Tampa, Fla. -- Stephen Garcia spends five days a week -- often twice a day -- training.
It is the first time in his football life that he is without a team. That is common for players training for the NFL draft.
"You get in there and analyze exactly what you're doing wrong and what you need to improve on," Garcia said about work with trainer Josh Cooper. "You can focus on that the next day out to get better every day."
Garcia recently showed his football skills at the Battle of Florida all-star game in Boca Raton. The former South Carolina quarterback threw two touchdowns passes in his first football game since early November.
"I was pretty rusty," Garcia said. "I haven't worn pads in a few months, so it was definitely a little different but I feel like I picked up pretty quick."
No football was uncommon territory for Garcia. He had it taken away when he was kicked off the South Carolina team by head coach Steve Spurrier.
"I was sitting around on Saturdays, like, what am I doing?" Garcia said. "It was a lot of soul-searching. It was tough."
Garcia's Gamecock career was filled with highs and lows. He won 20 games as a starting quarterback and led them to a SEC East title. He was also suspended five times before his dismissal.
"I always go through life not ever wanting to regret anything, but I definitely regret not listening," Garcia said. "Kind of finding out for myself the hard way up there. It was really embarrassing that it took that long.
"After I got kicked off, I feel like the light finally went off," Garcia added. "I guess it takes a little longer for some people. It finally clicked, and I definitely think I got more mature."
Now Garcia hopes to prove that to any NFL team willing to give him a chance. As a player, he was successful on the field.
Garcia set Hillsborough County career passing records at Jefferson High School. He was on pace to set several marks at South Carolina.
While at the Battle of Florida game, Garcia estimated talking to 20-25 scouts. He told them all the same thing.
"The light bulb finally went off," Garcia said. "I feel like I'm a lot more mature and I've learned from the mistakes."
Travis Bell, 10 News