Are we being set up for failure in the new SEC?

[Gator Fever]

We are now in crunch time when it comes to signing the good ready to play at a high level NIL players as the late enrollment deadline etc. is here basically and very few NIL chasing ready to go SEC level players are waiting until after spring to chase NIL money this season. They are either satisfied with what they are getting or they have entered the portal for the most part.

As of now we are getting our clocks cleaned by many of our competitors (SEC and FSU) when it comes to getting some needed plug and play additions at areas of need. All we have truly addressed with some high quality players is the D line interior. We did bring in LB depth but those are guys that can maybe challenge an unproven Wingo for a starting spot but they aren't plug and play good SEC LBs with what they have done up to this point. On offense we have literally done nothing in the portal to upgrade the team as Mertz (holding out hope he improves in a new sytem) hasn't shown much to think he will have a good season in the SEC. As far as the O line we have been gutted by a couple of players wanting new destinations and still haven't even brought in a high 3 star area (transfer ranking) O lineman to help with that not to even mention a legit plug and play speedy WR that can stretch the field.

Well today Micah Mazzccua (real good O line portal transfer) is making his decision and if we once again lose out to our competitors like Auburn etc. on this one or another top non-SEC team then its becoming clear what the issue probably is:

Less likely - Our big boosters aren't wanting to spend much on portal guys again this season just like last season because they know we have no chance to be better than 8-4 even with help. or

More likely - Our big boosters aren't willing to even spend enough to put us in the top half of the new SEC when it comes to getting needed portal help.

The excuses are crap imo.
The 2 top transfers last season were following Napier to UF
That we are doing extreme vetting not wanting to disrupt the locker room is crap also as all these good players are being taken by other teams.
That the administration is causing this is crap also as the big boosters don't have any restrictions with a player that is already playing college football and is enrolling at the school.

If you think we will be able to manufacture 10-2 seasons or even the 9-3 that sometimes would get you into the new 12 team playoff with Texas and Oklahoma joining the SEC I think you are way off. In that conference #10 area classes without serious portal help isn't going to get it done.

As far as the answer I don't know as I can't do it myself as I am a poor man compared to many UF grads but its a shame if the issue is our wealthy big boosters (probably at least 4th wealthiest as a total in the new SEC) for whatever reason decide they aren't going to play with the big boys even in the portal. Well the richest alumni at places like Stanford etc. aren't doing it so they have their excuse I guess.

 

[bradleygator]

The NIL stuff to me is just more excuse making. Why would the Gators be unusually disadvantaged by NIL? Our boosters have been sufficient to build whatever facility upgrades, upgrade the Swamp, build the basketball building, renovate the baseball field, help make us one of the most profitable athletics programs in the country. And we've certainly been competitive in the past when recruits were getting money under the table.

If we're poorly organized, then that's something an effective UA would address.

 

[Gator Fever]

The NIL stuff to me is just more excuse making. Why would the Gators be unusually disadvantaged by NIL? Our boosters have been sufficient to build whatever facility upgrades, upgrade the Swamp, build the basketball building, renovate the baseball field, help make us one of the most profitable athletics programs in the country. And we've certainly been competitive in the past when recruits were getting money under the table.

If we're poorly organized, then that's something an effective UA would address.

Because they are letting the other teams buy up all the top players we need? lol Maybe they think they did enough upgrading the facilities etc. finally but the problem is like 6 other teams in the new SEC have boosters that don't see doing that as enough. They play to try and get the best players. We are behind on that with high school recruits (which I can live with our approach there) and with portal players (if you aren't playing the high school game with the top of the SEC you damn sure better be playing the portal game).

Its starting to remind me of Foley's crap with the facilities before this NIL stuff became reality. Like an arrogant attitude is going to get us years of not contending until some people wake up or just let us be middle of the pack going forward.

 

[bradleygator]

Because they are letting the other teams buy up all the top players we need? lol Maybe they think they did enough upgrading the facilities etc. finally but the problem is like 6 other teams in the new SEC have boosters that don't see doing that as enough. They play to try and get the best players. We are behind on that with high school recruits (which I can live with our approach there) and with portal players (if you aren't playing the high school game with the top of the SEC you damn sure better be playing the portal game).

Its starting to remind me of Foley's crap with the facilities before this NIL stuff became reality. Like an arrogant attitude is going to get us years of not contending until some people wake up or just let us be middle of the pack going forward.

There are just a lot of presumptions in your post that NIL is the reason for our mediocre recruiting. I’m saying I don’t believe that. I mean how much in NIL is some second stringer in the transfer portal getting?

Best inducement you can give these kids is to have a program that prepares/showcases these guys for the NFL and gets them drafted.

Agree that the UA needs to be doing whatever it can to make us competitive in the current environment.

 

[Gator Fever]

There are just a lot of presumptions in your post that NIL is the reason for our mediocre recruiting. I’m saying I don’t believe that. I mean how much in NIL is some second stringer in the transfer portal getting?

Best inducement you can give these kids is to have a program that prepares/showcases these guys for the NFL and gets them drafted.

Agree that the UA needs to be doing whatever it can to make us competitive in the current environment.

There aren't any presumptions in my post imo as the recruiting rankings with both the high school and portal players tell us that is the case. We are the flagship Florida school in the SEC yet most of the very top ranked players from FL go to other schools due to NIL etc. now and the same is happening with the top portal guys.

Those places are putting them in the NFL also and are playing the game stronger than our boosters. Its one reason why we are putting them less in the NFL recently - especially the number of top round draft picks compared to some other SEC schools.

As far as the portal I don't blame the UA and consider that fully on the big boosters but hey its their money and maybe they just don't have the passion those boosters had here years ago. I mean if it was just who had more money then Stanford and them could take over and Vanderbilt would be a top team in the SEC.

 

[sadgator]

We’re failing in the existing SEC…

 

[bradleygator]

We are certainly not doing the job in the new SEC. The question is why and what’s being done about it. Here’s a good article on the various collectives in the SEC. I clicked on our link and it lists two football players, so… not great.

Ranking the strength of every NIL collective in the SEC | Sports Illustrated Auburn Tigers News, Analysis and More

Who are the main players we missed out on so far in the transfer portal? Fever, I’m sure you know. I’ll see if I can chase down their NIL status. I looked at Grayson McCall, and it didn’t look like he got anything special to stay.

 

[KingofHedgehogs]

Regarding the subject of facilities.....

The upgraded facilities are nice and all, but if you look at tours of many sec programs' facilities it often feels that common areas distinctly show UF as NOT being better to the eye. Let's face it, recruits and players are very much desiring "flair" in their school of choice, WHEN the school lacks other positives.

This is what Oregon focused on over 15 years ago. Recruits were raving about an assortment of things.

Do we have to go the Oregon route? No. However, we need to be better than the Honda Accord of the conference. It's nice and all, but it's also boring.

The point I'm saying, is that the facilities aren't the be all and end all, but I can very well understand why some recruits pass on FL when among other things....the facilities lack individuality and energy.

 

[Gator Fever]

We are certainly not doing the job in the new SEC. The question is why and what’s being done about it. Here’s a good article on the various collectives in the SEC. I clicked on our link and it lists two football players, so… not great.

Ranking the strength of every NIL collective in the SEC | Sports Illustrated Auburn Tigers News, Analysis and More

Who are the main players we missed out on so far in the transfer portal? Fever, I’m sure you know. I’ll see if I can chase down their NIL status. I looked at Grayson McCall, and it didn’t look like he got anything special to stay.

Too many to name on who we missed. DT Jackson is the only portal player we have got that other SEC teams considered a good player to get as far as being a good starter. Banks has nice potential but is unproven due to limited playing time. What makes this a total joke so far is we are even missing out on guys like Campbell in areas of need who aren't expected to be real good SEC players at their position. If we don't get that O lineman today the portal has been a complete joke for us considering our needs - unless some GA players we haven't heard about are about to jump ship here.

As far as the collectives while they are used to help keep people on the team and maybe some for the portal its still big boosters on their own financing a lot of this NIL stuff that isn't shown in the collective money.

 

[bradleygator]

Facilities look pretty nice to me. I think by the time we got around to upgrading, facilities were necessary but no longer sufficient to pull recruits.

 

[ocalaman]

Where Florida lands in The Athletic's final college football FBS rankings

The Gators are ninth in the SEC according to The Athletics’ final FBS rankings.

gatorswire.usatoday.com

 

[Gator Fever]

Facilities look pretty nice to me. I think by the time we got around to upgrading, facilities were necessary but no longer sufficient to pull recruits.

Yep that is another crazy thing. Right when we get our facilities top notch (which was hurting recruiting some) NIL comes on the scene making that meaningless since the NIL competitors have great facilities also.

 

[bradleygator]

So I did some poking around and the NIL deals are not required to be disclosed. Which seems crazy considering the schools do have to monitor compliance. The whole process is an unimaginable shitshow. It is complete dereliction of duty by the NCAA to allow this to become the model for for paying athletes.

 

[Gator Fever]

So I did some poking around and the NIL deals are not required to be disclosed. Which seems crazy considering the schools do have to monitor compliance. The whole process is an unimaginable shitshow. It is complete dereliction of duty by the NCAA to allow this to become the model for for paying athletes.

Not sure if the NCAA really can do much about it since the USSC said you cant keep players from getting NIL. I wouldn't put it past our UA to be scaring boosters from doing much NIL talk with high school players though. I doubt the NCAA trying to enforce no NIL deals before being enrolled would be able to hold up in court if the NIl deal was written to say it was effective upon enrollment.

 

[Gator Fever]

Rumors on other sites that Rashada has not enrolled as of now and there is some problem possibly to do with this topic and what he gets in the future. I hope that is fabricated BS.

 

[bradleygator]

The NCAA may not be able to prevent kids from negotiating NIL deals but they could come off some of the money they’re sitting on and give kids an alternative, so this silly, unaccountable, third party nonsense isn’t the sole means for kids to make money.

 

[bradleygator]

Rumors on other sites that Rashada has not enrolled as of now and there is some problem possibly to do with this topic and what he gets in the future. I hope that is fabricated BS.

I have heard this as well but probably from people reading the same boards. I heard his NIL hit a snag and possibly his dad had a lawyer. I read an article on his original recruitment, where he committed to Miami, and it sounded like a total shitshow.

 

[Gator Fever]

I have heard this as well but probably from people reading the same boards. I heard his NIL hit a snag and possibly his dad had a lawyer. I read an article on his original recruitment, where he committed to Miami, and it sounded like a total shitshow.

What scares me is that A hole billionaire at Miami made a comment after signing day that FL was promising things they wouldnt be able to deliver. I wouldn't put it past that jerk to be trying to pull some last minute mess with Rashada to embarrass us.

 

[ocalaman]

Five-star QB Jaden Rashada not enrolled at Florida, status unclear

Rashada was the No. 29 overall prospect in the 2023 class on the independent 247Sports rankings

247sports.com

 

[Gator Fever]

We appear to be getting literally raped lately and now even non-SEC arch enemy FSU is signing multiple plug and play portal players and will probably be in contention for the ACC title and a 1 loss finish if they open the season with a home win over LSU.