One Snap and former walk-on Michael McNeely joins FloridaGators lore

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Michael McNeely woke up Saturday morning knowing that if everything wentas planned, there was a likelihood he could touch the actual ball -- on a designed play zero much less-- inside Florida's game against Georgia.

He furthermore contemplated the biggest what-if associated with all. Just what if he scored a newtouchdown? Just what would he do? Following all, it had been a while.

"I ran a new post route," McNeely recalled Monday. "It was a 25-yard touchdown reception. ThatThey were playing man, I caught it, beat the actual safety."

A guy named Jimbo Chmelik, whom later on played quarterback from Quincy (Ill.) University, threwthe pass. That They weren't even real teammates. McNeely and also Chmelik were via rivalsubstantial schools playing together in the North-South Pinellas County All-Star Game in December2009.

McNeely walked about with Florida and also right after 3 numerous a extended time of grindingaway way in the spotlight, he was positioned on scholarship throughout fall camp by head coach WillMuschamp.

It was a dream come true pertaining to McNeely, who got accepted into UF's healthcare school onOct. 15. McNeely is also doing a full-time internship this semester inside the AppliedNeuromechanics Laboratory with UF.

"We perform together with patients' gaits, their particular walking patterns within patients alongwith movement disorders similar to Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, along using other thingslike ACL injuries," he said. "We study their own gait along with draw conclusions according tostudies we do."

But compared to the last 48 hours, McNeely's journey from walk-on in order to scholarship player aminimum of seems real.

Everything since using that snap around the fake area goal, darting by means of a huge hole for thecorrect and sprinting 21 yards to find a momentum-changing touchdown within Florida's 38-20victory more than the Bulldogs, well, all of that seems surreal.

"I type of such as lying low-key. Every Person has been coming up in my experience and also sayinghi," McNeely said. "Even around campus today, it offers been very different from my usual life. Icould blend to the general population extremely well."

Not now. Not Necessarily after turning out to end up being able to be an immediate Florida footballfolk hero.

One of McNeely's favorite moments since as quickly as happened while he was at the particularoffice with a Publix close to campus about Sunday. He turned up with regard to his part-timeoccupation (Sundays only) like a grocery bagger/cashier when a couple coming from Orlando camedown his line.

They had learn about McNeely which morning along with decided to drive to Gainesville to satisfyhim throughout person. Following they paid, the couple asked McNeely in order to sign their receiptto become able to give to a household member -- and also large Gators fan -- with regard toChristmas.

Few of the people who passed via his line ahead of Saturday knew he was a football player. samewill go for many Gator fans. Now they are generally totally aware Michael McNeely, the 5-foot-8,176-pound receiver, since the guy which scored one of the most crucial touchdown to become ableto date throughout Florida's season.

"I consider it was the actual play that turned (the game) around," Gators defensive lineman JonBullard stated Monday. "It gave us momentum. We practiced it all week. I do not necessarily knowhow, yet it absolutely was drew up the exact identical way, inside the identical formation, preciselywhat we wanted to do. He just went out as well as executed it."

Here can always be a glimpse into how McNeely went via mysterious to always be able to nationalstory, plus a taste regarding his existence since:

THE PLAY

Florida trailed 7-0 along with faced a fourth-and-9 midway into the 2nd quarter. the Gators arrangedfor a Frankie Velez field-goal attempt.

If they will got the proper look, McNeely knew what play has been on.

"We referred for you to as any particular one 'Dawg' because we were playing your Dawgs," he said.

Teammate Andre Debose told McNeely to become ready if the play worked.

"You much better have two moves," Debose told McNeely. "You far better have one to score, thenone to steer clear of me, simply because following you score, I'm coming regarding you."

A former walk-on with Georgia, Muschamp had total confidence inside McNeely.

"Walk-on or scholarship, it can not issue to me," he said after the game. "The guy can be a excellentfootball player. I didn't even blink putting him back again there."

Teammate Ryan Parrish, a new fifth-year senior along with scout team standout, will be McNeely'scompanion on the team. While Parrish got married inside July, McNeely had been one of hisgroomsmen.

On Friday night in the team resort inside Jacksonville, Parrish and his mother and father spokenwith McNeely about how precisely cool it might always be if the Gators reached operate theparticular play and also pulled it off.

Stephen B. Morton-AP Photo

Florida's Michael McNeely runs past Georgia cornerback Damian Swann (5) to become able to scorea touchdown on the fake area goal.   Â

"The play labored perfectly, just the method they drew up throughout practice," Parrish mentionedMonday. "I ended up being on the headset, thus I really sprinted (toward the conclusion zone) whenhe scored. I dropped my headset. I believed I had broken my headset, thus I was preoccupied as theyhas been celebrating. It just resolved therefore perfectly."

In the actual holders in the corner involving the finish zone where McNeely scored as well aspointed for the sky ended up being among his biggest fans: younger brother Mark McNeely, whoplays about the drum line throughout UF's band.

The orange-and-blue clad fans went wild. Consequently does The Particular Pride with theSunshine's drum line.

"They had been sitting in among the initial rows," McNeely said. "(My brother) mentioned the actualdrum range ended up being consequently excited after it happened, a few of them forgot to attempt

out for that fight song."

Meanwhile McNeely lost his shoe inside the celebration.

"Somebody stepped about me and it came off. I don't know how that happened because I tie myshoes pretty tight. that was quite funny. We had been operating back, since I had to acquire downthere regarding kickoff, along with certainly 1 of the equipment guys had been like, 'let me untie it, iwant to untie it.' I had tied it so tight he couldn't get the knot undone, so I took it along with does it."

McNeely got the shoe on before the ensuing kickoff.

SATURDAY NIGHT

The Gators bussed back again to Gainesville after the game as well as players along with coacheswent their particular ways.

McNeely went along to supper with his parents, Kathy and Angus. Kathy is actually a pediatrician inthe Tampa Bay region and also Angus, the former football player in Minnesota, works in thetechnology field.

Parrish rode along with them to supper although his wife, Shelby, a member of UF's monitor team,fulfilled up with the group from Gator's Dockside a handful of miles from campus.

John Raoux-AP Photo

Florida location kicker Austin Hardin (left) and also Michael McNeely celebrate on the area rightafter defeating Georgia 38-20.

"It ended up being really low-key," McNeely said.

Of course it was.

The crowd had thinned at the restaurant however those who remained watched highlights regardingMcNeely's touchdown and Florida's earn repeatedly about the huge screens found all through yourdining room. McNeely's highlight has been No. 9 on Saturday's "SportsCenter" top plays.

Parrish soaked up the particular scene and also chuckled at the irony.

"I wished to tell every person from Gator's Dockside the guy who had been simply about TV wasinside the creating proper then," he said. "I didn't need to embarrass him. Absolutely No one reallyknew. That's how Mike sort of will go concerning his business. He functions tough and also does

every thing he could be supposed to be able to do."

SUNDAY AFTERNOON

McNeely turned up in the grocery store regarding his normal afternoon shift around 1 p.m. Sincesoon while he arrived colleagues as well as customers began any stream involving congratulatorymessages that lasted until he left eight hours later.

McNeely smiled as well as appreciated the particular support even though every one involving thefocus does invade his regular comfort and ease zone.

"It has been really abnormal," he said. "That's never happened before. The idea was a coolexperience in order to repeat the least."

McNeely took your compliments throughout stride as well as attemptedto go about his occupation asnormal because he could. Still, it's not every day that will the reporter via ESPN.com stops simply byas well as customers inquire to adopt a picture with the bag boy.

A few teammates stopped simply by in order to visit, too, which includes senior middle Max Garcia,whom choked up Monday when referring to McNeely as becoming a teammate.

"Man, I ended up being therefore very happy to notice McNeely score," Garcia said. "I don't feelthere's anybody in this team much more deserving to be the actual hero. Ah, I obtain mental talkingabout him. He's a difficult worker man. He's just motivation for that team as well as guys like himare usually why we're likely to become able to be successful because he cares concerning thisprogram.

"I feel if we were built along with a entire team packed with McNeelys, we'd be described as anational championship team just because associated with the strategies by which we plays. EveryThing he really does on and also off the field will be championship level."

Parrish didn't allow it to be able to be simply by to see McNeely at the particular office Sunday -- heand also Shelby were too busy creating thank-you notes to the people at their own wedding -- yet heunderstands why Garcia among others discuss McNeely just how they do.

"He's just a fantastic guy. He is actually genuine," Parrish said. "We go for the exact same Bibleresearch group, that is small, and also stuff similar to that. Any great friend."

THE AFTERMATH

McNeely has never caught a pass for that Gators in the regular-season game. in his role he couldnever touch the ball again.

Regardless, Gator fans realize which the guy wearing No. 31 can be now. His introduction is actuallyamong one with the most memorable inside the program's history. McNeely turns 23 later thismonth and is looking towards starting his profession inside medicine one day.

"I've shadowed orthopedic surgery several times, along with that's truly cool," he said. "That's theparticular field which I possess the most shadowing encounter in. I've also seen anesthesiology. Isaw a new handful of open-heart surgeries this summer, consequently which was really cool. I'mreally open starting medical school. I'm excited to determine the area where the Lord directs me

during these subsequent few years."

Until then McNeely will try to be your consummate teammate and if yet another play arrives hisway, he hopes he may deliver such as he does Saturday.

While his teammates, his coaches, his brother, his closest friend on the team and a significantquantity of orange-and-blue clad fans with EverBank field celebrated his touchdown Saturday,McNeely pointed to the sky along with gave thanks.

"It had been very different (all last week)," McNeely said. "All the actual teammates had beenspringing up to me saying, 'hey, you're planning to score upon this play.' Therefore I type of got inmy head that if something except for me personally scoring happened, many individuals are going tobe let down. I'm just consequently thankful the coaches gave me the actual opportunity. The ideaended up being unbelievable."