Football Recruting: Will Muschamp’s Status and Offensive Struggles are Hurting the Florida Gators on the Trail

The Florida Gators ended the summer with one of the smallest classes on the recruiting trail. Eleven high school seniors decided to make a verbal commitment to UF and that number was recently reduced by one. The first domino has fallen with the Gators highest rated recruit deciding to flip to Ohio State. What’s worse is another of the top rated commits is starting to open up his options with the uncertainty about Will Muschamp’s future. That means it’s time to make a decision, one way or another, at head coach.

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Florida’s 4-8 season last year definitely got the Gators off to slow start on the recruiting trail. Most of the talent is decent, but not the elite athletes Florida has been picking up on a consistent basis for the past 25 years. The Gators highest commit so far is four-star ATH Derrick Dillon, coming in at 157 on 247Sports composite rankings. The previous highest rated recruit, Jerome Baker made his commitment to Florida’s former coach Urban Meyer. It’s not only Baker: Fellow four-star LB Adonis Thomas (No. 171), has started to look around at other programs because of Florida’s struggles on the field this season. Baker and Thomas were two of the three highest rated commitments of the 2015 class. Not good for the Gators future.

But despite their ineptitude on the field, Florida still has a shot with some of the most elite talent of the class. Top 10 talents like OT Martez Ivey (No. 2), DE Byron Cowart (No. 4), and DE CeCe Jefferson (No. 6) all are strongly considering spending their time in college at the University of Florida. It’s not just them. There’s plenty of other talent looking at the state of Florida’s program every week. Check out the visitor list for the past two home games. I’m not sure another team in the nation has had that much talent in their home stadium on back-to-back weekends.

Here’s the list of players who came for the LSU game (h/t GatorCountry):

"2015 visitors Miami running back commit Dexter WilliamsRunning back Bryce LoveRunning back Ray-Ray McCloudFlorida State running back commit Johnny FrasierRunning back Jacques PatrickReceiver Antonio CallawayReceiver Javarius DavisReceiver Ryan DavisFlorida receiver commit Derrick DillonArkansas receiver commit K.J. HillFlorida receiver commit Kalif JacksonFlorida offensive lineman commit Mike HortonOffensive lineman Martez IveyFlorida offensive lineman commit Tyler JordanOffensive lineman Mirko JurkovicOffensive lineman Jalen MerrickFlorida offensive lineman commit Brandon SandiferOffensive lineman William SweetOffensive lineman Tyree St. LouisTight end Devonaire ClaringtonFlorida tight end commit Camrin KnightDefensive end Byron CowartDefensive end CeCe JeffersonFlorida defensive tackle commit Andrew IvieDefensive tackle Kendrick NortonFlorida linebacker commit Jerome BakerLinebacker Tevon ConeyLinebacker Derrick GrahamLinebacker Jeffrey HollandLinebacker Roquan SmithCornerback Davante DavisCornerback Jeremy McDuffieSafety Hunter DaleSafety Tim IrvinCincinnati safety commit Josh Norwood2016 visitorsRunning back Tony Jones Jr.Running back Antonio WilliamsReceiver Marquez CallawayReceiver T.J. ChaseReceiver Tre NixonReceiver Eli StoveReceiver Dredrick SnelsonTight end Jacob MathisDefensive end Jordan WoodsDefensive tackle Nyles PinckneyLinebacker Jaleel LaguinsFlorida cornerback commit Tre JacksonFlorida cornerback commit Chauncey GardnerCornerback Craig WattsSafety Romeo FinleySafety Khalil LadlerSafety Saivion SmithAthlete Mecole Hardman 2017 visitorsAthlete Bruce JudsonOffensive lineman Adrian Ealy"

The list was none too shabby for the Mizzou game as well (h/t GatorCountry):

"2015 VisitorsClemson receiver commit Deon CainFlorida offensive lineman commit Tyler JordanFlorida tight end commit Camrin KnightFlorida defensive tackle commit Andrew IvieDefensive tackle Kendrick NortonLinebacker Jeffrey HollandLinebacker Adonis ThomasCornerback Mike Hughes"

It’s a tough double-edged sword for AD Jeremy Foley. Most of these highly rated prospects WANT to play for Muschamp. Muschamp is an ace recruiter and certainly can relate to his players. Those who have played for him have a fierce loyalty. But the result could mean the Gators suffer on the field. It’s obvious that this team has regressed under Muschamp this season and he’s not the right fit at head coach, but he’d still be a great defensive coordinator. If you could somehow get him to stay on at DC, Florida could score a major coup recruiting. But it’s highly unlikely anyone from this staff will be retained if Foley decides to pull the trigger. But it’s certainly something to think about.

Muschamp and Florida have whiffed on some big in-state prospects because recruits are waiting to see what happens. Guys the Gators usually get. The offensive struggles have made the likes of WR Deon Cain and RB Ray-Ray McCloud commit to Clemson and WR George Campbell pledge to Florida State. But Florida has a pretty decent shot at getting Ivey, Cowart, and Jefferson if Foley can commit one way or another to Muschamp. But defense has never been the problem. What you’re not seeing in this year’s class, or player’s considering UF, is top-tier offensive skill player talent. Dillon is probably the only commit to possess the elite speed needed in the SEC. QB Sheriron Jones could end up panning out. He’s impressed at camps like Elite11 and The Opening. But as far as players to receive the football from Jones, there’s only Dillon, WR Kalif Jackson (a possibly under-the-radar WR), and TE Camrin Knight. If the Gators want to get better, they need to get that gamebreaking player, much like a Percy Harvin. And they likely won’t get that until Foley decides Muschamp’s fate, which at this point is clear to pretty much everyone.

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