Coynis Miller giving the Gators another look

The Florida Gators are still without a defensive line coach but that isn’t stopping Dan Mullen from trying to flip some of the nation’s best defensive linemen.

Mullen and his staff are working hard to flip Coynis Miller (6-1, 300, Birmingham, AL, Jackson-Olin) from Auburn.

“They were one of my top schools previously,” Miller said f Florida. “After everything that happened, a new head coach and stuff, they lost contact for a second but when they found out who the next coach was going to be they hit me back up and told me to come on down for a visit. I’m giving them a shot.”

It was Mullen and JaJuan Seider that reached out to the big defensive tackle. The duo convinced Miller, who says UF led in his recruitment at one point, to take another visit to Gainesville. He had taken a visit under the previous staff but wants to return and see what and how things have changed with the new staff.

“I had to talk it over with my family and stuff and I just felt like I didn’t visit enough. Talking to my family about it they felt like I should take more visits that’s why I’m doing anther one.”

Miller will use his last official visit right before National Signing Day on the Gators. Before taking that trip he’ll visit Auburn, the school he is committed to, Oregon and Tennessee.

Auburn did try to get Miller to sign early two weeks ago but, according to Miller that was never part of his plans.

“It really wasn’t a real reason for me to sign early if I wasn’t enrolling early,” he said. “That was the main reason.”

Mullen will need to hire a defensive line coach soon but for not it doesn’t bother Miller that the gators don’t have one. He’s looking forward to getting back on campus, around the players again and he wants to see how Mullen has changed the culture at Florida in the short time he’s been there.

“I want to see what it’s like now,” he said. “I’ve been when Coach Mac was there so I want to go and see what things are like now with Coach Mullen there, see what things have changed.”

Nick de la Torre
A South Florida native, Nick developed a passion for all things sports at a very young age. His love for baseball was solidified when he saw Al Leiter’s no-hitter for the Marlins live in May of 1996. He was able to play baseball in college but quickly realized there isn’t much of a market for short, slow outfielders that hit around the Mendoza line. Wanting to continue with sports in some capacity he studied journalism at the University of Central Florida. Nick got his first start in the business as an intern for a website covering all things related to the NFL draft before spending two seasons covering the Florida football team at Bleacher Report. That job led him to GatorCountry. When he isn’t covering Gator sports, Nick enjoys hitting way too many shots on the golf course, attempting to keep up with his favorite t.v. shows and watching the Heat, Dolphins and Marlins. Follow him on twitter @NickdelatorreGC