Thoughts on Our Current 2020 Class?

I think the expectations start with our staff.. Dan Mullen was here the last time we were on top, he saw the formula of how to recruit in Florida from one of the best recruiters ever in Urban Meyer. He has also preached to us the Gator standard. When you see the issues with the recruiting staff, rumors that the top recruits you're going after haven't heard from the staff, and some guys aren't able to qualify it makes you wonder. I don't for a second doubt the coaching ability of our staff. But for a university that is known for DBU having a battle with Oregon for safety from Florida is baffling. Florida is struggling to get players at need positions and can offer immediate playing time and they go to Georgia Auburn Etc. The Carson Beck situation is what bothers me the most. Dan Mullen is a quarterback super Guru Carson Beck there is no way the Georgia should come in and get him. I've said this before Microsoft is not going to lose a computer tech to Walmart. These are things that if you are on the come up you have to lock down keep recruits like this.

 

Great points ... reminding us of distinction between perception by insiders (us) and perception of outsiders (recruits). The latter takes longer to
sink in than the former.

Agree, Miami opener can do a lot to help the outsiders catch up with our inside perception that we’re back.

 

If we sign enough tall, fast, corners... then we can work on the safety issue. We just need the fast players to commit.

 

The whole nation recruits Florida these days. It shouldn’t be all that baffling. Florida to college football is what the Dominican Republic is to Major League baseball - if you don’t have scouting offices there then you are not competing. Social media and the dozen ESPN stations have allowed more access. When I moved to upstate NY 18 years ago, I could only watch 3-4 games year ...5 or 6 years later I could watch all of them. And multiple times. “Owning the state” will never have the same meaning it once did.

I agree, that it can be better and our recruiting infrastructure is still a work in progress. I just don’t agree with the specific examples you posted. Beck grew up in a family of UGA fans and literally committed to them hours after receiving the offer. And it’s not hard to see the allure in Oregon with all the bells & whistles, in regards to Williams. Though, I believe distance will become more & more a factor the further we get in this cycle. It’s also not hard to see why Bowman and others wouldn’t be attracted to Clemson. They have the easiest path to the playoffs, put players in the league and their facilities make it the Eugene OR of the east coast. Yes, we need to start winning our fair share of these battles but recruiting the state of Florida will never be 2003 again.

 

If his father owns Walmart you will. As you are well aware there are many dynamics at play in recruiting more than we are UF and we SHOULD get anyone we want in Florida.

 

People will call these excuses that demand an immediate number one class, but the landscape has changed significantly since Urban Meyer was here.

Facilities - Since Urban’s departure, other SEC programs have invested in and built new facilities. A 17 year old kid is very moved by what they see and the eye wash, much like a wife wants a new kitchen and master bath when investing in a home. Whether we choose to believe it or not, it is an arms race and we fell woefully behind. We are making investments now, but will not catch up till 2023. We have no stand alone football facilities, no new player lounge, no new team meeting rooms, no new locker room, no new dining facilities, no new weight rooms, and smaller dorms. We do have a new academic center and we are getting new locker rooms in the stadium this summer, but 3 years behind other programs. Huge difference to kids who come from poor backgrounds and want to feel rich and have nice things. Looks to them like certain colleges invest more in their football programs.

Alabama's Bryant-Denny stadium will be undergoing a significant renovation, and may include a college football first - FootballScoop

Athletic stipend - Unlike when Urban was here, there is now a huge differentiator for kids in athletic stipend. Many of the kids we recruit come from extremely poor backgrounds. If a program tells you that your stipend is $8,000 to $10,000 more than UF during your 4 year stay, that is huge to kids with no money. Google how much Bama and TAM changed their original stipend calculation. How did they do this? Ask yourself how the cost of attendance can be $1000 more in Tallahassee than UF. Members complain about illegal payments, but our legal athletic stipend payment is significantly less.

Stability in coaching staff - Our coaches have been here one year and it has been 9 years since most have recruited Florida heavily. They had no relationships with Florida HS coaches, players or families. We have heard from HS players and their families that relationships established since the 10th grade are important to the in their recruiting process.

In Mullen’s first year we lost our DL coach to a lateral role at Bama, our DBU coach to a lateral role at Georgia and two recruiting coordinator types to lateral roles at TN and Kentucky respectively. We are losing coaches to other SEC programs, as they were willing to pay higher salaries to their coaches. We need stability in roles to develop relationships with kids, parents and HS coaches that only comes with time. We don’t pay enough for the top recruiters in the business at the current time.

Winning - UF has not played for championships since Urban departed. HS kids want to play for winners. We lost to FSU five of six years prior to last year. Kids don’t remember our winning ways. If we beat both Miami and FSU this year it will be huge for our recruiting. Last year’s wins versus LSU, FSU and Michigan in the Bowl game were huge for us. Will our new OL play well enough for our offense to be successful?

I think we just need some patience here, as we have a AD moving in the right direction.

 

D

oes Beck want to run the ball 15 times a game? Maybe he wants to run a pro style offense. Mullen’s system isn’t for everyone. I’m sure Tom Brady wouldn’t have any interest. The other ding dong Fields was much more puzzling. Kids flock to the top teams and we aren’t there yet. Puppies may never get there either but they appear to be an unquestionable top five team right now. We have to take that away from them on the field. They are clearly the top team in the east and recruiters can’t change that. You can’t talk your way into being the team to beat. No logo means more than what happens on the field. We can only take over by winning and then it won’t matter if our kids have scooters and theirs have Raptors.

 

You say that about the quarterback running 15 times. In Mullins offense I don't believe you need the quarterback to run to be successful. A lot of people say the offense got better once feleipe Franks started running the ball. I disagree I believe that once he got more accurate that's when our offense got better. Like the offenses of Clemson and Alabama and you could say Ohio State have taken off with more accurate passers instead of the quarterback who is more suited to run. We have a bevy of weapons that we can get the ball to and do not need to run the quarterback that's just my opinion. What I was meaning on Beck he is our recruiting needs a foundation. Our calling card is our coach is a quarterback Guru. We are at DBU and it seems that we struggle at these areas even though we have a place of need. I look at a school like LSU who is not an offensive Juggernaut who are recruiting big-time receivers and Big Time running backs routinely. I look at the past history of Georgia LSU Oregon and none of these teams really have any more success than Florida I think it's more about how the administration and coaching staffs sell themselves... with Carson Beck you are the offensive genius you can sell him on any offense he wants to play in and you can show him that you've been successful. That's all I'm meaning on the recruiting...

 

I could see if it were 2 or 3 kids but it seems like 7 or 8 top kids look elsewhere

 

Just my opinion but I think we already have the right players to compete for a national title - just need the right QB.

That's the force multiplier on any team.

I'm not bagging on Franks as much as just stating an opinion on philosophy of competing wrt the recruiting aspect.

 

Class is as of this writing #6 on 24/7 (June 8th).

It's early June. Lots of time, and wins ahead.

 

Ever think a kid may take his best chance at a ring?

 

Agreed but whiffs on Bowman, Beck and Braun ( hopefully not) will have us more like 10-12 in the end because there will be a few more big misses.

I get Beck but not Bowman and hopefully not Braun. Just can’t keep missing. Williams from DeLand could be another.

Dan’s gonna win no matter what, it’s just to what degree? Tip top of that degree comes with Bowman, Braun, Williams, Fred Davis, Bowman.

University needs to catch up and quick w stipends, Salaries for coaches, and facilities. Stipends and coaches salaries aren’t that hard. Make the investments.

 

No sir. Today JUNE 8th the class is #6 and that includes those guys going elsewhere. right now, today. This isn't a "#6*" with an asterisk.

Keep missing? #6. BTW it's since 6 months before signing day.

Right now, today June 8th Gators have more commits in the Top 50 in state than Alabama. Who is talking about that? Why is that?

2020 Top Football Recruits in Florida


Remember that this is a thread on the CURRENT list of commitments.

 

I think misses on all 3 puts us more like #7 or 8 in the end. We will hit on others not even on the radar right now. Dan has shown he can do more with less, so even with our departures from this last class we 'd have the lets say 15th ranked class and then we'll call it 10th class this year that will have us building momentum and keeping top 10 rankings and looking good and eventually pulling top 3 classes when we are on a hot streak and the football complex gets built. We have the right coach it's just about being patient and accepting that sometimes you have to wait a little while for really good things. I think it's fair to say that mostly everyone thinks we are heading in the right direction, and there is a lot to be said about that. Be happy and enjoy the ride back to the top!

 

Agreed but saying others may pass us by. Gotta hit on Florida kids. I am enjoying it.

 

Right, I understand where we are at 6 right now. What I’m saying is that others will pass us and we may finish 10-12. I’m ok with 10-12. Here’s the thing, if we grab 2 of the following of Braun, Beck, Bowman , Williams,or Davis, we finish no worse than 6. What I’m saying is these guys would have solidified our #6. Number 6 would have been the worst we finished.

 

Not really...

Because Oregon, Texas A&M, Auburn, Georgia, and LSU are no closer to winning national championships than we are.

 

There is a country song that has a line ....'tomorrow can wait tii tomorrow.'
A 6 is a 6 is a 6 is a 6. "solidified?"


You think OSU is happy at 8? Michigan at 18?Today? June 8?
In 2017 OSI finished #2 and #3 in 2018. 8 today. And the school finished #14 this past time. 14!

But no one talks about OSU.

 

You think we have a championship OL for this upcoming season? We can be elite this season, but we don't have a title-worthy roster yet IMO.