GatorMade Impact: Wounded Warrior Project Resonated with Rillos

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — In an era of significant change in college football, Florida’s “GatorMade” program has introduced UF players to opportunities far from the playing field.

The program, headed by senior director Savannah Bailey, is making a stop in Texas this week during spring break to visit former UF and NFL star Emmitt Smith’s real estate and construction companies, a Fort Worth Police Department crime lab and an alumni mixer for the players to meet UF professionals in the DFW Metroplex.

The GatorMade program is described as “a holistic player-focused and purpose-driven initiative” and part of Florida head coach Billy Napier‘s master plan when he took over the program in 2022. In other words, GatorMade seeks to ensure student-athletes are prepared for life in the real world.

 

#GatorMade took 13 Football Scholar-Athletes to JAX for professional development with the @Jaguars, Wounded Warrior Project, Florida Blue, and the @PGATOUR!#GoGators | #GatorsinJAX pic.twitter.com/miq00XBzat

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) March 8, 2025

Gators graduate tight end Caleb Rillos is one of those athletes who is utilizing the program’s resources. Rillos transferred from the Air Force Academy after completing his undergraduate degree to work towards his master’s in mechanical engineering.

Rillos was among the 14 players who recently made a four-day trip to Jacksonville, including visits with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Wounded Warrior Project, Florida Blue, and the PGA Tour headquarters. The visits included department presentations, professional panels and entrepreneurship discussions.

“It was awesome,” Rillos said. “They showed us a bunch of different business opportunities that you could see yourself applying to in the future.”

While the trip to the PGA Tour headquarters was popular because the players got to swing some clubs, the visit to the Wounded Warrior Project resonated for Rillos as a graduate of the Air Force Academy.

“That one had a deeper meaning for me because I have met several veterans,” he said. “Of course, being from the Academy, you’re surrounded by military all day. Everyone on the base is military, so you just know everything they put into it and how hard they work.

“When they get injured, and they’re struggling, and their family needs…