Florida Gators

[KeviNole]

Where was FSwho, TCU, and the Bucknuts 3 years ago?

Three years ago, FSU was coming off the #1 recruiting class in the country in 2011, and about to sign a small but talent-rich class (including 3 5*, Goldman Winston and Edwards, who are about to get some nice NFL money). anOSU has been the second strongest recruiter to Bama over the last 5 years or so. FSU has been 7th I think, but other than DL has been very good at developing the talent (very few busts).

[dave_rickart]

TCU won the 2011 Rose Bowl, correct? And then was 11-2 in 2012.....

[KeviNole]

UF picked up a strong commitment from a 200 lb, 2* linebacker, giving them 9 thus far. I think their recruiting season is saved....

[Professor Tiger]

They have a 50/50 chance of landing 5 star OT Martez Ivey. They have a similar chance at other Floridian 5 star DE's Byron Cowart and CeCe Jefferson. If they get most of those guys, their class will take a huge leap.

[KeviNole]

It would help but dear Lord, the depth, man. They better hope they get two of the above plus a dozen underrated 3* players or they are going to struggle for years. One bad recruiting class can kill you.

[Professor Tiger]

The University of Florida is in the state of Florida - arguably the most talent rich football state in the US. That state normally stocks the Gators, Canes and Seminoles with fabulous talent, with enough leftovers to send starters to the rest of the SEC, ACC and other power conference. All you've got to do is keep a fair share of talent within your state. You'll be fine after the smoke clears, probably starting next year.

[Dr. Strangelove]

TCU won the 2011 Rose Bowl, correct? And then was 11-2 in 2012.....

You might have your years mixed up. I think TCU was actually pretty mediocre in 2012 and lost to Michigan State in a bowl game. 2013 they were 4-8 or something like that.

[KeviNole]

The University of Florida is in the state of Florida - arguably the most talent rich football state in the US. That state normally stocks the Gators, Canes and Seminoles with fabulous talent, with enough leftovers to send starters to the rest of the SEC, ACC and other power conference. All you've got to do is keep a fair share of talent within your state. You'll be fine after the smoke clears, probably starting next year.

Which is exactly why it is so befuddling that right now, 8 days before National Signing Day, the Gators have a total of 10 commitments - 9 three-stars and one two-star. ZERO blue chippers. In comparison, FSU has 21 commitments - 5 five-stars, 10 four-stars, and 6 three-stars. Miami has 8 four-stars and 11 three-stars. Even UCF has a four-star commitment.

Now two of Rivals' Top 4 recruits have UF as a strong interest, and if they pick up Ivey and Cowart it will help tremendously (both likely start on Day 1), but there will still be very little quality depth in this class. And even if you believe strongly in their new coaching staff (sidenote: CSU's players in the Senior Bowl didn't look very good from what I've read), they'll have to have a HOST of highly underrated prospects get coached up to SEC levels very quickly. There is a fair amount of talent in the cupboard but it's below its rivals at UGA, Tennessee - more on the South Carolina level.

UF might very well have a Top 5 class in 2016, but the coaching staff will already be behind the 8 ball with this year's class. Maybe in 3 years or so they can compete for a division title?

[dave_rickart]

TCU won the 2011 Rose Bowl, correct? And then was 11-2 in 2012.....

You might have your years mixed up. I think TCU was actually pretty mediocre in 2012 and lost to Michigan State in a bowl game. 2013 they were 4-8 or something like that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Rose_Bowl

2011 Rose Bowl - TCU 21, Wisconsin 19

the following season they went 11-2 (so that was the 2011 season then).

[hedge]

"Which is exactly why it is so befuddling that right now, 8 days before National Signing Day"

Let aTm handle this, he is the master of bafflement and befuddlement...

[Jungle Rat]

Don't forget naked young boys.

[Professor Tiger]

The University of Florida is in the state of Florida - arguably the most talent rich football state in the US. That state normally stocks the Gators, Canes and Seminoles with fabulous talent, with enough leftovers to send starters to the rest of the SEC, ACC and other power conference. All you've got to do is keep a fair share of talent within your state. You'll be fine after the smoke clears, probably starting next year.

Which is exactly why it is so befuddling that right now, 8 days before National Signing Day, the Gators have a total of 10 commitments - 9 three-stars and one two-star. ZERO blue chippers. In comparison, FSU has 21 commitments - 5 five-stars, 10 four-stars, and 6 three-stars. Miami has 8 four-stars and 11 three-stars. Even UCF has a four-star commitment.

Now two of Rivals' Top 4 recruits have UF as a strong interest, and if they pick up Ivey and Cowart it will help tremendously (both likely start on Day 1), but there will still be very little quality depth in this class. And even if you believe strongly in their new coaching staff (sidenote: CSU's players in the Senior Bowl didn't look very good from what I've read), they'll have to have a HOST of highly underrated prospects get coached up to SEC levels very quickly. There is a fair amount of talent in the cupboard but it's below its rivals at UGA, Tennessee - more on the South Carolina level.

UF might very well have a Top 5 class in 2016, but the coaching staff will already be behind the 8 ball with this year's class. Maybe in 3 years or so they can compete for a division title?

The current conventional wisdom around Auburn is UF will get Ivey. CeCe is leaning to Ole Miss (talk about being baffled), Auburn will get Holland, and Cowart is anybody's guess.

Both AU and UF will probably have outstanding classes next year after their coaching changes fade from memory.

[KeviNole]

The current conventional wisdom around Auburn is UF will get Ivey. CeCe is leaning to Ole Miss (talk about being baffled), Auburn will get Holland, and Cowart is anybody's guess.

Both AU and UF will probably have outstanding classes next year after their coaching changes fade from memory.

I agree with all that (though I can see an appeal to Ole Miss for a lot of recruits and Freeze is a really good salesman).

Muschamp is a much better recruiter than Ellis Johnson was, so that's a net positive. I'm just not sure UF got a net positive. I guess they'll be ok because UF is a very attractive program and McElwain has some experience recruiting the state...they might be better off holding onto some schollies this year and make a big push next year.

[Jungle Rat]

Florida paid a hefty price today moving forward from Muschamp. They still had a nice haul though.

[KeviNole]

Getting Ivey and Jefferson was huge, losing out on a QB is a killer. If Cowart decides to go to Gainesville after all, then the day will have gone as well as possible under the circumstances.

McElwain will earn his keep if he can turn the offense into a serviceable one over the next couple of years. Defense should be in pretty good shape though.

[Professor Tiger]

Cowart's LOI finally came in. He's a Tiger now.

But congrats on Ivey and especially Jefferson. I thought CeCe was going to Ole Miss for sure.

[The Gray Ghost]

Is this where we come in saying we got everybody we wanted about those that signed and that we weren't really interested in the ones that signed elsewhere?

I see 6 OL on the list, lets hope they turn out to be better players than the stiffs we've had the last few years.
No QB doesn't bother me, but that becomes a prime need in next year's class.
You can never have too many DL recruits - glad to see a couple in there.

[The Gray Ghost]

Sounds like Cowart still wanted to play the media game for a few hours more after his announcement. He referred to himself 9 times in his declaration; have fun catering to that ego.

[Professor Tiger]

Is this where we come in saying we got everybody we wanted about those that signed and that we weren't really interested in the ones that signed elsewhere?

The official meme for disparaging a new signee or recruiting class is "Bad Grades, Team Cancer" or BGTC.

Footnotes AA

[The Gray Ghost]

I don't know which is more shocking - that I forgot the immortal tetragrammaton of BGTC or that nobody has been using it in the lead-up time to NSD.