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.

 

Francesca is passionate about this program and no doubt is being used in the recruiting process. The girls love her. She is also a very good influence on them all. She knows how to win and can express it. And best of all she doesn’t take credit for any of it. Just MHO.

 

I guess I was not specific enough. I meant only for the Gator’s list of commitments. Sorry for not being clear in my request.

 

I intend to do something like that but haven't gotten around to it yet. Rankings are tough for me since I don't really follow them that much and I don't subscribe to the services.

 

Two things: Tim may have dropped Ella Kate Smith. I don't see her on his Twitter but he is still following her on Instagram so I don't know what is going on. Those two usually work together. And....apparently the NCAA is getting rid of the National Letter of Intent effective immediately. I don't understand why or what that means and haven't found any analysis at this point.

 

For whatever it means, Softball America apparently thinks we have "an impressive" class:

 

Caroline Stanton: rhp from Buford, GA playing for Texas Bombers and considered the #1 pitcher in the country.
Kennedy Bradley: infielder from the Dallas area playing for Texas Glory. #9 in Perfect Game and #4 in Line Drive (a service I'm seeing more and more).
Brooklyn Gidley: middle infielder from College Station, TX (and now banned by A&M from visiting her home). Plays for Texas Bombers. #23 Softball America.
Shayla Bahr: outfielder (but also lists ss in her resume) from Norcross, GA playing for Georgia Impact. #38 Softball America and #10 Extra Innings.
Avery Killian: catcher from New Orleans playing for LA Voodo Gold. Haven't seen a ranking but she was named a USA National Top Prospect at their Performance Camp.
If anyone can provide other rankings for any of them...post them.

 

You beat me to this post.

 

For those of you in West coast Florida and inland through Orlando...hang in there and batten down the hatches. Most of the coast from Ft. Myers north is just getting slammed. Radar looks like the eastern part of the eye is now on shore south of Sarasota but technical landfall will probably be somewhere in the Sarasota region as a strong Cat 3. With the direction of this storm, every port and harbor on the west coast is going to get huge storm surge which is more dangerous than the actual wind. Gainesville could get significant damage. This is a big one and following one week after Helene it will stretch every available responder resource. Everyone from Florida to Virginia needs desperate help.

 

I have a question and does anyone have the answer? Has Lauren Staff started her job as Gator Softball communications coordinator?

 

I have a question....what are the actual duties of a "communications coordinator"?

 

Herb didn’t know.