Ongoing UF Softball Commentary

Been watching. That's a good one.

 

Wayyyy off-topic but....back when I was much younger and possibly stupider. Canes form in the Gulf in October. So, three of us are out in Biscayne Bay on a barely seaworthy sailboat we not so affectionately named the Miss *&%stain and a cane was less than a day away. We're hanging on the deck trying to keep control of the sails and the boat. Since I'm still here we did make it back to port, somehow. And this wasn't the Columbus Day Regatta on the Bay, which I have done numerous times, and would do again. Massive decadence.

 

I know you always thought Dobbins was helpful. I don't know. Something clearly went wrong with that whole thing. I don't know if it was a softball teaching problem. I have heard there were personalities issues. I remember that there was a comment from someone that more than a month after she was hired her welcoming flowers were still untouched on her desk. Again, I don't know what happened but Tim does not hire someone and move to another direction in one year unless something is not right.

 

I’m extremely happy with Coach Stephanie. I honestly think she’s gonna make a big difference.

 

Caroline threw her third perfect game yesterday in a 5 inning win over Marist 9-0. 12 strike outs of the 15 outs.

 

Deifel is on a roll. Along with the Ava Hodo commitment yesterday she also snagged a catcher from Mississippi by the name of Maci Boaz who was also on my original list. Somewhat unusual to get two quality catchers the same day. Anyway, from the original list: UF-5; Arky-4; Texas-2; FSU-2; A&M-2; Kansas, LSU, Oklahoma and Ole Miss with one each.

 

For a summary who has committed, their position and their average rank.

 

Sheesh. You don't want much, do ya? Beth has a solid class at LSU. Her list is different than mine. Doesn't mean one is better than the other. There are good players all over the country and you can't go after all of them. My list is what I think Tim targets. It isn't what Beth targets or Oklahoma targets. Washington has got a couple the last few days. Oklahoma has four or five and only one on my list. I doubt Gasso is offering crap. Our class is solid. Better than I expected. We will find out how good the 2026 class is, for us and LSU and Oklahoma and everyone else, about 2028.

 

You can trust every of our main competitors is putting together a solid class. Except for FSU, this is the SEC. I'm not sure just how good Oregon, UCLA and Washington are doing but they are getting some kids. They are now saddled with playing in the Big Ten which is a gigantic disadvantage. Arky is solid. LSU is solid. A&M has been getting some excellent players. Tennessee has got a bunch and there's no reason to believe they aren't solid gets. I haven't seen a lot from Alabama but they have gotten a couple. None from my list and you have to believe there is some overlap. At some point Murphy has got to run out of luck and he has been living on it the last couple years. Ella Kate Smith and McLaine Hudson are the two biggest left on my list for us. Ella is a two-way player and a stud. Does she want to compete with Caroline for playing time? IMO Hudson is a potential star. If Hudson doesn't go with us....please....anything but FSU. As I've said over and over....trust Tim. He knows how to recruit. He knows how to evaluate talent. He knows how to develop players once they get on campus. And the best thing....Francesca is getting a PhD level class on how you run a program. I have no doubt she is living each day with her shoulder next to his.