– This is the last time I'm going to write about this, since I've already covered it twice (here and here), but Florida has got to make some serious personnel adjustments at the tight end position. Right now there are four guys with scholarships on the roster, and none has proven themselves to be any more than a No. 3 or No. 4 option for this squad. All four of those guys have eligibility remaining after this season, but there is no doubt in my mind there will be some level of attrition at the position between now and National Signing Day.
Yes, the Gators have a commitment from C'yontai Lewis already in hand. But it has to go further than that. Florida continues to recruit Deandre Goolsby out of Kansas, but if they don't get him, they're going to have to look elsewhere. Another high school prospect is a possibility. Looking to the JUCO ranks is a possibility. Heck, I'd seriously think about inviting Will Yeguete out for a look next spring if he's willing. The point is, while going out and finding the next Aaron Hernandez or even Jordan Reed might be a stretch, finding a player who can at least contribute in the passing game as a receiver is not much to ask. Right now, none of the tight ends on the Florida roster can claim to give the offense even that much.
Yes, the Gators have a commitment from C'yontai Lewis already in hand. But it has to go further than that. Florida continues to recruit Deandre Goolsby out of Kansas, but if they don't get him, they're going to have to look elsewhere. Another high school prospect is a possibility. Looking to the JUCO ranks is a possibility. Heck, I'd seriously think about inviting Will Yeguete out for a look next spring if he's willing. The point is, while going out and finding the next Aaron Hernandez or even Jordan Reed might be a stretch, finding a player who can at least contribute in the passing game as a receiver is not much to ask. Right now, none of the tight ends on the Florida roster can claim to give the offense even that much.
– I'm not going to totally crap on the offensive line for UF. There has been no continuity with that unit since the beginning of the season. Chaz Green was lost for the year. D.J. Humphries, Tyler Moore, Jon Halapio and even Jonotthan Harrison have all been in-and-out of the lineup with injuries. That said, among the players who are on the roster, only Humphries has shown signs of being a consistently upper-echelon SEC player. The rest of the bunch are just adequate right now (Max Garcia and Kyle Koehne have had their moments, still would like to see a little more out of those two.) Over the next few weeks, we'll see if this group can start getting healthy and building some chemistry as a unit. While the Gators have actually pass-protected fairly well through three games, they simply aren't getting any push inside, which has severely hampered the running game (the Gators are averaging 4.0 yards per carry through three games. Not good enough.)
In terms of how this impacts recruiting, it's very simple. The Gators need to recruit more offensive linemen. The numbers really aren't bad here. The Gators are in line to return 12 scholarship linemen for next year, and have a lot of older guys in that group. Trenton Brown (who needs to drop some more weight), Max Garcia and Ian Silberman would presumably return as seniors. The juniors would include a group of Chaz Green (assuming he gets a medical exemption), Humphries, Tyler Moore and Trip Thurman. Throw in a young guy or two already on the roster in with this group, and Florida would presumably have a fairly experienced offensive line to work with next year.
But outside of Humphries and Garcia, who of the returners should really have offensive line coach Tim Davis excited at this point? Right now, I'm not sure it's anybody. And that's why UF needs to start looking to the JUCO ranks for at least one guy who can come in and compete for a spot right away. That may be all Florida needs to make the jump from a middling offensive line unit to a good (or even great) group. Just one player (or maybe two) who can step in and compete right away. It might be a little late for Florida to move in on some of the top JUCO talent out there (Jermaine Eluemunor, Dominick Jackson and Chad Mavety, for instance), but there are plenty of other options out there ripe for the picking. We've already mentioned Jordan Prestwood and Avery Gennesy as options with ties to UF. There are others out there as well. Again, I'm not saying Florida needs to go to the JUCO ranks to find their savior along the offensive line. Just a player or two who can come in and compete for a position is all they need at this point.
– It really amazes me how quickly Florida has seemingly fallen out of favor with OL David Sharpe. But after the big lineman out of Jacksonville Providence did not show up for the Florida-Tennessee game, it is now becoming clear that Florida could be running third (at best) behind Clemson and Georgia (now widely presumed as the favorite for his services.) It's hard to fault UF too much here. They did all they could in the spring, Georgia never gave up, and have seemingly connected better with the Sharpe family in the months since then. These things happen. UF would be foolish not to continue making a run at the top tackle prospect in the state, but they've got to consider their other options on the board now. Contingency plans need to be put in place as the chances of Sharpe ending up in Gainesville seem to be getting slimmer with each passing day. While looking to the JUCO ranks for a player or two is a worthwhile option for the Gators to consider this point, building for the future is still the key. Finding more targets from the high school ranks to add to the three prep prospects UF already has committed is the only way to do that.
– Defensive tackle is still a very critical position for my vantage point. Florida should have five returning guys along with a commitment from Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna prospect Khairi Clark. But finding another tackle or two to continue building depth up front is important for UF. Right now, the Gators have official visits lined up from Gerald Willis (who was scheduled to visit this weekend along with prep teammate Speedy Noil, but both have pushed back their trips to Gainesville for later in the season) and Davon Godchaux, both of whom project down the line as three-technique tackles on the next level. Both prospects should be considered strong LSU leans at this point, however. Again, like the offensive line, Brad Lawing seriously has to consider the possibility of dipping down into the JUCO ranks for at least one guy who can offer immediate relief for next season in the defensive line rotation.
– Before the season, it seemed entirely likely that Will Muschamp would have to begin preparations for a future without Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson after this season. Both looked primed for huge junior campaigns and then would presumably head off to the NFL in 2014. But three games into the fall, neither player has been overly productive to date. Roberson was solid against Toledo and Miami before going down with an injury against the 'Canes and sitting out the Tennessee game. Purifoy missed the Toledo contest and has played uneven in the two contests since then. Both have been usurped by true freshman phenomenon Vernon Hargraves III, who right now is looking and playing like the Gators' top cover corner. It's still early in the season, but it's worth noting that perhaps the need for Florida at corner in the Class of 2014 may not be quite as dire as originally anticipated? And that's a good thing, of course, since the Class of 2015 is loaded in the state of Florida at the cornerback position.
– Before the season, it seemed entirely likely that Will Muschamp would have to begin preparations for a future without Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson after this season. Both looked primed for huge junior campaigns and then would presumably head off to the NFL in 2014. But three games into the fall, neither player has been overly productive to date. Roberson was solid against Toledo and Miami before going down with an injury against the 'Canes and sitting out the Tennessee game. Purifoy missed the Toledo contest and has played uneven in the two contests since then. Both have been usurped by true freshman phenomenon Vernon Hargraves III, who right now is looking and playing like the Gators' top cover corner. It's still early in the season, but it's worth noting that perhaps the need for Florida at corner in the Class of 2014 may not be quite as dire as originally anticipated? And that's a good thing, of course, since the Class of 2015 is loaded in the state of Florida at the cornerback position.
