From the Sunshine State to the cold, two Florida natives adjust to spring practice at Utah

Two high school teammates from Florida committed to Utah, which could be a big win for the Utes.

One state is known for its sunny weather and beaches. The other is known for its amazing snow and mountain ranges. One contains alligator-infested waters and orange groves, while the other boasts LDS temples and church buildings.

The differences between Florida and Utah don't stop there, either. However, none were enough to deter incoming Utah freshmen Tyler Huntley and Demari Simpkins from making the trek 2,000-plus mile trek halfway through their senior years of high school; not even the much colder temperatures.

"It was pretty cold the first day (of spring camp)," Huntley said. "We came out and it just started snowing out of nowhere—had to get used to that."

Both Huntley and Simpkins were rated as three-star prospects by Scout.com out of Hallandale High School in Florida. A state known for its high school football, the duo fell behind some of the higher-rated players in the Sunshine State, as Huntley was originally committed to Florida Atlantic before eventually flipping his commitment.

But after taking a trip to Salt Lake City together last summer, the freshmen opted to commit together to the Utes. The two even took to their Twitter accounts on the same day to make the announcement, hardly able to contain their excitement that they'd continue being teammates into their collegiate careers.

To make matters even more exciting, a third high school teammate will be joining them in the fall. Huntley and Simpkins sacrificed half of their senior years in order to be in the Beehive State for spring camp, and running back Zach Moss will be following suit at the beginning of fall camp in August.

"It was very exciting to know that we all wanted to get together and go to the same school, and play together and continue our lives on through," Simpkins said.

Phelan M. Ebenhack via AP

It wasn't always in the plan for them to all attend the same school, let alone all play on the same collegiate team, but when the opportunity arose, they couldn't pass it up.

However, in the short time that Huntley and Simpkins have been in Salt Lake, they've already realized the amount of work that is required to be successful at one of the Pac-12's most consistent programs. From getting stronger physically and mentally to just simply living on their own, the Hallandale freshmen know the challenges that await.

Gone are the days of dominating the prep level. Huntley—the Gatorade Player of the Year in Florida—accounted for more than 3,600 passing yards and 42 touchdowns as a senior. Simpkins was on the receiving end of a number of those TDs, but he knows things won't come as easy with a Utah program that rose as high as No. 3 in the country last season. Sure, it was fun for the high school teammates to stay together, at least for now, but they all know that the easy part is over.

"We all came here to handle business," Simpkins said. "It's not really all fun and games. We're young, but we're trying to mature so we can get along with other players and learn everything … It's going to be hard, but we'll be (alright)."

Both Huntley and Simpkins will surely have some advice for their incoming teammate in the fall, but for now, the focus is on getting better each and every day. After all, surrendering half of your final year to travel clear across the country isn't the most ideal path for high school seniors.

But in the end, by listening to their coaches, emulating the leadership on the team and paying close attention to detail, they know it'll be worth it.

"I just want to come in and do what I have to do," Simpkins said. "Whatever my coaches tell me to do, I'll do it and work hard. That's it."

Griffin Adams is SI's campus correspondent for University of Utah. Follow him on Twitter.