GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Alabama has become famous for pushing the envelope under coach Nick Saban, with his latest wrinkle getting former players to return to campus to play on the scout team to help his team prepare for various opponents.

In recent weeks, the Crimson Tide have had Trent Richardson and John Parker Wilson back on campus to prepare their defense. Florida coach Jim McElwain thinks the strategy is fantastic.

"I heard JP did it? John Parker? And, yeah, Trenton?" McElwain said with a laugh. "I feel good about Trenton being able to do it, but John Parker’s got to be about 30 now, isn’t he? Something, maybe? But I do know this. That was one of the toughest guys I ever coached. I mean, he could hang in and sling it. I just can’t imagine that guy -- I can’t imagine how sore he was the next day."

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McElwain has helped push the Florida football program back toward the cutting edge of late, hiring significant additional support staff since arriving in Gainesville and pushing for facility upgrades.

So could the Gators soon see some former stars in town suiting up for practices again?

"My issue is if they come back, then I’d probably want to sneak them into The Swamp to play a game for us," McElwain said. "But that’s something that's obviously thinking ahead and I think it’s great."

Who knows? Maybe at some point fans could see Tim Tebow in a Florida jersey again.

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Contact Thomas Goldkamp by 247Sports' personal messaging system or on Twitter at @ThomasGoldkamp.