GAINESVILLE — The Gators will don full pads for the first time Tuesday as preseason football camp intensifies and coach Jon Sumrall learns more about his first Florida team.
The Gators staged 15 spring practices, culminating with the April 11 spring game. Recent months featured OTAs, player-led workouts and offseason conditioning. Florida staged its fifth preseason practice Monday in helmets and shoulder pads for more than 90 minutes under the blistering Gainesville sun.
“We need to make sure we’re at least building our bodies up to some of the heat,” Sumrall said afterward.
Tuesday, though, will bring an increase in the level of physicality and more game-like situations as the Sept. 5 season opener against Florida Atlantic approaches.
“I want to see guys compete,” Sumrall said. “You only get so many opportunities … and really there’s a score — where you’re trying to win the game. At the end of the day, we got to find out who will compete.
“Like when we go into the stadium, and it’s real, who will lay it on the line?”
The Gators will also practice in full gear Thursday, return to helmets and shoulders pads Friday and hold their first of two scrimmages in the Swamp on Saturday.
“We’ll tackle the ground a lot,” Sumrall said.
Since his arrival, Sumrall has strived to consistently challenge his players mentally and physically.
The grueling “Gauntlet,” a six-station, high-intensity strength and conditioning circuit, took players nearly two months to complete as a team, while setting the standard during winter workouts. Following the spring game, Sumrall called out the team’s offensive line, saying, “Those guys have to have a freaking great summer or we got no chance.”
Some linemen lost more than 20 or even 30 pounds while building strength and lean muscle.
Sumrall was pleased with his team’s progress entering preseason practices but continued to push his players.
“I am into making things hard,” he said. “This is a challenging game, and tough teams win. I do want our guys to be challenged to the point that they’re mentally tough, and they can overcome adversity because there’s going to be adversity, and so we create adverse situations every day in practice.
“Sometimes it’s got to be really, really freaking hard.”
Sumrall aims to create a competitive environment whenever possible, but will get a better gauge of his players once they are in full pads.
“The first four or five days of training camp, you’re competing all the time, but it’s hard to always keep score of a winner or a loser when we’re not tackling,” he said. “When we go to live stuff a little bit more, there’s even more clear winners and losers.”
Several Gators will be unable to participate fully Tuesday, including veteran defensive end Kam James, a senior who starred at Orlando Olympia and redshirt freshman running back Duke Clark, who is on track for a key role behind 1,000-yard rusher Jadan Baugh after receiving considerable praise entering camp.
Cornerback CJ Bronaugh of Windermere Prep is sidelined, along with fellow true freshmen Kaiden Hall, a 4-star prospect at safety, and Marquez Daniel, an intriguing 6-foot-5, 219-pound receiver.
“I don’t foresee them being out for any game action, barring something that doesn’t go right,” Sumrall said. “So, nothing substantial. Just normal wear and tear for training camp.”
Sumrall knows what he hopes to see from those on the field.
“I just want to see us play clean, competitive football on both sides,” he said. ” As a head coach, you don’t ever want one side to dominate. You’d like to see some back and forth.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com