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UF welcomes middle & high school coaches for Chalk Talk with NFL staff

On3 imageby:Zach Abolverdi•03/26/25•

ZachAbolverdi

Florida-Gators-Billy-Napier-Chalk-Talk-Coaches-Clinic

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — NFL coaches and staff members will ascend on Gainesville this week, and not just for Florida’s Pro Day. The UF football program will hold its annual Gators Chalk Talk event.

The two-day clinic, which welcomes middle and high school coaches, is set for Thursday and Friday will feature more than a dozen guest speakers from the NFL. Coaches can register for $30.

This year’s event will include NFL coaches at every position on offense and defense along with special teams, two directors of performance nutrition and a performance science coordinator.

More than 150 coaches attended last year’s Gators Chalk Talk in late March. It marked the largest turnout for Florida coach Billy Napier and his staff since bringing back the event three years ago.

“Originally, I thought having so many NFL coaches was maybe counterproductive to a high school coach,” Matt Hendrick, the head coach at Bishop Moore Catholic. “But what I realized is the NFL guys are so fundamental and so specific about teaching basic concepts that they almost simplify the game more so than the college guys do it.

“So, for us as high school coaches, I almost see even more value in the NFL guys offering their wisdom and knowledge back to us. And so, I think it’s great. They cover everything from special teams to nutrition and strength and conditioning, but also every different position on offense and defense.”

RELATED: Gators Chalk Talk provides high school coaches with NFL expertise

The two-day clinic will include attending practice in the IPF on Thursday, dinner in the Club Level of the O-Dome, a chalk talk with the UF staff and guest speakers on Saturday with breakfast and lunch.

UF’s coaching clinic returned in 2022 under Napier and Florida’s director of football logistics and NFL liaison Ashour Peera has been responsible for putting together every Chalk Talk.

“We really want this to be an elite event, one of the best in the country where not only high school coaches want to come back every year, but our speakers from NFL teams want to come back,” Peera said. “It also gives us an opportunity to learn from those guys as well.

“We want to provide coaches with an opportunity to develop professionally while being able to network and have access to NFL coaches. It’s super important for us to take care of our schools and promote football around the country.”

Florida’s Chalk Talk schedule

Thursday, March 27
2:00 p.m.Registration Begins
4:00 p.m.Practice – IPF
6:00 p.m.Dinner / Social – Club Level “O-Dome”
7:15 p.m.T.B.D.
8:30 p.m.Chalk Talk / UF Coaching Staff
Friday, March 28
8:00 a.m.Continued Registration
8:30 a.m.Champions Breakfast
9:00 a.m.Speakers 1 & 2
9:50 a.m.Speakers 3 & 4
10:40 a.m.Speakers 5 & 6
11:30 a.m.Break for Lunch – Club Level “O-Dome”
12:30 p.m.Speakers 7 & 8
1:20 p.m.Speakers 9 & 10
2:10 p.m.Speakers 11 & 12
3:00 pm.Break to Transition
3:30 p.m.Speakers 13 & 14
4:20 p.m.Speakers 15 & 16

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