Phillips talks Florida Jr. Day

This past weekend Florida commit, defensive lineman, Dante Phillips made the trek north up I-75 to Gainesville in order to participate in the Gators first Junior Day of the 2012 recruiting cycle.

The 6-foot-6, 270-pound Venice (Fla.) Rivals250 Watch List Member broke down the day's events for InsidetheGators.net.

Times are an approximation

10:45: "We were greeted by these chaperone's and taken into the Gator Room. We sign in, get our key-chain passes with our names on them. Then we sat in the Gator Room with the rest of the recruits. They had TVs all over the place playing Gator highlight films.

"We were sitting there for a little bit when the Gators new defensive line coach - Coach Bryant (Bryant Young) came and got me to take me upstairs to see coach Muschamp. That was the first time my family has got to meet him. Me and my family sat up in his office and he talked to me about Florida. He went over what he was recruiting me to play on his defense. He has been the first coach to ever tell me specifically where he is going to put me.

"He told me that I would be lining up as a three technique (defensive tackle) basically.

"My mom an my dad have been telling me, 'Whatever you want to do, we're happy with it and we're going to support you.' but this was the first time I think they felt like they were really part of it. This is the first time a coach has talked to them personally. I feel like they feel real comfortable with Florida because coach Muschamp told them I would be in good hands when I get there. They felt real good about the talk - my mom especially.

"I got a chance to talk to coach Young personally in his office. He sat us down and showed us some highlights and how I would be used and what my duties will be on defense. He seems like a great dude who knows what he's talking about. I'm glad to have a coach who played the position that I'll be playing. He seems like a real humble dude who I can be a mentor. It was good to meet him."

12:00: "In the Gator Room they brought out the people from the Office of Student Life for a meeting with us. They went over what it's like to be a football player at Florida and what our lives would be like if we go to Florida."

12:30: "We went up to the sky box [President's Suite] to eat lunch. They had a lot of good food in there. A buffet with Chicken, macaroni, pizza, everything. I ate with my parents and Trey Burton. Clay didn't come. He was back in his dorm. We went and saw him afterward. Trey talked about how great the new staff is and how there's Pro people everywhere and that's the best kind of staff to be under. He said that everyone was excited with the new coaches and all."

1:00: "They split us up to meet with the recruiting coach from your area. My coach is D.J. Durkin. He told us how to get in touch with him and when he would be seeing us over the spring.

1:45: "We divided up the group and got on buses. They took us on a guided tour of the campus. They showed us where everything is around campus like the library and dorms. We didn't go into the dorms, but they pointed them out to us."

2:10 "Then we split up by position coaches. All the defensive tackles with with coach Young and all the defensive ends went with coach Quinn. We went into the room with our position coaches and they showed some film."

3:00: "At the end we went out on the field in the Swamp and then they took us in the weight-room."

According to Phillips, the day on campus only helped solidify UF's standing.

"I'm still getting mail from everybody I was hearing from and new coaches are hitting me up on Facebook," explained Phillips. "After that visit, it kind of secured everything. When Florida had a different coaching staff, they weren't sure if they were going to play me at offensive tackle or defensive tackle so hearing the coaches tell me that they would be playing me at three-technique, that made it more official to me. That's where I'm comfortable playing and I'm all in with Florida."