Gators to Hire Ron Roberts as LB Coach, Co-Defensive Coordinator ?
- Thread starter Jeff from Jax
- Start date
At least shows an awareness that change was necessary, I’m sure it wasn’t ever going to be easy to be the first guy/organization trying to run an NIL collective. Learn the lessons and let’s keep it moving. Rojas certainly didn’t lack for enthusiasm. But he literally let his mouth write checks his ass couldn’t cash!
That Rojas guy needed to go. Georgia spending more on recruiting isnt that much of a difference maker imo. Its the NIL spending their boosters are doing. Since NIL came on the scene its still mostly the same teams on top but I guess Texas and A&M jumped more into the NIL game once that was on the scene. We seem to be in about the same spot but Napier is probably better at evaluating recruits than Mullen was so I think the number of players making the NFL will start to increase again.
Watson showed up to Spring at 449 pounds apparently. He has lost weight since but I haven't heard what they claim he weighs now.
Fever,
filling gaps & stopping the run good; but first you have to get to the gap & the RB - his weight a problem
I am really curious to see the transfer D linemen in the Spring game. If the young one is ready to go Watson might find himself on the field a lot less if he doesn't get that weight way down.
Hopefully expect another big commitment or 2 over the weekend. Big time prospects coming into town.
Visitors list for the Gators’ Spring Game
The Gators’ spring game is on deck and will be played tomorrow night on SEC Network +. Billy Napier and his staff did a fantastic job of putting together an elite list of visitors for the game.There was concern that with the game being moved to Thursday, players wouldn’t be able to visit due to it taking place during the week. However, it looks like the decision is paying off for UF exactly how they thought it would.
The game being on a Thursday means they don’t have to compete with other schools to earn visits from elite players. Now, a lot of them will get to see The Swamp.
Both the class of 2024 and 2025 will be well represented tomorrow in Gainesville, and we may even see a few players pop a commitment to play for the Gators this weekend.
Below is the list of players (hopefully) making an appearance.
https://hailfloridahail.com/2023/04/13/florida-football-recruiting-visitors-gators-spring-game/
Florida football recruiting: Class of 2024
5-star QB DJ Lagway – Florida commit5-star EDGE Colin Simmons
5-star S Xavier Filsaime (commit watch)
5-star DB Charles Lester III – likely
5-star RB Jerrick Gibson – likely
4-star DL De’Myrion Johnson
4-star RB Kahnen Daniels – Florida commit
4-star RB Chauncey Bowens – Florida commit
4-star LB Adarius Hayes – Florida commit
4-star S Jordan Pride – FSU commit
4-star RB Stacy Gage
3-star OT Tye Hylton
3-star EDGE Kendall Jackson
3-star S Josiah Davis – Florida commit
3-star S Jaiden Spearman
3-star ATH Kevin Levy
3-star WR Izaiah Williams
3-star ATH Trey Horne
DL Nasir Johnson
Florida football recruiting: Class of 2025
5-star QB DJ Pickett – maybe4-star QB Austin Simmons – Florida commit
4-star QB Carter Smith
4-star RB Taevion Swint
4-star RB Anthony Rogers
WR Koby Howard
LB Elijah Melendez
DL Jalen Wiggins
DL Isaiah Gibson
WR Dallas Wilson – Oregon commit
CB Ben Hanks Jr.
S Hylton Stubbs
LB Ethan Pritchard
Who Will Earn QB1 Designation ?
Not sure that CBN will anoint either Mertz or Miller as QB1 tonight.
His last comment about when do play Utah, indicates that even if the competition isn't too close to call, CBN won't make publicly make the call - just to keep both of them COMPETING & trying to improve.
I don't expect him to say anything definitive till midway through fall practice.
Keep hoping that Max brown will get more reps - won't happen in O&B game but maybe by fall practice. Max - far more mobile & a better compliment to our run game.
Max, of course, must earn those reps. Getting out there over the summer & throwing to WRs, TEs (if we have any that are healthy), & RBs important.
Just an FYI Max was horrendous in practice the other day. Struggling to hit WRs even in routes on air. I hate to say it but I highly doubt this is going to turn into a Trask like situation where a very low rated QB busts out and performs at a very high level. And likely once Lagway and Simmons arrive on campus then just forget it.
How will the team be divided for the O&B game ?
I haven't seen anything posted on who will be on each team; don't know if it will be the #1s vs #2s or an "even: split.
If anyone has such information; hope they post it.
I did find this post to be interesting -
"Both squads have their own offensive, defensive and special teams staff, as well as a host of support staff members, which includes strength and conditioning coaches, nutrition personnel, equipment staff, on-campus recruiting, an operations staff member and others."
https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/lists/florida-football-orange-and-blue-game-how-to-watch/
Could this mean that Brown hits the portal to make room for another QB?
Paco,
Your eyes & ears much sharper than mine.
BUT
- Has any other UF QB ever had a bad practice ?
- Lagway & Simmons not here yet
QBs for the upcoming 2023 season are what we need to focus on; not the indefinite future.
Injuries happen all the time; Miller out all last season with thumb injury & whiffed completely in the L V Bowl - still don't understand why CBN didn't give Max some snaps - he couldn't have been any worse than Miller & the game was over by end of the 3rd QTR.
Max a much better runner than either Mertz or Miller.
IMO, Miller-Time has long since lost its "fizz" & like Fever, I had hoped that Mertz would quickly establish himself as QB1.
That doesn't seem to have happened - which makes me doubt that either Mertz or Miller are SEC capable QBs.
Gators have a long & totally undistinguished history with Transfer QBs & despite his recruiting ability at other positions, it doesn't seem like CBN has changed that.
IMO, we will have to rely on the run game even more than we did last year. Alternating an effective, running QB, with whoever is the "best" passer, seems like the best way to go.
CBN has the right to be stubborn & coach himself out of a job; we'll see how he does in year 2.
Wait, what? Do we know if Napier has brought in Insta for tips on how to coach him up?
If he does get some real playing time in the game and can hit an open receiver looking at the Orange defense secondary I think the 2 new WR's might get open for some long passes.
The Orange and Blue squads are posted in the Spring game thread though it lists some injured players and has a few players including Mertz and Miller playing for each side. If it works like last season the starters on offense for the Orange squad are the 1st string now and the starters for the blue defense are the 1st string short of the starter being out. Wouldn't put it past Napier to put Miller in first with the Orange offense though just trying to string that along even if in his mind Mertz is # 1 right now.
GD3,
could easily happen; but my thoughts on our QB situation are based on reality not a hoped for future (Rashada ?) -
Neither Lagway nor Simmons have signed an NLI; they are not on Campus & we don't even know for sure that they will make it here !
We MUST focus on the present - not an indefinite future -
Miller a bust & Mertz doesn't seem to have excelled in Spring Practice -
IMO, neither one of them is going to be an effective SEC QB.
Do you really think that CBN can recruit an SEC caliber Transfer QB this late in the cycle ?
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I wouldn't count Brown out yet. Wouldn't surprise me if he has a decent spring game looking at the matchups.
When is the Best Time for a Top HS QB to Negotiate NIL $$$
Rashada had the right idea - save an OV & wait till late in the recruiting cycle (4-6 weeks before ESD ?) & get 2 Rival schools involved in a bidding war.
Rashada's plan failed only because UF couldn't come up with the money.
Anyone on this board who says he wouldn't do that -
IF he could -
is full of SH*T !
Everyone wants to throw away Max Brown because -
- We have 2 "Great" QBs ahead of him ( NOT )
- We have "verbal commits" (another meaningless phrase) from 2 Great HS QBs
Grow up, posters on this board; we are not out of the woods at QB or even close to it.
Many a slip twixt cup and lip !
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Not sure the deal with Brown but Napier did fall back on the line that he still has a lot to learn at one of his press conferences. Maybe he shows out tonight in a more real game type atmosphere if he is given a few series.
Rashada failed because if he had any sense he should have known he wasn't getting a real offer like that from UF boosters. If it was about money he probably should have took what that billionaire in Miami was actually offering him (not the joke figure his people put out on the internet). I would like to hear what he got from the school he is at now. My guess is it was well below even the real offer from Ruiz at Miami or our real final offer. We are probably better off not having him here anyway with that drama. Better just to pay a "proven" transfer QB for one year while the true freshman gets up to speed.
He was FSUs highest ranked commit. Norvell and his staff just aren’t that good at high school recruiting. Now I do think Pride may be a tad over ranked. But he’s a great athlete that Raymond likes. We will see.
Aside from Hagans and the other assistant whom I can't remember, they really don't even have any decent recruiters on that coaching staff.
I wonder if they are spending much NIL there. They are one of the top portal recruiters this season. I wonder if they are mostly spending their boosters budget there. Being in the ACC they might can make a playoff with that strategy unlike being in the SEC.
Or, and this is just a possibility mind you, maybe he's not very good, and those gaudy stats were from playing against vastly inferior athletes, and now everybody is as big, fast, and strong as he is.
There is only one recruiter now:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
They have 3 good recruiters on staff and I’m including Hagens in that group and he’s not the same recruiter he used to be.
Breaking: 5-star S Xavier Filsaime commits to Florida
The Florida Gators add a 5-star to their 2024 recruiting class
247sports.com
Recruiting is bonkers now for us, love it.
Quarterback Questions Remain - Florida Gators
The Orange & Blue Game quarterback battle between Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and returning bowl game starter Jack Miller III didn't shed much light on who will
floridagators.com
Says he going to try to sign another QB from the portal.
I guess we will see who hits the 2nd phase of the portal now that spring practices are wrapping up.Quarterback Questions Remain - Florida Gators
The Orange & Blue Game quarterback battle between Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and returning bowl game starter Jack Miller III didn't shed much light on who will
Says he going to try to sign another QB from the portal.
Quarterback Questions Remain - Florida Gators
The Orange & Blue Game quarterback battle between Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and returning bowl game starter Jack Miller III didn't shed much light on who will
Says he going to try to sign another QB from the portal.
Problem is I think that is just for depth purposes and not to actually get a QB who has shown he can play already. Would love to be wrong though. Mertz is very pedestrian but if he got hurt early and Miller took over I could see some mess unfolding like in 2017.
Numbers,
Emmanuel (Graduate Transfer) started all 13 games at right guard in 2022, his first season with the Seminoles, and earned third-team All-ACC honors. He also was named second-team All-ACC by Phil Steele and was a member of the All-ACC Academic Team.
https://www.si.com/college/fsu/foot...-emmanuel-granted-seventh-year-of-eligibility
Florida State Offensive Lineman D’Mitri Emmanuel Granted Seventh Year Of Eligibility
The Seminoles are loaded in depth on the offensive line going into 2023.Emmanuel (Graduate Transfer) started all 13 games at right guard in 2022, his first season with the Seminoles, and earned third-team All-ACC honors. He also was named second-team All-ACC by Phil Steele and was a member of the All-ACC Academic Team.
https://www.si.com/college/fsu/foot...-emmanuel-granted-seventh-year-of-eligibility
Florida 'Up There' For Recent FSU Decommit Pride
This week, though, the former Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy standout — transferring to Blountstown (Fla.) High midway through his junior season — elected to back off of his pledge to the Seminoles just one day ahead of a return trip to The Swamp for the program's spring game.
Florida is one of several SEC programs, Pride says, that have his attention going forward. "Tennessee, Alabama and Texas A&M" are presenting as the contenders to Billy Napier's program.
https://www.si.com/college/florida/...p-there-recent-fsu-decommit-jordan-pride-2024
Speaking of 7th year, isn't Jordan Travis on his 7th year? I remember watching him at The Swamp vs UF in 2019.
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