UF commits won’t waver with Weis gone

Charlie Weis is leaving UF, but its 2012 offensive commitments aren’t going anywhere.

On Wednesday, Kansas announced Weis will be its new head coach after he spent just one year in Gainesville as the offensive coordinator. Although Florida’s six commits were looking forward to his offense, they choose to play for a college — not a coach.

“I believe that the 2012 commits made their choice based off the University of Florida,”  Boynton Beach offensive lineman Jessamen Dunker said. “They didn’t pick UF because of one person. They’re still in love with the school, the campus and the football program. I was really surprised that he left, but I’m 100 percent with Florida.”

So is Charlotte, N.C., offensive tackle D.J. Humphries, who is ranked as the No. 3 overall player in the nation by Rivals.com. The five-star tweeted, “I don’t care who bails I’m still (a) Gator for life put that on my mama.”

“I talked to him tonight,” Dunker said of Humphries, “and he’s on the same page as me. We’re going to be roommates when we enroll in January.”

Dunker said his stance will not change if offensive line coach Frank Verducci follows Weis to Kansas.

Receiver commit Latroy Pittman remains solid to UF and said he wasn’t close with Weis.

“Coaches leave all the time, so it doesn’t affect my commitment to Florida,” the North Marion wideout said. “My first time meeting him was on my in-home visit, so we didn’t have the relationship that me and coach [Aubrey] Hill have or me and coach [Will] Muschamp have. He was a good guy, but I never got attached to him or anything like that.”

However, four-star tight end Colin Thompson did. The Warminster, Pa. prospect was Weis’ personal recruit and that played a big factor in his commitment.

But he’s still all Gator.

“I was upset right away,” Thompson said, “but I’m not leaving. I’m a Gator through thick and thin and I’ve always been.”

Thompson said the only guy that would make sense decommitting is him because he doesn’t fit in any other offenses. But tight end coach Derek Lewis called and let him know that Florida will maintain a pro-style system with he and Land O’Lakes five-star Kent Taylor.

“I talked to coach Lewis and he said they’re still gonna run a pro-style offense around tight ends,” Thompson said. “He also said Kent is cool and isn’t wavering. I think it doesn’t affect him at all. We both believe in coach Muschamp and I’m sure he’s gonna bring in the right guy.”

When asked about Weis, Armwood running back Matt Jones told the St. Petersburg Times, “he can do what he wants, I’m still a Gator.”

How this impacts Florida’s few offensive targets isn’t clear at the moment, but Thompson is confident that five-star wide receivers Nelson Agholor and Stefon Diggs will still pick UF.

“I think both of them are gonna be Gators,” he said. “They’re phenomenal talents and this shouldn’t change how much they love Florida.”