(Photos Courtesy of UWF Athletics and Pensacola News Journal)

While the University of West Florida is still over a year away from officially taking the field in Gulf South Conference action, there's certainly plenty going on in Pensacola toward preparation for 2016.

In January 2014, UWF President, Dr. Judy Bense, pulled somewhat of a coup when hiring away the very successful and proven program-builder, Pete Shinnick, from the University of North Carolina-Pembroke. UNCP is an Independent school in SR2.

Coach Shinnick had built the Braves program from scratch over seven seasons and led them to the playoffs twice. Before UNCP, Shinnick spent seven years at Azusa Pacific, taking them to the NAIA playoffs during five of those seasons. Just a few months prior to his hire at UWF, his team played in the second round of the playoffs in 2013 losing to North Alabama. A few weeks before that game, they had beaten Valdosta State. So, Shinnick already has some experience against GSC foes and I'm sure they will scout every conference game they can this fall.

While the coaching staff is still evaluating and recruiting players via two summer camps in July, the team expects to have upwards of 115 players on the roster to report on August 17th. However, there are several standout players already committed or admitted and on campus as part of the new football program.

On offense, it is probable that current Alabama 7A Back of the Year from Fairhope High School, Grey Jackson, will be preparing to see a lot of time at quarterback for the Argos. He is the current AL.com Coastal Alabama Offensive Player of the Year and will play in the AHSAA's North-South All-Star game in July.

Yet, not all players will be redshirt freshmen. Jackson will be joined on offense by experienced players like WR DeAndre Jasper, who played in 29 games during his three seasons at Florida International where he had two touchdowns as a receiver and rusher as well as returning kicks for the Panthers. Also joining them are linemen Josh White (6-2, 300 lbs.), who has played two seasons for UNCP, and Parker Thrash, from Feather River College (Calif.), along with linemen Blake McCall (6-3, 300 lbs.) from Jackson State, Sanel Plavotic (6-5, 280 lbs.) from Minot State and receiver Antoine Griffin II, who played at Valley City State (ND) last year. Other players with experience include tight end Miles Clark, a transfer from GSC football affiliate Florida Tech, receiver Tavis James, a transfer from Mississippi Valley State, and running back Gabe Johnson, from Charleston Southern.

There's experience on the defensive side of the ball, also, with lineman John Williamson (6-3, 235 lbs.), a transfer from Nicholls State, and Jeff Parker, a transfer defensive back from Virginia Wise. Williamson had a 50-yard interception return against Arkansas for the FCS Colonels last year and Parker was All-Mountain East Conference honorable mention for the D2 Cavaliers in 2014. They are joined by two linemen from Miami, Fla. that attended community colleges in Kansas over the past two seasons, Mike Charles (6-0, 270 lbs.) and Aaron Thomas (6-0, 320 lbs.), along with Stetson Nash (6-3, 267 lbs.), who played for former GSC and current GAC school Harding in 2014. Other experienced players on this side of the ball for the Argos include defensive backs Tyler Henderson, a transfer from Florida Atlantic, and Marvin Conley, from Valley City State.

Special teams are already covered, as well, for UWF as kicker/punter Caleb Miller joins the team all the way from Vilseck, Germany, along with kicker Austin Peffers, from Arnold High School in Panama City, Fla., and punter Caleb Cochran, from Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville, Fla. This squad is completed with long snapper Jon Mohr, from Creekside High School in St. Johns, Fla.

Coach Shinnick recently told the Pensacola News Journal, "It's unbelievable how fast things are happening. When I was hired (in January 2014), the fall of '15 was so far in the future. And people would say, wow, they are hiring soon. Well it's here now."

The Argos will have a full pre-season camp schedule and play intrasquad games in September and October.