Gators Complete Rusty Whitt's Gauntlet Offseason Workout Program

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- In possibly their last chance before the scheduled start of spring practice on March 3, the Florida Gators' 2026 roster has completed the widely-discussed strength and conditioning gauntlet led by Rusty Whitt and Jon Sumrall.

GAUNTLET ✅ #GoGators pic.twitter.com/eN3JyAg6B6
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) February 25, 2026

The physical test, implemented by Whitt and Sumrall at their last two stops with Troy and Tulane, was a requirement for the Gators roster to move into spring camp, putting the team through a rigorous set of drills while applying certain in-game elements with the main goal of bringing the locker room together in the face of adversity.

Whitt first learned of the Gauntlet while working for Jeff Monken at Army in 2019 and has implemented it at his various stops since.

“I thought it was just awesome for preparing a team to grow together and face adversity, and then I took the idea from him and added some penalties to it, some time penalties, and made it even a little more difficult," Whitt said on his adaptation of the physical challenge. “He would require his West Point players to pass it three or four times in a semester. So Coach Sumrall, because we had to start spring practice so early… he wanted to grant me less Gauntlets, so I made it harder to pass. They just got to pass it once.”

Since its start under the duo, four teams have passed, with the Gators becoming the fifth just in time to avoid its carry-over into the transition into on-field practices.

“Every team (has passed), because Coach Sumrall has threatened every team that if we don't pass it before spring break, we will come back and do it later,” Whitt said about the stakes earlier in the month. “I think there's a certain culture in today's young man where they think that if we just keep doing it, they'll give it to us, and it's not going to happen. They have to beat The Gauntlet the right way.”

Physically and mentally draining, the fascinating trail of endurance has led to some battle-tested, hard-nosed football teams under Sumrall in past years. Moreover, the simulation has brought discipline to the gridiron.

“We've been doing that since 2022, and you really see a team grow together in a short amount of time," Whitt said. “And, you know, whenever the ball is snapped in the football game, there's about 50 different penalties that can incur, from offsides, hands to the face, personal foul, you name it. And there's a lot of penalties that happen in The Gauntlet. So we've tried to get the team prepared for all the different pitfalls in a football game, and being disciplined when you're fatigued.”

While the Gators can now officially move into the spring and put cleats to grass and pads to shoulders, some wishing for the possible chaos of a delayed completion to the gauntlet will have to wait another year. For now, the success feels like an official signal that Gators football is almost back on the football field.