Cornelius Ingram - Our Next TE Coach/ Analyst ?

[Jeff from Jax]

Maybe we have a Gator Great with TE coaching experience waiting to join Mullen's staff -

16 Miles away we have Hawthorne Head Football Coach, (since 2014) Cornelius Ingram:

Cornelius Ingram was a member of both the 2006 and 2008 Florida National Championship teams.

As a sophomore in 2006, he played a role in the Florida Gators' 2006 BCS National Championship. He finished the year with 30 receptions for 380 yards.

Although, he really only contributed to the first title run as he was injured during all of the 2008 season. In his three healthy seasons, Ingram reeled in 64 receptions for 888 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns.

Ingram accepted an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Florida, where he played for coach Ron Zook and coach Urban Meyer's Florida Gators football teams from 2004 to 2007. He practiced at quarterback on the scout team for the Gators, but did not see any game action. He was the scout team "Player of the Week" vs. Arkansas.

He joined coach Billy Donovan's Florida Gators basketball team October 15 for practice and played in 19 games as a true freshman on that squad as a shooting guard.

NFL Career

• Philadelphia Eagles (2009−2011)*
• Detroit Lions (2011)*
• Denver Broncos (2011−2012)*

 

[EvilWayz]

I did not know CI played hoops for us. I should pay more attention to roundball.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

I did not know CI played hoops for us. I should pay more attention to roundball.

EW,

I didn't know he played QB or Hoops either; but in a small school, the QB is usually the best athlete,

 

[GhostOfMatchesMalone]

So hes a youngster. What's his rep as a recruiter?

 

[PacoGator19]

Ingram has never coached in college football yet in his life. I know guys have made the jump from high school to college but I don’t think he’s ready.

 

[LizardGrad89]

Ingram has never coached in college football yet in his life. I know guys have made the jump from high school to college but I don’t think he’s ready.

I mean, yeah, you're right, but it would only be TE coach, which is just 3-4 guys, at a position he knows really well, and he wouldn't have to relocate his family. If he was to ever get into college coaching, where would he get a better opportunity?

 

[TennesseeGator]

EW,

I didn't know he played QB or Hoops either; but in a small school, the QB is usually the best athlete,

I guess y'all slept through Verne and Gary talking about how CI almost transferred away from UF because he wasnt getting playing time at QB but Meyer, Mullen, and Vernell Brown visited his home and talked him into staying and trying TE. Was well publicized back then.

 

[EvilWayz]

I guess y'all slept through Verne and Gary talking about how CI almost transferred away from UF because he wasnt getting playing time at QB but Meyer, Mullen, and Vernell Brown visited his home and talked him into staying and trying TE. Was well publicized back then.

Yeah I don't pay attention to recruiting. Or basketball. Or the off-season of football.

 

[bradleygator]

I love CI. Injuries slowed him down, but he was a serious baller.

 

[instaGATOR]

I'd hire CI in a heartbeat. He's an all around great guy/Gator.
He was a star in both sports in HS.
At the age of seven, Ingram’s father became the head coach of his youth team, putting him at starting quarterback. “I was a quarterback from the age of seven, playing Pop Warner Football. Going through middle school I was still able to play Pop Warner Football, but then I was good enough to play Junior Varsity football as a seventh-grader,” Ingram said. The same year, he earned his first Varsity letter as an athlete on the basketball team, earning a starting position by eighth grade.

Meyer made him quit the B-Ball team, another thing that I hold against that selfish asswipe. He said that he wouldn't let players play 2 sports, and then he never let CI on the field. Later on, 'after a change of heart,' Meyer let QB Gavin Dickey also play baseball.

Meyer cheated CI out of getting NC Rings in both football and B-Ball.

FSU had offered CI in both sports, and that's why he almost left.
Being a good guy, CI doesn't blame Meyer, at least not publicly, but I still do.

PS
I have no connections to CI, don't know him or any of his family personally, so these are JMOHO's on what went down.

 

[TennesseeGator]

I'd hire CI in a heartbeat. He's an all around great guy/Gator.
He was a star in both sports in HS.
At the age of seven, Ingram’s father became the head coach of his youth team, putting him at starting quarterback. “I was a quarterback from the age of seven, playing Pop Warner Football. Going through middle school I was still able to play Pop Warner Football, but then I was good enough to play Junior Varsity football as a seventh-grader,” Ingram said. The same year, he earned his first Varsity letter as an athlete on the basketball team, earning a starting position by eighth grade.

Meyer made him quit the B-Ball team, another thing that I hold against that selfish asswipe. He said that he wouldn't let players play 2 sports, and then he never let CI on the field. Later on, 'after a change of heart,' Meyer let QB Gavin Dickey also play baseball.

Meyer cheated CI out of getting NC Rings in both football and B-Ball.

FSU had offered CI in both sports, and that's why he almost left.
Being a good guy, CI doesn't blame Meyer, at least not publicly, but I still do.

PS
I have no connections to CI, don't know him or any of his family personally, so these are JMOHO's on what went down.

Meyer let others run track and let Riley Cooper play baseball.

Is this true Meyer wouldn't let CI play basketball?

 

[bradleygator]

I'd hire CI in a heartbeat. He's an all around great guy/Gator.
He was a star in both sports in HS.
At the age of seven, Ingram’s father became the head coach of his youth team, putting him at starting quarterback. “I was a quarterback from the age of seven, playing Pop Warner Football. Going through middle school I was still able to play Pop Warner Football, but then I was good enough to play Junior Varsity football as a seventh-grader,” Ingram said. The same year, he earned his first Varsity letter as an athlete on the basketball team, earning a starting position by eighth grade.

Meyer made him quit the B-Ball team, another thing that I hold against that selfish asswipe. He said that he wouldn't let players play 2 sports, and then he never let CI on the field. Later on, 'after a change of heart,' Meyer let QB Gavin Dickey also play baseball.

Meyer cheated CI out of getting NC Rings in both football and B-Ball.

FSU had offered CI in both sports, and that's why he almost left.
Being a good guy, CI doesn't blame Meyer, at least not publicly, but I still do.

PS
I have no connections to CI, don't know him or any of his family personally, so these are JMOHO's on what went down.

Well, Meyer did turn him into a tight end and got him drafted for $2 million, notwithstanding an acl injury, so it wasn’t all bad. BTW, I don’t see anything that says he was forced to quit hoops. Everything I’ve seen says UF had an advantage in recruiting, because they offered to let him play both.

 

[LizardGrad89]

Well, Meyer did turn him into a tight end and got him drafted for $2 million, notwithstanding an acl injury, so it wasn’t all bad. BTW, I don’t see anything that says he was forced to quit hoops. Everything I’ve seen says UF had an advantage in recruiting, because they offered to let him play both.

I personally know nothing about Meyer and CI's relationship. But I could see a situation where CI was able to play basketball early on, when he was down the depth chart, but then Meyer having a talk with him to let him know that it would take his full commitment if he wanted to be a starter and one day have a shot at the NFL. So a choice, but not really a choice.

 

[LizardGrad89]

Meyer let others run track and let Riley Cooper play baseball.

Is this true Meyer wouldn't let CI play basketball?

Basketball is tough because the seasons overlap (regular season and spring practice) so much and the game requires coordination of effort, so there is a significant practice requirement to be a contributor. Tough to fully commit to football and have enough time with the basketball team to be worth the effort. This is one sport it's really hard to commit to both in.

Track and football, however, mesh well. You are going to train to run faster and jump higher, not a problem. Baseball starts later and has more games, so it means less to miss a few, and besides, there is no real need for coordinated practice effort. Particularly for an outfielder like Cooper. Just stick him in the lineup and send him out there.

 

[instaGATOR]

Meyer let others run track and let Riley Cooper play baseball.

Is this true Meyer wouldn't let CI play basketball?

CI was recruited by Zook in 2004 as a 2 sport star.

When Meyer arrived in 2005, one of his 1st orders of business was to announce that he wouldn't allow ANY 2 sport players on his team, so CI had to choose as a rsFr in 2005, so he was 'forced' off of the B-Ball team, because football was his primary scholarship sport.

Then as a rsFr in 2005, Meyer never once put him on the field AT ANY POSITION.
Hence CI could have remained on the B-Ball team in 2005 , resulting in no harm or any kind of a loss to the football team.

Later on in 2006, Meyer eventually changed his position on two sport players, but that was to late for CI.

 

[Evergladesgator]

Ingram has never coached in college football yet in his life. I know guys have made the jump from high school to college but I don’t think he’s ready.

But can he recruit?

 

[bradleygator]

CI was recruited by Zook in 2004 as a 2 sport star.

When Meyer arrived in 2005, one of his 1st orders of business was to announce that he wouldn't allow ANY 2 sport players on his team, so CI had to choose as a rsFr in 2005, so he was 'forced' off of the B-Ball team, because football was his primary scholarship sport.

Then as a rsFr in 2005, Meyer never once put him on the field AT ANY POSITION.
Hence CI could have remained on the B-Ball team in 2005 , resulting in no harm or any kind of a loss to the football team.

Later on in 2006, Meyer eventually changed his position on two sport players, but that was to late for CI.

I wonder if he would have signed a $2 million contract in the NFL as a backup qb and a backup small forward?

How many players have you seen play both in college well? Julius Peppers and Tony Gonzalez are the only ones I can think of. And Peppers only played hoops after the football season was over. One of Peppers’ teammates, Ronald Curry, was the top hs qb in the country and played both sports mediocre and ended up an average nfl receiver.

 

[instaGATOR]

I wonder if he would have signed a $2 million contract in the NFL as a backup qb and a backup small forward?

How many players have you seen play both in college well? Julius Peppers and Tony Gonzalez are the only ones I can think of. And Peppers only played hoops after the football season was over. One of Peppers’ teammates, Ronald Curry, was the top hs qb in the country and played both sports mediocre and ended up an average nfl receiver.

As usual, totally irrelevant to Meyer making CI choose....

 

[bradleygator]

As usual, totally irrelevant to Meyer making CI choose....

Only to a complete ignoramous.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

So hes a youngster. What's his rep as a recruiter?

But can he recruit?

Ghost & EGG,

In a small HS like Hawthorne, you typically have to recruit your own students to try out for sports teams.

Plus he must be able to communicate with young players effectively. Forming a bond with a future recruit is the essence of recruiting. He does this on a daily basis now with his players at Hawthorne.

The kids he will be recruiting, are the same age, have the same interests, & speak the "same language" as his current Hawthorne players.

I realize that this is not the same thing as recruiting for a college program like UF, but the similarities are there. Also, there are recruiting specialists, like Coach Rat, to help open the door.

Plus I feel certain that Coach Mullen has guidelines & a tutorial in place to make sure all his position coaches & staff are on the same page & make the same promises to all recruits.

IMO, the advantage of CI being able to say to a recruit - "I signed with Gators & then went on to the NFL for $2 million" is over whelming !

Can CI tell a recruit about the importance of the Gator Standard ?

 

[TennesseeGator]

I wonder if he would have signed a $2 million contract in the NFL as a backup qb and a backup small forward?

How many players have you seen play both in college well? Julius Peppers and Tony Gonzalez are the only ones I can think of. And Peppers only played hoops after the football season was over. One of Peppers’ teammates, Ronald Curry, was the top hs qb in the country and played both sports mediocre and ended up an average nfl receiver.

Charlie Ward won a Heisman Trophy and was a NBA great for the Knicks.

Donovan McNabb was a fair basketball player. Good QB.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

Another opinion on CI -
"...
What Florida will do to replace Scott isn’t clear, though some initial speculation has linked the Gators to notable former Florida tight ends Cornelius Ingram — now a successful high school coach at Hawthorne High in eastern Alachua County — and Tate Casey, who has done radio work for the Gators in recent years. I suspect that neither is truly a candidate for the role — though each could stand to be interviewed — and concur with The Athletic’s Will Sammon that Mullen is more likely to hire a tight ends coach than play musical chairs with his staff, something that he did while attempting to build his Florida staff and keep running backs coach Ja’Juan Seider in 2018 and which ultimately led to Seider fleeing to Penn State. (A popular knee-jerk reaction on Twitter on Saturday suggested Florida should shuffle things up once again, this time to get Seider back. That’s highly unlikely.)

https://www.alligatorarmy.com/2020/...larry-scott-howard-womens-basketball-kentucky

 

[bradleygator]

Charlie Ward won a Heisman Trophy and was a NBA great for the Knicks.

Donovan McNabb was a fair basketball player. Good QB.

Mcnabb was pretty well limited to garbage time for cuse hoops, but he did play both.

Ward was the best one. Good nba point guard and would have been a better nfl qb. He’d be a top pick if he came out now.

Joe Burrow was an all state high school hoops player I believe.

 

[TennesseeGator]

Mcnabb was pretty well limited to garbage time for cuse hoops, but he did play both.

Ward was the best one. Good nba point guard and would have been a better nfl qb. He’d be a top pick if he came out now.

Joe Burrow was an all state high school hoops player I believe.

Randy Moss was twice named WV POY in hoops. A state champion in the 100 and 200M. Also an All District CFer in baseball. He would have been a hell of a college basketball player. However he chose the right sport.

 

[bradleygator]

Randy Moss was twice named WV POY in hoops. A state champion in the 100 and 200M. Also an All District CFer in baseball. He would have been a hell of a college basketball player. However he chose the right sport.

Wasn’t j-will the qb? Iverson was a great high school football player.

 

[instaGATOR]

Only to a complete ignoramous.

--- (ignoramus)

You really are this clueless on the subject at hand, aren't you? (rhetorical)

How CI might have done in the NBA or the NFL is totally irrelevant to him being recruited to UF by Zook as a 2-sport star, and then Meyer forcing him to choose between them the following year, resulting in keeping CI from getting a NC Ring in both sports.

That selfish demand by Meyer was aggravated by Meyer then not putting CI on the field that year at ANY position. He couldn't play B-Ball so he sat rotting on the bench for football. -- And that imo is why he almost transferred out to FSUcks. (while being thrilled that he stayed, I would have understood if he had chosen to leave after being boned by that A-hole)

If you can't add 2+2, then get an adult to splain it to ya Lucy.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

Zach Goodall, writing for All Gators has a list of 3 candidates for UF's TE Coach -

1. Louisiana OL coach D.J. Looney-MSU TE coach 2017
2. Stetson QB coach Scott Sallach-MSU TE coach 2009-16
3. Hawthorne High School HC Cornelius Ingram

Both Looney & Sallach coached TEs for Mullen at Miss State, but neither played TE nor made it to the NFL. Nor were they offered jobs when Mullen came to UF & hired Larry Scott

Cornelius Ingram
Coacing /recruiting at UF is obviously a step up from Hawthorne High, but there are many similarities - his HS players are the same age, have the same interest, speak the "same language", etc.

Ingram has no direct college coaching or recruiting experience. But the turnaround at Hawthorne High since CI became the HC says he is able to effectively communicate with & teach players of this age group.

The NFL is a lifelong dream of most recruits. Who better to represents the Gator Standard to them than a former Gator All-SEC & NFL player like CI ?

Tweet from Dan Mullen@Coach Dan Mullen - "Happy to see former Gator Great @CIngram_85 turn around his former high school football program and girls basketball program. #GatorStandard"

https://www.si.com/college/florida/...options-floridas-tight-ends-coaching-position

 

[TennesseeGator]

Wasn’t j-will the qb? Iverson was a great high school football player.

Yeah I was going to mention AI but didn't get to it. He won state championships in both sports plus HS POY. I think JWill played some football but not positive.

Former Poodle Player WR Fred Gibson played a year of college ball. He went on to multi year NFL practice squad player and also made the D League in hoops.

 

[TennesseeGator]

--- (ignoramus)

You really are this clueless on the subject at hand, aren't you? (rhetorical)

How CI might have done in the NBA or the NFL is totally irrelevant to him being recruited to UF by Zook as a 2-sport star, and then Meyer forcing him to choose between them the following year, resulting in keeping CI from getting a NC Ring in both sports.

That selfish demand by Meyer was aggravated by Meyer then not putting CI on the field that year at ANY position. He couldn't play B-Ball so he sat rotting on the bench for football. -- And that imo is why he almost transferred out to FSUcks. (while being thrilled that he stayed, I would have understood if he had chosen to leave after being boned by that A-hole)

If you can't add 2+2, then get an adult to splain it to ya Lucy.

Is this in print anywhere? Is this quoted by CI or anyone close to CI?

 

[Jeff from Jax]

Is this in print anywhere? Is this quoted by CI or anyone close to CI?

TennGator,

YES ! According to two sources I found CI is actively campaigning for the position through social media -

"...Ingram has expressed interest in the open position on social media, retweeting the following tweets, among several others."

From Tate Casey - "...2 guys I would love to see back at UF who are in the coaching circle...... @CoachTrautFB and @CIngram_85"

Conner @CJ_Clarke1 - writer for Gators Territory & Gator Nation

"C I for TE Coach"

https://www.si.com/college/florida/...options-floridas-tight-ends-coaching-position

 

[iwollf74]

He was on Gator Breakdown talking about the job earlier in the week.

 

[bradleygator]

TennGator,

YES ! According to two sources I found CI is actively campaigning for the position through social media -

"...Ingram has expressed interest in the open position on social media, retweeting the following tweets, among several others."

From Tate Casey - "...2 guys I would love to see back at UF who are in the coaching circle...... @CoachTrautFB and @CIngram_85"

Conner @CJ_Clarke1 - writer for Gators Territory & Gator Nation

"C I for TE Coach"

https://www.si.com/college/florida/...options-floridas-tight-ends-coaching-position

View embedded media

I think he means that Meyer wouldn’t let him play hoops.

 

[TennesseeGator]

TennGator,

YES ! According to two sources I found CI is actively campaigning for the position through social media -

"...Ingram has expressed interest in the open position on social media, retweeting the following tweets, among several others."

From Tate Casey - "...2 guys I would love to see back at UF who are in the coaching circle...... @CoachTrautFB and @CIngram_85"

Conner @CJ_Clarke1 - writer for Gators Territory & Gator Nation

"C I for TE Coach"

https://www.si.com/college/florida/...options-floridas-tight-ends-coaching-position

View embedded media

I think he means that Meyer wouldn’t let him play hoops.

What Bradley said. Any true quotes from CI or trusted sources that say CI was forced to quit basketball by Meyer.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

I think he means that Meyer wouldn’t let him play hoops.

bradley,

IMO, whether or not Meyer let him play hoops when he was a student not relevant to his desire to be TE coach or this discussion.

I don't know CI; just think he would be a good TE coach & recruiter. Final decision of course is Mullen's & he seems to have made good choices on his last two coaching hires - Torrian Gray CB & David Turner DL.

I was wrong about David Turner; I wanted Kevin Patrick, then at N C State, as DL coach because he had played DL at Miami at a high level & dammit, he still looked like a DL.

To my total delight, David Turner has come in & done an excellent job coaching & recruiting - getting Jonathan Greenard ready to play; signing Pincely Umanmielen , Gervon Dexter, etc.

When you look at what CI has accomplished at Hawthorne, IMO, he could be as effective as David Turner.

Hopefully, Mullen will give him a chance.

 

[bradleygator]

bradley,

IMO, whether or not Meyer let him play hoops when he was a student not relevant to his desire to be TE coach or this discussion.

I don't know CI; just think he would be a good TE coach & recruiter. Final decision of course is Mullen's & he seems to have made good choices on his last two coaching hires - Torrian Gray CB & David Turner DL.

I was wrong about David Turner; I wanted Kevin Patrick, then at N C State, as DL coach because he had played DL at Miami at a high level & dammit, he still looked like a DL.

To my total delight, David Turner has come in & done an excellent job coaching & recruiting - getting Jonathan Greenard ready to play; signing Pincely Umanmielen , Gervon Dexter, etc.

When you look at what CI has accomplished at Hawthorne, IMO, he could be as effective as David Turner.

Hopefully, Mullen will give him a chance.

I didn't realize there was a relevance requirement to post. Feel free to skip over any of my posts that you think distract from the important discussion concerning whether CI is qualified to coach our tight ends. In any event, it is relevant to the question of whether Insta is talking out of his ass, which is an issue of perpetual significance to this board.

 

[Jeff from Jax]

I didn't realize there was a relevance requirement to post.

Obviously there isn't

In any event, it is relevant to the question of whether Insta is talking out of his ass, which is an issue of perpetual significance to this board.

Insta & others sometimes take that path, these posts I skip over, but Insta has often surprised me with well thought out & well documented posts which I totally agreed with.

 

[instaGATOR]

Well, 1) Meyer did turn him into a tight end and got him drafted for $2 million, notwithstanding an acl injury, so it wasn’t all bad.

2) BTW, I don’t see anything that says he was forced to quit hoops.

3) Everything I’ve seen says UF had an advantage in recruiting, because they offered to let him play both.

1) Meyer didn't turn CI into anything. He was an exceptional dual sport, dual position athlete when he arrives at UF before UM was the HC.

2) There is more that YOU don't see, than you do see.

3) That is correct. Zook recruited him as a 2 sport athlete in 2004.
UM then boned him in 2005 by telling him to choose because he didn't accept dual sport players on his team.
UM later reversed himself on that to get players that he wanted.

CI is not the kind of man to harp about it, but he almost transfered out over it. (if not, show me your other reason for it)

Unlike some, I wasn't 5 years old, or somebody's wet dream when CI was playing at UF.

But hey, anyone can feel free to babble on...

 

[Dannygator1989]

Lol it's hard to take an argument seriously when it's speculation based around someone getting "boned" by their coach.

 

[TennesseeGator]

1) Meyer didn't turn CI into anything. He was an exceptional dual sport, dual position athlete when he arrives at UF before UM was the HC.

2) There is more that YOU don't see, than you do see.

3) That is correct. Zook recruited him as a 2 sport athlete in 2004.
UM then boned him in 2005 by telling him to choose because he didn't accept dual sport players on his team.
UM later reversed himself on that to get players that he wanted.

CI is not the kind of man to harp about it, but he almost transfered out over it. (if not, show me your other reason for it)

Unlike some, I wasn't 5 years old, or somebody's wet dream when CI was playing at UF.

But hey, anyone can feel free to babble on...

I was in my late 20's when CI played for UF. I remember much of his unhappiness that was documented was due to the fact he knew he wouldn't beat Chris Leak out at QB and Meyer later Josh Portis and the whole world knew of the prep super star Tim Tebow and that he was a huge Gator fan. I do not recall one issue ever saying it was due to UM making CI quit basketball.

You could be right, I have just never heard this mentioned by anyone at any point in time. Back then and up to this day.

 

[LizardGrad89]

In Mullen we Trust.

He will pick the best guy available and willing.

Personally, I hope it's CI. But if it isn't, well, In Mullen we Trust.