Carter's Corner: Demps Impressed by Holloway's Dash to Stardom

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jeff Demps, the fastest sprinter to ever play football for the Gators, now lives in Houston and is a professional track athlete.

Before he ever took a handoff from quarterback Tim Tebow as a freshman in 2008, Demps was considered a sprinting phenom. At the 2008 U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials, Demps set a national high school record in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.01 seconds, which equaled the seventh-place finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympics later that summer.

58163 — Jeff Demps was a Gators running back from 2008-11.

At 18, Demps was already faster than some of his more famous two-sport predecessors in the 100 such as Herschel Walker, Bo Jackson and O.J. Simpson. In fact, his 10.01 was faster than former Cowboys receiver Bullet Bob Hayes' 100 time (10.05) when he won the event at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Demps won a national title with the Gators as a freshman and played three more seasons, ran track at UF and then turned his attention to track full-time in 2012, a year in which he competed in the 2012 London Olympics as part of America's 4x100 relay team.

Now 29, and five years removed from his final stint in the NFL, Demps is gearing up for another run at the Olympics, which return to Tokyo in 2020.

"That's the goal,'' he said Thursday. "We're working for it."

While Demps moved away from his native Florida two years ago to live and train in Houston, he maintains contact with Gators head coach Mike Holloway, someone he considers a close mentor. They talk life, training and whatever else comes up.

Sometimes that means the latest exploits of Gators junior all-around athlete Grant Holloway.

"I love what Grant is doing,'' Demps said. "That's the Gator Standard. It's always good to see that. I'm always supporting him. He's a good guy and humble. You want to root for him. When you see the success, you just wish him more."

Demps got a call recently about a special performance by Holloway.

The caller assumed Demps knew the significance of Holloway's 6.51 time in the 60 meters at the Razorback Invitational in late January.

It didn't register. A three-time national champion in the 60, Demps had to be reminded that Holloway's time in the first 60 competition of his career nudged his 7-year-old school-record 6.52 he ran at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March 2012.

"That was a good run. The funny thing is that I forgot that I even held the record. I promise you man, I forgot,'' Demps said. "When I did it, it was for that split second. But after that, your mind goes somewhere else."

6⃣.5⃣1⃣ 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

🌎 Lead; School Record; Tied No. 9⃣ Collegian in HISTORY.

Say less, @Flaamingoo_. Say less. #LessSaid

Watch more on @SECNetwork: https://t.co/IHIy1G3y7M pic.twitter.com/C2ImuAM08t
— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) January 26, 2019

Rather than sulk, Demps got excited. He still follows the program closely and has met and talked to Holloway a few times over the past couple of years.

He soon found a replay of the race online so he could watch his record fall.

"And then once I actually saw the race, I was like, 'Wow, he looks good, man.' I'm happy for him. They say all the records are made to be broken. I took it from somebody and somebody took it from me."

Holloway is having the type of season for the Gators that has the sport buzzing about his all-around ability.

Besides eclipsing Demps' record – a world-leading time until last weekend – Holloway clocked a world-best time of 7.43 seconds in the 60 hurdles two weeks ago at the Tyson Invitational, the second-fastest time in collegiate history behind his NCAA-record 7.42.

Holloway has an opportunity to make more history Friday and Saturday at the SEC Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark., where he will attempt to become the third man in meet history to win three individual titles.

Demps was unfamiliar with Holloway before he joined the Gators. He knows all about him now and won't be surprised to see him break more records before he is finished.

"He's having a great year,'' Demps said. "For me, just watching him from a distance, the first thing [you notice] is the work ethic. That's something that sets you apart. Talent or not, if you've got that work ethic, I feel that you can succeed on that level.

"And he's a gifted guy. He's just one of those of guys that you only get every so often. It's crazy to sit back and watch it."

Gators Calendar

Carter's Corner: Demps Impressed by Holloway's Dash to Stardom

Players Mentioned

Grant Holloway

Footer

Upcoming Events

Carter's Corner: Demps Impressed by Holloway's Dash to Stardom

Related News

Players Mentioned

Grant Holloway

Related Videos

Footer