Written By: Richard Johnson
After committing to Florida last year, Max Staver and his family figured the recruiting process was over.
Oh how things can change in just one year.
Staver is once again a free agent after joining six other offensive players in leaving the Florida football program so far this offseason. Staver’s transfer comes with little in the way of restrictions, he’s only barred from pursuing schools in the SEC or in-state rivals Florida State and Miami. Besides those 15 Universities, the rest of the FBS (football bowl subdivision) is open to him.
“As far as [FBS] schools, I’ve been in contact with Louisville, briefly” Staver told Gator Country Monday. “I’m hearing rumblings I’m going to get a call from Texas, Wisconsin and West Virginia.”
Staver also told Gator Country that Baylor contacted him Monday morning and that he has some interest in Southern Methodist University as well. Most of the interest he’s drawing is from Big 10 and Big 12 schools at the Division-1 level.
A key for Staver is finding the right offensive fit for him. He reiterated what he told to reporters late last week via text message that the new uptempo offensive direction Florida is going towards simply would not fit his skill set.
While Staver’s style of play may not be uptempo his search for a new place to play football will have to be. The freshman will have to make a choice in two to three weeks, but he hopes the school he ends up at will allow him time to acclimate.
“[My family and I] are starting to be aggressive in what we do as far as making calls because we realize in how short a time the decision’s got to be made, Staver said. “At the same time I feel like a D-1 school would let me come in a week or two later after the semester begins to let me get settled and all that.”
He’s also been in contact with two junior colleges Butler Community College in Kansas and East Mississippi Community College. EMCC is the school that current Ole Miss quarterback Bo Wallace attended and Butler CC was the school former LSU quarterback Zach Mettenberger attended after leaving the University of Georgia. Staver has an LSU Division-2 connection at West Texas A&M University by way of former Tigers quarterback Jarret Lee.
“I know Jarret Lee and his dad is the offensive coordinator at West Texas A&M,” Staver said. “Of their past five quarterbacks, they’ve put three into the draft and they’re a school that slings it a lot and puts guys in the NFL so that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Staver is yet to narrow schools down to a top-5 or even a top-10. He’s still weighing whether or not he wants to sit next year out on the Division-1 level or play immediately as a JUCO with his family.
“At the same time I feel like a D-1 school would let me come in a week or two later after the semester begins to let me get settled and all that.” Amazing how an athlete expects special treatment…a regular student, not.
Do any insiders know whether our coaching staff is helping him reach out to other schools where the offensive system fits his skillset? I sure hope they are. My opinion of our staff would be hit hard if we were leaving this kid in the lurch.
The staff did leave him in the “lurch” and that includes Brent Pease who told Max’s dad that he would help Max. Dropped him like a rock.