First, my disclaimer. No inside information here. Just trying to read between the lines...
The names and rumors are flying hot and heavy for the vacant Florida head coaching position now that the majority of teams in college football have seen their regular seasons come to an end.
Since Saturday night, we've seen four names get dropped as "leading" contenders for the job: Doc Holliday (several sources, most notably a now-deleted tweet by Only Gators Get Out Alive), Hugh Freeze (first in a report by SI's Pete Thamel on Saturday night, followed by report from SB Nation's Steven Godfrey that UF had extended Freeze an offer), Jim McElwain (a report by Yahoo's Pat Forde which included a nugget that McElwain and Foley spoke via phone on Saturday evening) and Josh McDaniels (based on reporting by Football Scoop on Monday morning).
The takeaways from all the early conjecture?
1. I do not believe that Hugh Freeze has an offer in hand from the Gators, as it seems Foley is still in the process of "vetting out" his candidates (a term used directly in the Football Scoop report). I would not, however, be surprised if Freeze was the early or current favorite in the eyes of the UF search committee.
2. Jimmy Sexton strikes again. There could be portions of the SB Nation report which are accurate (I hate to seemingly throw Godfrey under the bus, as Sexton would be a legitimate source if that's where the information came from. But you must always be wary of agents ...). For instance, could Foley have already spoken with Freeze or an intermediary? Quite possibly. Could Foley have thrown out a figure like "$4.2-4.3 million" as the number UF was looking to spend on the upper end? Wouldn't surprise me. Could Freeze now be "mulling" the possibility of taking an offer from UF if it comes? Certainly within the realm of possibility. But the only thing I Would read from the Freeze reports at this moment, is that he's poised to make quite a bit more money next year, regardless of where he's coaching.
3. There seem to be some similar general characteristics developing from the names which are jumping out early on. Head coaching experience is a must (all four names fall under that group). SEC experience is highly preferred (Holliday, McElwain and Freeze have that, McDaniels does not). An offensive background is a major plus (all but Holliday fall into that category). And age may not be as much as a factor as it has been in previous UF searches for head coaches -- McElwain is 52 and Holliday is 57, while McDaniels (38) and Freeze (45) seem to fit the more typical profile of a Foley hire.
4. Once again, I have to wonder how McElwain's buyout will figure into the picture if he were to become one of the last finalists the job. A $7.5 million buyout at Colorado State, on top of the ~$8 million or so (a number that will certainly figure to go down as Muschamp staff members get jobs elsewhere) that Florida already has committed to the outgoing staff. That's somewhere in the neighborhood of $14-$15 million BEFORE paying for a new staff. McElwain has done a good job at Colorado State, but I don't know if he's worth the financial commitment Florida will have to make to bring him to Gainesville.
5. Josh McDaniels is a bright, young offensive mind who deserves another crack at a big job down the line. But is UF the right fit for him? He is the son of a coach, and already has over 15 years of experience at the ripe old age of 38. However, he has only spent two years at the collegiate level (as a graduate assistant under Nick Saban and Bobby Williams at Michigan State from 1999-2000). No real recruiting experience, and he's going to get thrown into the gauntlet that is the SEC? Not a good combo. Hiring McDaniels would require a strong staff of recruiters (read: expensive group of assistants) around him.
So, that's what we have so far. I do believe there is some legitimacy to all four of the above-listed names being in the mix for the UF job. We know from past experience that Foley wanted 15 names as candidates for the job when he went through the search that led to Urban Meyer's hiring in 2004. We also know that Foley can throw us a real curveball, as he did with Will Muschamp in 2010. So, the biggest takeaway from everything right now ... until the Gators actually make a hire, there's a LONG ways to go in this coaching search.
Showing posts with label Will. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Will. Show all posts
Monday, December 1, 2014
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Post-Carolina Recruiting Thoughts
For those of you who have followed this blog over the last couple of months, I apologize for my absence over the last few weeks. There have been a lot of changes on the home front (many of them good) that have caused me to take a step back from this little pet project of mine. But now that I'm settled in a bit, I'm looking to churn out a few posts per week as we start to move towards this offseason, which figures to be coming a lot sooner than most Gators fans anticipated at the beginning of the fall.
– To be frank, there haven't been many recruiting developments over the last few weeks. The only big one of note was the slightly positive surprise of Derby (Kan.) tight end Deandre Goolsby. For anyone who has followed this blog at all, you're well-versed in how much I've been harping on the need for good tight ends in this class. Florida now has two good ones in Goolsby and Alabama native C'yontai Lewis. The Gators should also be keeping close tabs on Crawfordville Wakulla prospect Jordan Franks and Ocala Vanguard star Elkannah Dillon down the stretch as well, based on the campaigns they put together during the 2013 season.
In terms of Goolsby, the Gators are getting, in my estimation, a player who can step in and have an impact immediately. Now, I'm not predicting a 1,000-yard receiving season or anything of that sort. But this is a guy who should be able to come in, and battle for an opportunity to get on the field as a freshman. At a position where the players on the roster have really shown no ability to make an impact in the passing game as receivers, Goolsby will certainly be a welcome breath of fresh air next fall.
– But while things have been relatively quiet for the Gators on the recruiting trail in recent weeks, Thursday could be the day that changes course for UF. Highly-regarded OT prospect David Sharpe, who at one time appeared to be heading towards a decision at the Army All-American Bowl, has now decided to move up his timetable on announcing a college choice:
While Sharpe's only official visit has been to Tennessee so far, the signs are pointing quite favorably towards UF landing good news on Thursday. This would obviously be good news if the "buzz" proves to be true. Again, for anyone who has followed this blog, Sharpe has been a player discussed on numerous occasions and is obviously an incredible talent with major upside as an offensive tackle. If the Gators do, in fact, land him later this week, it's a big move in the right direction for a Florida unit that has struggled all throughout the course of the season.
– All that aside, a lot of Florida's recruiting success down the stretch will hinge on whether or not the Gators can hold together a strong nucleus that they've put together on the recruiting trail to date, with 15 commitments from a talented group. Prospects like Will Grier, Quincy Wilson and Ermon Lane seem to continue to give out positive vibes. However, players like Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson and Dalvin Cook have certainly left the door open to end up somewhere other than Gainesville. With Florida poised to end a streak of 22 consecutive years in which the season was ended with a bowl game, Will Muschamp and his staff (or I guess I should say, what remains of his staff after the year), can get to work on holding together a class which still could possibly finish among the top 5-10 groups in the country come Feb. 1, 2014.
Now that it's very much clear that Will Muschamp return at the helm for at least his fourth season in Gainesville next fall, the spotlight falls directly on the offseason, and what changes Boom decides to make on his staff (along with the crop of players he brings in for next fall, obviously). Muschamp's future in Gainesville will essentially come down to the 3-4 hires (possibly more) he makes to fill out his staff this offseason. We will be keeping a close eye on the names as they emerge on the board as the Gators look to get things turned around following what will almost certainly prove to be the most disappointing UF football season in over 30 years.
– To be frank, there haven't been many recruiting developments over the last few weeks. The only big one of note was the slightly positive surprise of Derby (Kan.) tight end Deandre Goolsby. For anyone who has followed this blog at all, you're well-versed in how much I've been harping on the need for good tight ends in this class. Florida now has two good ones in Goolsby and Alabama native C'yontai Lewis. The Gators should also be keeping close tabs on Crawfordville Wakulla prospect Jordan Franks and Ocala Vanguard star Elkannah Dillon down the stretch as well, based on the campaigns they put together during the 2013 season.
In terms of Goolsby, the Gators are getting, in my estimation, a player who can step in and have an impact immediately. Now, I'm not predicting a 1,000-yard receiving season or anything of that sort. But this is a guy who should be able to come in, and battle for an opportunity to get on the field as a freshman. At a position where the players on the roster have really shown no ability to make an impact in the passing game as receivers, Goolsby will certainly be a welcome breath of fresh air next fall.
– But while things have been relatively quiet for the Gators on the recruiting trail in recent weeks, Thursday could be the day that changes course for UF. Highly-regarded OT prospect David Sharpe, who at one time appeared to be heading towards a decision at the Army All-American Bowl, has now decided to move up his timetable on announcing a college choice:
Thursday is the day
— David Sharpe (@SHARPECITYY) November 17, 2013
While Sharpe's only official visit has been to Tennessee so far, the signs are pointing quite favorably towards UF landing good news on Thursday. This would obviously be good news if the "buzz" proves to be true. Again, for anyone who has followed this blog, Sharpe has been a player discussed on numerous occasions and is obviously an incredible talent with major upside as an offensive tackle. If the Gators do, in fact, land him later this week, it's a big move in the right direction for a Florida unit that has struggled all throughout the course of the season.
– All that aside, a lot of Florida's recruiting success down the stretch will hinge on whether or not the Gators can hold together a strong nucleus that they've put together on the recruiting trail to date, with 15 commitments from a talented group. Prospects like Will Grier, Quincy Wilson and Ermon Lane seem to continue to give out positive vibes. However, players like Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson and Dalvin Cook have certainly left the door open to end up somewhere other than Gainesville. With Florida poised to end a streak of 22 consecutive years in which the season was ended with a bowl game, Will Muschamp and his staff (or I guess I should say, what remains of his staff after the year), can get to work on holding together a class which still could possibly finish among the top 5-10 groups in the country come Feb. 1, 2014.
Now that it's very much clear that Will Muschamp return at the helm for at least his fourth season in Gainesville next fall, the spotlight falls directly on the offseason, and what changes Boom decides to make on his staff (along with the crop of players he brings in for next fall, obviously). Muschamp's future in Gainesville will essentially come down to the 3-4 hires (possibly more) he makes to fill out his staff this offseason. We will be keeping a close eye on the names as they emerge on the board as the Gators look to get things turned around following what will almost certainly prove to be the most disappointing UF football season in over 30 years.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Is Stacy Searels the cure to what ails the Florida offensive line?
Over the last few weeks, I've been looking over names of offensive line coaches that have ties to Will Muschamp. The LSU game very possibly might have sounded the death knell for Tim Davis' tenure in Gainesville, so now seems like as good of a time as any to discuss the topic. There are plenty of possibilities out there, but one name keeps jumping off the page: Stacy Searels of Texas.
There are a number of reasons that particular move would make sense. Searels and Muschamp have a history, as they coached together for two seasons at LSU from 2003-04. Searels has deep ties to the South, hailing from the state of Georgia. He attended Auburn and has coached at UGA in addition to his time in Baton Rouge. Searels has a strong reputation as a recruiter (an area that Davis has been widely criticized for during his time in Gainesville). Plus he's currently on the staff at Texas. Considering how tenuous Mack Brown's hold on the head coaching job is in Austin, it makes sense for Searels to potentially look elsewhere for employment.
Now, the negatives. It's good for an offensive coordinator and an offensive line coach to be on the same page, naturally. Searels and Brent Pease have no real known connections, so we don't know if they would be a good fit together. Of course, Pease may not even be the offensive coordinator at UF by this time next season, so that factoid may not even matter. Searels' four seasons in Athens were not completely well-received. Although Georgia turned it around with a 11-2 mark in 2007, his first with the Bulldogs, they were 6-7 by the end of his tenure in 2010, with the running game being largely blamed for Georgia's offensive struggles. By the time Searels left for Texas in January of 2011, his departure wasn't exactly considered the worst development for the UGA coaching staff by the local press.
In Austin, the running game has improved, from 4.2 ypc in 2010 to 4.5 ypc in 2011 and now 4.8 ypc through the midway point of this season. These aren't Earth-shattering numbers, by any means, but they tend to show a trend of positive performance under Searels. Then, there's the matter of salary. Searles reportedly makes $439,500 per year from the Longhorns. So, perhaps he would have to consider the possibility of a paycut in the event he were to somehow end up at UF? Or maybe the Gators would consider continuing to be less-stingy with the salaries of football assistants? Either way, that could be a major factor in the pursuit of a high-profile coach like Searels.
There are other names to keep an eye on (Bob Bostad, currently an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a former OL coach at Wisconsin, is one who stands out), but if the offensive line continues to be an issue for the Gators, a move on the coaching staff is likely to happen at some point in the not-too-distant future.
There are a number of reasons that particular move would make sense. Searels and Muschamp have a history, as they coached together for two seasons at LSU from 2003-04. Searels has deep ties to the South, hailing from the state of Georgia. He attended Auburn and has coached at UGA in addition to his time in Baton Rouge. Searels has a strong reputation as a recruiter (an area that Davis has been widely criticized for during his time in Gainesville). Plus he's currently on the staff at Texas. Considering how tenuous Mack Brown's hold on the head coaching job is in Austin, it makes sense for Searels to potentially look elsewhere for employment.
Now, the negatives. It's good for an offensive coordinator and an offensive line coach to be on the same page, naturally. Searels and Brent Pease have no real known connections, so we don't know if they would be a good fit together. Of course, Pease may not even be the offensive coordinator at UF by this time next season, so that factoid may not even matter. Searels' four seasons in Athens were not completely well-received. Although Georgia turned it around with a 11-2 mark in 2007, his first with the Bulldogs, they were 6-7 by the end of his tenure in 2010, with the running game being largely blamed for Georgia's offensive struggles. By the time Searels left for Texas in January of 2011, his departure wasn't exactly considered the worst development for the UGA coaching staff by the local press.
In Austin, the running game has improved, from 4.2 ypc in 2010 to 4.5 ypc in 2011 and now 4.8 ypc through the midway point of this season. These aren't Earth-shattering numbers, by any means, but they tend to show a trend of positive performance under Searels. Then, there's the matter of salary. Searles reportedly makes $439,500 per year from the Longhorns. So, perhaps he would have to consider the possibility of a paycut in the event he were to somehow end up at UF? Or maybe the Gators would consider continuing to be less-stingy with the salaries of football assistants? Either way, that could be a major factor in the pursuit of a high-profile coach like Searels.
There are other names to keep an eye on (Bob Bostad, currently an assistant for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and a former OL coach at Wisconsin, is one who stands out), but if the offensive line continues to be an issue for the Gators, a move on the coaching staff is likely to happen at some point in the not-too-distant future.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Post-LSU recruiting thoughts
To start, a recap of the week that was. Some of the posts you might have missed:
– Eight prep receivers from the state of Florida who have shined so far this fall.
– Where is Delray Beach Village Academy defensive lineman Kevin Bronson on the radar for the Gators?
– The Gators have had a strong run of success at the tight end position since 2000. Where does it stack up against other programs in college football?
– Jacksonville Ribault linebacker Jakob Johnson, a German transplant, is now sitting on four offers after Wisconsin extended a tender to him last week.
– Which positions could Florida look to for immediate relief after this season from the JUCO ranks?
– Some late-week Gators-related news and notes.
And now, on to the new stuff ...
– Chewing on Florida's 17-6 loss in Baton Rouge for a couple of days can leave one with the sensation of a mouthful of gristle. This explains why the typical day-after recruiting post comes on Monday instead of Sunday. It's hard to discern at this point whether the offensive struggles are an issue of coaching or an issue of personnel. And that's obviously a dangerous place to be in if you're the coach of the Florida Gators. We'll have to see where the rest of this season goes, but I'm hard-pressed not to think there won't be some coaching turnover on the offensive side of the ball after this season. But that's really not the point of this post, so that topic will have to be saved for another day.
Going into the season, if you asked me to concede one game for Florida this season, the LSU contest in Baton Rouge was the very obvious pick. I'm sure some are disappointed by the manner in which Florida lost on Saturday. Yes, there's some things that have to be corrected on offense (especially up front on the line). We'll see how Florida rebounds from this one, and it will only take a few days to get their response. No rest for the weary (now down another starter in RB Matt Jones) as a tougher-than-originally-expected trip to Missouri looms on the schedule this weekend.
– Florida was originally able to sell Immokalee receiver J.C. Jackson on the idea of dropping his pledge to FSU in favor of a commitment to UF by focusing on the defensive angle, as he preferred playing cornerback to receiver, which is the position Florida State recruited him for. He may want to re-think that stance.
I always liked the idea of taking J.C. Jackson to go along with Adoree' Jackson and Chris Lammons, because it seemed natural that one of those guys would probably end up on offense as a slot guy. But Florida still has a lot of work to do to make that happen. Lammons is committed, but hasn't completely shut the door. Jackson visited LSU this past weekend and came away singing the praises of the Bayou Bengals after their win over Florida. Now, Jackson is flirting pretty heavily with Miami, and it will certainly be interesting to see what comes of that. The Gators don't need to sign all three of those guys, certainly. But getting at least two would be nice.
The number of skill players (RB, WR and DB types) in this class likely needs to be right around 10 to offset the losses UF will experience after this season, especially in the secondary. The Jacksons, as well as guys like Lammons and some of the other top targets on the board are keys to making sure the Gators restock
with the proper amount of speed and athleticism.
Florida could also use a guy who can take the top off the defense and give them a vertical threat down the field in the passing game. J.C. Jackson may turn out to be exactly that guy.
– At this point, a total overhaul at the tight end position needs to be considered. All four of the scholarship players at that position currently for Florida, have eligibility remaining after this season. That number needs to be cut in half. Deandre Goolsby, who visited Arkansas this past weekend, has to be considered a major priority at this point. If he decides to stick closer to home for college, then the Gators will need to go back to the drawing board and consider other options. With the type of season Jordan Franks is putting together at Crawfordville Wakulla, a scholarship offer for his services no longer seems like such a far-fetched option.
– Danielle Hunter showed on Saturday why Florida needs to add some height to the defensive line. Two batted balls on screen passes, one of which was set up to go for a long way to Valdez Showers if it's completed. Hunter is listed at 6-6 by the LSU sports information department. Florida has one 6-6 end in Alex McAllister on the roster, but he's not currently a factor in the defensive line rotation. This is why "the Lorenzos" (6-5 Carter and 6-7 Featherston) are such a priority for the Gators on the recruiting trail in the Class of 2014. Expect Brad Lawing to continue trying to add length and size to the defensive line moving forward, as well.
– I know Florida has an upperclassmen-laden depth chart along the offensive line, with most of those guys returning for next season. But if the LSU game is an example of the best effort this group can muster, Florida has got to consider looking to the JUCO ranks for talent (once again) in order to find a player or two who can come in and compete for playing time right off the bat. There is simply no excuse for the lack of production in the running game for a team built to win by being physical and pounding opposing defenses with a physical ground attack.
– Eight prep receivers from the state of Florida who have shined so far this fall.
– Where is Delray Beach Village Academy defensive lineman Kevin Bronson on the radar for the Gators?
– The Gators have had a strong run of success at the tight end position since 2000. Where does it stack up against other programs in college football?
– Jacksonville Ribault linebacker Jakob Johnson, a German transplant, is now sitting on four offers after Wisconsin extended a tender to him last week.
– Which positions could Florida look to for immediate relief after this season from the JUCO ranks?
– Some late-week Gators-related news and notes.
And now, on to the new stuff ...
– Chewing on Florida's 17-6 loss in Baton Rouge for a couple of days can leave one with the sensation of a mouthful of gristle. This explains why the typical day-after recruiting post comes on Monday instead of Sunday. It's hard to discern at this point whether the offensive struggles are an issue of coaching or an issue of personnel. And that's obviously a dangerous place to be in if you're the coach of the Florida Gators. We'll have to see where the rest of this season goes, but I'm hard-pressed not to think there won't be some coaching turnover on the offensive side of the ball after this season. But that's really not the point of this post, so that topic will have to be saved for another day.
Going into the season, if you asked me to concede one game for Florida this season, the LSU contest in Baton Rouge was the very obvious pick. I'm sure some are disappointed by the manner in which Florida lost on Saturday. Yes, there's some things that have to be corrected on offense (especially up front on the line). We'll see how Florida rebounds from this one, and it will only take a few days to get their response. No rest for the weary (now down another starter in RB Matt Jones) as a tougher-than-originally-expected trip to Missouri looms on the schedule this weekend.
– Florida was originally able to sell Immokalee receiver J.C. Jackson on the idea of dropping his pledge to FSU in favor of a commitment to UF by focusing on the defensive angle, as he preferred playing cornerback to receiver, which is the position Florida State recruited him for. He may want to re-think that stance.
Immokalee defeated Naples 33-27. Immokalee WR JC Jackson had 5 catches for 231 yards and 3 TDs. #npfnfOn the season, Jackson now has 621 yards receiving and nine scores on just 18 receptions. He's averaging 34.5 yards per catch. These numbers are obviously pretty good.
— David Dorsey (@DavidADorsey) October 12, 2013
I always liked the idea of taking J.C. Jackson to go along with Adoree' Jackson and Chris Lammons, because it seemed natural that one of those guys would probably end up on offense as a slot guy. But Florida still has a lot of work to do to make that happen. Lammons is committed, but hasn't completely shut the door. Jackson visited LSU this past weekend and came away singing the praises of the Bayou Bengals after their win over Florida. Now, Jackson is flirting pretty heavily with Miami, and it will certainly be interesting to see what comes of that. The Gators don't need to sign all three of those guys, certainly. But getting at least two would be nice.
The number of skill players (RB, WR and DB types) in this class likely needs to be right around 10 to offset the losses UF will experience after this season, especially in the secondary. The Jacksons, as well as guys like Lammons and some of the other top targets on the board are keys to making sure the Gators restock
with the proper amount of speed and athleticism.
Florida could also use a guy who can take the top off the defense and give them a vertical threat down the field in the passing game. J.C. Jackson may turn out to be exactly that guy.
– At this point, a total overhaul at the tight end position needs to be considered. All four of the scholarship players at that position currently for Florida, have eligibility remaining after this season. That number needs to be cut in half. Deandre Goolsby, who visited Arkansas this past weekend, has to be considered a major priority at this point. If he decides to stick closer to home for college, then the Gators will need to go back to the drawing board and consider other options. With the type of season Jordan Franks is putting together at Crawfordville Wakulla, a scholarship offer for his services no longer seems like such a far-fetched option.
– Danielle Hunter showed on Saturday why Florida needs to add some height to the defensive line. Two batted balls on screen passes, one of which was set up to go for a long way to Valdez Showers if it's completed. Hunter is listed at 6-6 by the LSU sports information department. Florida has one 6-6 end in Alex McAllister on the roster, but he's not currently a factor in the defensive line rotation. This is why "the Lorenzos" (6-5 Carter and 6-7 Featherston) are such a priority for the Gators on the recruiting trail in the Class of 2014. Expect Brad Lawing to continue trying to add length and size to the defensive line moving forward, as well.
– I know Florida has an upperclassmen-laden depth chart along the offensive line, with most of those guys returning for next season. But if the LSU game is an example of the best effort this group can muster, Florida has got to consider looking to the JUCO ranks for talent (once again) in order to find a player or two who can come in and compete for playing time right off the bat. There is simply no excuse for the lack of production in the running game for a team built to win by being physical and pounding opposing defenses with a physical ground attack.
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Florida's run of success at the tight end position
Since 2000, the Gators have actually put together a pretty good record of placing tight ends into the NFL. As for how well they've stacked up with other teams over that time frame, here's the list of college programs to have at least five tight ends drafted over the last 14 years:
Miami, (Fla.): 9
Notre Dame: 8
Iowa: 7
Florida: 6
Penn State: 6
Stanford: 6
Virginia: 6
Wisconsin: 6
Georgia: 5
Oregon: 5
Tennessee: 5
213 tight ends been selected in the NFL Draft between 2000 and 2013. Among the interesting trends and numbers to develop over that time period:
– Nebraska-Omaha (2) has produced more picks than Nebraska (1). On a similar note, Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville have both produced the same number of draftees (1).
– Florida State hasn't seen a single tight end drafted since 2000. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1994 (Lonnie Johnson) to find a tight end from FSU who was drafted into the NFL.
– Idaho (3) and Rice (3) have been surprising fertile grounds for developing tight ends in recent years as well.
The six Florida tight ends to hear their name called since 2000 are as follows:
2000 Erron Kinney (3rd Round, 68th overall, Tennessee Titans)
2003 Aaron Walker (5th Round, 161st overall, San Francisco 49ers)
2004 Ben Troupe (2nd Round, 40th overall, Tennessee Titans)
2009 Cornelius Ingram (5th Round, 153rd overall, Philadelphia Eagles)
2010 Aaron Hernandez (4th Round, 113rd overall, New England Patriots)
2013 Jordan Reed (3rd Round, 85th overall, Washington Redskins)
Miami, (Fla.): 9
Notre Dame: 8
Iowa: 7
Florida: 6
Penn State: 6
Stanford: 6
Virginia: 6
Wisconsin: 6
Georgia: 5
Oregon: 5
Tennessee: 5
213 tight ends been selected in the NFL Draft between 2000 and 2013. Among the interesting trends and numbers to develop over that time period:
– Nebraska-Omaha (2) has produced more picks than Nebraska (1). On a similar note, Texas A&M and Texas A&M-Kingsville have both produced the same number of draftees (1).
– Florida State hasn't seen a single tight end drafted since 2000. In fact, you have to go all the way back to 1994 (Lonnie Johnson) to find a tight end from FSU who was drafted into the NFL.
– Idaho (3) and Rice (3) have been surprising fertile grounds for developing tight ends in recent years as well.
The six Florida tight ends to hear their name called since 2000 are as follows:
2000 Erron Kinney (3rd Round, 68th overall, Tennessee Titans)
2003 Aaron Walker (5th Round, 161st overall, San Francisco 49ers)
2004 Ben Troupe (2nd Round, 40th overall, Tennessee Titans)
2009 Cornelius Ingram (5th Round, 153rd overall, Philadelphia Eagles)
2010 Aaron Hernandez (4th Round, 113rd overall, New England Patriots)
2013 Jordan Reed (3rd Round, 85th overall, Washington Redskins)
Although Steve Spurrier was not known for going to the tight end much during his time in Gainesville (aside from Kirk Kirkpatrick's All-SEC campaign during Spurrier's first year as coach at UF in 1990), the first three tight ends drafted (Kinney, Walker, Troupe) were all brought in during his tenure as coach.
The success of this group is a mixed bag. Despite playing just three seasons, Hernandez is actually the most prolific of this group. Kinney lasted the longest at the pro level, playing all seven of his NFL seasons in Tennessee. Walker and Troupe bounced around with multiple teams, never really catching on with any one squad. Ingram never played in a regular season game due to lingering knee issues resulting from his days at Florida. Reed is off to a good start, just four games into his rookie campaign in Washington.
Certainly, the tight end position for UF is a weakness that will have to be corrected in the following months. However, the good news for the Florida staff is that the statistics above provide an easy selling point to the top recruits they are pursuing (Bryce Dixon and Deandre Goolsby among them) that Florida has done a good job in recent years of evaluating and developing players at the position, and getting them in a position to move on to the next level and be productive as well.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Winning now: Looking to the JUCO ranks
If you spend a few minutes looking over the Florida football roster, it's abundantly clear they are built to win, and possibly win big in 2014. A large junior class (currently at 22, but likely to lose a couple of guys to the NFL after this season) supports this notion. The Gators are deep and talented at a number of positions: UF will likely return two quarterbacks with at least 10 games of starting experience in Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy next year, several talented and proven running backs including Matt Jones and Mack Brown, a large number of offensive and defensive linemen are slated to return, proven linebackers in Antonio Morrison and Michael Taylo will be back, along with a host of gifted young players at both wide receiver and in the secondary.
However, there are shaping up to be some holes on the depth chart as well. The Gators could realistically dip into the JUCO ranks at a number of positions in an effort to shore up some spots on the roster. Let me be clear, I'm not advocating for a widespread addition of talent from the junior college ranks. However, there are five spots where Florida could bring in a transfer and it would make a lot of sense from the perspective that those players would come in handy since UF has a chance to potentially win it all next season.
1. Cornerback: If both Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson head off to the NFL next year, there will be a major hole on the depth chart at cornerback. Florida is targeting a wide range of corners from the high school ranks, and will likely end up signing 4-5 players from the prep ranks that end up on the back end for the Class of 2014. But in this scenario, there would be just two true cornerbacks on the roster returning in sophomore Vernon Hargreaves and redshirt freshman Nick Washington. Sure, senior Cody Riggs (playing safety this year) and junior Brian Poole (who has mostly been used as a nickelback) have experience at the position as well. I'm not sure either guy can be relied on to hold down a corner position for the entire season, however. The right guy from the JUCO ranks (former five-star recruit Tee Shepard, now at Holmes C.C. in Mississippi, perhaps?) could make a lot of sense for the Gators in 2015.
2. Wide Receiver: The Gators have seen a rejuvenation in the wide receiving corps this fall. A lot of this success is likely owed to new wide receivers coach Joker Phillips, who has his unit playing beautifully. Of the top three receivers on the team, two of them (Trey Burton and Solomon Patton) will be gone after the season. While the Gators have a couple of talented young players waiting in the wings (Ahmad Fulwood and Demarcus Robinson), it wouldn't be a bad idea to add a talented JUCO player to the mix as well, just to give a little additional depth
3. Defensive Line: Considering the huge, gaping hole at defensive tackle between Darious Cummings and Leon Orr and the three highly-touted freshmen tackles signed this past February (Bostwick, Brantley and Riles), signing a junior college defensive lineman would make a lot of sense. Even if, say, Jonathan Bullard made the transition to more of a defensive tackle next fall, then grabbing a JUCO end would make a lot of sense. It appears to be a strong year for prospects on the defensive front. Florida has already made a run at DaVonte Lambert (Tennessee) and Abu Lamin (South Carolina). It's clear that it's an idea both Will Muschamp and Brad Lawing are open to – if they can the right guy, that is.
4. Offensive Line: The numbers really shouldn't figure to be an issue looking ahead to next year. The left side of the line (Humphries at tackle, Garcia at guard) is strong and should remain intact heading into 2014. There are a number of options who should be able to fill the other three positions (Brown, Green, Moore and Silberman jump to the forefront) and a couple of young guys should make the next step and jump into the mix for a starting job and/or considerable playing time (namely Octavious Jackson and Trip Thurman). However, throwing another transfer lineman into the mix who could push the others are the roster for a starting spot wouldn't be the worst outcome in the world.
5. Tight End: If you consider the complete lack of production at this spot, it makes a lot of sense. However, the fact of the matter is there just aren't a lot of realistic options out there for the 2014 class. Jean Sifrin (6-7, 255, El Camino College) is a native of Miami and claims some major offers (Oklahoma being the biggest). Braedon Bowman (6-4, 225, Scottsdale C.C.) is putting together a big-time campaign this fall, but I'm not sure he's exactly an SEC-caliber player. There's also Ricky Parks, the former highly-touted recruit from Auburn, who is at Northeast Mississippi C.C., but it's not clear yet when he will have the credits in order to transfer to a four-year school. All things considered, Florida appears to be focused primarily towards going the high school route in signing two tight ends for 2014, and that's appears to be the right idea as of now.
Again, the point isn't that Florida needs to take JUCO players at all of these spots. But it would make sense for UF to take a junior college transfer at any one of these positions. My hunch is that UF will eventually land 2-3 in this class, and it's hard to believe they won't come from the above-listed spots on the roster.
However, there are shaping up to be some holes on the depth chart as well. The Gators could realistically dip into the JUCO ranks at a number of positions in an effort to shore up some spots on the roster. Let me be clear, I'm not advocating for a widespread addition of talent from the junior college ranks. However, there are five spots where Florida could bring in a transfer and it would make a lot of sense from the perspective that those players would come in handy since UF has a chance to potentially win it all next season.
1. Cornerback: If both Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson head off to the NFL next year, there will be a major hole on the depth chart at cornerback. Florida is targeting a wide range of corners from the high school ranks, and will likely end up signing 4-5 players from the prep ranks that end up on the back end for the Class of 2014. But in this scenario, there would be just two true cornerbacks on the roster returning in sophomore Vernon Hargreaves and redshirt freshman Nick Washington. Sure, senior Cody Riggs (playing safety this year) and junior Brian Poole (who has mostly been used as a nickelback) have experience at the position as well. I'm not sure either guy can be relied on to hold down a corner position for the entire season, however. The right guy from the JUCO ranks (former five-star recruit Tee Shepard, now at Holmes C.C. in Mississippi, perhaps?) could make a lot of sense for the Gators in 2015.
2. Wide Receiver: The Gators have seen a rejuvenation in the wide receiving corps this fall. A lot of this success is likely owed to new wide receivers coach Joker Phillips, who has his unit playing beautifully. Of the top three receivers on the team, two of them (Trey Burton and Solomon Patton) will be gone after the season. While the Gators have a couple of talented young players waiting in the wings (Ahmad Fulwood and Demarcus Robinson), it wouldn't be a bad idea to add a talented JUCO player to the mix as well, just to give a little additional depth
3. Defensive Line: Considering the huge, gaping hole at defensive tackle between Darious Cummings and Leon Orr and the three highly-touted freshmen tackles signed this past February (Bostwick, Brantley and Riles), signing a junior college defensive lineman would make a lot of sense. Even if, say, Jonathan Bullard made the transition to more of a defensive tackle next fall, then grabbing a JUCO end would make a lot of sense. It appears to be a strong year for prospects on the defensive front. Florida has already made a run at DaVonte Lambert (Tennessee) and Abu Lamin (South Carolina). It's clear that it's an idea both Will Muschamp and Brad Lawing are open to – if they can the right guy, that is.
4. Offensive Line: The numbers really shouldn't figure to be an issue looking ahead to next year. The left side of the line (Humphries at tackle, Garcia at guard) is strong and should remain intact heading into 2014. There are a number of options who should be able to fill the other three positions (Brown, Green, Moore and Silberman jump to the forefront) and a couple of young guys should make the next step and jump into the mix for a starting job and/or considerable playing time (namely Octavious Jackson and Trip Thurman). However, throwing another transfer lineman into the mix who could push the others are the roster for a starting spot wouldn't be the worst outcome in the world.
5. Tight End: If you consider the complete lack of production at this spot, it makes a lot of sense. However, the fact of the matter is there just aren't a lot of realistic options out there for the 2014 class. Jean Sifrin (6-7, 255, El Camino College) is a native of Miami and claims some major offers (Oklahoma being the biggest). Braedon Bowman (6-4, 225, Scottsdale C.C.) is putting together a big-time campaign this fall, but I'm not sure he's exactly an SEC-caliber player. There's also Ricky Parks, the former highly-touted recruit from Auburn, who is at Northeast Mississippi C.C., but it's not clear yet when he will have the credits in order to transfer to a four-year school. All things considered, Florida appears to be focused primarily towards going the high school route in signing two tight ends for 2014, and that's appears to be the right idea as of now.
Again, the point isn't that Florida needs to take JUCO players at all of these spots. But it would make sense for UF to take a junior college transfer at any one of these positions. My hunch is that UF will eventually land 2-3 in this class, and it's hard to believe they won't come from the above-listed spots on the roster.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Post-Arkansas Recruiting Thoughts
Just running off at the keyboard for a bit in the aftermath of Florida's 30-10 victory against the Razorbacks on Saturday, moving the Gators to 4-1 on the season (3-0 in the SEC).
First, the good news:
– The top offensive line target on the board for Florda, David Sharpe, finally showed up for a game in the Swamp this fall. It appears he enjoyed himself as well.
In any case, the Gators appear to have done what they needed to do with this unofficial visit: "stop the bleeding," so to speak. The momentum has been quickly moving away from UF in recent weeks and more towards Clemson and Georgia. Now, it appears Florida has put themselves firmly back in the mix. But where things go with Sharpe from here is anyone's guess. Is this the weekend where Florida starts to turn the tide back in their favor? Or is this just a slight detour in the road towards Sharpe ending up at Georgia (or somewhere else)? Only time will tell.
Again, the Gators need at least one more body up front on offense in this class. At this point, they obviously can't put all their eggs in Sharpe's basket if they want to achieve the numbers they are looking for on the O-Line. But he is a critical prospect in Florida's recruiting efforts down the stretch. That much is clear. Unless a Damian Prince (or like-minded prospect) emerges as a serious target, of course. But for now, we'll consider Sharpe to be the only big-time OL prospect for whom the Gators are currently a serious option for.
– After extending an offer to Tennessee wide receiver commitment Eric Lauderdale last week, the talented JUCO prospect has already backed off of his pledge to the Vols on Sunday night:
Considering Lauderdale has already publicly discussed making a visit to UF in the wake of the offer from Florida assistant coach Joker Phillips, this has to be considered a pretty good development for the Gators. It seems safe to say that Florida is trending up here.
Now, the bad news:
– This shouldn't come as a huge surprise. There was the news from late last week that Dalvin Cook is going to take an official visit to Arkansas. Now, Florida's other five-star skill commitment is in the process of setting up a couple of trips as well:
Whereas Cook has visited Texas, USC and now Arkansas – teams not generally thought to be any real threats at making a run for his signature – Ermon Lane plans to visit Alabama and Florida State. Those two programs obviously have a better chance at swaying Lane off of his pledge to UF. What the Crimson Tide have done over the past five years speaks for itself. And the early-season play of Jameis Winston is obviously catching the eye of some recruits (especially ones who play offense) as well.
This is definitely something worth watching down the stretch. With the need for skill players in this class (no less than eight prospects between RB, WR and DB ... and very likely more), the Gators have to be careful to make sure they hit their marks on the recruiting trail. With J.C. Jackson also apparently being a bit shaky in his commitment these days, Will Muschamp might have to take a step back and re-evaluate where some things are in regards to the Class of 2014 and the skill positions on both offense and defense.
On to some other items:
– It's kind of interesting to note how Florida's offense has played this year, and how that could (positively) effect recruiting. Despite all the hemming and hawing from the UF fanbase, this unit is on par to put together their best showing since 2009. Surprisingly, the running game has not been what is was last season. Despite a backfield stocked with talent (on paper), the results really haven't been there through four games – and that should be appealing to a talent like Dalvin Cook – who could come to Gainesville and step into a prominent role immediately.
As for the passing game, suddenly things have opened up with Tyler Murphy running the show. The Gators are throwing it around a bit more, and the three upperclassmen (Burton, Dunbar and Patton) have all made huge jumps under Joker Phillips. Phillips can also point to his immediate success working with the UF receivers as Florida attempts to hold on to Ermon Lane and reel in a couple of other top-notch prospects as well.
– Florida has now offered a JUCO receiver (the aforementioned Lauderdale) and I've previously pointed out that offering a JUCO defensive back might not be the worst idea, either. The Gators may have the answer for one of those upcoming needs already on the roster: Valdez Showers. Although he's now listed as a running back, Showers is more of an "offensive weapon" (to steal a term from the Jaguars, in regards to Denard Robinson) than a true member of the backfield. Perhaps next year, he makes a move to playing full-time as a receiver (while possibly still getting a few carries as well). With Burton and Patton gone after 2013, someone will need to step up in providing a presence in the passing game over the middle.
But Showers was originally recruited to play defense, and I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility that maybe he makes a return to that side of the football next year, considering where the numbers will be in the secondary if both Purifoy and Roberson elect to go pro. In any case, Showers is a versatile weapon whose value will become much more defined next year because of his ability to fill so many different roles effectively on the football field.
– The Gators have not signed a player out of the Mississippi prep ranks since Robert Gillespie in 1998. It should be noted that Will Muschamp attempted to hire Gillespie as an assistant when he first got on at Florida, but was rebuffed, as Gillespie elected to stay at West Virginia. With Mississippi State's struggles this season, now seems like as good of a time to strike as any in the Magnolia State. Florida used uncertainty surrounding Gene Chizik's future at Auburn last fall to make a run at AU pledge Jarrad Davis. Chizik was eventually fired, and Davis would go on to sign with UF (he has been an integral part of the special teams units for UF this fall). The guy I would be eyeing if I was a member of the UF staff? Greenville Weston linebacker Gerri Green. Checking in at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Green reportedly runs in the 4.5 range. Green could play linebacker, or could grow into an athletic rush end as well. In any case, he's a long, fast, athletic defensive front-seven player, which is exactly what Florida has been in the market for over the past couple of years.
Another school's commitment list who could eventually come in the crosshairs: Tennessee. The Vols gambled and it nearly paid off big when UT brought in a bunch of commits for a weekend showdown with Georgia. Tennessee fought valiantly and lost, but their performance against the Bulldogs bought some time with recruits – especially those in attendance on Saturday. However, Butch Jones still lacks a signature win in Knoxville, and may not get it this year. The Vols could easily fall to 3-7 by the middle of November following a slate which includes Alabama, South Carolina, and an improved Mizzou and Auburn over the next four games. If the Gators find someone else committed to Tennessee worth pursuing – as they already seem to be reeling in the former JUCO WR commit Lauderdale – then it would come as no surprise at all to see UF make that move to pursue. DaVonte Lambert, in particular, may be someone whom the Gators decide not to give up on until the LOI paperwork is in to the school of his choice.
First, the good news:
– The top offensive line target on the board for Florda, David Sharpe, finally showed up for a game in the Swamp this fall. It appears he enjoyed himself as well.
Enjoyed the Florida Game alot
— David Sharpe (@SHARPECITYY) October 6, 2013
In any case, the Gators appear to have done what they needed to do with this unofficial visit: "stop the bleeding," so to speak. The momentum has been quickly moving away from UF in recent weeks and more towards Clemson and Georgia. Now, it appears Florida has put themselves firmly back in the mix. But where things go with Sharpe from here is anyone's guess. Is this the weekend where Florida starts to turn the tide back in their favor? Or is this just a slight detour in the road towards Sharpe ending up at Georgia (or somewhere else)? Only time will tell.
Again, the Gators need at least one more body up front on offense in this class. At this point, they obviously can't put all their eggs in Sharpe's basket if they want to achieve the numbers they are looking for on the O-Line. But he is a critical prospect in Florida's recruiting efforts down the stretch. That much is clear. Unless a Damian Prince (or like-minded prospect) emerges as a serious target, of course. But for now, we'll consider Sharpe to be the only big-time OL prospect for whom the Gators are currently a serious option for.
– After extending an offer to Tennessee wide receiver commitment Eric Lauderdale last week, the talented JUCO prospect has already backed off of his pledge to the Vols on Sunday night:
After going over a few things, I feel like the best decision for me & my family is to back away from my commitment to Tennessee...
— Eric Lauderdale (@e_lauderdale) October 7, 2013
Considering Lauderdale has already publicly discussed making a visit to UF in the wake of the offer from Florida assistant coach Joker Phillips, this has to be considered a pretty good development for the Gators. It seems safe to say that Florida is trending up here.
Now, the bad news:
– This shouldn't come as a huge surprise. There was the news from late last week that Dalvin Cook is going to take an official visit to Arkansas. Now, Florida's other five-star skill commitment is in the process of setting up a couple of trips as well:
#Gators WR commit Ermon Lane plans to officially visit #FSU & # Alabama. Says commitment at 95%. See #FSU as the #Gators competition only.
— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) October 6, 2013
Whereas Cook has visited Texas, USC and now Arkansas – teams not generally thought to be any real threats at making a run for his signature – Ermon Lane plans to visit Alabama and Florida State. Those two programs obviously have a better chance at swaying Lane off of his pledge to UF. What the Crimson Tide have done over the past five years speaks for itself. And the early-season play of Jameis Winston is obviously catching the eye of some recruits (especially ones who play offense) as well.
This is definitely something worth watching down the stretch. With the need for skill players in this class (no less than eight prospects between RB, WR and DB ... and very likely more), the Gators have to be careful to make sure they hit their marks on the recruiting trail. With J.C. Jackson also apparently being a bit shaky in his commitment these days, Will Muschamp might have to take a step back and re-evaluate where some things are in regards to the Class of 2014 and the skill positions on both offense and defense.
On to some other items:
– It's kind of interesting to note how Florida's offense has played this year, and how that could (positively) effect recruiting. Despite all the hemming and hawing from the UF fanbase, this unit is on par to put together their best showing since 2009. Surprisingly, the running game has not been what is was last season. Despite a backfield stocked with talent (on paper), the results really haven't been there through four games – and that should be appealing to a talent like Dalvin Cook – who could come to Gainesville and step into a prominent role immediately.
As for the passing game, suddenly things have opened up with Tyler Murphy running the show. The Gators are throwing it around a bit more, and the three upperclassmen (Burton, Dunbar and Patton) have all made huge jumps under Joker Phillips. Phillips can also point to his immediate success working with the UF receivers as Florida attempts to hold on to Ermon Lane and reel in a couple of other top-notch prospects as well.
– Florida has now offered a JUCO receiver (the aforementioned Lauderdale) and I've previously pointed out that offering a JUCO defensive back might not be the worst idea, either. The Gators may have the answer for one of those upcoming needs already on the roster: Valdez Showers. Although he's now listed as a running back, Showers is more of an "offensive weapon" (to steal a term from the Jaguars, in regards to Denard Robinson) than a true member of the backfield. Perhaps next year, he makes a move to playing full-time as a receiver (while possibly still getting a few carries as well). With Burton and Patton gone after 2013, someone will need to step up in providing a presence in the passing game over the middle.
But Showers was originally recruited to play defense, and I wouldn't completely rule out the possibility that maybe he makes a return to that side of the football next year, considering where the numbers will be in the secondary if both Purifoy and Roberson elect to go pro. In any case, Showers is a versatile weapon whose value will become much more defined next year because of his ability to fill so many different roles effectively on the football field.
– The Gators have not signed a player out of the Mississippi prep ranks since Robert Gillespie in 1998. It should be noted that Will Muschamp attempted to hire Gillespie as an assistant when he first got on at Florida, but was rebuffed, as Gillespie elected to stay at West Virginia. With Mississippi State's struggles this season, now seems like as good of a time to strike as any in the Magnolia State. Florida used uncertainty surrounding Gene Chizik's future at Auburn last fall to make a run at AU pledge Jarrad Davis. Chizik was eventually fired, and Davis would go on to sign with UF (he has been an integral part of the special teams units for UF this fall). The guy I would be eyeing if I was a member of the UF staff? Greenville Weston linebacker Gerri Green. Checking in at 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, Green reportedly runs in the 4.5 range. Green could play linebacker, or could grow into an athletic rush end as well. In any case, he's a long, fast, athletic defensive front-seven player, which is exactly what Florida has been in the market for over the past couple of years.
Another school's commitment list who could eventually come in the crosshairs: Tennessee. The Vols gambled and it nearly paid off big when UT brought in a bunch of commits for a weekend showdown with Georgia. Tennessee fought valiantly and lost, but their performance against the Bulldogs bought some time with recruits – especially those in attendance on Saturday. However, Butch Jones still lacks a signature win in Knoxville, and may not get it this year. The Vols could easily fall to 3-7 by the middle of November following a slate which includes Alabama, South Carolina, and an improved Mizzou and Auburn over the next four games. If the Gators find someone else committed to Tennessee worth pursuing – as they already seem to be reeling in the former JUCO WR commit Lauderdale – then it would come as no surprise at all to see UF make that move to pursue. DaVonte Lambert, in particular, may be someone whom the Gators decide not to give up on until the LOI paperwork is in to the school of his choice.
Friday, October 4, 2013
UF Recruiting News & Notes, 10/4 (UPDATED)
– (2:00 PM UPDATE) The Gators have seemingly been trending down with David Sharpe since the beginning of football season. The 6-foot-6, 285-pound offensive lineman out of Jacksonvile had taken a trip to Clemson, two trips to Athens, and has seen Georgia three times in total to date. But had yet to make a pit-stop in Gainesville this fall. It appears that issue has been fixed from the UF perspective
(Sharpe himself tweeted out on Friday afternoon that he would attend the Arkansas game as a guest of UF, but the post has since been removed).
Sharpe was originally scheduled to visit Florida State this weekend. And it probably should be noted that with FSU's noon kickoff against Maryland, and Florida pegged to take on Arkansas at 7:00 PM, he could possibly take in both games over the course of one afternoon/evening. Admittedly, that would be a busy day for anyone. But there's been no definitive information given on whether or not his FSU visit plans have been scrapped, so the possibility remains that he could see both schools play tomorrow.
In any case, the Gators have to work to try and stop the momentum from moving towards Georgia and Clemson on Saturday. I'd like to throw in there that sometimes, this is simply how recruiting works. A team has the good early positioning for a player (as Florida did in the spring with Sharpe), and then said prospect gets interested in seeing what else is out there. Sometimes, he likes the other options he goes to visit and ends up at another school, sometimes he goes back with the original program he favored. We'll have to see which direction Sharpe goes in here. But nothing can be ruled out at this time in terms of where he will sign, and that includes a program not currently believed to be heavily in the picture (which could very well be FSU, I might add).
Remember, Sharpe has been to Florida several times since the beginning of the year. He will likely make it back for the Florida State game in November and possibly an official visit down-the-road as well (and if he doesn't take an official visit to UF, he can always make the quick trip from Jacksonville to Gainesville for an unofficial, if need be). Perhaps Will Muschamp and Tim Davis can "stop the bleeding," so-to-speak, this weekend. Maybe this is the first step towards moving the Gators back into the driver's seat. Only time will tell on that one.
The rest of this entry is from this morning, as follows:
– It seems that Florida commitment Dalvin Cook has made plans as to when and where he will take his next official visit:
A trip to Fayetteville would be Cook's second, following a September jaunt to Texas. While the 5-foot-11, 197-pound running back out of Miami Central is publicly leaving the door open, there seems to be a jovial and carefree approach to these official visits. He's not visiting schools he seems to be overly serious about (Florida State, Miami and even South Florida, where his former high school coach is now an assistant, would be much more concerning). And he keeps saying the right things about Florida to the press. Barring a change in this behavior, while these visits probably aren't preferred from the UF perspective, none of them have given reason to set off any alarms, so far.
Now @SBNRecruiting writes that, according to sources, David Sharpe will visit Gainesville this weekend: http://t.co/ORMyWqI5Da
— Alligator Army (@AlligatorArmy) October 4, 2013
(Sharpe himself tweeted out on Friday afternoon that he would attend the Arkansas game as a guest of UF, but the post has since been removed).
Sharpe was originally scheduled to visit Florida State this weekend. And it probably should be noted that with FSU's noon kickoff against Maryland, and Florida pegged to take on Arkansas at 7:00 PM, he could possibly take in both games over the course of one afternoon/evening. Admittedly, that would be a busy day for anyone. But there's been no definitive information given on whether or not his FSU visit plans have been scrapped, so the possibility remains that he could see both schools play tomorrow.
In any case, the Gators have to work to try and stop the momentum from moving towards Georgia and Clemson on Saturday. I'd like to throw in there that sometimes, this is simply how recruiting works. A team has the good early positioning for a player (as Florida did in the spring with Sharpe), and then said prospect gets interested in seeing what else is out there. Sometimes, he likes the other options he goes to visit and ends up at another school, sometimes he goes back with the original program he favored. We'll have to see which direction Sharpe goes in here. But nothing can be ruled out at this time in terms of where he will sign, and that includes a program not currently believed to be heavily in the picture (which could very well be FSU, I might add).
Remember, Sharpe has been to Florida several times since the beginning of the year. He will likely make it back for the Florida State game in November and possibly an official visit down-the-road as well (and if he doesn't take an official visit to UF, he can always make the quick trip from Jacksonville to Gainesville for an unofficial, if need be). Perhaps Will Muschamp and Tim Davis can "stop the bleeding," so-to-speak, this weekend. Maybe this is the first step towards moving the Gators back into the driver's seat. Only time will tell on that one.
The rest of this entry is from this morning, as follows:
– It seems that Florida commitment Dalvin Cook has made plans as to when and where he will take his next official visit:
Elite RB plans visit to Arkansas: Running back Dalvin Cook, a Florida commitment, plans to officially visit Arkansas. http://t.co/5bGBq86avq
— Richard Davenport (@ArRecruitingGuy) October 4, 2013
A trip to Fayetteville would be Cook's second, following a September jaunt to Texas. While the 5-foot-11, 197-pound running back out of Miami Central is publicly leaving the door open, there seems to be a jovial and carefree approach to these official visits. He's not visiting schools he seems to be overly serious about (Florida State, Miami and even South Florida, where his former high school coach is now an assistant, would be much more concerning). And he keeps saying the right things about Florida to the press. Barring a change in this behavior, while these visits probably aren't preferred from the UF perspective, none of them have given reason to set off any alarms, so far.
– On Wednesday, I wrote about a planned official visit by New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr prospects Speedy Noil and Gerald Willis to Florida still being on for the Arkansas game this weekend. Reports from Rivals affiliate Inside The Gators earlier that day had suggested that Noil and Willis would postpone their visit again (they had originally been scheduled to visit Gainesville for the Tennessee game two weeks ago).
On Thursday, Luke Stampini of 247Sports affiliate GatorBait suggested the same thing – that Noil and Willis wouldn't be heading to The Swamp this weekend. However, there has been no actual word from the camps of either Noil or Willis, other than the interviews during an Under Armour All-America Game jersey ceremony on Wednesday when they both confirmed they were still heading to UF on Saturday.
So, what's the real answer? I guess we'll all find out within the next 24 hours, although the smoke from multiple outlets on this one suggesting that Noil and Willis will reschedule their official visits to UF for a second time (reportedly, until Vanderbilt weekend in November) indicates there is some legitimacy to the buzz floating around out there. Considering Noil and Willis have have now potentially postponed a planned trip to Gainesville twice, it's easy to come to the conclusion the pair aren't all that serious about Florida. But perhaps their reasons for doing so are legitimate (again, if they do in fact move their visit back as has been suggested).
In any case, while the chances were long that Florida could sign either player out of Louisiana to begin with, the pair are talented enough prospects to at least bring on campus and take a shot at convincing them UF is the place to be. However, assuming Noil and Willis don't visit this weekend, it does beg the question: will Will Muschamp and his staff simply cut bait and move on to other targets at this point? Or will they continue to recruit the top-100 prospects out of the Pelican State?
– Apopka junior fullback Chandler Cox picked up his first offer from Kentucky on Wednesday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. This interests Gators fans because Cox is the first real fullback to emerge on the radar for the Class of 2015, and the tender from UK was the first for 6-foot-1, 215 pound athlete.
There aren't a ton of teams in the market for pure fullbacks these days. But Florida does use a fullback quite regularly on offense, and with the Gators' top two players at the position both being juniors, it stands to reason that UF will likely be in the market for such a prospect at this time next year.
Cox is an intriguing player. He lines up all over the backfield, including at quarterback, for Apopka's unique offense, which employs quite a bit of the old-school single-wing formation to great success. Think of him as a modern-day Jim Jensen, if you will. A Swiss-army knife whose strength is in his ability to fill so many different roles. In a way, Cox could project as a potential replacement for Trey Burton, who has worn many different hats during his time in Gainesville. But the biggest difference between the two is clearly the fact that Cox is a much more effective blocker (as you can see in the film below). While he doesn't possess the brute strength and mass of a Hunter Joyer, Cox does have the frame to get much bigger in time, while likely proving to be a much more versatile and effective weapon with the ball in his hands.
It should also be noted that Cox is currently rated as the No. 4 prospect in Central Florida for 2015 by the Orlando Sentinel. Considering that area generally produces some pretty talented football players, that's certainly nothing to sneeze at. This kid can play.
Another factor to keep in mind: Cox is close friends with Apopka junior offensive tackle Martez Ivey, who figures to be one of the top prospects on the entire recruiting board the Gators in 2015. The two are reportedly pretty chummy, and reeling in Cox will certainly only help Florida's chances with Ivey as well.
Considering the position he plays, Florida was likely in no rush to extend an offer to Cox, as they kept track of his progress and made sure he was the guy they wanted to move forward with on an offer to at the fullback position in next year's recruiting cycle. And perhaps the Kentucky offer won't change a thing. But this development could also force UF to move up their timeline on extending a tender to the talented offensive weapon, in an effort to make sure both he (and Ivey) end up in Gainesville a couple of years down the line.
Scratch Speedy Noil and Gerald Willis III from #Floridas expected official visitors for #Arkansas game http://t.co/8d6MV5mXxg
— Blake Alderman (@MistaAlderman) October 2, 2013
On Thursday, Luke Stampini of 247Sports affiliate GatorBait suggested the same thing – that Noil and Willis wouldn't be heading to The Swamp this weekend. However, there has been no actual word from the camps of either Noil or Willis, other than the interviews during an Under Armour All-America Game jersey ceremony on Wednesday when they both confirmed they were still heading to UF on Saturday.
So, what's the real answer? I guess we'll all find out within the next 24 hours, although the smoke from multiple outlets on this one suggesting that Noil and Willis will reschedule their official visits to UF for a second time (reportedly, until Vanderbilt weekend in November) indicates there is some legitimacy to the buzz floating around out there. Considering Noil and Willis have have now potentially postponed a planned trip to Gainesville twice, it's easy to come to the conclusion the pair aren't all that serious about Florida. But perhaps their reasons for doing so are legitimate (again, if they do in fact move their visit back as has been suggested).
In any case, while the chances were long that Florida could sign either player out of Louisiana to begin with, the pair are talented enough prospects to at least bring on campus and take a shot at convincing them UF is the place to be. However, assuming Noil and Willis don't visit this weekend, it does beg the question: will Will Muschamp and his staff simply cut bait and move on to other targets at this point? Or will they continue to recruit the top-100 prospects out of the Pelican State?
– Apopka junior fullback Chandler Cox picked up his first offer from Kentucky on Wednesday, according to the Orlando Sentinel. This interests Gators fans because Cox is the first real fullback to emerge on the radar for the Class of 2015, and the tender from UK was the first for 6-foot-1, 215 pound athlete.
There aren't a ton of teams in the market for pure fullbacks these days. But Florida does use a fullback quite regularly on offense, and with the Gators' top two players at the position both being juniors, it stands to reason that UF will likely be in the market for such a prospect at this time next year.
Cox is an intriguing player. He lines up all over the backfield, including at quarterback, for Apopka's unique offense, which employs quite a bit of the old-school single-wing formation to great success. Think of him as a modern-day Jim Jensen, if you will. A Swiss-army knife whose strength is in his ability to fill so many different roles. In a way, Cox could project as a potential replacement for Trey Burton, who has worn many different hats during his time in Gainesville. But the biggest difference between the two is clearly the fact that Cox is a much more effective blocker (as you can see in the film below). While he doesn't possess the brute strength and mass of a Hunter Joyer, Cox does have the frame to get much bigger in time, while likely proving to be a much more versatile and effective weapon with the ball in his hands.
It should also be noted that Cox is currently rated as the No. 4 prospect in Central Florida for 2015 by the Orlando Sentinel. Considering that area generally produces some pretty talented football players, that's certainly nothing to sneeze at. This kid can play.
Another factor to keep in mind: Cox is close friends with Apopka junior offensive tackle Martez Ivey, who figures to be one of the top prospects on the entire recruiting board the Gators in 2015. The two are reportedly pretty chummy, and reeling in Cox will certainly only help Florida's chances with Ivey as well.
Considering the position he plays, Florida was likely in no rush to extend an offer to Cox, as they kept track of his progress and made sure he was the guy they wanted to move forward with on an offer to at the fullback position in next year's recruiting cycle. And perhaps the Kentucky offer won't change a thing. But this development could also force UF to move up their timeline on extending a tender to the talented offensive weapon, in an effort to make sure both he (and Ivey) end up in Gainesville a couple of years down the line.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
UF Recruiting News & Notes, 10/2
– Despite some conflicting information this afternoon, it appears an official visit to Florida is still on for this weekend according to New Orleans (La.) Edna Karr teammates WR Speedy Noil (5-11, 180) and DL Gerald Willis (6-3, 275). The pair were honored with a jersey ceremony today, officially including them as a part of the 2014 Under Armour All-America Game.
The pair join a list which is also expected to include Florida offensive line commitment Nolan Kelleher (6-5, 300, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) and a pair of priority targets in TE Bryce Dixon (6-4, 230, Ventura, Calif.) and DE Lorenzo Featherston (6-7, 220, Greensboro, N.C.) on official visits, along with a host of other players making the trip to the Swamp on their own dime. The reports on Dixon and Featherston come from 247Sports, by the way. Behind the Tennessee game two weeks ago, and the Florida State finale to close out the regular season slate, Arkansas should prove to be the other "big" recruiting visit weekend for the Gators this fall.
– While two Louisiana targets for UF confirmed their visit plans, another has dropped off the board. To no one's surprise, really, Davon Godchaux finally went public with a commitment to the Bayou Bengals on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive line prospect was considered a long shot for the Gators, but the Florida staff was hoping to get him on campus for an official visit later in the season.
– It appears Georgia made quite a splash with top linebacker prospect Raekwon McMillan this past weekend. The Bulldogs really impressed the five-star prospect out of Hinesville, Ga. during an official visit to Athens, where he watched the home team take down LSU, 45-42, in a nationally televised contest on CBS. UGA appears poised to make a strong run at McMillan down the stretch, while Clemson and Ohio State still top his list of schools.
Of note on this particular visit, McMillan and blue-chip defensive end Lorenzo Carter – also a major target for Florida – were in Athens together this weekend. The two have expressed an interest in playing football together at the next level, making Florida and Georgia their most likely destinations if they want to carry out that particular destiny.
Timing of visits is always an interesting subject. Carter used his first official to Gainesville for the Tennessee game two weeks ago, and McMillan used his first official visit on the UGA trip. McMillan's final visit is slated for Florida (and the FSU game) in November. Perhaps Will Muschamp and his staff are banking on the two wanting to hang out at a game together once again, assuring that they get at least one more shot at Carter on campus during the fall? It's definitely something to consider.
In any case, I will quickly concede that nothing directly from McMillan himself to date has indicated that Florida has a great shot at landing his services. But he has made a few visits to Gainesville this year; UF is the closest campus to his hometown of Hinesville at right around three hours a trip (Georgia is over four hours away, while a ride to Clemson totals nearly five hours); and the Gators do get that critical final official visit from McMillan. I've seen this staff pull in kids with odds seemingly just as long. While I'm not projecting the Gators to get McMillan at this time, I don't believe anyone should write off their chances, either.
– Very much in a similar vein to big offensive tackle David Sharpe, another in-state prospect pegged to end up at Florida early on who has been trending away from the Gators in recent weeks is Cardinal Newman WR Travis Rudolph. News on the Under Armour All-American has been largely mixed for several months now, but it appears one team is really starting to make a move for his services:
With as volatile as Rudolph's recruitment has been to date, there's no reason for Florida to stop recruiting the 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect out of West Palm Beach. However, there seems to be a bit more of feeling of traction with FSU here. That the move they've made through the summer and with a hot start behind freshman QB Jameis Winston is very much solid. It's easy to see why, then, that the Gators have started to once again kick the tires on Lakeland Kathleen receiver Ja'Von Harrison, who unofficially visited Gainesville for the Tennessee game. Harrison maintains he is solidly committed to Virginia Tech, but he seems to at least be leaving the door slightly cracked for Florida to potentially make a late run at his signature with his actions.
The pair join a list which is also expected to include Florida offensive line commitment Nolan Kelleher (6-5, 300, Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) and a pair of priority targets in TE Bryce Dixon (6-4, 230, Ventura, Calif.) and DE Lorenzo Featherston (6-7, 220, Greensboro, N.C.) on official visits, along with a host of other players making the trip to the Swamp on their own dime. The reports on Dixon and Featherston come from 247Sports, by the way. Behind the Tennessee game two weeks ago, and the Florida State finale to close out the regular season slate, Arkansas should prove to be the other "big" recruiting visit weekend for the Gators this fall.
– While two Louisiana targets for UF confirmed their visit plans, another has dropped off the board. To no one's surprise, really, Davon Godchaux finally went public with a commitment to the Bayou Bengals on Monday. The 6-foot-4, 260-pound defensive line prospect was considered a long shot for the Gators, but the Florida staff was hoping to get him on campus for an official visit later in the season.
2014 Plaquemines DL Davon Godchaux commits to #LSU with quotes http://t.co/ncMEOvTYqA
— Jimmy D Smith (@JimmyDetail) October 1, 2013
– It appears Georgia made quite a splash with top linebacker prospect Raekwon McMillan this past weekend. The Bulldogs really impressed the five-star prospect out of Hinesville, Ga. during an official visit to Athens, where he watched the home team take down LSU, 45-42, in a nationally televised contest on CBS. UGA appears poised to make a strong run at McMillan down the stretch, while Clemson and Ohio State still top his list of schools.
“My trip to Georgia was a great visit,” McMillan told the AJC on Monday night. “I got there early Saturday morning and left there late on Sunday night. Georgia really gave me a good reason to stay in-state, and really helped their chances with me going to Georgia.”
Of note on this particular visit, McMillan and blue-chip defensive end Lorenzo Carter – also a major target for Florida – were in Athens together this weekend. The two have expressed an interest in playing football together at the next level, making Florida and Georgia their most likely destinations if they want to carry out that particular destiny.
Timing of visits is always an interesting subject. Carter used his first official to Gainesville for the Tennessee game two weeks ago, and McMillan used his first official visit on the UGA trip. McMillan's final visit is slated for Florida (and the FSU game) in November. Perhaps Will Muschamp and his staff are banking on the two wanting to hang out at a game together once again, assuring that they get at least one more shot at Carter on campus during the fall? It's definitely something to consider.
In any case, I will quickly concede that nothing directly from McMillan himself to date has indicated that Florida has a great shot at landing his services. But he has made a few visits to Gainesville this year; UF is the closest campus to his hometown of Hinesville at right around three hours a trip (Georgia is over four hours away, while a ride to Clemson totals nearly five hours); and the Gators do get that critical final official visit from McMillan. I've seen this staff pull in kids with odds seemingly just as long. While I'm not projecting the Gators to get McMillan at this time, I don't believe anyone should write off their chances, either.
– Very much in a similar vein to big offensive tackle David Sharpe, another in-state prospect pegged to end up at Florida early on who has been trending away from the Gators in recent weeks is Cardinal Newman WR Travis Rudolph. News on the Under Armour All-American has been largely mixed for several months now, but it appears one team is really starting to make a move for his services:
Source: #FSU very confident about landing 2014 WR Travis Rudolph.
— Jeff Greer (@jeffgreer) October 1, 2013
With as volatile as Rudolph's recruitment has been to date, there's no reason for Florida to stop recruiting the 6-foot-1, 190-pound prospect out of West Palm Beach. However, there seems to be a bit more of feeling of traction with FSU here. That the move they've made through the summer and with a hot start behind freshman QB Jameis Winston is very much solid. It's easy to see why, then, that the Gators have started to once again kick the tires on Lakeland Kathleen receiver Ja'Von Harrison, who unofficially visited Gainesville for the Tennessee game. Harrison maintains he is solidly committed to Virginia Tech, but he seems to at least be leaving the door slightly cracked for Florida to potentially make a late run at his signature with his actions.
Replacing Dominique Easley no easy task
The Gators have been trying to prepare for a future without Dominique Easley since last year. It has proven to be a difficult process, to date.
It was Will Muschamp, who spoke after the Kentucky game about how much more difficult it is to double-team an interior lineman, as opposed to someone out on the edge. So while Dominique Easley may give up some girth and brute strength playing on the interior at 285, his first step and explosiveness more than make up for that. Muschamp and his staff have clearly been in the market for a player who can potentially provide that same spark from the middle. They've struck out so far.
Florida made a spirited run at one-time Alabama commit DeMarcus Walker out of Jacksonville late last year. The Gators appeared poised to land the big defensive lineman before he made the late switch to follow Crimson Tide assistant Jeremy Pruitt to Tallahassee, where Pruitt took over as defensive coordinator for Florida State following the BCS National Championship Game.
This year, the Gators landed an early commitment from St. Thomas Aquinas defensive tackle Anthony Moten, another player who fit in the Easley mold in terms of bringing quickness from the interior, and the positional versatility to potentially play either end or tackle at Florida. But he bailed on his pledge to UF after the summer and currently appears to be favoring Miami.
There have been some others, as well. JUCO prospect Davonte Lambert was hotly pursued by Florida but would go on to commit to Tennessee. Louisiana native Davon Godchaux was another UF target who went elsewhere, giving a pledge to LSU this week. Gerald Willis, another prospect from the Pelican State, also appears headed to LSU. Most analysts have Illinois lineman Dewayne Hendrix pegged to Tennessee, where he will visit this weekend for the Georgia game. Needless to say, the search has been somewhat futile to date.
From looking at the prospects defensive line coach Brad Lawing continues to pursue, it seems clear Florida is in the market for two things: a long, angular, athletic pass-rusher in the mold of a Lorenzo Carter or Lorenzo Featherston, and then the best candidate the UF staff can find in the mold of Easley. Expect the Gators to continue evaluating other prospects in that mold (possibly looking to the JUCO ranks), and don't be surprised if they try to turn things around with one of the above-listed prospects (with the exception of Walker, of course) before they sign on the dotted line.
It was Will Muschamp, who spoke after the Kentucky game about how much more difficult it is to double-team an interior lineman, as opposed to someone out on the edge. So while Dominique Easley may give up some girth and brute strength playing on the interior at 285, his first step and explosiveness more than make up for that. Muschamp and his staff have clearly been in the market for a player who can potentially provide that same spark from the middle. They've struck out so far.
Florida made a spirited run at one-time Alabama commit DeMarcus Walker out of Jacksonville late last year. The Gators appeared poised to land the big defensive lineman before he made the late switch to follow Crimson Tide assistant Jeremy Pruitt to Tallahassee, where Pruitt took over as defensive coordinator for Florida State following the BCS National Championship Game.
This year, the Gators landed an early commitment from St. Thomas Aquinas defensive tackle Anthony Moten, another player who fit in the Easley mold in terms of bringing quickness from the interior, and the positional versatility to potentially play either end or tackle at Florida. But he bailed on his pledge to UF after the summer and currently appears to be favoring Miami.
There have been some others, as well. JUCO prospect Davonte Lambert was hotly pursued by Florida but would go on to commit to Tennessee. Louisiana native Davon Godchaux was another UF target who went elsewhere, giving a pledge to LSU this week. Gerald Willis, another prospect from the Pelican State, also appears headed to LSU. Most analysts have Illinois lineman Dewayne Hendrix pegged to Tennessee, where he will visit this weekend for the Georgia game. Needless to say, the search has been somewhat futile to date.
From looking at the prospects defensive line coach Brad Lawing continues to pursue, it seems clear Florida is in the market for two things: a long, angular, athletic pass-rusher in the mold of a Lorenzo Carter or Lorenzo Featherston, and then the best candidate the UF staff can find in the mold of Easley. Expect the Gators to continue evaluating other prospects in that mold (possibly looking to the JUCO ranks), and don't be surprised if they try to turn things around with one of the above-listed prospects (with the exception of Walker, of course) before they sign on the dotted line.
UF Recruiting Board Update, 10/2
Things can change a bit on the trail over the course of a week. So, here's another update to the Florida recruiting board heading into the Arkansas game this weekend
Keep in mind, this is my take on where things stand for Florida at the moment, and my take only. I do not claim to be speaking for the people inside the football offices at UF with this post.
Quarterback: Will Grier is committed and on track to enroll at UF in January. As noted in the last recruiting board update, we'll keep an eye on names like Tampa Wharton signal caller Chase Litton (6-5, 195) on the off-chance Florida elects to take a second quarterback closer to National Signing Day. That said, one quarterback seems most likely for UF in 2014.
Running Back: There's not much need to take a second back in this class, especially with a guy as talented as Dalvin Cook. The Gators will likely get a visit at some point from Bo Scarbrough (6-1, 225, Tuscaloosa, Ala./IMG Academy [Fla.]) and we'll see if Joe Mixon (6-1, 210, Oakley, Calif./Freedom) elects to make an official visit to Gainesville that was originally scheduled for the Tennessee weekend. But for now, one running back would appear to be the most likely scenario for UF.
Wide Receiver: Five-star Ermon Lane says Florida, but the Gators will have to work to keep him in the fold all the way to February. Joker Phillips needs to add one other top in-state prospect with Travis Rudolph (6-1, 190, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman), Ja'Von Harrison (6-1, 185, Lakeland Kathleen) and Clemson verbal Artavis Scott (5-11, 180, Tarpon Springs East Lake) being the preferred options. Out-of-state targets include Speedy Noil (5-11, 176, New Orleans, La./Edna Karr), who will make an official visit to UF this weekend, and Josh Malone (6-2, 191, Gallatin, Tenn./Station Camp), who is expected to make a trip to Florida at some point this fall. The latest offer from Florida at the wide receiver position went out earlier this week to Tennessee commitment Eric Lauderdale (6-2, 200, Fayetteville, Ga.) who is currently competing for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. The target number appears to be three receivers for the 2014 cycle. Keep an eye on: Anthony Rhynes (6-0, 200, Tampa Middleton).
Tight End: With a prolific season under his belt at the high school level, C'yontai Lewis will presumably add another dimension to the passing game at the tight end position for UF. But with Florida's shortcomings at the position, another tight end is wanted in the Class of 2014. Deandre Goolsby (6-4, 230, Derby, Kan./Derby) made an official visit for the Tennessee game and Florida is in the mix for his signature. Bryce Dixon (6-4, 230, Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure) is the other major target for UF and he is scheduled to visit Gainesville this weekend for the Arkansas game. Keep an eye on: Jordan Franks (6-4, 210, Crawfordville Wakulla).
Offensive Line: With David Sharpe (6-6, 290, Jacksonville Providence) trending away from Florida, other targets are moving up in importance. UF is trying to make a move with Damien Mama (6-4, 370, Bellflower, Calif./St. Bosco Prep) and Jordan Sims (6-4, 335, Birmingham, Ala./Homewood), but have yet to nail down a visit date for either. Damian Prince (6-5, 290, Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) is reported to be targeting the FSU game for an official visit trip to Gainesville. Other names will surely re-emerge on the radar that were pursued by Florida earlier in the process, including Alabama verbal Montel McBride (6-4, 350, Plant City), Purdue commitment Denzel Ward (6-8, 305, Chicago, Ill./Simeon) and Indiana pledge Delroy Baker (6-6, 270, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut). If the Gators elect to go the JUCO route, Jordan Prestwood (6-6, 317, Plant City/Arizona Western C.C.) and Avery Gennesy (6-5, 305, Southaven, Miss./East Mississippi C.C.) are a pair of names to watch. Also keep an eye on Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280, Weeki Wachee).
Defensive End: Two prospects – Lorenzo Carter (6-5, 235, Norcross, Ga./Norcross) and Da'Shawn Hand (6-4, 260, Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) – lead a host of names at the end position. The Gators will get an official visit from Lorenzo Featherston (6-7, 220, Greensboro, N.C./Page) this weekend as well. Other targets include Cory Thomas (6-6, 270, McCalla, Ala./McAdory), Malik McDowell (6-7, 290, Southfield, Mich./Southfield) and Dewayne Hendrix (6-4, 260, O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) for whom the Gators still have some level of involvement at the end position. In any case, figure Florida takes at least one more here to go along with Taven Bryan and Justus Reed. Keep an eye on: Wisconsin commit Rohan Blackwood (6-5, 220, Brooksville Nature Coast)
Defensive Tackle: The numbers suggest Florida will need another tackle to pair with Khairi Clark in this cycle. Thomas Holley (6-4, 300, Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln) and former UF pledge Anthony Moten (6-4, 290, Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) remain on the board, along with Gerald Willis (6-3, 275, New Orleans, La./Edna Karr). The odds appear long that Florida will sign any of the three at this time. Another name on the radar for Florida is Jeremy Patterson (6-3, 310, Jesup, Ga./Wayne County). It would not be altogether unsurprising for the Gators to look to the junior college route to fill a spot in this class along the defensive line as well. Keep an eye on: Freddie Booth-Lloyd (6-1, 305, Cocoa).
Linebacker: There are two major targets: Clifton Garrett (6-2, 228) and Raekwon McMillan (6-2, 240, Hinesville, Ga./Liberty County). Neither are likely to end up at Florida as it stands. The major question now is, will Florida move on to someone else once Garrett and McMillan make it clear they are heading elsewhere? Nyles Morgan (6-2, 230, Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) and Dwight Williams (6-1, 205, Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra) would seemingly be the next names on the board for UF, but the Gators have yet to make much of a push for either player. Keep an eye on: Jakob Johnson (6-4, 240, Jacksonville Ribault), Xavier Preston (6-2, 220, Jensen Beach) and Sharriff Rhaheed (6-3, 205, Ft. Pierce Central).
Defensive Back: Something to keep in mind: a few of the receiver prospects Florida is still recruiting could just as soon get a look on defense if they were to come to UF. However, aside from Jamal Adams (6-0, 205, Carrollton, Tex./Hebron) – about as close as you will find to a Florida lock right now – there really aren't any other major targets on the radar for UF in the back end of the defense. Adoree' Jackson could play on either side of the ball in college. The Gators will continue recruiting Jalen Tabor (6-1, 185, Washington, D.C./Friendship Academy), but Maryland is his likely destination at this time. Keep an eye on: Kendall Sawyer (6-0, 179, Lehigh Acres East Lee County).
Keep in mind, this is my take on where things stand for Florida at the moment, and my take only. I do not claim to be speaking for the people inside the football offices at UF with this post.
Quarterback: Will Grier is committed and on track to enroll at UF in January. As noted in the last recruiting board update, we'll keep an eye on names like Tampa Wharton signal caller Chase Litton (6-5, 195) on the off-chance Florida elects to take a second quarterback closer to National Signing Day. That said, one quarterback seems most likely for UF in 2014.
Running Back: There's not much need to take a second back in this class, especially with a guy as talented as Dalvin Cook. The Gators will likely get a visit at some point from Bo Scarbrough (6-1, 225, Tuscaloosa, Ala./IMG Academy [Fla.]) and we'll see if Joe Mixon (6-1, 210, Oakley, Calif./Freedom) elects to make an official visit to Gainesville that was originally scheduled for the Tennessee weekend. But for now, one running back would appear to be the most likely scenario for UF.
Wide Receiver: Five-star Ermon Lane says Florida, but the Gators will have to work to keep him in the fold all the way to February. Joker Phillips needs to add one other top in-state prospect with Travis Rudolph (6-1, 190, West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman), Ja'Von Harrison (6-1, 185, Lakeland Kathleen) and Clemson verbal Artavis Scott (5-11, 180, Tarpon Springs East Lake) being the preferred options. Out-of-state targets include Speedy Noil (5-11, 176, New Orleans, La./Edna Karr), who will make an official visit to UF this weekend, and Josh Malone (6-2, 191, Gallatin, Tenn./Station Camp), who is expected to make a trip to Florida at some point this fall. The latest offer from Florida at the wide receiver position went out earlier this week to Tennessee commitment Eric Lauderdale (6-2, 200, Fayetteville, Ga.) who is currently competing for Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Calif. The target number appears to be three receivers for the 2014 cycle. Keep an eye on: Anthony Rhynes (6-0, 200, Tampa Middleton).
Tight End: With a prolific season under his belt at the high school level, C'yontai Lewis will presumably add another dimension to the passing game at the tight end position for UF. But with Florida's shortcomings at the position, another tight end is wanted in the Class of 2014. Deandre Goolsby (6-4, 230, Derby, Kan./Derby) made an official visit for the Tennessee game and Florida is in the mix for his signature. Bryce Dixon (6-4, 230, Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure) is the other major target for UF and he is scheduled to visit Gainesville this weekend for the Arkansas game. Keep an eye on: Jordan Franks (6-4, 210, Crawfordville Wakulla).
Offensive Line: With David Sharpe (6-6, 290, Jacksonville Providence) trending away from Florida, other targets are moving up in importance. UF is trying to make a move with Damien Mama (6-4, 370, Bellflower, Calif./St. Bosco Prep) and Jordan Sims (6-4, 335, Birmingham, Ala./Homewood), but have yet to nail down a visit date for either. Damian Prince (6-5, 290, Forestville, Md./Bishop McNamara) is reported to be targeting the FSU game for an official visit trip to Gainesville. Other names will surely re-emerge on the radar that were pursued by Florida earlier in the process, including Alabama verbal Montel McBride (6-4, 350, Plant City), Purdue commitment Denzel Ward (6-8, 305, Chicago, Ill./Simeon) and Indiana pledge Delroy Baker (6-6, 270, St. Petersburg Admiral Farragut). If the Gators elect to go the JUCO route, Jordan Prestwood (6-6, 317, Plant City/Arizona Western C.C.) and Avery Gennesy (6-5, 305, Southaven, Miss./East Mississippi C.C.) are a pair of names to watch. Also keep an eye on Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280, Weeki Wachee).
Defensive End: Two prospects – Lorenzo Carter (6-5, 235, Norcross, Ga./Norcross) and Da'Shawn Hand (6-4, 260, Woodbridge, Va./Woodbridge) – lead a host of names at the end position. The Gators will get an official visit from Lorenzo Featherston (6-7, 220, Greensboro, N.C./Page) this weekend as well. Other targets include Cory Thomas (6-6, 270, McCalla, Ala./McAdory), Malik McDowell (6-7, 290, Southfield, Mich./Southfield) and Dewayne Hendrix (6-4, 260, O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) for whom the Gators still have some level of involvement at the end position. In any case, figure Florida takes at least one more here to go along with Taven Bryan and Justus Reed. Keep an eye on: Wisconsin commit Rohan Blackwood (6-5, 220, Brooksville Nature Coast)
Defensive Tackle: The numbers suggest Florida will need another tackle to pair with Khairi Clark in this cycle. Thomas Holley (6-4, 300, Brooklyn, N.Y./Lincoln) and former UF pledge Anthony Moten (6-4, 290, Ft. Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas) remain on the board, along with Gerald Willis (6-3, 275, New Orleans, La./Edna Karr). The odds appear long that Florida will sign any of the three at this time. Another name on the radar for Florida is Jeremy Patterson (6-3, 310, Jesup, Ga./Wayne County). It would not be altogether unsurprising for the Gators to look to the junior college route to fill a spot in this class along the defensive line as well. Keep an eye on: Freddie Booth-Lloyd (6-1, 305, Cocoa).
Linebacker: There are two major targets: Clifton Garrett (6-2, 228) and Raekwon McMillan (6-2, 240, Hinesville, Ga./Liberty County). Neither are likely to end up at Florida as it stands. The major question now is, will Florida move on to someone else once Garrett and McMillan make it clear they are heading elsewhere? Nyles Morgan (6-2, 230, Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee) and Dwight Williams (6-1, 205, Gardena, Calif./Junipero Serra) would seemingly be the next names on the board for UF, but the Gators have yet to make much of a push for either player. Keep an eye on: Jakob Johnson (6-4, 240, Jacksonville Ribault), Xavier Preston (6-2, 220, Jensen Beach) and Sharriff Rhaheed (6-3, 205, Ft. Pierce Central).
Defensive Back: Something to keep in mind: a few of the receiver prospects Florida is still recruiting could just as soon get a look on defense if they were to come to UF. However, aside from Jamal Adams (6-0, 205, Carrollton, Tex./Hebron) – about as close as you will find to a Florida lock right now – there really aren't any other major targets on the radar for UF in the back end of the defense. Adoree' Jackson could play on either side of the ball in college. The Gators will continue recruiting Jalen Tabor (6-1, 185, Washington, D.C./Friendship Academy), but Maryland is his likely destination at this time. Keep an eye on: Kendall Sawyer (6-0, 179, Lehigh Acres East Lee County).
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
More targets will emerge for UF, others
In trying to build up and break down the remaining recruiting board for the Florida Gators for the Class of 2014, one thing needs to be made clear: other prospects will emerge. Some of them will have been former targets of UF that have reconsidered their commitments. Other players will have come off the radar entirely to become priorities for the Florida coaching staff. Just look at last year's class, for instance. Seven prospects committed after Oct. 1, 2012 that weren't considered possibilities for Florida on that date:
LB Alex Anzalone
DT Darious Cummings
LB Jarrad Davis
DT Jarran Reed
LB Matt Rolin
P Johnny Townsend
OL Trevon Young
Of course, Anzalone and Rolin had been offered much earlier in the process, but had committed elsewhere (Anzalone to Ohio State, then Notre Dame; Rolin to South Carolina). Cummings and Reed (who ultimately wasn't able to enroll at Florida this fall) were JUCO targets who emerged on the radar as the season wore on, which has been the emerging trend for how UF typically pursues prospects out of the junior college ranks. Davis became a possibility for the Gators as Auburn's season crumbled and Gene Chizik was run out of town. Townsend and Young emerged on the board right around National Signing Day for UF.
More names will emerge, that much is clear. Like Eric Lauderdale on Monday, the Gators are far from done in terms of evaluating players and extending offers. Some will of those tenders will go to names that will not surprise hard-core UF recruitniks. Others, like Lauderdale, may be names that surprise us a bit.
Just a little some to keep in mind as we project the recruiting board for Florida moving forward. It is an organic creature that will continue to change and develop all the way until National Signing Day.
LB Alex Anzalone
DT Darious Cummings
LB Jarrad Davis
DT Jarran Reed
LB Matt Rolin
P Johnny Townsend
OL Trevon Young
Of course, Anzalone and Rolin had been offered much earlier in the process, but had committed elsewhere (Anzalone to Ohio State, then Notre Dame; Rolin to South Carolina). Cummings and Reed (who ultimately wasn't able to enroll at Florida this fall) were JUCO targets who emerged on the radar as the season wore on, which has been the emerging trend for how UF typically pursues prospects out of the junior college ranks. Davis became a possibility for the Gators as Auburn's season crumbled and Gene Chizik was run out of town. Townsend and Young emerged on the board right around National Signing Day for UF.
More names will emerge, that much is clear. Like Eric Lauderdale on Monday, the Gators are far from done in terms of evaluating players and extending offers. Some will of those tenders will go to names that will not surprise hard-core UF recruitniks. Others, like Lauderdale, may be names that surprise us a bit.
Just a little some to keep in mind as we project the recruiting board for Florida moving forward. It is an organic creature that will continue to change and develop all the way until National Signing Day.
Going further in-depth: Florida Offensive Line recruiting
I was a bit taken aback by some of the feedback I got regarding my post from yesterday regarding Florida's performance in recruiting elite offensive linemen in recent years. Then again, I guess I shouldn't have been. The post was designed to show the state of the offensive line in a somewhat positive light, when many hard-core UF recruitniks seem to be quite down on the performance of Tim Davis on the recruiting trail. But everyone is entitled to their opinion, so it doesn't matter if people disagree with me. Still, I do feel the need to explain myself a bit. So, bear with me, as I go a little more in-depth on my original post and try to clear up any confusion.
– First off, I find the refusal of some Florida fans to credit Tim Davis for the additions of Max Garcia and Tyler Moore simply humorous. They don't count because they transferred in from other schools? How does that make sense? They do play for Florida right now, correct? I wholeheartedly agree that relying on players with resumes like Garcia and Moore to be available on the transfer market isn't a sound way to do business on a year-to-year basis. But circumstances allowed the Gators to go out and get those guys. Just like various circumstances caused the Gators to miss on a few of their higher-rated targets in recent years, some of which were simply beyond the control of the staff. I'm sure Muschamp and Davis are well-aware of the fact that there was a bit of luck involved with landing Garcia and Moore, but it happened nonetheless. They shouldn't have to apologize for it, and I'm betting they don't expect that particular scenario to play out again any time in the near future. Moore fell within the particular scope of top offensive linemen I was looking at. He originally signed with Nebraska, and is now at Florida. So I count him for Florida.
– First off, I find the refusal of some Florida fans to credit Tim Davis for the additions of Max Garcia and Tyler Moore simply humorous. They don't count because they transferred in from other schools? How does that make sense? They do play for Florida right now, correct? I wholeheartedly agree that relying on players with resumes like Garcia and Moore to be available on the transfer market isn't a sound way to do business on a year-to-year basis. But circumstances allowed the Gators to go out and get those guys. Just like various circumstances caused the Gators to miss on a few of their higher-rated targets in recent years, some of which were simply beyond the control of the staff. I'm sure Muschamp and Davis are well-aware of the fact that there was a bit of luck involved with landing Garcia and Moore, but it happened nonetheless. They shouldn't have to apologize for it, and I'm betting they don't expect that particular scenario to play out again any time in the near future. Moore fell within the particular scope of top offensive linemen I was looking at. He originally signed with Nebraska, and is now at Florida. So I count him for Florida.
– My focus was on the big-name prospects for a reason. Those are the guys who draw the most attention on message boards, Twitter, etc. The latest news and buzz on guys like Laremy Tunsil and David Sharpe moves the needle considerably more than prospects like Octavius Jackson and Travaris Dorsey, for instance. This is, in part, of the rankings attributed to the prospects, as well as their projected positions. Sharpe and Tunsil, after all, do play the more "glamorous" left tackle position.
– Of course (and in looking back I realize I didn't point this out in the post from yesterday), finding the diamond-in-the-rough and sleeper prospects is just as important as landing the "national" All-American types. I avoided delving deeper into that side of offensive line recruiting from recent years because I was more interested in tying the post into the David Sharpe storyline that has dominated headlines for Florida fans in recent weeks. Being able to go toe-to-toe with the national powers for the top prospects and come away with victories is nice (and important), but an assistant coach being able to go out and find the other guys who are off the beaten path a bit is just as critical.
– While yesterday's post did focus more on the All-American prospects, as opposed to the quality of evaluations among those who were not highly recruited, I did note that of the "elite" recruits that Florida has hotly pursued in recent years, those guys very much proved to be a mixed bag as it relates to success at the college level:
Does getting the elite talent even matter? Yes and no. Like recruiting in general, it's a bit of a crapshoot. Benedict was an excellent prep lineman, but he never fully recovered from a freak injury suffered during his senior season at Bolles and has never been the same. Green and Silberman have been largely quiet during their careers at Florida, while Linder has been solid at Miami and Flowers made a quick impact in Coral Gables as well. Dunker has already been dismissed at UF. It's a little early to say anything definitive on most of the other prospects at this time.
– I was asked about the importance in the using 2010 as the starting point for that post. It was simply to allow for a little perspective on the big picture, and also since the guys signed that particular year are still on the team and with eligibility remaining after this year. I realize and am aware that Addazio (Harrison, Halapio, Koehne) and Verducci (Humphries) deserve as much of the credit (if not more, in the case of Addazio) for putting this offensive line unit together as Davis does. But I didn't try to argue otherwise, either.
– One other note that I wanted to throw in. The Gators are currently in line to return 12 scholarship offensive linemen next year. Compare that with my (unofficial) tallies of what some of the other top programs in the SEC are slated to return in 2014:
South Carolina: 15
Auburn: 14
Arkansas: 13
Georgia: 12
Vanderbilt: 12
Alabama: 11
LSU: 11
Ole Miss: 11
Texas A&M: 10
That number puts Florida right about in the middle of the pack. They could probably get away with signing as few as four offensive linemen in this class. But as always, when projecting numbers, knowing what potential attrition lies on the roster after the season is key as it relates to how many players the Gators actually take come National Signing Day.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Florida's OL recruiting from 2010-14: An Analysis
There's been a lot of venom directed at Tim Davis in recent weeks for his apparent inability to close on top offensive line talent. This, of course, is mostly a result of the Gators apparent inability to land Jacksonville Providence product David Sharpe after Florida appeared to be in the driver's seat of his recruitment earlier in the year. Combine that with the Gators' striking out last year on local product Laremy Tunsil (who ended up at Ole Miss), and it's enough to have fans grumbling a bit.
Fair enough. Missing out on Sharpe has to be a bitter pill for the recruitniks to swallow. But if you compare the Gators' ability to land the "elite" in-state offensive line talent in recent years with the other in-state programs, they've done a fairly good job. Going back to 2010, these are the prospects who were generally considered to be among the best in the state. These were the All-American-types who were highly-coveted by programs around the Southeast and beyond:
2010
Brent Benedict (Georgia)
Chaz Green (Florida)
Brandon Linder (Miami)
Ian Silberman (Florida)
2011
Bobby Hart (Florida State)
Tyler Moore (Nebraska/Florida)
2012
Jessamen Dunker (Florida)
Ereck Flowers (Miami)
Patrick Miller (Auburn)
John Theus (Georgia)
Avery Young (Auburn)
2013
Ira Denson (Florida State)
Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss)
2014
Kc McDermott (Miami)
David Sharpe (Undecided)
So, the breakdown of these players signing with colleges are as follows:
Florida: 4
Miami: 3
Georgia: 2 (will be 3 if they add Sharpe)
Auburn: 2
Florida State: 2
Ole Miss: 1
So, what can we take away from all of this based on the past five years?
– Getting the transfer of Moore obviously boosted the numbers, but Florida has fared well in being able to keep in-state offensive line talent home in recent years. Miami has generally been able to keep the South Florida talent at home, with the pairing of Miller and Young leaving for Auburn in 2012 being the major exception.
Fair enough. Missing out on Sharpe has to be a bitter pill for the recruitniks to swallow. But if you compare the Gators' ability to land the "elite" in-state offensive line talent in recent years with the other in-state programs, they've done a fairly good job. Going back to 2010, these are the prospects who were generally considered to be among the best in the state. These were the All-American-types who were highly-coveted by programs around the Southeast and beyond:
2010
Brent Benedict (Georgia)
Chaz Green (Florida)
Brandon Linder (Miami)
Ian Silberman (Florida)
2011
Bobby Hart (Florida State)
Tyler Moore (Nebraska/Florida)
2012
Jessamen Dunker (Florida)
Ereck Flowers (Miami)
Patrick Miller (Auburn)
John Theus (Georgia)
Avery Young (Auburn)
2013
Ira Denson (Florida State)
Laremy Tunsil (Ole Miss)
2014
Kc McDermott (Miami)
David Sharpe (Undecided)
So, the breakdown of these players signing with colleges are as follows:
Florida: 4
Miami: 3
Georgia: 2 (will be 3 if they add Sharpe)
Auburn: 2
Florida State: 2
Ole Miss: 1
So, what can we take away from all of this based on the past five years?
– Getting the transfer of Moore obviously boosted the numbers, but Florida has fared well in being able to keep in-state offensive line talent home in recent years. Miami has generally been able to keep the South Florida talent at home, with the pairing of Miller and Young leaving for Auburn in 2012 being the major exception.
– Georgia has obviously done well in the state of Florida. A lot of that owes to the fact they have been able to get guys from Jacksonville (Benedict and Theus were from Bolles, Sharpe is from Jacksonville), as well as the fact that Stacy Searles and Will Friend (past and present OL coaches) have sterling reputations as talent developers and as recruiters.
– Does getting the elite talent even matter? Yes and no. Like recruiting in general, it's a bit of a crapshoot. Benedict was an excellent prep lineman, but he never fully recovered from a freak injury suffered during his senior season at Bolles and has never been the same. Green and Silberman have been largely quiet during their careers at Florida, while Linder has been solid at Miami and Flowers made a quick impact in Coral Gables as well. Dunker has already been dismissed at UF. It's a little early to say anything definitive on most of the other prospects at this time.
Just some things to consider. Sharpe will be considered a major loss in UF recruiting circles when he eventually decides to head elsewhere (likely UGA), but the numbers suggest Florida has generally done well in landing top in-state talent in recent years, although some will try to argue otherwise.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Post-UK Recruiting Thoughts
First, a bit of week-in-review before we move on to other items:
– Jacksonville Ribault LB Jakob Johnson continues to establish himself on the recruiting scene during his first season of playing prep football stateside after coming over from Germany.
– Analyzing the trend of power forwards making the transition to tight end in college and the NFL. Could we see Will Yeguete or Patric Young make that move in the near future?
– Season-ending injuries are a fact of life in football. The Gators' recent spell is more the result of a string of bad luck, as opposed to anything Jeff Dillman and the strength & conditioning staff has done.
– How many high school prospects will Florida take in the 2014 cycle? What players are currently in the mix for the Gators? And how does "The Big Board" currently stand for UF?
– Some prep stars are establishing themselves in a big way over the course of their senior seasons in the state of Florida. Here are five names that you should get to know as they emerge on the radar of college recruiters.
Now, on to the new stuff ...
1. I've maintained for a few weeks now that Florida will not stop pursuing Jacksonville Providence OL David Sharpe until he commits elsewhere, nor should they. There's a reason for that. You never know what can happen in recruiting to make a kid sour on a school or change his mind in terms of perception as it relates to the decision-making process. That said, Will Muschamp and Tim Davis should probably start getting their back-up options in a row:
That's a tweet from Sharpe during his weekend trip to Athens to take in the LSU-UGA game, which included an overnight stay in Athens on Saturday night. He appears to be having a conversation with himself in which he decides to hold off on making a commitment to Georgia for now. In terms of the big picture for Florida, sure, there are names like Damien Mama and Jordan Sims on the board. Until either of those guys visit Gainesville, however, they should be consider long-shots for Florida to sign. The staff can look elsewhere as well, but with 30-plus offensive linemen in-state claiming at least one offer from a BCS program, I doubt the Gators really have to go too far to fill the remaining 2-3 slots on the offensive line they will likely project to take in this class. The one name I feel closely deserves monitoring is Weeki Wachee offensive tackle Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280). Despite claiming nearly 15 offers from BCS programs, Applefield has been somewhat overlooked in the recruiting landscape of Florida this fall. He currently claims a top-five list of Purdue, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia. He has scheduled official visits to all but West Virginia to date.
2. Florida fans continue to lament the offensive line recruiting under Muschamp and their failures to land elite in-state talent. There was Patrick Miller and Avery Young in 2012 (both of whom signed with Auburn, although Tim Davis can hardly be blamed for either miss) along with John Theus (who was lost long before Muschamp took the head coaching job at Florida). Last year it was Laremy Tunsil who headed off to Ole Miss. Now it appears Kc McDermott and David Sharpe will join that illustrious club. The Gators fortunes should turn around next year with Martez Ivey at Apopka, but of course his signing is still over a year away. Things can always change.
However, if you take a minute to stop and look at the offensive line, it is an upperclassmen-laden group and set up to be a strength of the squad over the course of this season and next. It's the 2015 class, where Florida is really going to have to hit on, in terms of both numbers and quality. Dipping into the JUCO ranks (or finding a talented transfer like Max Garcia and Tyler Moore) will likely be a major priority as well. To be frank, while I understand the frustrations of Florida recruitnik/fans, I would advise just to be patient, as the offensive line doesn't look to be an issue any time in the immediate future.
3. Something that interests me in looking over the stats: right now, only three linebackers on the roster have recorded more than three tackles on the season through four games. Antonio Morrison and Michael Taylor are tied for second on the team with 20 tackles. Then, go down a little further and there's Neiron Ball with six. Next, there's Jeremi Powell (who has mostly played on special teams) who has just three stops on the season. That's it. Darrin Kitchens hasn't recorded any stats on the season to date. The Florida defense has seen the field so little through four games, that some rotational guys aren't even getting on to the field. But in the bigger picture, I think this says something about the state of the linebacker position: it's not as critical in the recruiting process. That's not to say it isn't an important position. The contributions of Morrison, Taylor and Ronald Powell (who as a hybrid player, I don't count in the same vein as the others) clearly show that getting good players at the position remains important. But in terms of depth, the secondary is the position grouping that needs the numbers more than linebacker right now. This also explains why the Gators are being so picky about offering linebackers for 2014. Kitchens is the only expected loss for that unit, so why would there be a need to go out and sign a bunch of linebackers for next year if they frankly aren't playing a lot as it stands?
4. The Gators only have 12 scholarship defensive backs this fall. That's truly a low number in this day and age of spread/up-tempo offense. Even if you look at Urban Meyer's final years, Florida typically tried to carry upwards of 14 players on scholarship in the back end of the defense. Two of the current freshmen – Marcell Harris and Nick Washington – appear likely to redshirt as a result of injuries. In essence, UF is only playing with 10 scholarship guys in the secondary right now. But all 10 of them contribute in some form or fashion. With two seniors (Jeremy Brown and Jaylen Watkins) on the roster, as well as Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson continually being mentioned as possibilities to turn pro early, the Gators could be down to just eight scholarship defensive backs after the season. If that scenario plays out, I would expect the Gators to target as many as six athletes in the 2014 class as a counter to the potential numbers issues that could play out. Of course, with four commitments in tow already (Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson, Chris Lammons, Quincy Wilson) for Travaris Robinson and two more highly-rated prospects looking very possible for Florida in Adoree' Jackson and Jamal Adams, I'd say the Gators are in good shape here moving forward.
5. None of Florida's freshmen defensive linemen played against Kentucky. All five of them (Jay-nard Bostwick, Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie, Antonio Riles and Jordan Sherit) appear to be in line for redshirts this year. Assuming the Gators return both of their of elder defensive tackles with at least a year of eligibility remaining next year (Cummings and Orr), it would seem a JUCO defensive tackle would make a lot of sense in terms of providing a bit of built-in class separation. However, Florida has yet to make a pursuit of any junior college defensive linemen, despite a need for at least one more tackle in the 2014 cycle. Certainly something that bears watching over the coming weeks as college start to hit the JUCO ranks a bit harder for immediate-impact types.
– Jacksonville Ribault LB Jakob Johnson continues to establish himself on the recruiting scene during his first season of playing prep football stateside after coming over from Germany.
– Analyzing the trend of power forwards making the transition to tight end in college and the NFL. Could we see Will Yeguete or Patric Young make that move in the near future?
– Season-ending injuries are a fact of life in football. The Gators' recent spell is more the result of a string of bad luck, as opposed to anything Jeff Dillman and the strength & conditioning staff has done.
– How many high school prospects will Florida take in the 2014 cycle? What players are currently in the mix for the Gators? And how does "The Big Board" currently stand for UF?
– Some prep stars are establishing themselves in a big way over the course of their senior seasons in the state of Florida. Here are five names that you should get to know as they emerge on the radar of college recruiters.
Now, on to the new stuff ...
1. I've maintained for a few weeks now that Florida will not stop pursuing Jacksonville Providence OL David Sharpe until he commits elsewhere, nor should they. There's a reason for that. You never know what can happen in recruiting to make a kid sour on a school or change his mind in terms of perception as it relates to the decision-making process. That said, Will Muschamp and Tim Davis should probably start getting their back-up options in a row:
Don't do it David Just wait until the official(EDIT: The above tweet has since been deleted, it appears.)
— David Sharpe (@SHARPECITYY) September 29, 2013
That's a tweet from Sharpe during his weekend trip to Athens to take in the LSU-UGA game, which included an overnight stay in Athens on Saturday night. He appears to be having a conversation with himself in which he decides to hold off on making a commitment to Georgia for now. In terms of the big picture for Florida, sure, there are names like Damien Mama and Jordan Sims on the board. Until either of those guys visit Gainesville, however, they should be consider long-shots for Florida to sign. The staff can look elsewhere as well, but with 30-plus offensive linemen in-state claiming at least one offer from a BCS program, I doubt the Gators really have to go too far to fill the remaining 2-3 slots on the offensive line they will likely project to take in this class. The one name I feel closely deserves monitoring is Weeki Wachee offensive tackle Marcus Applefield (6-6, 280). Despite claiming nearly 15 offers from BCS programs, Applefield has been somewhat overlooked in the recruiting landscape of Florida this fall. He currently claims a top-five list of Purdue, Rutgers, Vanderbilt, Virginia and West Virginia. He has scheduled official visits to all but West Virginia to date.
2. Florida fans continue to lament the offensive line recruiting under Muschamp and their failures to land elite in-state talent. There was Patrick Miller and Avery Young in 2012 (both of whom signed with Auburn, although Tim Davis can hardly be blamed for either miss) along with John Theus (who was lost long before Muschamp took the head coaching job at Florida). Last year it was Laremy Tunsil who headed off to Ole Miss. Now it appears Kc McDermott and David Sharpe will join that illustrious club. The Gators fortunes should turn around next year with Martez Ivey at Apopka, but of course his signing is still over a year away. Things can always change.
However, if you take a minute to stop and look at the offensive line, it is an upperclassmen-laden group and set up to be a strength of the squad over the course of this season and next. It's the 2015 class, where Florida is really going to have to hit on, in terms of both numbers and quality. Dipping into the JUCO ranks (or finding a talented transfer like Max Garcia and Tyler Moore) will likely be a major priority as well. To be frank, while I understand the frustrations of Florida recruitnik/fans, I would advise just to be patient, as the offensive line doesn't look to be an issue any time in the immediate future.
3. Something that interests me in looking over the stats: right now, only three linebackers on the roster have recorded more than three tackles on the season through four games. Antonio Morrison and Michael Taylor are tied for second on the team with 20 tackles. Then, go down a little further and there's Neiron Ball with six. Next, there's Jeremi Powell (who has mostly played on special teams) who has just three stops on the season. That's it. Darrin Kitchens hasn't recorded any stats on the season to date. The Florida defense has seen the field so little through four games, that some rotational guys aren't even getting on to the field. But in the bigger picture, I think this says something about the state of the linebacker position: it's not as critical in the recruiting process. That's not to say it isn't an important position. The contributions of Morrison, Taylor and Ronald Powell (who as a hybrid player, I don't count in the same vein as the others) clearly show that getting good players at the position remains important. But in terms of depth, the secondary is the position grouping that needs the numbers more than linebacker right now. This also explains why the Gators are being so picky about offering linebackers for 2014. Kitchens is the only expected loss for that unit, so why would there be a need to go out and sign a bunch of linebackers for next year if they frankly aren't playing a lot as it stands?
4. The Gators only have 12 scholarship defensive backs this fall. That's truly a low number in this day and age of spread/up-tempo offense. Even if you look at Urban Meyer's final years, Florida typically tried to carry upwards of 14 players on scholarship in the back end of the defense. Two of the current freshmen – Marcell Harris and Nick Washington – appear likely to redshirt as a result of injuries. In essence, UF is only playing with 10 scholarship guys in the secondary right now. But all 10 of them contribute in some form or fashion. With two seniors (Jeremy Brown and Jaylen Watkins) on the roster, as well as Loucheiz Purifoy and Marcus Roberson continually being mentioned as possibilities to turn pro early, the Gators could be down to just eight scholarship defensive backs after the season. If that scenario plays out, I would expect the Gators to target as many as six athletes in the 2014 class as a counter to the potential numbers issues that could play out. Of course, with four commitments in tow already (Duke Dawson, J.C. Jackson, Chris Lammons, Quincy Wilson) for Travaris Robinson and two more highly-rated prospects looking very possible for Florida in Adoree' Jackson and Jamal Adams, I'd say the Gators are in good shape here moving forward.
5. None of Florida's freshmen defensive linemen played against Kentucky. All five of them (Jay-nard Bostwick, Caleb Brantley, Joey Ivie, Antonio Riles and Jordan Sherit) appear to be in line for redshirts this year. Assuming the Gators return both of their of elder defensive tackles with at least a year of eligibility remaining next year (Cummings and Orr), it would seem a JUCO defensive tackle would make a lot of sense in terms of providing a bit of built-in class separation. However, Florida has yet to make a pursuit of any junior college defensive linemen, despite a need for at least one more tackle in the 2014 cycle. Certainly something that bears watching over the coming weeks as college start to hit the JUCO ranks a bit harder for immediate-impact types.
Friday, September 27, 2013
How many will Florida take in 2014?
I touched on this topic back on Wednesday, but I thought the subject of how many players Florida plans to sign might have gotten buried under the recruiting board that it was posted with. So, let's give this subject its own separate post.
I've long held that I expected Florida to sign a full allotment of about 25 players in this class, as UF currently has room to sign 16 in the 2014 cycle, and attrition of nine players to the NFL Draft, injury and transfer doesn't seem totally out of the question. This could still prove to be the case. But as time goes on, and I watch the board shrink for Will Muschamp and his staff, I'm beginning to change my tune. Now I'm projecting 23 as the target number for Florida in this class.
Tight end is still a major need, and I expect the Gators to grab a second prospect there, in addition to present commitment C'yontai Lewis. There is still a need for skill prospects, and I would expect Florida to grab three more of those types. Again, with so much versatility in the prospects remaining on the board, I think the Gators will simply look to sign the three best they can get and let the positions the skill commitments play at the next level simply sort themselves out later.
Florida currently has a total of six linemen in the fold, and I expect that number to get to 10 when all is said and done. As much importance as Will Muschamp places on the line-of-scrimmage, more than 10 linemen in this cycle would not surprise me. However, 10 is the projection for now, and figures to be a baseline projection for the number of linemen UF will aim for in most recruiting classes.
The numbers don't look bad for UF at linebacker. There is a loss of one scholarship player after this year as Darrin Kitchens exhausts his eligibility. I do ultimately expect Florida to grab a true linebacker in this class, and that is where the ninth signee would come from in my projection.
This, of course, assumes that Florida will hold on to their other 14 commitments in this class to date. Expecting that to happen is always a risky proposition. J.C. Jackson has been a little willy-nilly throughout the entire process. And the Gators will have to continue to recruit Dalvin Cook and Ermon Lane all the way until they sign on the dotted line. But in lieu of the fact there is no really strong evidence to support any of the current pledges are seriously wavering, we'll just go for now on the notion that UF will keep the guys they have for now, moving forward.
Also, for anyone expecting Andre Debose to return on a medical hardship. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. Only a handful of people can say one way or the other. But for now, there are indications to suggest Debose's career at UF is done. So I don't expect the available number of scholarships (presently at 16) to drop. At this point, it's only going to rise between now and Feb. 5. The only question is, by how much?
Keep one other fact in mind. 2014 has proven to be a somewhat weak cycle for the state of Florida as it relates to recruiting. Next year, on the other hand, is shaping up to be very strong on paper. The Gators are right in the thick of it for many of the state of Florida's best for 2015 as well. UF needs to be wise about filling its needs for this class while leaving as much room as possible for what could be a lights-out class for the Gators next year if things play out according to plan.
I've long held that I expected Florida to sign a full allotment of about 25 players in this class, as UF currently has room to sign 16 in the 2014 cycle, and attrition of nine players to the NFL Draft, injury and transfer doesn't seem totally out of the question. This could still prove to be the case. But as time goes on, and I watch the board shrink for Will Muschamp and his staff, I'm beginning to change my tune. Now I'm projecting 23 as the target number for Florida in this class.
Tight end is still a major need, and I expect the Gators to grab a second prospect there, in addition to present commitment C'yontai Lewis. There is still a need for skill prospects, and I would expect Florida to grab three more of those types. Again, with so much versatility in the prospects remaining on the board, I think the Gators will simply look to sign the three best they can get and let the positions the skill commitments play at the next level simply sort themselves out later.
Florida currently has a total of six linemen in the fold, and I expect that number to get to 10 when all is said and done. As much importance as Will Muschamp places on the line-of-scrimmage, more than 10 linemen in this cycle would not surprise me. However, 10 is the projection for now, and figures to be a baseline projection for the number of linemen UF will aim for in most recruiting classes.
The numbers don't look bad for UF at linebacker. There is a loss of one scholarship player after this year as Darrin Kitchens exhausts his eligibility. I do ultimately expect Florida to grab a true linebacker in this class, and that is where the ninth signee would come from in my projection.
This, of course, assumes that Florida will hold on to their other 14 commitments in this class to date. Expecting that to happen is always a risky proposition. J.C. Jackson has been a little willy-nilly throughout the entire process. And the Gators will have to continue to recruit Dalvin Cook and Ermon Lane all the way until they sign on the dotted line. But in lieu of the fact there is no really strong evidence to support any of the current pledges are seriously wavering, we'll just go for now on the notion that UF will keep the guys they have for now, moving forward.
Also, for anyone expecting Andre Debose to return on a medical hardship. Maybe it happens, maybe it doesn't. Only a handful of people can say one way or the other. But for now, there are indications to suggest Debose's career at UF is done. So I don't expect the available number of scholarships (presently at 16) to drop. At this point, it's only going to rise between now and Feb. 5. The only question is, by how much?
Keep one other fact in mind. 2014 has proven to be a somewhat weak cycle for the state of Florida as it relates to recruiting. Next year, on the other hand, is shaping up to be very strong on paper. The Gators are right in the thick of it for many of the state of Florida's best for 2015 as well. UF needs to be wise about filling its needs for this class while leaving as much room as possible for what could be a lights-out class for the Gators next year if things play out according to plan.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Featherston targets UF official visit
The Gators received some more good news on Thursday afternoon with the revelation that Greensboro (N.C.) Page defensive end Lorenzo Featherston is eyeing an official visit to Gainesville for the weekend of the Arkansas game.
Clemson is currently in the driver's seat for Featherston, but Florida has slowly been making some progress ever since they got the national top-100 recruit on campus for an unofficial visit over the summer. The in-state programs (UNC and N.C. State) also will factor heavily into the recruitment of Featherston as well.
Featherston is an intriguing prospect at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds with an incredible wingspan that's reported to be in the neighborhood of 87 inches. Although raw, his length and athleticism are undoubtedly intriguing, although he will obviously need to add a bunch of weight when he gets to the next level.
I can't envision a scenario where Florida would be able to take both Lorenzo Carter and Featherston. Carter is still the clear number-one option on the board for UF, while the Gators will continue to recruit Featherston quite heavily as well. With Brad Lawing's resume and traditional preference for taller defensive ends on the roster, I find it hard to believe the Gators won't be able to eventually reel in one of the two highly-prized pass-rushers before National Signing Day.
#ESPN300 DE Lorenzo Featherston official visit "tentatively" set to #Florida Oct. 4. Top 5: #NCState #TarHeels #Clemson #Georgia #Gators
— Gerry Hamilton (@HamiltonESPN) September 26, 2013
Clemson is currently in the driver's seat for Featherston, but Florida has slowly been making some progress ever since they got the national top-100 recruit on campus for an unofficial visit over the summer. The in-state programs (UNC and N.C. State) also will factor heavily into the recruitment of Featherston as well.
Featherston is an intriguing prospect at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds with an incredible wingspan that's reported to be in the neighborhood of 87 inches. Although raw, his length and athleticism are undoubtedly intriguing, although he will obviously need to add a bunch of weight when he gets to the next level.
I can't envision a scenario where Florida would be able to take both Lorenzo Carter and Featherston. Carter is still the clear number-one option on the board for UF, while the Gators will continue to recruit Featherston quite heavily as well. With Brad Lawing's resume and traditional preference for taller defensive ends on the roster, I find it hard to believe the Gators won't be able to eventually reel in one of the two highly-prized pass-rushers before National Signing Day.
UF Recruiting News & Notes, 9/26
A quick rundown on the most pressing news items from the recruiting trail for the Gators this week:
– The Gators' most critical official visitor last weekend for the Tennessee game just happened to be 6-foot-5, 235-pound rush end Lorenzo Carter, considered a consensus five-star recruit. Florida continues to make a real push for the highly-touted athlete out of the metro-Atlanta area:
– For a guy who isn't even committed to Florida, Jamal Adams has done an awfully good job singing the praises of UF to other recruits. The 6-foot, 205-pound safety out of Carrollton, Tex. made his official visit to Gainesville a weekend after going to Texas A&M for the Aggies' showdown with Alabama. It appears the Gators are still on track with the national top-100 player:
Adams even spent some time trying to get highly-touted linebacker Clifton Garrett to picture the possibility of the two playing in the Swamp together one day:
Adams is still expected to take visits to Ohio State, Ole Miss and Texas before making a projected November decision. But this one appears all but done for the time being.
– The Gators have tried to gain traction for the aforementioned Garrett. In fact, Garrett is one of only two linebackers (Peach State five-star Raekwon McMillan being the other), for whom the Gators are making a major push for in the Class of 2014. By all accounts, Garrett had an enjoyable time in Gainesville last weekend. However, LSU is still the runaway favorite for the 6-foot-2, 228-pound prospect out of Plainfield, Ill. Barring a major change, expect Garrett to play out his college days in Baton Rouge.
– Tight end Deandre Goolsby (6-4, 230, Derby, Kan.) was the fourth official visitor for Florida over the weekend. As this blog has previously noted, tight end is becoming a major position of need for the Gators in the Class of 2014. Goolsby hasn't done many interviews, so it's hard to tell exactly what he's thinking. Goolsby has already made an official visit to Oklahoma, and will head to Columbus this coming weekend. His other two official visits will likely be Kansas State (Goolsby is a KSU legacy) and Arkansas, although neither has been scheduled for the time being.
With Goolsby having family ties to the Wildcats, Kansas State figures to be a major factor. I also suspect Oklahoma is a very real threat as well. In the end, Florida seems to have positioned itself well. What it will come down to the for the Gators is very simple. Will distance play a major role in Goolsby's decision? If so, then Florida will likely have to look elsewhere for a second tight end in the 2014 cycle.
– Not that any recruitnik-types were pegging Dwyer WR Johnnie Dixon to Florida at this point. But in case anyone was holding out hope that the 5-foot-11, 190-pound athlete could still ultimately end up in Gainesville, it's time to move on.
Miami is considered the favorite here, but Alabama and Ohio State are making a push as well. And don't rule out N.C. State, where Dixon's former teammate Jacoby Brissett is in line to push for the starting quarterback job next fall.
– The Gators' most critical official visitor last weekend for the Tennessee game just happened to be 6-foot-5, 235-pound rush end Lorenzo Carter, considered a consensus five-star recruit. Florida continues to make a real push for the highly-touted athlete out of the metro-Atlanta area:
"It went beyond my expectations," Carter told Rivals.com of the visit he and his parents made for the Florida-Tennessee game. "I love the way they do their defensive scheme. Their defense is just so energized. I loved it. They have some young players, so they'll be there when I'm there. I think that would just be great to add on and get a chance to play for a dominating defense in college."Florida has had the momentum with Carter since he made an unofficial visit to Gainesville in the summer, but they will have to find a way to keep that going over the coming months, as the staff burned their official visit on the blue-chipper quite early. Getting at least one more return visit (if not more) will be a major key for UF moving forward in the pursuit of Carter.
– For a guy who isn't even committed to Florida, Jamal Adams has done an awfully good job singing the praises of UF to other recruits. The 6-foot, 205-pound safety out of Carrollton, Tex. made his official visit to Gainesville a weekend after going to Texas A&M for the Aggies' showdown with Alabama. It appears the Gators are still on track with the national top-100 player:
So much great food this weekend 😍
— Jamal Adams (@ThaJudgeKO) September 23, 2013
Adams even spent some time trying to get highly-touted linebacker Clifton Garrett to picture the possibility of the two playing in the Swamp together one day:
pic.twitter.com/Sg1JnvTDMV
— Clifton Garrett CG3 (@CG340) September 22, 2013
Adams is still expected to take visits to Ohio State, Ole Miss and Texas before making a projected November decision. But this one appears all but done for the time being.
– The Gators have tried to gain traction for the aforementioned Garrett. In fact, Garrett is one of only two linebackers (Peach State five-star Raekwon McMillan being the other), for whom the Gators are making a major push for in the Class of 2014. By all accounts, Garrett had an enjoyable time in Gainesville last weekend. However, LSU is still the runaway favorite for the 6-foot-2, 228-pound prospect out of Plainfield, Ill. Barring a major change, expect Garrett to play out his college days in Baton Rouge.
– Tight end Deandre Goolsby (6-4, 230, Derby, Kan.) was the fourth official visitor for Florida over the weekend. As this blog has previously noted, tight end is becoming a major position of need for the Gators in the Class of 2014. Goolsby hasn't done many interviews, so it's hard to tell exactly what he's thinking. Goolsby has already made an official visit to Oklahoma, and will head to Columbus this coming weekend. His other two official visits will likely be Kansas State (Goolsby is a KSU legacy) and Arkansas, although neither has been scheduled for the time being.
With Goolsby having family ties to the Wildcats, Kansas State figures to be a major factor. I also suspect Oklahoma is a very real threat as well. In the end, Florida seems to have positioned itself well. What it will come down to the for the Gators is very simple. Will distance play a major role in Goolsby's decision? If so, then Florida will likely have to look elsewhere for a second tight end in the 2014 cycle.
– Not that any recruitnik-types were pegging Dwyer WR Johnnie Dixon to Florida at this point. But in case anyone was holding out hope that the 5-foot-11, 190-pound athlete could still ultimately end up in Gainesville, it's time to move on.
Asked good Dwyer source if #Canes are obvious for Johnnie Dixon: "I don't know. #Bama #NCState and #OhioState are for real."
— Jeff Greer (@jeffgreer) September 26, 2013
Miami is considered the favorite here, but Alabama and Ohio State are making a push as well. And don't rule out N.C. State, where Dixon's former teammate Jacoby Brissett is in line to push for the starting quarterback job next fall.
ACL Injuries: They're a fact of life in football, people
Shortly after Florida announced the loss of Dominique Easley for the season to a torn ACL, I made a prediction as to what the response of UF fans would be.
Re: Florida's rash of ACL injuries -- really just a case of bad luck for #UF, although I'm SURE someone will try to read deeper into it.
— Justin Wells (@justinlwells) September 25, 2013
Remember when Florida had a rash of knee injuries -- especially at the safety position -- in the summer of '08? Sometimes it happens.
— Justin Wells (@justinlwells) September 25, 2013
I wanted to expand on this matter a bit more in-depth. That 2008 team, which experienced a rash of ACL injuries, still went on to win a national championship. I'm not predicting the same fate for Florida this year, but the Gators can overcome their injury issues to have some semblance of a "succesful" season, depending on your definition of "success." The knee injuries the 2008 team encountered included the following:
– Safeties Dorian Munroe and John Curtis suffered ACL injuries during offseason conditioning drills in July. Combined with the loss of Jamar Hornsby (for some very notable off-the-field transgressions), UF went into the season with a razor-thin depth chart at safety.
– Expected to be a major factor on offense in 2008, Cornelius Ingram tore an ACL just two days into preseason camp for the Gators that August.
– Not even a week later, reserve offensive lineman Jim Barrie and backup linebacker Brendan Beal would incur ACL injuries just two days apart, adding to the misery for UF fans heading into the season.
This fall for Florida, the Gators have seen an assortment of season-ending injuries. A torn labrum for Chaz Green, a surgically repaired shoulder for Nick Washington as well, a broken leg for Jeff Driskel, and ACL injuries for Andre Debose, Matt Rolin, and now Easley. It's been a rough two months in terms of health for Florida. If the Gators can avoid the injury bug from here on out, they still have a shot at a pretty good season. But if not, well, things could get ugly in a hurry.
For the fans that want to blame this on the Strength & Conditioning coaches: please stop. Everyone was singing their praises last fall. Did they suddenly just forget how to do their job? This is simply a freakish streak of bad luck that no one could prevent. There was nothing different for which Jeff Dillman and his staff could have done to prevent any of these injuries from happening. In fact, two of the ailments (Rolin and Washington) were simply re-injuries of previous issues both players had dating back to last season, when they were still in high school. Hopefully, both freshmen have received proper treatment and won't have any issues moving forward as they rehab during their redshirt seasons.
As for the notion that an indoor practice facility (or "IPF," for the football facility diehards) could have prevented Easley's injury, I'll just agree to disagree. Easley could have torn his ACL walking down the street and stepping off (or onto) a curb in the wrong fashion. It's just one of those things. Unless he was pushed around in a wheelchair all day, in a protective bubble, and didn't play football, there was no way to prevent this from happening. It was a non-contact injury. One of those freak things. Hopefully Easley's surgery goes well, and he rehabs quickly enough to put himself in a position to sneak into the bottom of the first round of next May's NFL Draft. That's really about all we can hope for at this point.
This is a bitter pill to swallow. I get it. Until Easley's injury, there was still a sense that this team could accomplish anything on its list of goals heading into a season. Despite the injuries. This one is different. It happened to a guy who came back for all the right reasons, and who was playing himself into a potential All-American. In many ways, Easley was the guy who stirred the drink of this 2013 squad. He'll still be there in spirit. The question is, can the other guys on this vaunted Florida defense step up in his absence? We'll get the first indications from Lexington just two days from now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)