Stay Tranquilo - FIU Legend Anthony Gaitor on Building a Winning Culture 🐾 | Tranquilo Sports #pawsup

Episode Date: August 26, 2025

We’re live from Pitbull Stadium with a very special guest — FIU legend and current DB coach Anthony Gaitor. From his days as a three-time All-Sun Belt standout and NFL Draft pick to now leading FIU’s secondary, Gaitor shares his journey, the importance of doing it “in your backyard,” and why this season feels like 2010 all over again.We dive into:Gaitor’s favorite FIU playing memories (Texas A&M pick-six, Sun Belt title, first bowl win)His transition from NFL player to coachInsights on new head coach Willie Simmons and the culture shift at FIUThe return of QB Keyone Jenkins and the excitement for August 29th kickoffWhy FIU fans need to pack Pitbull Stadium this seasonThis one’s for Panther Nation — FIU is back. 🐾👉 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more South Florida sports culture with Tranquilo Sports Talk.#FIU #CollegeFootball #TranquiloSports #AnthonyGaitor #PawsUp #CollegeFootballKickoff #Gameday #Week1 #FIUFootball #PitbullStadium Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Do it in your backyard, that would make it special. Yeah. You know, instead of going somewhere else and doing that, why not do it here? Hey, everybody, welcome back. New episode of Tranquil Sports Talk. As you can see, a brand new background because it is a special episode. We are coming to you live from Pitbull Stadium. As always, David here, joined by Andre.

But today, we have a very, very special guest, not only a coach, but an FIU legend, three-time Sumbelt, first-team player. Third person to ever be drafted is the NFL from FIU, the legend himself, Anthony Gator. Welcome to the show, my man. I appreciate it. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. I appreciate it.

How you doing, my man? I'm doing awesome. How about yourself? All good. We're excited to be here. Excited for football season. Obviously, we're here. The field's got soccer on it, but we're ready.

You're going to be ready to be ready. Exactly. You're going to be ready. You're going to be ready to go. And, you know, before we dive in, we obviously want to touch on FIU memories, your career, things like that. Give the people a little. little, you know, how the boys doing, how the boys feeling and getting ready for week one.

How are you feeling, too? First, I want to say appreciate for having me on the show. Long overdue. This is a blessing to have on this show. But excited, man, just excited to see what these guys going to do come August 29. Guys been working their butt off. As you know, we've got a new coaching staff, starting from head coach, Coach Willie Simmons. Great high, you know, just what the program needed.

And that's getting back on track to what we want. need to be at, just ready to get this thing going. I was in Camp Moor right now. So taking it one day at a time, getting better, you know, seeing what guys got, evaluate these guys and see who we're going to be ready for us to compete on August 29th. Nice. No, and obviously, I mean, we're super excited for the season. I'm excited for you because you're going to your third year coaching,

your first year as a DB's coach. Yes. Obviously, you played cornerback here at FIU. You played cornerback in the league. What have you taken from, like, your playing experience that you can, share with this younger generation and how are you, you know, taking that into your coaching style? Oh, just being able to relate to the guys, you know, from a, from a being a player, understand the college aspect of it, going to school, going to practice, trying to, you know,

help them overcome situation they go through in college. So taking the knowledge that I gained from the sports and the resource, I learned, all the stuff I gained, and just giving the back to them, all the stuff, you know, those that helped me out, just doing the same thing for these guys, the players here are FIU. Oh, yeah. You brought up Coach Simmons first year with the program. Talk to us a little bit about how that's been in the offseason. You've had a whole offseason with him and being able to see how he works,

the dynamic that he's brought on. We had him on the pod and you could just tell the energy that he brings. But we'll love to hear what your thoughts are firsthand. First of all, he's a phenomenal guy, just a person, not just a coach, just a phenomenal guy. Love his coaching style. I mean, guy who can relate and a winning coach, you know, You can never overlook that.

But what he brings to this program just to get back to these, you know, getting back to these, you know, opportunity to have fun, you know, bringing that bond, a family, atmosphere, and this thing, letting these guys just be their self, you know. And that's how you're going to be able to get the most out of these guys. Right. Man, it's just been a blessing to have a guy like him just come to turn this program back around to where we need to be at.

But it's just been phenomenal. I think that was, it was, this is what we needed as a program, a guy like him. to come put that spot back into this program. And you talk about like the excitement, obviously, that he brings and the fun, right? You always want that, right? But there's that always like that battle of like,

you got to be a player's coach, but you got to be tough, right? And like that, that discipline component. But one thing that he brought up when we spoke to him was about the culture. Would you say that's like one of the biggest differences that Simmons brings to the table as far as like maybe previous coaches in the program?

No doubt about it. I mean, that's the number one thing. The coach he's bring, you know, that winning culture, that family coach or, that bond culture, that's what he's bringing. That's what you need for any sports you play that, that bond where guys are playing for each other, guys have each other back, hold each other accountable.

And that's what he born from day one. And when guys saw that, they bought it in so fast. And when you can get guys to buy it so fast, man, you better watch out. Amen to that. I already bought it. I have bought it. Even after that first spot, I was pretty bad. Yeah.

A phenomenal guy. He is. So for you, obviously, like I mentioned, you played here. Like how cool is it for you to now be on the sidelines as a coach? And like what would you say? Obviously, it's been a big difference of just the university. But like what would be the biggest change from the time that you were here and now as a coach? First of all, the camp is just amazing.

I didn't recognize when I came back. It was saying it from a coach's perspective, you see yourself sometime in these guys' shoes. And you like, you was once one of them guys. So you understand them. And to see these guys go out there. and do what you ask them, what you coach them to do,

and they go execute, that's just bring joy from a coaching standpoint and seeing guys buy in, guys want to get better, come each and every day to practice, you know, put a mess effort until they craft,

you know, as a coach standpoint, that's what you want to see guys who want to be great, guys who want to do what you ask them to do and guys who, you know what I'm saying, bind into the program.

So it brings joy when I see that happen. So every day, that makes me even want to be here more to coach these guys. So it's a blessing, man, for granted. I love it. I love that.

Now you got Pit Bull Stadium here. That's a change of itself. Yeah, there you go. There you go. That's a crazy change. It's exciting to see what, you know, what the feel is around here. There definitely feels like a different energy. I even saw, you know, one of these Twitter, you know, graphics saying, like, you know,

who's going to win the conference? They got ACC, SEC, SEC. Then they got our conference here. And multiple people picked FIU to win the conference. I'm like, I don't remember. People are taking notice. Yeah. It's a big of conference.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right, right. Now, people are definitely taking notice. I see that. I mean, it's one of the things that, you know, when you get picked and put the target on your back. Yeah. Right. So now you got to put the work in even more, you know, but you embrace, do what you play the game for to compete and to be the top dog in the conference.

But, you know, as a coach, you know, that just come with. The players see, we all see it. But we know, in order for that to really come true, you got to put the verdict. What people say and you don't listen to the outside of just, hey, Rick, about yourself, your craft and take you one day at a time, man. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to go a little off script here because a question came to that.

I'm actually curious about, so going into this off season, Jenkins was a guy that was not going to, or not Jenkins, I'm sorry, QB1, my bet. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Jenkins, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm thinking Jalani Jenkins who we just did a pod with and I'm like, bro, am I fixing him up? Yeah, but Jenkins, right? He was about to enter the transfer portal. Kind of entered it for a little bit, but Simmons was able to bring him back.

Talk to us a little bit about that whole experience of being able to bring him back and continue to lead this offense this year. Well, we all know if you don't got a quarterback. You probably ain't got a shot in this thing. So I think Coach Simmons said it, man, that was one of the top priority thing to get done of bringing Kiwan back.

So it was one of the things back to recruiting again. You know, we got to, hey, sit down with his parent, you know, going to visit here, you know, go to dinner and, you know, just let them know what we're going at with this program, know, meet new head coach and, you know, me and Kiwan familiar family. So it was kind of easy and a little bit that way, but when you're dealing with this port, you're doing with NIR. Yeah.

Something that's, it's still kind of hard, though. True. It's a blessing to how Key Juan back, man, he's a leader of this program, you know, everything flowed through him. And to how that guy back, you definitely got a shot now. Absolutely. But we know it all start from him. So having him back, it was a lot. it was a good deal for this program, man.

Oh, yeah. I don't know if there's a watch list that hasn't left with us on. No. Every single day. You're that what I'm telling you. You're that what I'm telling you. Love that, man. I see it every time.

Like, I didn't know there's as many of wars. I didn't know that. I thought it was just won, but it was about 10 of them. But it's a great deal, man. But also just Kiwan's a great kid, man. Just a great person. Like, you know, the type of being around the energy green, always smiling, always upbeat.

A lot of guys want to be around them. And they trust his leadership. and that's what you need, especially from a quarterback, because when they trust you as a quarterback, you know how that go. You know, so that's a good deal of having them back, man, to get this program back what we need to be at. Absolutely.

We're hyped up. Yeah, I'm sad. I'm hyped up, but I'm ready to talk some FI memories. Let's talk, let's talk. I've been waiting for this. You know, let's talk. Because, obviously, I mean, we go way back. Oh, yeah, yeah.

You've known me. I wish we had the picture, though. Yeah, no. I'll get a picture. Let's do it. That picture's got to be somewhere. You got to put the picture in this thing. I'll put the picture.

Let them know how far this go back. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But I want to, like, what is the first or a few of your favorite memories from playing here? Then I'll share mine and we can just, we'll keep it going. Yeah. Oh, man, few. One would be the Texaner them game on the pick sits. 100%.

One would win the Sunbelt conference here at the house. Yep. And the last one would be the bowl game. ever. So, you know, them memories, I still live through the day when I see these guys out there and they still, and I walk in the building, you see the trophy, you see the, the, um, the platter on the wall. So it brings back flashback and also baby to build that bond with the guys, you know, the time, the hard time we went four and eight, three and five, damn, baby to win the bowl game at the end.

The sacrifice, the hard work, them down times, like a lot of guys don't see that. Right. Yeah, exactly. You know, they don't see where you and his. with your brother, look at, we four and eight. It's like, man, we probably is working. We're not getting the result. Yeah.

Then finally get the results at the end. It's like, finally, and it's all the stuff we've been working for, three years straight to finally get that one game with that bowl game at the end of year four. So it's a lot of memories, man. And not just on the field, man, just hanging out with the guys around the dorm or hanging in the building, kicking in the building. So things guys don't see, man, it's FIU just forever my home. No matter what, forever my home, man.

Ever my home. I'm glad he brought up that ballgame. Because for me, I mean, the number one memory is the ball game. Yes, yes. Actually, we'll never forget that. I mean, the first, I mean, I remember going with my family to that game in Detroit. Yes. And just that team, because obviously you got guys like you, we got Ti-Y,

and like that team is almost like a team of destiny. Yes. And you guys, like you mentioned, were so close. And you completed something that had never happened in this program. So you look back and, like, for me, that is, quit the central to the history of this program and you were part of that team and and the way we won it with the hook and ladder that's what i'm about to talk about the lap the fight in it down down with about one two whatever it was what was it fourth and 17 or something

and 17 down and to see nobody on the sideline ain't blink one time yep and we had fate that we was going to win that game yeah yeah so I'm getting chills right now because I'm living the moment I try not to live right me living that moment seeing when that when that play when we was down and they kicked the ball off. We all saying we got this game. We're going to win. We have faith in everybody on that team, had faith in the coaches. And we put that thing together. And like you say, it was history. It was history. It was awesome. It was awesome. That lateral play. That was making me a few years a day, man. I mean, you could talk FIU memory, but just like bowl history. Yes. That moment. What was on the line in that moment? The way it went down.

Apparently, TyW. I was supposed to lateral again. He was like, nah, I'm keeping this. It's crazy. It was amazing, man. You want to hear a, like, a memory that's coming to him? When he went to the Bahamas Bowl a couple of years ago, there's a gift of him and his family celebrating in the crowd. Nice, nice, man. That's an iconic job.

That's why the guy's a Hall of Fame. There you go. That's why. That's why. That's awesome. No, that. No, no. It's like, I want more of those memories.

Yes. I don't like that. And that's when we've been fans since we were kids. I obviously his dad has been a huge part of, you know, my fanhood. I graduated from FIU as well. Shout to Papa Bell, too. Yeah, yeah. But, you know, to see it hasn't been always glorious here with this program, right?

But you have your loyal guys that are there in the state of Iowa. Every single week rooting for the team and doing that. But you need more people to experience it, right? Because there is, there is a magic here. And there is something special in this space. And then, you know, how many people would kill to have a stadium on campus, right? I'm not about it. It is something special here.

It's just people got to be able to buy in and see the true vision of what this really can be. Correct. Now, to piggyback on that, like, in that time, like, this place would get packed. Yeah. Like, we had games that, like, this place was sold out. Yeah, correct. Getting back to that and building that culture and finding what made it that special. is something that, you know, I'm hoping that people come back and start buying back in because

this, I'm with you. I have a great feeling about this year and, and yeah. But like you say, you got pissing in the hallway, how the stadium was packing. I joke about the guys all the time. Like, man, we need to pack this thing out, man. But like you say, getting that feeling back, and like I say, it's started from the leadership, Co-Semitism here, bringing that excitement back already, as you guys can see. And we're going down the right path. Like I say, start with him. He's doing like, man, it's been amazing.

Just like I told you guys, I could feel it. I can feel it. Like I say, from how he run the program, you see it. That's the way the direction is supposed to go. You know, you've been part of a losing team. You've been part of a successful team. So you know the different how I'm supposed to look. And he's doing a tremendous job, man, just getting this thing where it's supposed to be.

And like I say, it comes with time. Like when I mean by time, each and every day are getting better. But as long as you're going in the right direction, that's all you can ask. You're like direction. Absolutely. Yeah. No, it's, we're hyped. We're hyped.

And we want to, we want to be able to tell your story, too, a little more. And talk to us, like, the journey that, you know, has gotten you to this point. Obviously, you're from Miami. Played at Northwestern. Talk to us, like, that whole journey from, like, day one when, when you, when football was just getting started in your life. Well, I started playing football. I've been playing football since I was, I mean, I started playing basketball since I was five years old.

He's always something bent in me. But like you say, just going from Norwest and coming here, South Florida kids, you know how they. Just very competitive. Most of the guys just all we know is football. I mean, that's all I kind of know growing up. And I loved it, passionate about it, and it just took me, you know, to a different place.

And I would thank you and grateful for it. But like I say, do it in your backyard, that would make it special. Yeah. You know, instead of going somewhere else and doing it that, why not? do it here. So that's why when it came to recruiting and I came on my visit here, it was a no-brainer. You know, um, had some great coaches and I'm like, this is why it's supposed to be.

It felt right. It felt this is where I'm supposed to be. And I didn't want to go nowhere else once I came here. I'm like, this home and it worked out in the perfect way. You know, it worked out in a great way. That it definitely did. You mentioned obviously, you've, you've mentioned Willie and what he's, you know, what he brings this, this team. You obviously played for Mario Cristobol. So can you tell us a little bit about that experience of him as a coach? Obviously, he's coaching across the street, won't see the name of the school. But listen, he's an FIU legend too, you know, but he was a part of that legendary team, my favorite team of all time.

So tell us a little bit about playing for him. Oh, it was awesome. It was great, man. He showed us what, you know, hard works about, you know, what it's going to take to be successful, what it's going to take to be great. And every day, you know, and I kind of take a little bit of my coaching style from here far as, you know, challenges guys each and every day, being on top of them each day, and let them know, man,

like, in order to get, we want to get at, you got to put the work in. Nobody's just going to hand you something. To him, understand me each and every day, make sure of holding me accountable and not just on the field but off the field,

just being one of the supportive coach, don't take that for granted. You know, when you got a coach that really care about you. So, like you said, we made history here, you know, doing the hard times he would dare for you, doing the good times he did for you.

So that's one thing you're about, I appreciate. just the careness he gave to, you know, the players, you know, and that would be any, any play on the field. You know, a guy who care for you, no matter, you know, not by you being a football player, but just been a person. Right. So, like I said, he did a great job you all know.

I'm grateful and thankful that too. So it's a great guy. Yeah, great guy, you know, taught me a lot when it came to football. Yeah. You talk about, you know, what you've learned from, you know, coach Simmons now, Chris the ball back in the day and other coaches that you can cross past. But, you know, you as a DB's coach now, like,

Did you ever see that in the horizon that you wanted to get into coaching post-career? No, I didn't. I didn't at all. But I always know I was going to be around the sports. Right. But didn't see the coaching part. I just maybe just come watch the game and put a little input here and now. But it was one of the things that was a calling from God.

He just told me, man, this was supposed to be doing. I'm like, I fought it for a long time. I said, I'm going to give it a try and not hear him here. Yeah. Loving what I do. So did I see it? No, I didn't see it at all, man. No, I didn't see it at all.

And also, my wife helped me with this thing, too, because I was fighting for a little while then. I'm pretty sure you hear a lot of guys say, they watch the NFL and you find himself coaching it. On the couch saying, why you didn't do that? Why are you going to do that? And go coach. You just go to do that.

That's what you want to do? You're fighting it so long. Go do it. And when she told him that gave me a little relief, like, let me go try it. I'm here now, man. I'm here now loving the coach. It seems to be like,

a common theme amongst because Simmons was like, I thought I was going to like work in marketing. Yeah, I was doing construction before I started to coach. So when I retired, I got into real estate. Yeah, I love real estate, but in many days I was questing myself like, do I really want to like? It was right. It wasn't there.

So I'm like, no, let me try this. If I don't like coaching, I could go back to that. And when I got into coach, I'm like, yeah, this is it. It was no brain. It's no brain. It's no brain. No. No.

Yeah. No, and also like what you've done as a coach already, like, like, you know, it's impressive to see. Like, just in year three, like, people are calling your name. Like, I mean, you're, you, you had the opportunity to, to even learn more, get more experience in the NFL level, like, where you were in the Jags this summer. Right. So you're killing it, but also tell us a little bit about that, like, the experience this summer of, obviously, you know, you used to have, like, getting to work with the NFL, too. It was, it was awesome because, you know, when you're a player, you, you, you really see stuff from a front office, from a coach. So they're able to see it from, okay, how, you know, being in a meeting with the coaches side, they do things, man. Also, to see, you know, dealing with, I won't say kids, but more mature, grown men on that level, business level in the NFL than college. Yeah, yeah.

It was the best, you know, also gain the information to there to bring you back to these guys. Let me know, man. This is what these guys looking for, guys are the next level to be able, you know, get that information and bring it back. But to get the experience on that level, it was, it was. Amazing, man. I've seen it from a different point of view. You see just, like I say, from a GM perspective, from a head coach perspective, a business perspective, you know, transition, guys getting released. Guys, you know, going through injury. Like, you see it, you sit, you're in house now with it. Instead of being from a player sending it from another. So like I say, it was awesome, man.

I learned so much, you know, just to connect with some of the coaches up there also and still test them to learn more about how many questions or how they do things from. even from like my often perspective, special team perspective, learn, gain more knowledge. Because I think you can always learn in this game right here. You can always learn. Yeah. What excites you most about the DV room this year?

The, the competitiveness I got got that guy. It's a lot of guys in there. Yeah, yeah. And you love it because now it's push each other. True. But now you got to go, you know, we all know how they go in playing time. But that's what you want.

You want guys, you know, shopping each other, you know, competing with each other, pushing each other. You need that. That's the only way you're going to build a good group. And that's one thing I love about that group. They all for each other, man. One guy making a play, you're going to swear all to make the same play. And that's one thing. Like I say, they push each and every day, hold each other accountable. So I'm excited to see them play. You know, we got a couple of guys, you know, Brian Blades, Victor Evans, Ask the Levels, Mr. Clark. So we got a lot of guys who don't came back this year,

you know, got a lot of experience just to want to see what they're going to do this year. So they're going to be excited. going to be excited, man. Love it. Nice. You told us something when we're coming up this elevator.

You said, and I quote, this team feels like 2010. Is that more of just like you're saying the outcome or are you talking about the brotherhood that these guys have? What is the relation there

and what are you feeling? Why are you feeling like that? I think both. Yeah. Both is the outcome in the brotherhood. We all know when you experience something, you kind of see our things play out

and that's what I'm saying right now. how these guys are coming together. And when you come together as any type of team and you connect it, it's hard to be the team like that. Because they're so strong and so solid to the point, they're hard to break. Yeah, it does take root now. It's take right.

But that's what I see happening. See former right now. And even with the guys I got, just from the coach staff, too, we got Coach Pons back. Yeah, that was great. They were around that time that thing was happening. Yeah.

And you get, you, you feel it all of the, just from the little pieces, you know, because putting his, I call it the dream team staff he put together. Yeah. So he put him ask for a better. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. So him putting this staff together is like, you see it from that perspective, that, and then you're sitting from the players perspective. It's like it's coming together, you know, so I see it, I feel it.

And it's like, man, if I'm feeling it, man, it's going to be a great one this year. Yep. It's going to be a great. You're going to be a great. You're talking about. Good stuff, baby. Come on. Yeah, it's going to be a great one, man.

I'm just like, you know, we're sitting here, stadium's here, it's empty, it's quiet right now, beautiful breeze, but like I'm already like feeling like the noise of the cage. I can feel it. I can feel me. You feel it. I'm ready, man. Hell yeah.

Yeah, that's awesome. Oh, well, we're hyped for this season. I guess before we kind of wrap it up, you want to give like your pitch to get people out here to the stadium and let people know what the hell, what the hell they're missing out on. Yeah. we back.

We're back, baby. We're back. So listen, we need everybody to come out, you know, August 20 night, the first home game against Bethune Cuckman that can support the Panthers, come out of the cage and get this thing shaking. It's going to be an awesome season. I mean, without you guys, we want to be able to do it

how we really want to do it. So we can get everybody to come out here and support the Panther this year, come with your gear, your Panther gear, your paws, whatever you got to bring. Let's bring them out. Like I said, and bring everyone with you too. Yeah, bring them all.

Don't wait too late. Don't wait. Don't wait. We say, when we roll, when we roll. Yeah. Yeah.

We, like I say, man, we need the community. We need the fans. Because like I say, they, they play a big part of the success. 100%.

I mean, the players get high because they hear all of the noise. They hear the, the momentum going on. They feed off that. 100%. Me being a former player,

I understand. When that crowd was shaking, I'm up with them. I'm on a whole other level. So, I mean, the more people get in this in Pit Bull Stadium, I think the more events we have for opponents to rattle them and shake them up a little bit and use that as a home-fill event. Got it. All the fans, all the Panther fans, can't wait to see you guys August 29, man. August 29, that's how to go ahead and pack this thing guy.

Pack the game. 100%. Yes, yes. Let's go, man. Come on. I'm so fired up. I'm so fired up. Yeah.

But with that, Gator, thank you. so much for joining us, man. This has been awesome. We'll definitely have to get you back on. Oh, man, anytime. You're gonna be a regular. You're gonna be, you're gonna be part of right. I'm gonna join the crew, man.

Let's go. I could just set up, whatever you need me to set up. We got him. He's all. Hey, listen, set up, whatever you need me to do in here. This might be my full time, dog. Yeah, yeah. I appreciate you guys for how I need, man.

Like you say, you go back. Oh, man, long time. I still can see the pitch, I'm taking the picture in a lot of room. I'm gonna get it after. but we're going to put that in the beginning of the trip. Yeah, so they can actually see it, man. So like I said, thanks for having me on the anytime, you know, I'm my phone, text away.

Yep. We're going to get on this thing whenever you need. But I appreciate you guys for having me on it. Absolutely. Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Oh, yeah. We're hype, baby.

Let's go. Pause up, baby. Let's go.