GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Jorge Powell is not a very well known player on the Gators' roster. He's a kicker who has had a wild ride since he arriving in Gainesville in 2014. He’s certainly seen a lot. He’s witnessed two coaches get fired, and if you count the interim coaches, he’s had five total.
“It’s crazy. I feel like I’ve been here forever,” Powell said. “I’ve been here since 2014. Getting the opportunity to get back to how I was my sophomore year (before injury). I feel like all eyes are on me but I like that. It gets me to compete every day.
“Justino, who’s another kicker, and Justin Howard, are pushing me every day in practice. We’re making sure every day we’re coming out here and giving it 100 percent. The competition has been tough, but I think I’ve done well so far and I hope to perform well on Saturday.”
In 2015, Powell lost his season against LSU after getting hurt on a kickoff but didn’t let it get him down as he worked through rehab to get back as soon as possible.
“It was hard,” Powell said. “The rehab was a long process but like I told them earlier, I was back in five months. I was kicking within, I would say, six months. The training staff here was incredible.
”We were getting after it every day. I think the transition to start kicking again was kind of hard. It was my kicking leg, so I felt like I didn’t have the same whip that I used to but stretching and doing a bunch of different rehab exercises I got that back and I feel 100 percent how I was my sophomore year.”
Throughout his time at Florida, Powell also spent a chunk of time with fellow kicker Eddy Pinero. In fact, the two kickers have actually known each other for a number of years.
“We go back all the way from middle school," Powell said. "We played in the same soccer league, so I’ve known him for a while and he’s a good guy. I’ve learned a lot from him, he’s learned a lot from me, and I hope to fill those shoes and do exactly.”
Powell definitely has some big shoes to fill, but is ready to step up to the plate and showcase his worth.
“Yeah, it’s definitely going to be hard, but I mean, me and Eddy worked every day,” Powell said. “We got each other better. I think I’ll be able to fill in his shoes, I mean, we played stupid pig game every game and we just got each other better. I mean, Eddy’s a really good kicker, so I hope to fill in those shoes.”
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In the video above, Powell talks about growing up a soccer player but making the transition to football, the new vibe out at practice under Dan Mullen, and more.
