When Will Muschamp was hired as Florida’s head coach, many wondered whether or not the former Texas defensive coordinator could open up a pipeline for the Gators in the Lone Star State.
It hasn’t happened.
Muschamp and his assistants have targeted the Southeast, specifically the state of Florida, and delivered results in their three and a half years on the recruiting trail. UF hasn’t signed any recruits from the state of Texas since 2008 (Omarius Hines and Adrian Bushnell).
But that could change with Jeff Choate, who was hired Tuesday by Muschamp as special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach. He spent six seasons with Boise State from 2006-11 and helped the Broncos land several recruits from Texas.
“He is one of the best recruiters you’ll ever be around. He got the Texas pipeline started at Boise State,” UTEP coach Sean Kugler said when he hired Choate a few months ago, hoping he would do the same for his program in El Paso.
Make no mistake, Florida will always focus on the in-state recruiting base Muschamp boasted about last summer. But given the inroads and relationships Choate has built in Texas and his ability to relate with recruits from there, he’ll be able to get some of the state’s top targets to give UF a harder look and may even convince a couple to come.
In this 2010 interview, Choate discusses, among other topics, what his recruiting responsibilites were with Boise State.
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Exactly WHY would anyone think this guy will be any more successful recruiting Texas players than Muschamp? Because he is a good recruiter? So is Muschamp. This is wishful thinking. He may have gotten a few player from Texas to Boise St but he also wasnt recruiting the same level of talent and going against the top programs from that region like he will be when he is recruiting the 5 star players that he will be after at Florida. Stealing a 2 star player that Baylor is after is a lot easier than stealing the 5 star that Texas, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma are after.
Choate recruited Texas twice as long as Muschamp and will have more time on his hands as an assistant compared to a head coach. Muschamp also hasn’t made the state a priority for himself or his staff. I’m not saying this guy is going to open the floodgates and Texas prospects will start pouring into Gainesville. It’s hard to get kids to leave that region. Look how long it’s been since the Gators landed one from there. But if Choate could pull it off with a few recruits, that would be huge for Florida given how the talent-rich the state is. And he’s capable of doing it. Not many coaches in the SEC are.
we shall see Zach. We all will be watching of course.
Top recruits from Texas are a bonus. As long as Muschamp & Co are locking down FLA and keeping little nicky from poaching our top talent, I’m happy.
Zach: I agree with you totally. Now is the time to start hitting Texas hard. With Mack Browns troubles UT is going to start to loose its strangle hold on recruits. Now is the time to build relationships with high school coaches and future recruits. This will payoff very well in a couple years.
Will knows what hes doing. GO GATORS!!!
If we take care of business on the field the recruiting will follow.
Muschamp Has Recruited As Many Texas Kids To Uf As I Have.
[…] Like the other assistants on staff, his primary focus is going to be the state of Florida and Southeast region of the United States. But he will also be responsible for some of the areas Bryant Young recruited as well as the state of Texas, where he’s had success in the past. […]