Ethan White is ready to dominate in the fall
by Bob Redman aka Hollywood Bob
Florida Gators guard Ethan White understands what it takes to work in order to achieve big things. Playing high school ball at well over 400 pounds, White knew he was going to have to get into better shape in order to play for Florida and in the SEC. He did that and he arrived in Gainesville as a freshman having reached some physical goals and found himself on the field in six games and starting one. He’s faced injury issues since then, but has bounced back every time. After dealing with injuries at the end of last season and into spring, he’s ready to dominate on the left side of the offensive line.
White was listed at 370 pounds when he played as a true freshman in 2019. He’s currently listed at 334 and on his 6-foot-5 frame he’s just about at an optimal weight to push around the guys he faces on the other side of the ball. The injury stuff has been out of his control, but he’s handled it every time he’s faced setbacks including now when he started spring with minor issues and finished strong.
“I think it’s something I just kind of picked up in sports,” White said. “You can’t really linger, whether it’s a bad play, a bad grade or something, you can’t let that affect the next play or let that affect practice. You’ve just gotta keep it moving’.”
His ability on the field is something that the previous coaching staff at Florida saw in high school when a lot didn’t. They looked past the limitations he had and developed a relationship with the young man learning that he was all about overcoming shortcomings.
His mother Rosemary is his biggest fan and knows that he will do anything he sets his mind to.
“From the day he was born I would tell Ethan ‘you are destined for greatness’,” Ms. White told GuideToGreaterGanesville.com. “For 21 years I have said those words to him. He has never disappointed me and high praise is always the norm for him.”
“He is head strong and can do anything once he puts his mind to it. Above all else he is an amazing human being treating everyone with the same dignity and respect he exudes.”
With that attitude and his work ethic, White finished the spring in great shape and healthy and adjusted to the quick pace that the new staff introduced to the players for spring drills. His conditioning is where it needs to be.
“It’s up there now,” White said. “At the beginning of spring it took a few days, I can’t lie, took a few days to get used to it. But the way they structure practice, whether it’s running from drill to drill or splitting up reps, it’s all built-in conditioning. So I think we’re in a good place.”
He’s really close physically to where he really wants to play at.
“I’m trying to stay between, like, 320 to 330 range,” he said. “Just get the body fat down, lean out, try to get that NFL-style body. Just take care of what I’ve got to do at this level to help me at the next.”
His current coaches are starting to see what he is capable of and are impressed with the young man. Darnell Stapleton is one of two offensive line coaches for the Gators and gushed over the young man near the close of spring practice last week.
“I think the world of Ethan,” Stapleton said. “He works his butt off and takes coaching. His ceiling will really be up to him. It always comes down to the player. How great or how good he wants to be will really be up to Ethan. He’s a stud, he’s strong, he can really move, he’s smart. The sky’s the limit, essentially. His mom reached out and asked me how he’s doing this morning. And I said, he’s doing good. And she said, ‘just good?’ I said, ‘Listen, I don’t oversell anything. I want the young men to stay hungry and make sure that they know there’s always room to get better. So haven’t been disappointed at all in Ethan’. He’s going to be a stud for us.”
That’s what Rosemary expects of him and is ready to see this fall. She expects her son to take the reins in the offensive line room with his work ethic
“There is no avenue that he cannot take in full stride,” she said. “He is a born leader and has never followed.”