LAKE BUENA VISTA– Defensive end Lorenzo Carter (6-5, 234, Norcross, GA Norcross) is deciding between four teams: Florida State, LSU, Georgia and Florida as signing day is little more than a month away. Rumor has it that it’s a two-horse race between Florida and Georgia, in other words: the world’s largest outdoor recruiting battle.
Carter dismisses that as simply rumors. He will only take four of his five allotted official visits and he has three more to go (he already came to Gainesville for the Florida-Tennessee game). He says the in-state factor isn’t a reason he’d choose his home-state’s school.
“If I go to Georgia I’ll be away from home too,” Carter says. “I’ll get home sick wherever I go, if it’s 30 minutes away I’ll get home sick. I’ll probably come home the amount of times that they let me anywhere I go.”
He doesn’t care that Florida lost against Georgia last season, or Georgia Southern, or the six other teams UF fell to in 2013. He hears chatter about the Gators sub par year often though.
“Well, Florida, everybody knows they had a rocky season,” Carter said. “I get enough of it everyday at school. People are like ‘you’re still looking at Florida? They suck!’…I mean it doesn’t affect me really. I know they’re going to change. I’ve been told they’re working harder than ever to make sure that it doesn’t happen again and prove everybody wrong. I might have a chance to do that with the team.
The chance to build Florida back into a national power is important, but the chance to do it with the current coaching staff is even more paramount of a concern. Muschamp’s job was in jeopardy up until athletic director Jeremy Foley reaffirmed his faith in the UF head coach. Stability is a good thing as far Carter is concerned.
“It really was a positive when they let me know that [Muschamp] was gonna be there, that kept Florida on my list, high on my list,” Carter said.
Florida may not be Carter’s top school, but they are far from out of the equation. Carter made it clear about how UF can close the deal.
“Just stay there, stay persistent and get me comfortable with the coaches,” Carter said. “I’m already most comfortable with Florida, as a coaching staff, than any other school. Time will tell.”