Just got back from the Army AA game. This is the second year I've taken my daughters and some of their friends. Just like last year, it was fun to meet the Gator recruits and get pics and autographs.
And also just like last year, I picked up some interesting recruiting nuggets to pass along.
First, a couple of things to chew on.
TOLIVER
To start, I made the trip with a carload of teenagers in tow. One of them is a running back for my kids' high school. He happens to be T. Toliver's cousin. He told me on the way that Toliver told him two weeks ago he was headed to LSU. So I started the drive a bit disappointed.
BUT
After the game, while we were meeting some players, he called Toliver over and asked him something. I couldn't hear them with all the noise, but I saw Toliver point to me. I was wearing a blue hoodie with a large orange "F" on it, and a Gators hat. I asked what that was about, and Toliver's cousin told me Toliver said it was between us (the pointing to me) and LSU, and that he hadn't decided. He said this was a definite change from the last time he had talked to him a couple of weeks ago.
DEONTE THOMPSON
I said hi to Deonte after the game and said Go Gators! He smiled and said "Go Gators" back. I did the chomp as he was walking off and he smiled and chomped back, but in a diffident, coy way. I actually got a decent vibe out of it.
The vibe got better when I talked to another Gator who drove in from Houston (like me) who showed me where Deonte signed his program. Beneath his name and number, he wrote "Go Gators!" The guy said he asked Deonte if that was a hint as to where he was going, and that Deonte smiled and said, "maybe."
AHMAD PAIGE
Didn't get to speak to him, but we all noticed that as he came out of the tunnel, he started to do the Gator chomp, then caught himself after one bite. I'm serious. Take it for what it's worth.
Now, as for our commits:
TORREY DAVIS
Nice guy. All Gator. Was affable and pleasant. I called his name, did the chomp and he did it back. Then I gestured for him to come over and he signed a bunch of stuff for us. Seems solid all the way.
SIDELL CORLEY
Going in, I would have to say I thought the odds were we would lose him to Bama, based on some of the quotes I've been reading. So, I was very curious as to the vibe I'd get from him.
It started off well, with him doing the chomp as he came out of the tunnel during introductions.
After the game, I called him over to the rail, doing the chomp. He did the chomp back and came. He signed a bunch of things for us, and seemed impressed with all the people in Gator gear (there were a few others next to the seven of us). "You're all Gators?" he asked. I said, "Absolutely! Go Gators, Baby!" While he was signing an autograph for someone else (lots of kids at the game get autographs without regard to where the player is going to school), I heard someone ask him if he knew where he was going to college, and he said "Florida."
He's a nice kid. A bit reserved. As he was walking off, I yelled "Go Gators" one more time, and he looked over his shoulder and smiled. I did the Chomp, and he did it back.
Because of some of the things I've read, I'm not sure what to think. But I do know that I feel a lot better about him than I did before. I think we have a good chance of keeping him.
But I told T.D. that he needes to make sure Corley sticks, just in case. He assured me he would.
JOHN BRANTLEY
Very pleasant. Seemed happy to sign autographs and take pictures. Not quite as prepared for the limelight as Tebow was last year (Tebow was mobbed by people after the game, and seemed quite prepared to handle it). JB was not mobbed, handled the attention he did receive fine, but also seemed a bit less accustomed to it. Seems enthused to be a Gator. His father was decked out in a Gator shirt and hat, and waved and did the chomp to us after we were through imposing on his son.
LO EDWARDS
Also a nice kid. Had LOTS of family there, and everyone of them was wearing a UF hat of some kind, and they had a Gator blanket and other things. His family took picture after picture after picture of him on the field, and kept saying "one more" as he was trying to get to the locker room. His little brother told me he was coming back out, so we waited and his family directed him over to us and he signed our stuff and let the girls take a couple of pictures. No worries about him sticking. He's all Gator, from the looks of it.
So, all in all, a long day, but informative. My girls had a lot of fun, going ga-ga over JB and meeting all the recruits, and Lone Star also happened to be giving a concert for the Army personnel in attendance after the game, so they got to hear that and were fired up about it.
End Report.
And also just like last year, I picked up some interesting recruiting nuggets to pass along.
First, a couple of things to chew on.
TOLIVER
To start, I made the trip with a carload of teenagers in tow. One of them is a running back for my kids' high school. He happens to be T. Toliver's cousin. He told me on the way that Toliver told him two weeks ago he was headed to LSU. So I started the drive a bit disappointed.
BUT
After the game, while we were meeting some players, he called Toliver over and asked him something. I couldn't hear them with all the noise, but I saw Toliver point to me. I was wearing a blue hoodie with a large orange "F" on it, and a Gators hat. I asked what that was about, and Toliver's cousin told me Toliver said it was between us (the pointing to me) and LSU, and that he hadn't decided. He said this was a definite change from the last time he had talked to him a couple of weeks ago.
DEONTE THOMPSON
I said hi to Deonte after the game and said Go Gators! He smiled and said "Go Gators" back. I did the chomp as he was walking off and he smiled and chomped back, but in a diffident, coy way. I actually got a decent vibe out of it.
The vibe got better when I talked to another Gator who drove in from Houston (like me) who showed me where Deonte signed his program. Beneath his name and number, he wrote "Go Gators!" The guy said he asked Deonte if that was a hint as to where he was going, and that Deonte smiled and said, "maybe."
AHMAD PAIGE
Didn't get to speak to him, but we all noticed that as he came out of the tunnel, he started to do the Gator chomp, then caught himself after one bite. I'm serious. Take it for what it's worth.
Now, as for our commits:
TORREY DAVIS
Nice guy. All Gator. Was affable and pleasant. I called his name, did the chomp and he did it back. Then I gestured for him to come over and he signed a bunch of stuff for us. Seems solid all the way.
SIDELL CORLEY
Going in, I would have to say I thought the odds were we would lose him to Bama, based on some of the quotes I've been reading. So, I was very curious as to the vibe I'd get from him.
It started off well, with him doing the chomp as he came out of the tunnel during introductions.
After the game, I called him over to the rail, doing the chomp. He did the chomp back and came. He signed a bunch of things for us, and seemed impressed with all the people in Gator gear (there were a few others next to the seven of us). "You're all Gators?" he asked. I said, "Absolutely! Go Gators, Baby!" While he was signing an autograph for someone else (lots of kids at the game get autographs without regard to where the player is going to school), I heard someone ask him if he knew where he was going to college, and he said "Florida."
He's a nice kid. A bit reserved. As he was walking off, I yelled "Go Gators" one more time, and he looked over his shoulder and smiled. I did the Chomp, and he did it back.
Because of some of the things I've read, I'm not sure what to think. But I do know that I feel a lot better about him than I did before. I think we have a good chance of keeping him.
But I told T.D. that he needes to make sure Corley sticks, just in case. He assured me he would.
JOHN BRANTLEY
Very pleasant. Seemed happy to sign autographs and take pictures. Not quite as prepared for the limelight as Tebow was last year (Tebow was mobbed by people after the game, and seemed quite prepared to handle it). JB was not mobbed, handled the attention he did receive fine, but also seemed a bit less accustomed to it. Seems enthused to be a Gator. His father was decked out in a Gator shirt and hat, and waved and did the chomp to us after we were through imposing on his son.
LO EDWARDS
Also a nice kid. Had LOTS of family there, and everyone of them was wearing a UF hat of some kind, and they had a Gator blanket and other things. His family took picture after picture after picture of him on the field, and kept saying "one more" as he was trying to get to the locker room. His little brother told me he was coming back out, so we waited and his family directed him over to us and he signed our stuff and let the girls take a couple of pictures. No worries about him sticking. He's all Gator, from the looks of it.
So, all in all, a long day, but informative. My girls had a lot of fun, going ga-ga over JB and meeting all the recruits, and Lone Star also happened to be giving a concert for the Army personnel in attendance after the game, so they got to hear that and were fired up about it.
End Report.
