McGee walks toward the practice field at Donald R. Dizney Stadium on Monday.
