Heckman was a formidable player for the 1958 Gators on both the offensive and defensive ends, and at the conclusion of his senior year, he was named an All-American.

“When you need him most, Heckman plays a great game,” Gators head coach Bob Woodruff stated.

After the game, Heckman also shared his comments about the Seminoles.

“I felt they were not that good,” he said in an interview with the Orlando Evening Star. “They weren’t very strong. They’re not on par with the Southeastern Conference.”

Heckman attended the University of Florida in 1954, took a year out, and then came back for a three-year stint from 1956 to 1958. In the end, he was chosen as the school’s sixth All-American player in the annals of school history, joining Dale Van Sickle (1928), Fergie Ferguson (1941), Charlie LaPradd (1952), and John Barrow.

Heckman’s Gators days were among his most memorable as a player. Although the San Francisco 49ers selected him in the tenth round of the draft, he never participated in an NFL regular season game. He became a coach and made his home in Winter Garden, Florida, which is near Orlando.

To those who knew him, Heckman’s greatest contribution to his community was his many years as head coach of Orange County’s former Lakeview High School before he moved on to other pursuits.

Heckman’s impact on the lives of former players was discussed in an Orange Observer report following his presentation at UF five years prior.

“I’ve never seen a coach as tough as Vel Heckman.” He cared for all of us, even as he helped boys grow into men,” Lakeview Class of 1969 graduate Russell Crouch told the newspaper. “I spent more than 35 years coaching football because of him.

Velles Alvin Heckman, 88, passed away on Tuesday after attending the University of Florida from Allentown, Pennsylvania, in 1954. He was the eldest Gators All-American still alive.