It’s the bye week for the Florida Gators players but for the coaching staff, it means time to hit the road recruiting.
On Monday the Gators were six different states recruiting players including defensive coordinator Geoff Collins who visited Alabama athlete commit Chadarius Townsend (6-0, 190, Tanner, AL. High) at his school.
“Coach Collins came by to see me on Monday,” Townsend said. “He can’t talk to me really but we really just saw each other. He was talking to my coaches mainly and just watching me.”
Townsend wanted to speak with Collins so he called the Gators coach on Monday night and they tried to line up a trip to Gainesville.
“We talked on the phone that night,” he said. “He asked when I was going to come down and I told him that I was going to come down real soon. I should be down for the next game.”
The Gators hosted Townsend over the summer on the visit and ever since then they’ve stayed in contact with the Alabama commit.
“Florida has been recruiting me pretty hard,” Townsend said. “I talk to Coach Collins mainly. He really is just trying to get me down there for a game and they want me to visit more.”
Townsend who’s a quarterback in high school is expected to change positions in college and the Gators talked to him about that on Monday.
“They’re telling me that I will play defensive back,” he said. “He hasn’t really said too much, they were recruiting me as athlete. I know their defensive backs have been playing good.”
Despite the interest in the Gators, Townsend still remains committed to another SEC school but several schools are trying to get official visits.
“I’m still committed to Alabama,” Townsend said. “Mississippi State is also recruiting me hard too. I’m early enrolling so I’m just trying to set up my official visits. I’m just trying to get my dates right now. Florida is going to get one.”
INSIDERS TAKE: Townsend is an athlete that plays everywhere in high school but defensive back is probably his position in college. Townsend visited Florida over the summer but hasn’t been back since.
I will admit I don’t know the reason for the rule but it’s seems ridiculous coaches can’t talk to the players in person. College coach speaks to high school coach who speaks to player. It’s like they need an intereprer to speak the same language