Productive recruiting weekend for Gators

Thanks, Zach. As usual, your work is stellar. Other sources are reflecting the upbeat responses of the weekend ‘s visitors with consistent descriptions of “the energy in the building,” the positive atmosphere among the coaches and the current players, a “family” atmosphere, coaches parents really like. The next nine days will be fascinating.

Zach, I think you have a future as a politician, since you do know how to spin a story. I don’t think “productive” is how I would describe this recruiting weekend that was billed as “huge” for UF. UF got a commitment from a linebacker that is a two star at Rivals, that UF beat Arkansas for. It sounds like UF may flip an offensive line from Syracuse, again nothing to get excited about. As for the big fish, Ivey, Cowart, Francois, Scarlett, and Davis; none said they were coming to UF. Maybe some of them will, but I think, with the sad state of UF’s current class, presently ranked in triple digits by Rivals, a “productive” weekend would include someone highly rated committing to UF. Perhaps you know more than you can publish, and that you’ve been assured that guys like Ivey, Cowart, etc. are coming to UF, if so, then you’re correct. But speaking as just an observer, I don’t see how things could be much worse for UF in recruiting right now. I’ve never seen a class this bad this late in the game at UF, and time is rapidly running out to change that.

Aux2 if you a gator, which appears questionable from all your negative posts, you are without question one of the most negative individuals on all the Gator sites. Give it a rest and give the new coaches a chance. Your negative posts do nothing positive for recruiting or UF. Please go follow another school.

Well said Patrick! Aux2 didnt go to UF. He wouldnt have gotten in. Just ignore him. He’s got Gator Envy!!! Kind of like butterfingers Cook, who gave the Ducks that game. Ha ha!

The guy is “Debbie Downer” personified. Don’t sweat that clown. Just be happy the arrow is finally pointing up again. Whatever this class turns out to be, it’ll be just fine. Go Gators!

aux2 seems to be a troll from a rival team trying to poison the well. The future looks bright in Gville and that makes rivals nervous once again. Go Gators!

Aux2 does follow another school and there colors are ketchup and mustard. They are the Harvard of the panhandle. FSCW

ohhhhhweeeee that 2 star momentum boy….its turning around now! I blame Muschamp, Foley, & coach mac (not retaining certain coaches)….Muschamp started a dumpster fire and Foley waited too long to fire him and then hired the Colorado state guy that none of the recruits have heard of…..Not a single consensus 4 star commit as of now…..this is as bad as it gets…

It is so obvious whom the anti-gator posters are on this site.. Regardless, I see a top 20 recruiting class for Florida this year, and our usual top 5 class in subsequent years. Those whom represent other programs are showing their obvious fear and scarcity mindsets. GO Gators!

Pretty sure Tyler jordan was a UA. Allameriucan and Derek Dillon was an army all american so yeah that just debunked your claim meh…Florida will not stay ranked this low they will land some good players. Go back to your basement

Awww, let the nole trolls have their fun. Soon enough they will be feasting on humble pie…We’ll step on the noles throat come November. What’s amazing to me is how poorly jimbo fisher coaches considering the top five classes he recruits yearly. No discipline and plenty of selfish play and behavior, which will eventually catch up with the fsu program. It will bring me great joy to dominate the s.o.w. for years to come…GO GATORS!!!

Meh. Why don’t you go look at where Spurrier, Freeze, Chip Kelley and etc were before they got hired to their bog schools. You’ll notice something. They all had similar resumes and we’re at similar schools as coach Mac was. Take a break from only seeing the negative and take a moment to appreciate the greatness Mac is building here. Yes some certain coaches retained probably would’ve helped with landing a couple recruits. But Mac is smart enough to know 1. This class isn’t going to be great no matter what (just not enough time. Same with all new coaches) and 2. You NEVER sacrifice the long term for the short term. He’s working on building a dynasty. That takes getting the right hires. Guys you can trust an know will do their job well. And boy has he hired some GREAT assistants. Contrary to popular belief, the sky is NOT falling. We’ve got plenty of talent on the team already and we still have good chances with plenty of top talent. It’s not about stars, it’s about evaluations, coachability, and good fits. There have been plenty of 5 stars suck it up in college and plenty of unranked recruits become stars. Chill out and enjoy the ride. And for goodness sakes try to actually support your darn team rather than tear them down every chance you get. I mean not even giving the new coaching staff a chance is about as not a fan as it gets

Ive been a diehard Gator since I was a boyscout and we ushered at the Fl-Ga games but this recruiting season is a disaster! We are currently ranked 102 out of 129 teams. we are down with the Appalachian States. Only 7 teams have less commits than us. we have only 8-3 star recruits and one 2 star they just picked up. no 4 or 5 stars. most of our 3 star arent even ranked at their position. we have only one with a decent ranking of 6th at his position. typically at Fl all these guys would be backups or not even see the field in 4 years. Ala has 20- 4 & 5 star recruits. Even if we pick up a 5 star and a couple 4 star recruits this will still be a disaster with the lowest ranking for Fl I can ever remember, and will hurt us for 4 years. We will have less talent on this team this year than last. wow this is a blow to the gut that Ive never seen it so bad here in recruiting, Muschamp really screwed us over. Some may not like hearing the truth since there are so many cheerleaders on here but i prefer honest discussions rather than looking thru rose colored glasses.

I agree with the concept that it’s not about the number of stars. It is about evaluation etc. But the point is that UF is not getting the players they want, the vast majority are choosing someone over UF. The reason UF is taking Taylor is because they have whiffed on guys like Thomas, Brown, Coney, And Smith. Holland is left, but can anyone feel confident he’s choosing UF? There’s no need to the overwhelming number of recruits that we were told UF as in the lead for or who “loved” their visit to UF. It started very early when Clemson, yes Clemson, got players out of a UF stronghold, Tampa. It’s now got to the point that Central Florida and Vandy are preferred over UF. The concern, and some of you find reality disconcerting, is that this is not an isolated case, it’s a consistent theme this year. Perhaps McElwain is a great coach, but folks are buying what he’s selling right now.

Daz man calm down! That’s only according to Rivals. 24/7 has us at 81, and Scout has us at 75. Derrick Dillon is rated a 4 star recruit by ESPN, Scout, and 24/7, while ESPN also has Camrin Knight, Mike Horton, and Tyler Jordan as 4 stars. We’re most likely about to pick up 2 more tomorrow. Not to mention all the HIGH rated guys who still have us high on their list. Guys like Martez Ivey, Byron Cowart, Cece Jefferson, Jeff Holland, Adonis Thomas, Deondre Francois, Lamar Jackson, Jordan Scarlett, Jordan Cronkite, Jaason Lewis, Christian Pellage, Ryan Davis, Antonio Callaway, Shaquery Wilson, Tyree St Louis, etc etc. I’d be very surprised if we didn’t end up with a top 20 class. Not Florida’s best class, and not what I consistently want, but certainly not a disaster. And as I said earlier, it’s not about the stars. The coaches have to evaluate the players themselves. If Randy Shannon (the guy who coached Ray Lewis) likes what he sees in Rayshard Jackson, then I trust him! And even if your worst fears about this class are right. Even if we don’t land any of the big names and just get a bunch of 3 stars and below, and they’re a bunch of usual “back ups” it will NOT hurt Florida for anywhere near 4 years. We HAVE talent on this team. 1 recruiting class will not kill us. There is plenty of talent to utilize while this 1 class develops. And I guarantee you next year, with the awesome assistants Mac hired and time to build the relationships, UF will be back to have top notch classes. I guarantee it. Chin up, man. Mac will have Gatornation back in no time.

It’s only productive if it produces!

Aux2 – so recruits that said they were not going to commit till signing day, were supposed to commit. My prediction is that those won’t announce were they are going till Signing Day. The fact that UF is still being considered by so many top recruits is a good sign. Given a full year to recruit I think this coaching staff will do very well.

Very well said, Azalus! We’ve endured the weakest head coach of my lifetime, and I’m old enough that my first live Gator game pitted Bob Woodruff’s 1958 team against Bobby Dodd’s Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Muschamp may be a likable, ethical guy but four-years of drab, mundane offense turned away lots of potential Gator stars. By the time he was dismissed our current recruiting class had more defections than remaining commitments. Jim McElwain has been working at a disadvantage from his first day, feverishly working on first steps of rebuilding a broken program, something he’s well demonstrated he ‘s capable of doing. He shares that quality with Spurrier and Meyer. He’ll sign a good enough first class and start on the next. Successful recruiting is based on having something good to offer, enthusiasm and boldness, all of which Mac and his staff offer.

Patience grasshopper…

I’m in the same boat as a lot of u as far as being very concerned about this poor recruiting class, though I do believe there is hope. Call me crazy, but could the reason be that these top guys are waiting for NSD be that they just don’t have the heart to tell Muschump and others that they are choosing UF, and are waiting for NSD so they don’t have to see or be face to face with any of these other coaches that have spent years building relationships with them? If they pledged to UF now, these other coaches would be beating the doors down and boohooing in person and over the phone over the next few days. Seems like it would be easier to declare on NSD and let.the unfortunate coaches that did not get them wallow in their own sorrow.

Who cares how many stars are by their names. Can you develop the young man. So I pose the question. If you could win every game with 3star players, would you take that now, vs. Getting all 5stars and falling short?

Just a thought. Oh and we will get at least 1 5star imo

Check out Urban Meyer’s first Florida sub-mediocre recruiting class before anyone starts crying in their beer.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/119337-a-look-back-at-floridas-2005-football-recruiting-class

How many 5 star athletes are playing in the Super Bowl? Zero. Coaches have to coach period. Most 3 star guys are guys who come in with a chip on their shoulder and work hard because they were overlooked. I would rather have guys that play with that chip on their shoulder then those 5 star guys who feels entitled.

Hey Gator Fans, just chill and see how this thing plays out. We are The University of Florida, and we will be fine. Ignore the Nole Trolls. They have their own problems. It’s evident that Jimbo (ala Bobby B) is a much better recruiter than a coach. Loads up with All Americans and “poof”. Pampering Thugs is a recipe for disaster. The only thing funnier to watch than Cook fumbling was the puff of wind that blew Jamie’s over!

Listen guys, every dog has his day, the Noles have had theirs for the last two years. They will be competitive for a couple more years , but once these future kids realize that Jimbo is not a Great coach even that will come to an end. We are beginning a new chapter to get back to “THE” university of Florida, two years and we are back to the old days!! GO GATORS!!!!

I agree with most, just relax. Our class was terrible WITH Muschamp so the results of this class were inevitable. I am also tired of people saying that we should have retained coaches in order to land a certain recruit. That is ridiculous, look at the big picture here. Unless you are talking about a QB(potentially), one player is not going to make or break a class.

I also agree that Jumbo is an average coach at best. He looked good because he had a talented, no common sense, QB. Nolies forget about the years prior when Jumbo was there and they were losing to Wake and NC State. We shall see how they do going forward.

are people seriously unable to connect the dots here? Muschamp, not McElwain, was handed a broken program. the past 4 years didn’t produce enough wins for everybody so the coach was run out of town despite his success in every other area of program building, from recruitment to academics. the only thing he didn’t get was enough time to have it all come to fruition but, oh well, never mind, we’re the University of Florida: you don’t win championships by your 3rd or 4th season we will burn the whole thing down and start over because that always works. right.
you get the guy fired that you want fired, then you whine about losing the rest of the coaches and the recruits they had spent 4 years recruiting, for you, by the way, and act as if he stole the silverware on the way out the door? We Gator fans have become a national embarrassment and this new coach now has his own uphill battle to fight.
i wish him, and any young man who wants to come play for him, regardless of where he is presently committed or ranked, all the luck in the world. because with the sorry fan base around here they are certainly going to need it. the fan base will turn on this buy before Christmas.
welcome to the wilderness Gator fans. you deserve it.

broken or not doug, Muschamp did not get it done on the offensive side of the ball, which is not his area of expertise and he chose poorly the offensive coach. He was not recruiting the positions on that side of the ball either that is needed to win games in the SEC. Let’s see what kind of coach McElwain is with someone else recruits because normally freshman do not contribute much in their first year. We want kids who have dreamed of putting on the orange and blue for UF and are die hard Gators as us fans!

Sounds like the coaches and the player hosts did a great job and made a great impression. Now it’s all up to what the visiting players want to do with their futures.

KERRDOG… very correct. Muschamp built the program AROUND the defense, and offense was a second-hand project to him. he had no respect for offense because he didn’t understand it. he was a man stuck in his own idealology and refused to change from it, and in the end, he got fired because Muschamp was his own worst enemy.

What shocks me is what some of these recruits like Ivey see in AU, where he might sit a year before playing. Then there’s Cowart, who can play immediately as a freshman, play much closer to home, and go to journalism school at UF. Why play for WM who will probably be gone from AU inside of two years?

Commit to a school, not a coach.

As I believe that recruits read this page to see feedback on their visit, it seems an ideal place for other teams’ trolls to try to sway their opinion. That said, recruiting is about relationships and these are not built overnight. Those recruits that want to be part of something special here at UF have a great opportunity to get early playing time and national exposure at a top notch SEC school. Great fans, facilities and tradition, not to mention championships. Don’t let the trolls be the voice of the Gator Nation. If a recruit decides against UF, we wish them well. Those that choose to be Gators give themselves the best chance to go even further, academically as well as professionally. Go Gators!

I have been saying for weeks now, “No Worries Mates” and that still sounds correct to me. Getting the heebee-jeebees now is silly, when all 2015 recruiting questions will be answered shortly on NSD. =======
About the Ox-tu type of criminole twits, they are just attempting to keep the recruits eyes away from their Shameous Jameous character, and their 59 – 20 performance when it counted most. Heck, they don’t even want this; 6-5 UF 19 – 24 @ 11-1 FSUcks (+5) in a recruits mind right now….. The Recruits and their parents have a clear choice before them, AAU UF/SEC, or Criminole Clown-U FSU/ACC.

Going to be a nervous NSD for the Gator coaches….but likely a very happy one as well for them and GatorNation. A lot to like about what is going on with the UF football program at this time. Go Gators. And to the FSU trolls on here…..you better be worried about one of your QBs flipping to the Gators instead of being on here posting stupid nonsense (which actually reflects the FSU way).

Seems to be that UF is going backswards in the recruiting battles….was 94,now 104 tied with Appy St. Even Ga. Southern is ahead of the Gators. When does the madness stop? Apparently the really good recruits are not liking the coaches that Foley signed or Mac isn’t a good recruiter. Musty must be doing a really good job keeping new recruits from going to UF.

the syracuse commit was deciding between cuse and south alabama- otherwise no schools oferred. We are competing with South Alabama for recruits? Dont see that mentioned on any gator sites- not sure why we would take him

Stan…..because the Gators have a need for bodies on the OL, an obviously the Florida coaches see potential in the kid at center. And the Gators are very thin at that position. I have full faith that Summers knows OL potential better than you.

Zack noted on his twitter page that Francois is not coming to Florida and sticking with FSU after his visit. Florida really needs to flip the Louisville QB commit now. Not good going into next year with just Grier and Harris at QB. FSU has three top QB commits and zero for Florida at the moment.

Tampa Gator It doesn’t sound like Either quarterback, Francois or Jackson, is flipping to UF. I wish you would stop calling everyone who states reality a troll. The fact is that UF having the worst year in recruiting in memory. Calling people names is not going to change the facts.
The reason for this post is a question for Zach. If I’m correct, UF is not going to get Jackson or Francois. Who is UF going to get at quarterback? UF has to get at least one quarterback in this class, because the depth chart is bare and the quarterbacks on the roster are question marks. I have not heard Chase Litton’s name mentioned, for instance. He’s a pro-style QB leaning to South Florida. I’ve also heard UF mentioned for a quarterback in Texas. It beh both Jackson and Francois fall through, where will UF turn? We know Morninhweg probably can’t play, Harris was not the answer last year, perhaps he’ll get better, and Grier hasn’t played a down. If the answer to the quarterback problem that UF has had for the past five years isn’t already on campus, it is mandatory that UF find another. Maybe UF should get two, for extra measure. Who cares abut the number of stars they have. Recently Oveidi produced two quarterbacks, one with all the stars was Jeff Driskel, the other, with no hype, was Blake Bortles. Take a chance on the Litton kid, for example, if you can’t get Francois or Jackson, if you can get him. I say ‘if” because I don’t know if UF can win out over South Florida for a kid with the track record UF has this year.

By the way, the “Syracuse commit ” is deciding between Syracuse, Florida and Ole Miss. The University of South Alabama, last I checked, was still in Mobile, Alabama, not Oxford, Mississppi. Check your facts before spewing out your diatribes, please.

Um there are numerous articles on the internet that he was down to south alabama and syracuse. He was hoping for a minnesota offer but didnt get one. Yes I trust Summers since virtually no other program has offered the kid. We are thin so are now taking two stars

Douggator, you must be kidding, even if as you say the cupboard was slighted when Muschamp got he was given too much time to replenish it and create a winning team and atmosphere , he did neither one. But I don’t think that coach Mac has an empty shelf either, we have some very good players on this team and he may have to pull a survival trick with what he’s dealt. Most of his problem is he is missing some key parts and are very slim in others. A “GOOD” HBC will get through this in two years and have his program on the up side. That’s what I expect coach Mac will do . If it takes him three years, it’s ok we gave Muschamp 4 years, one more than he really deserved. GO GATORS!!!!

I think we get 3 possibly 4 of the 4-5 star players, playing time early will be a big factor and it is available at Fl.We can end up with maybe 4 flips, Christan Pellage decommited from sc I have heard, not confirmed yet. 3 star recruits can give you a championship with the right coaching and training. I would rather have 20 ,3 star want to be gators, than a 5, who may fail..We will have a good class and with the players already in place we will be fine.. The sky is not falling,, thats the sun coming up.GO GATORS/////

Let Muschamp rest in Alabama, glad he’s back in that State. Try to look forward, there are better things ahead. And you are right , if coach Mac does not produce he SHOULD follow the same path. with no doubt and he’s knows that as well. Don’t feel sorry for him or Muschamp they are being HANDSOMELY REWARDED.. GO GATORS!!!!

Aux2…..A cat is a cat because it mostly poops in a box. A dog is a dog because it mostly poops in a yard. A troll is a troll because it mostly poops on blog sites. Which one do you mostly do?

The toxic venom from some of you is embarrassing. Calling out Mac and Foley for this disappointing recruiting cycle?…first, if Foley would have fired Muschamp last year then least years class would have sucked…second, what coach would want to sign on with an AD who has a backbone made of peanut butter and fires you one year removed from a 12-2 season because of your whiny ass fan base…third, to keep coaches on the staff that you may not be comfortable with or have philosophical differences with in X’s and O’s just to keep a handful of recruits happy is just stupid. Relax people, let Mac coach a game first before u run him out of town.

Tampa Gator, LMAO! That was great. I’m stealing it.

Scooterp, couldn’t agree more. Coaching chemistry is everything! The years I coached we won regional championships, always made the playoffs, and were always in the semi finals to play for a state championship. The final year I coached the coaching chemistry was not good at all with much disagreement and arguing. That was my first losing season as a football coach. I am impressed at this point the group of coaches Mac has put together which is first and foremost. The chicken little’s are just silly. Whether good or bad, I don’t think this one class is going to define where this program is headed. In addition, I don’t think that for one moment these coaches are surprised by anything going on right now.

Tampa gator What a response! I guess you’re allergic to logic and/or facts. The fact is that that UF football, on the field and in recruiting, is irrelevant right now. That may change in the future, but it is an undeniable fact right now. As for those of you who keep talking about all the ‘talent” at UF, I fail to see where you get that hypothesis. The secondary is very talented, after that I fail to see it. Is there a single player on offense, for example, that would even be honorable mention All-SEC?

Aux2……Thanks for clearly picking answer number three concerning which of the three you mostly do. You get an A+ on the test.

And Aux2….you also clearly do not have a clue as to the definition of an opinion vs. a fact. You should have learned that in your middle school language class.

Zack…..think Van Jefferson still comes to Gainesville next weekend after he committed to Ole Miss on Sunday?

Yes – too funny. He states an opinion and calls it an undeniable fact.

In Internet slang, a troll (/ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people,[1] by posting inflammatory,[2] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a newsgroup, forum, chat room, or blog) with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[3] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion

I think that does describe several of the people posting on here.

When you read some of the things that is put on this site, it makes you wonder about the fan base we have. I cannot believe some of the crap I am reading from people who think they know anything at all. Sure glad all GATOR FANS are not of the same mind set. We will have a good class when all is said and done. Our coaching staff will have given all they can, for this year. Muschamp is gone no need to worry about him, because he may be gone again, maybe as dc for atlanta. That will be a gift to FL. pread the word, Muschamp and Quinn to Atlanta. Some times the rumor is as good as fact. GO GATORS////////

Aux did you just really say UF is irrelevant right now?? Really because I missed how irrelevant schools end up as finalists for so many high value recruits like Cowart, Ivey, Jefferson, Holland, Davis, etc. Talk about not having logic and facts! I think you should look those words up! UF is hurting right now but we are far from down and out!

Just heard an interview with Andrew Spivey on ESPN which I thought was pretty interesting making some good points. He mentioned that in three years this poor recruiting year will be an after thought and that next year will be much better moving forward. I agree that Florida may not be playing for an SEC title or NC next year but the positive is that the program will be heading in the right direction to where the team will be competitive again. He also had some reservation as to the effectiveness of Muschamp’s and T-Rob’s recruiting in Florida next year compared to what most of us are seeing this year, that the Florida coach’s such as Shannon who is considered a legend in South Florida. From what I gather, it doesn’t look good for Cowart, Jefferson, and Holland to be Gators but looks good for Ivey and Davis at this point. The overall is that the program will continue in the right direction to where in state kids will want to play for Florida again.

And it still confounds me that you can’t grasp the difference between talent and production. There IS a difference. To have talent one only needs the physical capabilities. To have production one must take that talent and combine it with the right work ethic, mental knowledge, coaching, and a little bit of luck to show it on the field. An example if it helps: Andre Deborah had all the talent in the world. Everyone who knows anything about the sport would tell you that, but he never produced at receiver. Why do you think the linemen “mysteriously” got better last year. It’s because they had the right coaching to turn the talent into production and I feel an I told you so is necessary as I personally told YOU that we had the talent on the line and Summers could produce with that talent. But you failed to see the difference in talent and production the same as you do now. You asked about talent on the offensive side of the ball, well I can give you a whole list of guys who based solely on talent level could fit the bill. Demarcus Robinson is the easy first name for as much as you hate to admit it he is already actually displaying that talent by producing. I believe you are the only person on the planet to doubt that. Next there’s Kelvin Taylor who has also done his fair share of producing though it may not be the epic levels we unfairly expected of him. But who knows maybe the right coach will bring that out of him. Next we have Jake McGee who has produced well at a school that outside of himself did not do well passing the ball.Then there’s Ahmad Fulwood, Alvin Bailey, Latroy Pittman, Chris Thompson, Deandre Goolsby, Moral Stephens, Adam Lane, Brandon Powell, David Sharpe, Rod Johnson, and probably some more that just slipped my mind at the moment. These are all guys who have the obvious talent but they just haven’t yet produced whether it’s because they haven’t had the time yet or because they haven’t had the coaching yet. As you can see there is no lack of talent at Florida. Lack of production? Yes. Lack of talent? No

are there any recruits the coaches were recruiting at their old schools that are looking at Florida? Shannon brought one looks like any others?

s c Gator…..

Quinn hired the former Tampa Bay HC to be his co-defensive coordinator for the Falcons. Muschamp is not going to Atlanta. Forget that rumor.

Yawn… For all this saying this kid won’t come or that kid isn’t good enough let’s go to vegas so you can tell me what numbers to bet on! Who cares who we are competing with? You realize Russell Wilson was a two star and is playing for his second ring? Aux your “facts” are almost always just your prediction so no one gives you credit, easy as that. We don’t need more shit for the fire so just get off the site if you can’t have faith. You can’t fix a program with one great class anyways so who cares if we get the “big” recruits? We are getting the bodies we need at key spots and in case some of you didn’t notice these kids who didn’t commit haven’t commited anywhere else yet either. They are letting our staff keep in touch which is more than they had to do. That’s all you can hope for going into nsd. As far as flipping the FSU qb, donte fowler (heard of him?) said the exact same things so nothing is final till the ink dries.

Treon Harris and Will Grier are names you may notice were not on the list, not because they don’t have talent (because they clearly do) but because you said something about QBs I’d like to address directly. You said Treon Harris wasn’t the answer last year and started desperately trying to find a QB who is. 1. Of course Treon wasn’t the answer last year! He was a true freshman! Very VERY few QBs come in at that young an age and become “the answer. Heck even the special kind of guys who broke the mold still had 1 year under their belts. If you can name a starting college freshman QB in the last decade that was truly successful I’ll be surprised. 2. The answer is not in getting another QB (although we need to for depth purposes and overall planning for the future). No the answer is in getting the right coach to develop these young guys, whoever the winner becomes. Our QB struggles have started since we haven’t had the right coaches, not since we got certain players. Ever notice how Spurrier always seemed to have good QBs and Muschamp never did, even though a couple of Muschamp’s QBs went on to succeed elsewhere. And yet somehow it has nothing to do with coaching??? No we’ve had the talent at QB, it just hasn’t been coached up recently. Look at Brantley and Driskel. Brantley had a cannon for an arm and as a backup up it seemed the only thing keeping him from a Heisman was Tebow being better and keeping the starting spot. Then he got his chance and Meyer tried to force him into a role that wasn’t him and he regressed a little. Then Muschamp and Weis came along and at first it looked promising but then he got injured and started to regress even further. Then came Driskel. The next Tim Tebow. Every bit as good a runner, but an even better passer. As a freshman he got thrown into the fire and got injured before he could show too much. Then he took the starting reigns in 12 and was asked simply to game manage and make smart decisions. He did that and then some showing potential that made most Gators drool. Then in 2013 instead of improving he showed a little regression before being injured. And then in 14 he regressed so much he fell completely off the mountain. Are you seeing the pattern yet? Every position, but QBs especially, need to be developed by good coaches to succeed. That is why sacrificing a few recruits to get the right staff in place is actually a really smart thing. This is what I love about Mac. He doesn’t get completely lost in the short game like so many on this blog. He’s a long term thinker and planner. And he’s not just building UF back to where we were. He’s trying to build us even higher. He’s building a dynasty. And if that means we miss out on Byron and Cece I’m OK with that. Because I doubt any of you will even remember those names if Mac’a plan works and he’s holding up his 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th… national title.

Also this is the first year with a stupid ass dead period. So for all you crying about the staff not making any headway keep that in mind. They have had a little over FIVE WEEKS to meet these kids and their parents. That’s hard to do when you’re competing against someone (Muschamp, T-rob, ect) who they’ve had in their homes the past 3-4 years. It takes time and as long as we get some production on offense none of the major recruits other than holland, a qb, and Ivey are a position of need.

Zach far fetch question but what up with ray ray or Cain?

That_UAT_Guy, I wouldn’t let it get under your skin too much. For most of us who understand the many facets of football have mentioned in other blogs your very sentiment. However, some posters are here to get you riled up or don’t understand some of these possibilities within the game of football. I personally think there are some talented pieces on offense to work with and that the last coaching staff either didn’t know how to utilize each ones gifts to the fullest or did a poor job of player development. I tend to believe it was a little of both. Besides, does it really make sense for someone to make a 3 to 4 year prediction when this current coaching staff hasn’t had their first game yet. I am impressed that Mac put in 2 mil of his own money to be here. That shows me he is not only confident but really wants to be here.

It will only be productive when or if paperwork comes out of the fax machine, not before. Hope springs eternal.

Foks. Aux is not, at all, a Gator. There is no more doubt about it. He follows the exact same script every freaking time on every freaking website. He is a rival’s stooge placed here to “poison the well” as someone else put it. It’s crazy that CFB has become such big business that schools feel the need to do this kind of stuff but it is what it is. Once UF starts doing well again, he will either disappear or continue to find the negative in things like any good politician. So folks, if you really feel the need to engage him, just bash one of his probable teams or say something witty like Tampa Gator. Reasonable debate is pointless against someone whose only agenda is to misinform.

There’s a difference between “talent” and potential. Jeff Driskel had potential, but he was never “talented.” “Talent” is also relative. It doesn’t say much for UF’s talent when not one offensive player is good enough to be even honorable mention All-SEC, which is who UF must play the majority of games against. It’s a fact, not an opinion, that the overwhelming majority of players that UF has wanted this recruiting season have said no to UF and chosen other schools. It’s normal for a school to not get everyone they want, but this year UF has missed badly on most everyone. To think that will change in the small amount of time left, a little over five days left for McElwain to make a pitch, is defying the odds. I’m sure many of you took Statistics, if so, you know that the odds of UF finishing with a good class are small, and getting smaller with each passing day. Taylor, and if they pick UF, Clark, and Zuniga are concrete examples of how badly UF is struggling. None of them would have been offered by UF if UF was not getting the cold shoulder by others. That’s a fact, not an opinion.

It is the coaches that raise the level of play, that shape and mold the players. Rivals only looks at high schoolers. The current staff at Florida is stellar. They are true coaches that bring the best out of the potential of the players. Stars are made, not recruited. The gators will be just fine no matter who they recruit because the coaches are stellar.

Everyone on the board should try writing down all the names Ron Zook and all the names Urban Meyer landed in their first recruiting classes at Florida. Zook received lots of credit for the talent he recruited that Meyer took to his first national championship. How any of those 2002 guys can you name without looking up the list? Then make a list, purely from memory, of the five-star, can’t-miss prospects we agonized over losing in 2002 and 2005. Can you name more than two ? Or any? Fwiw, I checked Phil Steele’s 2014 guide and confirmed that Muschamp ‘a roster was nearly identical to Florida State’s in number of 5-star and 4-star guys. Why did the Noles’ players turn out better? Coaching and player development.

aux2…..
You have no related data to prove that McElwain would not have offered those players you mentioned anyway. So, in FACT, your view of the situation is only an OPINION based on your personal theory of what you think you know, which is not the definition of a FACT. But that probably is not logical thought for you, since you think I am illogical, which is only your opinion and not a proven fact as well.

Gatormac…..I think the only person that should do all of that is…….aux2.

understand the concerns about the current recruiting class and the lack of 5 and 4 stars. it really comes down to coaching. wasn’t Brandon James a 2 star coming out of high school?

Tampa Gator We do have proof. Since McElwain’s hire he has been very busy going to visit players that didn’t choose UF. Unless he was just wasting his time with recruits like George Campbell, we do know that UF has whiffed badly on players McElwain wanted. What’s sad is that you won’t admit the obvious, namely, that UF is doing very badly on the recruiting front this year. It’s sort of like the captain of the Titanic brushing off the iceberg as just an ice cube, and evrything is fine. You were, also, probably one of the folks who thought Jeff Driskel was going to become a great quarterback with the right ‘system” and a different coach. But like Driskel being a terrible quarterback, UF’s problem in recruiting this year is so blatant that even a blind man can see it. Isn’t it time to say uncle?

Hey, Tampa Gator! You may be right. Aux2 apparently has found no friends in the netherworld of Noles, so hangs out with us. In other news, the commitment of 2016 wide receiver looks huge. Good size for a young guy, had a big junior season for Jacksonville Raines. He has offers from a bunch of good programs. A good get for the future.

Jabari Zuniga just announced for the Gators. DE from Marietta , GA, 6-3 265 LBs, who Terrell Williams sees as edge rusher with frame to grow into DT. Home visit with him and his parents by McElwain Monday night sealed the deal. He loved walking through the tunnel into the Swamp two weekends ago. Welcome, big fellow!

Zuniga was a flip from N.C. State, who projected him as a defensive tackle, not an end. He sees himself as an end, which helped UF get him. According to another Gator site, he is “one of the most underrated players in America.” I can see a trend here. UF is now, including Jackson, specializing in getting “underrated” players that this crackerjack staff has found.

aux2…..Zuinga is going to be a terror coming off the edge on 3rd and long in the SEC. Watch his film. He is incredibly quick off the ball and why McElwain and staff wanted him so much.

In other news, another “underrated” prospect, Steven Clark, will delay his announcement, which he was supposed to make this evening. The two star Syracuse commit perhaps got an additional offer from Ole Miss and will need more time to decide. Perhaps he is also deciding which position he wants to play. Like Zuniga, thatmay have a bearing on who he chooses. Syracuse wants him as a defensive linman, UF wants him as an offensive lineman, and I don’t know where Ole Miss wants him, if they want him.

lets say the critics are right and we don’t sign any of these big names. it wont mean much next season. and then we will be in a position to have a much better class each year for the next five… we don’t need to waste scholarships on guys were not sure about. some might work, but let mac build his program his way. maybe champ built his defense his way, but offensively it just was to get it over with so the defense could get back on the field, play to punt as driskel called it and somehow the defense was supposed to win the game without any help. and mac has a defense in mind too – one built to create more turnovers so the offense can score. Im more than okay with the plan so far.

Recruits aren’t stupid. They see the opportunity awaiting them if they sign with UF. Perhaps they’re just trying to avoid additional pressure as they make their decision. Anyway, stars next to a name mean nothing. I welcome these young men to Gator Nation and wish them the best of luck. I’ll be pulling for them next year for sure. Go Gators! Stay positive guys.

I think Zuniga is a great pick up. I still think he will play inside, like N.C. State wanted him to do. I think UF’s coaches may feel the same, but told him what he wanted to hear. A lot of players picture themselves as the next Lawrence Taylor and don’t want to bee on the inside where the dirty work is done.But when he gets bigger, if he retains his quickness, he may be a great tackle. It’s not a stretch to say that he will get bigger,he’s 265 lbs. now, once he gets on a college training table.

The opportunity to restore the UF program to promenence is VERY appealing! We”re starting from the bottom and some of the most elite recruits are still here. We will close well and pleasantly surprise many of you. Enjoy the process young men; come in prepared and ready to fight from the bottom! LUV UF!

Aux it’s hilarious to watch you use terms like facts and truth when you clearly have no clue what they mean! The only proof you brought up was George Campbell who you are woefully wrong about. Campbell was a guy Muschamp wanted and already too far gone when McElwain jumped. I think it’s funny that it’s supposedly a “fact” that the “overwhelming majority of players that UF has wanted this recruiting season have said no to UF and chosen other schools” when in fact the majority of the big names we wanted are currently uncommitted. Cowart, Ivey, Jefferson, Davis, Holley, Cronkite, Callaway, etc. Not to mention the committed guys who could still flip like Scarlett, Lewis, Pellege, Thomas, Jackson, Wilson, St. Louis, etc. Then there’s Derrick Dillon who everyone was expecting to flip, but it looks like Mac is going to keep. Yet I see no one give him credit for that. If we only sign half of those guys that’ll give us a class of 17. Add in Clark and that’s 18. Then they’ll probably be some more signees who aren’t at the tip top of the list so if we added say 3 more under the radar guys and that’s a class of 21 which is pretty good considering where Mac started. See Aux, that’s how you use facts. You actually show some proof like naming the prospects you’re talking about. You should try it.

by That_UAT_Guy There’s no hope for you, you’re delusional. I give you one example of a player that McElwain rushed to see when he got the job and you act like it didn’t happen. There’s no need to recap the vast majority of recruits who has turned down UF, most people know it is true and are not living in a fantasy world like you. It’s still happening now. McElwain is still chasing after Adonis Thomas, Deondre Francois, Jordan Scarlett, Auden Tate, and the list goes on and on of players that UF wants, but don’t want UF. It started a long time agowhen a team like Clemson got pledges from Ray Ray McCloud Jr. Deon Cain, and Jake Fruhmorgen, guys that were leans to UF and UF wanted badly. The only reason Jordan Cronkite is wanted is because players like Scarlett, Jacques Patrick, and Dexter Williams are probably not coming to UF. The others you list, Cowart, Jefferson, Ivey, etc. have still not said yes to UF, and there’s only five contact days left for McElwain to persuade them. UF just pitched Tristan Payton and Jared Pinckney and they chose Central Florida and Vandy, respectively. If that doesn’t give you a clue how recruiting is going for UF, nothing will. I hope UF gets everyone left, but I have eyes and the chances of that happening are very slim because nothing has changed and UF has whiffed badly on almost every other top prospect. Why is that going to change now? The top recruit that is currently a lock to come to UF is Tyler Jordan. I think he’s a fine player, but he’s not someone that should be the cornerstone of your class. You were delusional about the team on the field, now you’re suffering the same malady concerning recruiting. Take your medication, it’s not a secret that UF is struggling to get players. I think Zuniga’s commitment has raised UF to 73rd in 247’s team rankings. UF has supposedly offered Luke Ancrum, a two star defensive end. Why would they do that if they felt confident that Jefferson and Cowart are coming to Gainesville? Even Zach can see the writing on the wall, why can’t you?

Fun Facts for the Farceful Few:
The Gator’s last 4 classes: 12. 2011, 4. 2012, 2. 2013, 6. 2014
Current Teams Recruit (4) Class Average = 24/4 = #6.
The 2015 Gator Team Break-down, before adding the 2015 class:
The Gator’s return on offense is THREE 5 Stars and SIXTEEN 4 Stars.

The Gator’s return on defense is SIX 5 Stars and EIGHTEEN 4 Stars.

That’s a combined 9 *****’s and 34 ****’s, along with another 15-20 decent 3 stars.

UF returns 5 stars at every level on the defense, DL, LB, DB.

UF returns 5 stars at QB, RB, OL on the offense, with solid lettermen 4 stars at WR & TE.

They return solid lettermen kickers at both positions, K-Austin & P-Townsend.

And now they will have a 5 star (LS-Rating) getting the ball to them.

With what the new coaches add on NSD, ‘No Worries Mates.’

5 Returning Gator QB’s:

QB-PP Ryan McGriff 6-0 190 Sr SQ ** (mostly a legacy scout teamer)

QB-PP Jacob Guy 6-5 209 rsJr SQ *** (not given a real chance yet imo)

QB-PP Skyler Mornhinweg 6-3 212 rsJr 1L *** (an experienced backup)

QB-DT Treon Harris 5-11 190 So 1L **** (jmoho, but FSUcks can have him back)

QB-DT Will Grier 6-2 200 rsFr SQ ***** (multi-PoY awards, #2 QB-DT at Elite 11)

Ox-tu, I’d take Grier over any QB FSUcks currently has, (cause he won’t come down with the criminole crabs).

FACT – In the last 10 years: UF 6 – 4 FSUcks, and that’s not just a rival fans opinion/prediction, THAT’s a FACT.

Unstable coaching staffs have been the real bane in Gainesville recently. Driskel had 3 OC’s in 4 years.

The WR’s have had 7 different coaches over the last 7 years, and those are just the tip of the coaching instability iceberg.

Mac puts together a cohesive staff that remains stable and the turn-around will be rapid indeed.

For the totally clueless: Recruiting Hits or Misses are not, and cannot be, determined until after NSD is over, all BS before then.

The only exception to that are those that graduate HS and become Early Enrollee’s in Jan. Late start UF only had 2 this year.

DE Jabari Zuinga 6-3 265 – Marietta, Ga – Now a UF verbal, flipped from NCSt commit.
(DE/DT Jonathan Bullard 6-3 270 – can and does play both, a huge NFL draft plus)

Aux2 – George Campbell enrolled at FSU on 1/5/15. McElwain was hired on 12/4/14. He had about 8 days to visit all the recruits before the dead period and had not hired his coaching staff yet. He did not have much of chance of changing Campbell’s mind, Other guys you list Cain (verbally committed 5/30/14), McCloud (verbally committed 7/28/14) and Fruhmorgen (verbally committed 4/10/14) were lost before McElwain took over. You can blame Muschamp for that. As far as Cronkite, he has offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Clemson, Texas, Nebraska, South Carolina, Miami, West Virginia, Oregon and others (including your favorite – Florida State). A lot of teams would love to have Cronkite. In regards to trying to flip players, all schools are trying to do that. More often that not it does not succeed, but you usually end up getting a few that way. I am not sure Jefferson and Cowart no where they are going yet. No one can feel confident they are going to get them.

When you go through coaching change after the season, you typically have a down year in recruiting. This is not a reflection on the new staff, but a reflection on the lack of time to recruit. The fact that the Gators are still in the running for so many of the top uncommitted players is a good sign. Why can’t you see this?

Gator863, Ox-tu can see well because of the warm, dark, smelly place that he keeps his head….. LMAO!

aux too is a semihole in drag why do you guys give him the time of day

still waiting on players the coacher were recruiting at their former schools that they are trying to get to come to UF. we hear bout Muschamp trying to get recruits to sign with AU, so how bout our new coaches?

Kerrdog – probably time to move on to a different question. It does not seem that you are going to get a response.

kerrdog…..Jackson, the LB commit, was being recruited by Shannon at Arkansas. And I believe Zuinga was being recruited by Collins to MSU. I am sure there are others. But neither were head coaches and did not have recruiting restrictions written into their contracts. Can’t recall a single recruit that McElwain has been mentioned with as recruiting to Colorado State that he has targeted for Florida. Just the apparent difference between the two coaches and why so many in GatorNation are so glad McElwain is in Gainesville and Muschamp is gone from Gainesville.

“The fact that the Gators are still in the running for so many of the top uncommitted players is a good sign.” No, I don’t see it as a good sign since we have seen that it doesn’t matter if UF is in the running, when it comes time to decide, practically no one is picking Florida. This isn’t horseshoes or hand grenades, close doesn’t count. Just look at who was listed on this blog since the 21st. Van Jefferson picked Ole Miss, Shareef Miller picked Penn State, and Deondre Francois didn’t flip from FSU. On top of that, Jeremiah Dinson chose Auburn. UF was “still in the running,” bu didn’t close. UF got Jackson, a player that only Randy Shannon wants and Zuniga, a player that Georgia Tech and Georgia didn’t want. Auburn, who has one of Zuniga’s teammates enrolled, also didn’t want Zuniga. Maybe Shannon is astute and knows something other college coaches don’t and maybe the schools in Georgia and Auburn missed Zuniga. Only time will tell. The point is that I do see what is happening, and being considered is nothing to get excited about. As for who was the coach when a player said no to UF, who cares? I don’t place any blame on McElwain for the state of this recruiting class. It sucked before he came and that hasn’t changed. He’s not a miracle worker. Next year’s class is when McElwain will earn praise or disdain.

I enjoy aux2 ‘s post . He is the truth teller , but he is a gator . For some reason you guys can’t see this. He just tells it like it is.
Hey Tampa, are you the same jerk that posts on the Atlanta Constitution? They laugh you off the threads …. Lol what horrible post. Gauwd awful

I don’t think anyone knows where the Big 5 will chose to go to college. I am including Davis with Cowart, Jefferson, Holland, and Ivey because he could be the playmaker the offense needs. I can’t help but think they may choose Auburn and I really hate that. These guys are Florida guys and will make a bigtime impact if they choose the Gators. My thinking is that if they were signing with Florida it would have made more sense to commit early and recruit for the Gators. By waiting till signing day others may go different places instead of joining them. My only hope is that they have been doing this silently among themselves with a bond to stick together. We can only hope so. Gators!

I doubt they’re a package, not all five, and I’m guessing the Gators get two to four of the five you’ve group together, James. By the time Muschamp’s tenure finally wound down and McElwain arrived, with only an eight-day window to introduce himself, Mac had about 18-20 spots to fill if he brings in a full class. That makes for a truly fascinating adventure in watching him and his newly assembled staff hustles night and day to fill those spots. It means constructing a mix of, hopefully, some of those elite prospects, a mixture of four- and three-stars , and some prospects maybe longer on potential than readiness for early playing time. This new coach has started with a deeper recruiting deficit than anyone else we’ve ever brought on board. So far, from recruits’ consistent reports on Mac, I’m pretty impressed and very pleased.

gottal love Zach in that green shirt on the video. Does he look like Dooley Jr or what? Hillarious

“There’s no need to recap the vast majority of recruits who has turned down UF” In other words aux can’t give any names of guys who turned down Mac. All he’s got is guys who were long gone before Mac arrive. And I’m the delusional one?? Aux when everyone disagrees with you, maybe you’re the one that’s wrong. You literally have no facts, no proof, and no back up. You know you’ve become a joke right? Our class will be just fine. We might not get all of the big 5 (though I wouldn’t be surprised if we did), but I bet we get at least 3. Scarlett is still considering UF and from what I’ve seen most expect him to pick us. I just hope you don’t “mysteriously” disappear come signing day. Also I expect to hear from you when Mac’s bringing us back to the glory days. But then again I won’t keep my hopes up. The likes of you tend to disappear when things start going right

aux2 – I think it is a good sign for future recruiting classes. If McElwain (with all the recruiting disadvantages he had) can compete this year for the top recruits, he should do very well next year. Is it that surprising that Shareef Miller choose Penn State. He is from Pennsylvania and the Gators just started recruiting him a few weeks ago. Dinson very possibly did not like the depth of talent the Gators had at cb. As I said before, most of the guys you try to flip will not. Francois stuck with the coaching staff that had been recruiting him longer. You certainly made it sound like you thought McElwain was to blame in previous posts. It just is the typical outcome for a recruiting class when you have a coaching change at the end of the year.

As far as someone’s claim that you are a Gator fan – highly doubtful. No Gator fan in his right mind would think Winston was the greatest college football player ever.

I can see that logic and facts get no traction with some of you. It won’t be long until your are dashed. The evidence is there, yet you ignore it. With each passing day, it’s very evident that recruits aren’t buying what McElwain is selling. UF needs wide receivers, and another, Shaquery Wilson, that UF is trying to flip now says he is not coming for a visit. A couple of linemen that were assumed to fall all over themselves to come to UF, Pellage and Clark, have still not flipped.McElwain is still begging Adonis Thomas, etc. The meaning is very clear. For all the hope for what’s left of the state’s top players, Ivey, Cowart, Jefferson, not one of them has felt the need to boost UF’s class by deigning to say yes. Like the Beatles said in “Strawberry Fields Forever:” “Living is easy with eyes closed. Misunderstanding all you see.” The only question is not whether UF will have the worst class in at least 25 years, but how bad it will be. Will UF break into the top 25, or be outside of it, just like the team on the field?

Once again we have been invaded by Nole Trolls. In other words they are having Pe-is envy. Can’t blame them. Just feel sorry that they have only fielded one good team since ’99.
Hey aux, Is there truth to the rumor that Jumbo is being investigated for his role in the cover-up. Is this really the type of coach that you would trust with the safety of your son?

Talk about envy? I’m not the one that feels it is necessary to talk about a rival constantly, like some of you. As for Fisher, I’d take him in a heartbeat. His record against UF is 4-1, something I hope McElwain changes soon. But right now, there is no question that UF is playing catch up. As for trusting Fisher with your children, it’s precisely his defense of Winston against a witch hunt that has endeared him to many parents. It was cited as a reason that some kids picked FSU, such as Jacques Patrick and Malik Henry, players that UF would die for. No, I’m not envious, I just see things as they are, not how I fantasize them to be, unlike many of you. I hope I’m wrong, and UF gets the top players this year, that are left, but I’ve yet to seen any sign that will happen, but it doesn’t make me feel better to fantasize about FSU falling down, there’s no evidence that is going to happen either. I just hope UF can get even with FSU in recruiting next year, and beat them on the field within three years. That’s a realistic goal, not a fantasy like many of you have.

Fitting that definition of a troll. You are not looking to actually debate a topic, but just trying to upset Gator fans. Every time someone posts points that dispute your view, you change the argument. You are the one that is failing to acknowledge logic and facts.

UF does not need wide receivers. If they had not recruited any this year, they had more than enough on the roster. Sure they want to recruit some receivers and I believe already have one enrolled. Wilson verbally committed last week, so not overly surprising that he is not visiting. If the Gators get Davis and hold on to Dillon, they are in great shape. If you call trying to flip Thomas as begging, than every college and every coach is out there begging. I guess Cowart, Jefferson and Ivey don’t feel the need to boost anyone’s class. Of course that is not a recruit’s job. It is also amusing that a post or two ago you said you were not blaming McElwain for the recruiting class, then in this post you say recruits aren’t buying what McElwain is selling. Finally you are trying to make a big deal that UF may not finish in the top 25 in recruiting. Personally I could care less if they finish in the top 25 this year. I am very confident that they will back up near the top next year. The recruiting rankings is a guessing game anyways. Muschamp had very good recruiting numbers, but it did not help him on the field.

I guess your definition of a troll fits me in one way, it upsets many of you to hear someone give a dose of reality. I also said that Grier and Harris were competing for the starting job, not the backup job, and many of you were outraged. I knew Driskel sucked because he was Jeff Driskel, not all the other excuses made for him being a bad quarterback. Avoiding reality is not going to make it go away. To think that UF doesn’t need receivers boggles the mind. Have you actually watched UF’s receivers? To say they are a mediocre would be kind. Even the best of them, Robinson, is wildly inconsistent. UF also needs running backs. But there are many of you who still think Taylor is a great back, again have you watched any games? I don’t blame McElwain for recruiting, all he can offer is words, and, as seen by Roper’s promises, recruits need to see more than words, they’ve heard them before. IF UF looks competent on offense next year, even if the record isn’t great, recruits will buy into what McElwain is selling. But, presently, it seems they need more than words.

I PREDICT 3 OUT OF 5 sign with Florida, Ivey, Holland, Davis

cant we get daily stories now?

A troll in that your sole purpose here is to upset others. Every one of your messages is negative. You phrase things intentionally to create an emotional response. For an example, saying that McElwain was begging Thomas. Trying to flip verbal commits is something that every school and every coach does. It is part of the recruiting process. If McElwain was trying to do it, he would not be doing his job properly.

We will obviously disagree on this, but I think with better play at quarterback the receivers we have will look a lot better. I am not saying the Gators have a great group of receivers, but that they can be good. Taylor averaged right about 5 yards per carry last year. He is not a great back, but he is good. Have been watching & listening to Gator games since about 1970. McElwain can offer more than words, as he has been an offensive coordinator and a head coach.

How about Ivey, Davis and Cowart,maybe Holland, still a good chance. The bonus would be jefferson, but very doutful. GO GATORS///////

Gator863
We have 1or2 receivers that are fairly decent and 2 or 3 that are not very good,but maybe the tight end may be a help this season if he can stay healthy.Gators have not had a really good rreceiving group in a while. I think Taylor and Lane should have gotten more playing time last season, for the experience. We could use a good receiver and a Rb. maybe a good offensive coach can get this group of players in a lot better situations. Anything will be better than Champs offense… GO GATORS///

s c gator – I also wonder how well Leak did in coaching the receivers. He was thrown in to that position and I wonder if he was ready for it. We will have to wait and see who ends up taking over the job this year. Better position coaching and better play at qb and I think you will see a lot better play out of the UF receivers.

remember Urban won it all in year 2. I would bet a majority of players were from the previous coaches recruiting class and it would be another year or two the players he recruited would contribute.

I was thinking the same thing Gator863. Leak was thrown into that position and am not sure if he actually followed a receivers coach to learn the ins and outs to be successful. There is a lot of little things technique wise that make up a good receiver.

Has anybody heard of this QB out of New Mexico, Easton Bruere? From what I read, he has not been offered one scholarship. He is 6′-3″, 200 lbs, has a 3.75 cumulative gpa. He has throw for over 4,500 yards this season, 49 TD’s with only 6 ints. He plays 6A and apparently out dueled Gentry (4 star commit to Michigan) during the state championship semi finals. I find it interesting that this kid has been overlooked.

Chad O’Shea is the WRs coach with New England and Kippy Brown is the WRs coach with Seattle. Zack, do you think one of the two will be named the WRs coach at Florida after the Super Bowl?

aux2…..No one knows how good Robinson, Fulwood, Thompson, or any of the other Florida receivers are because none of them have been coached up very well. One thing is for sure, they were highly thought of coming out of high school. We will see how much they improve this year under the new offensive coaching staff, which I sincerely doubt will be afraid to throw the ball down field on first or second down.

UF is still #99 according to Rivals tied with Appalachian State University. 9 3 star recruits and a 2 star. Can this really be true? Mac either has a really bad rapport with HS kids or he’s pulling a magic act on Feb 4th. Doesn’t seem to be an in between. Guess UF has become the no 3 or 4 school in the state when recruiting HS football. Even FIU is ahead of UF. Have never seen an SEC school take such a hit as UF in recruiting after coming off of a winning season. The Swamp will be full of the gator chomp fans that turn into boo birds by mid season.

Gator863
You got a good point. I have said all along that Leak was a Qb not a receiver. Why was he coaching the receivers and I do belive that is most of the problem. Our receivers did not do very well, maybe a good coach can help to fix this problem, and a Qb that can throw to them. I pulled for Jeff all along, and I think he could have done better with a coach he could work with. 3 coaches in 3 yrs???.Didnt have a chance, but I wish him well. GO GATORS///

Don’t think so ORANGE60, most educated fans in GATOR NATION realize what has happened before and during recruiting season. Patience will not be that short. Coach Mac and his staff will be given much support and the benefit of a few years to prove they are the ALL STAR team that we think they are. IF and I say if , they do not pull the rabbit out of the hat for their first trick. NO BIG DEAL, next year in recruiting season the clock starts ticking. We will be OK with help from this recruiting season or not, we have good players on this squad, they were NOT coached up. GO GATORS!!!!

Creek:
Been following the Gators for 40 plus years,so probably more educated than u anyway when it comes to UF football. You say NO BIG DEAL when next year the clock starts ticking? Think again my lost chump friend. Lose a year in recruiting and you lose 3 close games in 1.5 years. But you are right about one thing, No coaching last year. Remains to be seen if you have a good staff next year. I stick to my guns on boo birds. Have seen them roost too often in the Swamp.

UF has supposedly offered Jakobi Meyer, a two star 6’0 ft 174 lb quarterback committed to N.C. State. For ll of you SEC snobs, it appears that UF is trying to get a lot of players committed to ACC schools. I’m surprised UF is offering another small dual threat quarterback, Harris fits that bill. But UF, if they can’t flip Jackson, has to get a quarterback this class, and it’s getting to the point they can’t be choosy. If UF can’t get a quarterback this year, that would be a disaster.

Just for all you arm chair recruiting beatnicks… there are NO 5-star players starting for either team in the Superbowl. There are kids out there that can play big time ball w/o the ridiculous star ratings… Go Gators!

Cowart seems like a great kid and I love that he isn’t ashamed to say that he and Momma are praying about his decision. I know that CeCe is a good kid (homeboy) and Martez also seems like a real class kid as well. They all three despite all of the stars and attention seem to be without the entitled punk*&^ attitude displayed these days by so many recruits and I see all of them in orange and blue next week. Hopefully they have done their homework on the “other school” in the mix and Momma is aware of all the players involved in shootings, robberies and even a player being murdered in the same off campus apartments where many of their players live. I know I would have to think hard about sending my 18yo off to a school with that kind of situation being so prevalent. As far as them being “family” out there and treating their players so well, check out former Plains stud, Mike Mcneils account of how the “family” treated him as he rots in jail after being charged with armed robbery along with 3 other auburn family members. Come be one of the Good Guys fellas.
Nothing Greater than a Gator!

What would be a disaster is if we have to keep putting up with aux on this blog. Aux seriously give it up. It’s just sad now. You gvie no facts or logic and you’re getting called out on it by multiple people. As Gator863 said, whenever someone does present you with facts and logic you just “conveniently” change the topic. Even when I practically begged you to supply some proof for the claim that everyone UF wants is saying no by providing some names, you simply ignored the topic. It’s sad. You’re sad. You’re a joke. Just too bad you’re not as funny as a good joke. You’re a nuisance and your attempt to make us look bad is failing as everyone just points out how illogical you are. Please for the sake of yourself and everyone on here, make yourself scarce.

Swampman- Show us a national champion the last ten years that won it all with mostly three star recruits. Good luck.

Proof? UF is currently ranked last in the SEC in recruiting. “Transition classes are traditionally weaker anyways, and UF’s struggles have been magnified due to McElwain’s lack of developed relationships, few Southern ties and little name recognition.”-Miami Herald

Rankings, stars, transition classes … its all hype to get us college football followers something to discuss. It doesn’t matter if you’re a 5-star kid if when you get to college, you don’t develop. I’d rather have a bunch of 3-star kids who we develop into 5-star at the end of their college careers – because then they’d be in the pro’s and that becomes a recruiting talking point. The UF staff is working hard to recruit the kids THEY want, not who WE want. Something that hasn’t been discussed is filling the gaps with JUCO kids. Spurrier did it, Meyer did it, Muschamp rarely did it. If we need O-line help, why not turn to JUCO kids.

Now he is resorting to using newspaper articles as his sources. Seriously someone give this guy an enema since he is so full of S***

da-muddler did a great job of supplying rankings of our previous four classes as well as the breakdown of 5-, 4- and 3-stars on the returning rosters. There’s talent on this team. Big numbers gap at OL and other needs at LB, edge rushers, and a need for two more RBs, QB for depth and development. Maybe we get Jefferson, Cowart. Probably we land Ivey, Davis, Callahan, Cronkite and even Scarlett. My Dad was as impassioned about Georgia Tech and Coach Bobby Dodd as could be as I was growing up. Dodd, who was very much like Steve Spurrier, seldom could pull in classes that were among the elite because of Tech ‘s high academic standards and narrow choices of studies. The Hall of Fame coach said that lots of the hottest high school prospects are guys that have reached most of their potential early while the eventual best players are late bloomers and often under-rated. Coach Mac is mining for some guys long on potential. We ‘ll be fine and back among the elite really fast, both with talent on hand and with classes on the way.

Gators were last in recruiting before McElwain took over. Jim Harbaugh has plenty of name recognition and he is not exactly tearing it up in recruiting. The dead period really hurt both programs. We will have to wait and see what happens between now and the end of signing day.

I saw that Jefferson stopped in and visited UF this week. Obviously still has some interest.

Gatormac – couldn’t agree more with your assessment. We don’t need players who have already reached their potential, we need players who through coaching and hard work will grow into their potential. Player development, you hear this phrase often in football. Can you really say that we “developed” players in the last 3-4 years? Fowler – was a monster before he got to UF. Hargraves, Easley, Elam – all gifted players before arriving. Where are the players that worked hard, grew into their role/positions and really achieved their potential? And notice, the examples are all on defense. Haven’t had any player development on the offensive side in years. That’s one thing I think this coaching staff will be able to do – develop the players.

Jeff UF has tried to get JUCO’s, but has struck out there, as well. Brndon Pertile, for example, was a JUCO offensive lineman that UF tried to flip from Oklahoma State, and was predicted by some to come to UF, he stayed with Oklahoma State. Justin Martin, a corner, chose Tennessee. Most all of the best JUCO players are already signed or committed to other schools. That train left the station a long time ago.

Pertile signed with OSU on 12/17/14. Since McElwain was hired 12/5, don’t think he had much opportunity to recruit Pertile.

Gator863 Does it matter why? The fact is that UF couldn’t close. It’s as bad as making excuses for Jeff Driskel, it doesn’t matter why he sucked, it only matters that he sucked. When will the excuses end?

So when you do it, it is ok. When I do it, I am making excuses. At the point he signed UF did not have an offensive coordinator. McElwain was scrambling all over the place trying to contact current verbal commits, prospective recruits and trying to fill out his coaching staff. Pertile had verbally commuted to OSU back in October. They have been recruiting for months. Can you be truly surprised that he did not change his mind. Oh and the answer is yes it matters why.

We need Florida alumni to breed and breed often. If we have alumni kids that are football, basketball, baseball players that can contribute at the college level, we will have a pipeline of athletes for all sports. I think the frats call it a legacy, why not in sports? get busy boys and girls that are of 18 years and over preferably married.

I guess the joke just never stops does it…

I really don’t understand some of the so called fans on these sites acting like florida is in so much trouble. I mean yes muschamp sucked. But even with some of our worst offenses in years we were still only a touchdown or so of winning some of these games this past year. With the exception of Bama. So if coach mac can just put a descent offense on the field we should improve drastically. The defense will still be there. We just need a coach who can teach our players that we don’t have to throw the ball behind the line of scrimmage and that it is within the rule book to throw a forward pass. Go gators.