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Good Morning Gators: Townsend brothers tour new facility, pics from inside

On3 imageby: Zach Abolverdi03/03/22ZachAbolverdi
On3 image
Former Florida punters Johnny (right) and Tommy (left) Townsend at the new football facility. (Photo courtesy Johnny Townsend)

Florida Gators football is the No. 1 topic in Good Morning Gators every day — but we cover news, notes and analysis from across the Gators sports world. Join us each morning to get caught up on everything you missed in the world of Florida football, recruiting, basketball and more.

Moving day is coming soon for the Florida football program.

The James W. “Bill” Heavener Football Training Center — UF’s new state-of-the-art, $85 million stand-alone facility — is a few months away from completion.

Constructed started on the 142,000-square-foot building in June 2020 and will be finished this spring, with the opening set for the summer of 2022.

Gators athletics director Scott Stricklin shared updated pics Wednesday from inside and outside of the stand-alone facility.

“Stopped by the Heavener Training Center (on Tuesday),” Stricklin tweeted. “Wide open spaces everywhere you look … Opening this summer!”

Florida football’s official Twitter account also shared a video Wednesday of former UF punters Johnny Townsend and Tommy Townsend receiving a tour of the new facility.

“It’s breathtaking,” Johnny Townsend said in the video. “Seeing the amenities that these players are getting now is just really unbelievable. It’s a premier athletic building that will be known all over the country.”

The Townsend brothers, both of whom punted for the Kansas City Chiefs last season, were in Gainesville on Feb. 22. In addition to touring the facility, they met with new Gators coach Billy Napier, spoke to the UF specialists and attended the Florida-Arkansas men’s basketball game.

In other Florida football news

  • With camp approaching, Gators Online will preview Florida’s offense, defense and special teams over the next two weeks. Up next: the wide receiver position.
  • Gators Online’s Nick de la Torre continues his countdown of 10 players he’s excited to see heading into spring camp with offensive lineman O’Cyrus Torrence.
  • Projecting the Florida Gators offensive depth chart for spring camp. The early projection will be updated after a few practices.

UF recruiting roundup

Gators sports roundup

Let’s keep talking

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Gators Twitter updates

Fresh off his team’s comeback win in Nashville, Florida coach Mike White celebrated his 45th birthday Wednesday:

UF women’s hoops coach Kelly Rae Finley was named the USA Today Sports Network SEC Coach of the Year:

The Gators have arrived in Nashville for the SEC women’s basketball tournament. They face Vanderbilt Thursday on SEC Network, 25 minutes after the noon game ends.

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