UF golf coach J.C. Deacon stands in the hallway swinging a baseball bat as he gets ready for work on a Tuesday afternoon.
The big stick looks at home in the 34-year-old’s hands and illustrates the child-like enthusiasm he brings to the course and uses to connect with players.
While golf, not baseball, is Deacon’s game, he certainly has been a home run hire for the Gators.
Three years ago, the school handed him the reins to one of its most-storied programs. Deacon’s Gators now are ranked No. 2 in the nation and winners of three of five tournaments entering this weekend’s SunTrust Gator Invitational at UF’s Mark Bostick Golf Course.
Deacon was a 10-year-old growing up in Toronto the same year the Gators won their first of two national titles under former coach Buddy Alexander. When he replaced the iconic Alexander after he retired in 2014, Deacon had some big soft spikes to fill.
“Once I heard our new golf coach was going to be J.C. Deacon, honestly, I’d never heard of him before,” recalled senior Ryan Orr, who joins A.J. Crouch as the two Alexander holdovers. “I was a little skeptical at first. ”
Deacon quickly won over his players with his boundless energy and optimism, impressive golf game and his ability to bond with millennials.
Deacon, who played and later coached at UNLV before coming to UF, still remembers juggling school, golf and girls. He also is extremely active on social media.
Deacon spent Thursday doing a Q&A with fans on Twitter. Sometimes, he posts live video of his team’s qualifying rounds via Periscope, during which Deacon can be heard talking a little trash to inspire a player to pull off a shot.
“I’m always trying to push them in different ways and push different buttons to see what works for each guy,” Deacon said. “It helps when you get into tournaments, when you know what makes them tick.”
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White's team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White's team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White's team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
The Gators are ranked No. 15 and riding a seven-game winning streak. But coach Mike White's team suffered a major blow Tuesday at Auburn when center John Egbunu tore his left ACL to end his season.
UF men's golf coach J.C. Deacon had high hopes entering the 2016 postseason. But the Gators fizzled. Deacon and his players feel like they are a closer and better team because of this experiences.
UF men's golf coach J.C. Deacon had high hopes entering the 2016 postseason. But the Gators fizzled. Deacon and his players feel like they are a closer and better team because of this experiences.
UF PG Kasey Hill's improvement and consistency has been a big key to the Gators' success. Hill looks to bounce back from an uncharacteristically poor outing vs. Texas A&M (three points, five turnovers).
UF's five-game winning streak was in jeopardy. But following a timeout the Gators came alive against Texas A&M and rode the play of some of the team's veteran players to a 71-62 victory.
UF graduate transfer Canyon Barry has adjusted quickly and become a leader and go-to scorer for the Gators.
UF graduate transfer Canyon Barry has adjusted quickly and become a leader and go-to scorer for the Gators.
Enter Deacon’s office for a glimpse into his psyche.
Golf clubs are scattered here and there and a Toronto Maple Leafs hockey jersey autographed by one-time right winger Phil Kessel, a good friend, hangs on the wall. Deacon sits behind his desk shouldering his black bat, given to him by former Major League catcher A.J. Pierzynski, a die-hard Gators’ fan.
On workdays, Deacon leaves his wife, Jessi, and 1-year-old daughter, Dylan, at home. He then heads to his man cave sitting next to a golf course — where, by the way, Deacon holds the record with a 60 he carded two autumns ago.
“I don’t even feel like I have a job,” he said. “I love coming here every day.”
But Deacon is not just having a good time on UF’s dime.
Driven, competitive and congenial, Deacon is determined to deliver the Gators their fifth national title — and first since 2001.
Deacon inherited a program ranked 81st in 2014 and promptly led it to the 2015 NCAA Tournament. He then welcomed a star-studded recruiting class, led by Sam Horsfield of Orlando — a three-time winner as a freshman. Last fall, top amateur Andy Zhang of Reunion arrived at UF.
“The neat thing is I feel like we have five No. 1 players,” Deacon said. “Any one of them can beat the other four on any other day. I think our depth sets us apart.”
Florida’s lineup is such an embarrassment of riches that two weeks ago, Orr, playing as an individual, won the recent Sea Best Invitational.
The Gators were loaded last season, too, but were missing something when the postseason arrived.
Sophomore Jorge Garcia said he hit the “freshman wall.” Yet more than fatigue led to the Gators’ final-round collapse at NCAA Tournament regionals and a disappointing finish at the NCAAs, where UF held the 27-hole lead but finished last among the 15 teams that advanced to the final day.
Deacon calls the late-season fizzle “one of the most disappointing times I’ve experienced in golf.”
The experience brought the Gators closer, which should serve them well.
‘It’s so hard to have five players playing good golf at the same time, but it’s easy when you want to play for someone else,” Garcia said. “You play inspired and you play with passion. I think that’s going to take this team to the next level.”
A family vibe at UF is essential to Deacon. When he accepted the head coaching job at such a young age, Deacon reached out to his father, Cam.
“He said go in there and just be yourself … that’s why they hired you,” Deacon recalled.
So, Deacon shows up each day, sets his sights and swings for the fences.
“I really took my dad’s advice and try to be myself every day,” he said. “I just hold the kids to my standard, which is very, very high.”
egthompson@orlandosentinel.com / @edgarthompson
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