Jonathan Bullard checked things out at Florida’s spring game.
by Bob Redman aka Hollywood Bob
It’s always great to see Gator Greats back visiting the Florida Gators whenever they can get here. Dozens showed up for the Orange and Blue game on April 14 and among them was defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard. Bullard came to Florida as a five-star defensive end in his high school days and would end up playing a lot of defensive tackle before he left and was one of the more prolific at that position in Gator history. His trip back to Gainesville was a bit of a personal reconnaissance tour to see the current state of affairs at Florida.
One thing that helped draw Bullard to Gainesville was a former Gator Johnny Townsend’s foundational outreach and get together for Pediatric Oncology at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital. Bullard happened to be in the state and made the journey north to Gainesville to check out everything.
“It’s been a while for me. I hadn’t been back and Johnny put this out and I wanted to come out and support his cause,” Bullard said shortly before the Orange and Blue Game. “I was down there and hanging out with Brian Poole and I’m still hanging out with my 2012 class a lot. We just decided to ride up today and see the atmosphere. I know they have new stuff going on, so we’re just trying to check it out and enjoy it.”
He’s a fan of what Townsend and his organization is doing to help the kids at Shands.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “I didn’t know the whole gist if it. But stuff like that is close to me, if you remember my grandmother had cancer. Stuff like this is close. I’m going to donate to him. It’s unbelievable what he’s putting together. This is a great time so far, a lot of great friends we get to meet. It’s a great cause and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Bullard really wanted to catch up on things and really doesn’t know much about the new staff at Florida under Billy Napier and what they’ve been up to.
“Honestly I haven’t (heard),” he said. “I’m a free agent right now and trying to get my next gig staying in shape for when I get the call and hopefully it comes soon. I haven’t heard too much, but I’m here today to learn and see how he handles things. I heard nothing but good stuff about him from some of the guys that do know a little bit. I’m excited for it. Hopefully we get Gator Nation going back the right way.”
Bullard has been in the NFL for the last six years and in that time his favorite memories from his Gator days are the friendships he made with his teammates and classmates at Florida.
“That’s hard. I think my favorite for me was the relationships I built with my class coming in, even some of the guys older and younger,” he said. “Just the brotherhood we had. To this day I still talk to a lot of the guys. I got to play with Dante (Fowler). I’m always with Poole and Marcus (Maye), so a lot of it is that brotherhood. I got a lot of my best friends for life when I was here. This is where I became a man I believe, at least molding myself to become a man, so that’s what’s special for me.”
A lot of Gators made it back to Gainesville a week ago, prominent names from the past. Getting guys like Bullard interested in the program and being around the program is something for Napier and staff to build on.