Florida football coach Billy Napier running old school camp. Can it yield better results?

When Florida football players reported to camp in late July, plush hotel rooms were replaced with more spartan surroundings.

The Florida Gators are staying at Tolbert Hall, dorm rooms built in 1950 across the street from the Heavener Football Complex, with two players to each room.

“It's good for our guys to experience something different,” Florida football coach Billy Napier said. “I think it provides an opportunity to be around your teammates each day during training camp. I think there's an opportunity there to build some character to some degree and maybe create some gratitude.”

In a new-school college football era of Name, Image and Likeness compensation and player movement through the transfer portal, Napier is running an old-school training camp. Whether it translates to more wins on the field remains to be seen.

How Florida football players have responded to changes

Another rule Napier issued this camp – no cell phones in training areas or in the dining halls. Napier wants conversation and connection to build bonds amongst teammates.

“Put that phone down and have an opportunity to spend some meaningful time together,” Napier said.

Florida offensive lineman Austin Barber said the no cell phone rule has been a welcome change.

“We just get to talk to the guys,” Barber said. “Some guys, you'd never think you'd speak to. You go and sit down and have a relationship with them. It's been great. Knowing that, sometimes we're all trying to get together, but especially sitting down with guys you want to understand and learn more about.”

Barber is rooming with fellow starting offensive lineman Jacob Slaughter. Other players were paired rooming with players from different position groups. Wide receiver Eugene Wilson III’s roommate, for example, is edge rusher Justus Boone

Florida defensive lineman Tyreak Sapp said he’s adapted to the dorms.

“A part of camp is like, shared suffering,” Sapp said. “I feel like camp gets hard and I feel like we need to take this time to actually bond with each other. Just take the time out, we don’t always be able to get time to hang out with each other outside of here.”

Wilson, meanwhile, said he’s still getting used to dorm life.

“It's kind of like a piece of adversity that I feel like will most definitely make us who we’re going to be this season,” Wilson said.

For a Florida team that lost two of its last five games by a score or less, Napier is hopeful that togetherness will show up when it needs to make a big play or defensive stand late in a game.

“I'm a firm believer that a player that lacks character, at some point, he's going to let you down,” Napier said. “My history in coaching will tell me that. And the more we can kind of create that throughout the offseason, I think there's a chance that it'll carry over.”