Class Rankings

That's an outlier. No way the Gators are higher than #30. That's not a bad place to be given who we have on our board and which players we think are locks.

 

Interesting post strange, that's why I enjoy your posts. I kinda use your perspectives to be more slanted to reality than OnB sunglass wearers.

While I am excited by CBN's tenure to date, (he has met my every expectation,
Insofar as I understand College Football), I love the enthusiasm, work effort, ability to convince UF, effectively, that a concomitant financial, booster, and, general institutional investment, shall be required for UF to compete at a playoff/championship level, is required,
I still have concerns.

I believe all of the above, prior to Covid, NIL, Transfer Portal, would have definitely put UF in the championship race.

Now, I just don't know, because I am not smart enough to figure all the variables out currently involved.

And to get right to it, while everything I see and hear about UF recruiting is positive, I will readily acknowledged, exactly what you posted. We are somewhere in the vicinity of 23 and closer to 30 using your post as reference.

I repeat - 23 to 30.

Honestly I was expecting to be a bit higher by now. Yes I know it's just Memorial Day Weekend. It's early, and a long way to go.

Early signing day will be interesting.
I was and still hope to see the traditional 2nd year thrust, but that phenomenon existed B4 NIL and TP.

Guess what I'm saying, early results are good, but more so, on the Transfer Portal.

Florida and our tradition recruiting area is loaded, central Florida is loaded, and LA should have some production for this staff.

Just need them to keep moving up and making progress, early on I was believing a top 5 class was my expectation, the new rules may affect that trajectory.

 

I don't disagree. I think it's fair to say this NIL is an environment to which our staff and Admin are still adjusting. It does not seem we are on the forefront. But my read from the board is that we are moving in the right direction.

Offer lists and rankings tell most of the story, eventually. I hope we are selective and successful from here. In my mind, two consensus four stars on each of OL/DL,LB/DB/WR, one high four star at the other positions seem possible and should be a top 10 class. Mullen came close to that in 2021 so maybe this staff can establish that as our new floor where previously that was our ceiling.

I envision staffs meet or talk recruiting several times per week. It seems to me, more often than not, taking players with lower ratings and offer lists at a position of need early does not work out most of the time.

 

Solid post Die, not much to take exception with. We will see how the rankings shake out. But almost every rating service has Central Florida and S Georgia being LOADED.

And I know the staff is working hard to sign these kids. Just seems like if UF is going to make a big move, this should be the year.

There is enough local talent out there to build one helleva team roster, with depth, for the future.

I'm optimistic they will get it done. If they hit a few home runs it could be a special class, we shall see.

 

I agree and this class will be very telling for all schools. It’s uncertain for many of the schools that have been football powers the last thirty years or so. Boosters have always been a big part of sustaining a program along with a strong fan base. Some schools have the 90k paying fans which is what supports the sports programs and others only have the boosters and the conference check( Miami). Texas A&M and a few others will prove to have both. This years class will give us a better look at where we fit in to this scenario.
The big question is how does college football as a whole come out of this. I’m not sure the conferences stay together and keep sharing the pie with the Miamis and Vandys. Miami with no one in the stands may be a drag on a conference , maybe not. I guess if their tv rights are worth something, they generate money that way. Teams like Vandy, the better half of the top division, are a complete drag on the overall product of college football. They don’t have the earning power to carry their weight. They will never compete and why give them money they didn’t earn. Teams like ole Miss are on that bubble which should be the bottom rung of teams in top conferences. They haven’t won anything but they are trying and putting an good product on the field. They have the ability to beat the top teams from time to time. If a team can’t win or doesn’t try to build a product to compete as the highest level, they shouldn’t be on the same field with the teams that do. By adding Texas and Oklahoma, the SEC is getting closer to a model of the future I think. How does the conference keep Vandy if they just pocket the 50 mil( soon to be 100 mil) and they don’t use it to compete in football. It’s football money, it should be used as such. I get it that football supports the sports programs but Vandy is a bad example of how it should be done. Maybe they should drop football or move to another conference for football only?
I think Florida ends up in the second tier of teams. We have the fans to generate money and a substantial boosters group but probably not elite. It remains to be seen how many teams will be in the top group and how much distance there will be between them and the second tier. Can the second tier compete?
Can they figure out a way to level the playing field?
Does the top tier want parity, probably not.
I’m not sure I’m going to like the future of college football. If we can’t win, why watch.

 

11 to 15.
Would be delighted if somehow we are in top 10 for ‘23 class.

 

I expect to be 10-15 and middle of the pack in the SEC when the 23 class is all said and done. We went and got an up and comer and not say a Riley. I’m good with Napier but patience is going to be pretty tough. Especially seeing TN out recruit us.

 

Gotta win games. Big games that get a lot of attention. Play in Atlanta and compete. We do that and we will be a more attractive destination for kids who think beyond minor differences in NIL - like Jaden Rashada for example.

 

This is absolutely true as long as the nil differences are minor.

 

I understand your thinking here. What I would would add is that those schools who shot out ahead early are a result of some individual deep pocket donors. NIL is still in its infancy so I would submit that it is too early to project who the winners and losers are. That is, except, as the Saban/Jumbo dust-up demonstrates, some perennial cheaters are miffed that they may have lost an edge. Florida has some deep pockets as well, Napier has a plan (that I am sure he will re-visit) and new rules are going to follow.There are just too many unknowns and intervening variables to know what is going to happen down the road.

I wholeheartedly agree with your conclusion. College football is not changing for the better. "Be true to your school," is mostly a nostalgia.

 

But that might be one of the true deciding factor is who can manage to keep their roster in tact year in and year out. Can deep pockets continually pay for all of these highly rated recruits to sit the bench? With they rescind their NIL deals? How will that sit with recruits when it starts to happen?

 

It could really be for the better if they can find a way to create some parity. It’s just more of the same in my opinion as far as schools buying championships. I’d also like it better if we had 12 games every year that were meaningful games that weren’t decided before the games were played. I’d love if a few bottom feeders were cut to bring Texas and Oklahoma in. I want to see good games every week. I love Utah coming to town. Those are the only type of games that should be on out of conference schedules. Padding records for ten win seasons just doesn’t appeal to me.if Florida has its crap together and we are a ranked team. There’s usually two or three games a year in the swamp that at are interesting. I don’t see it but I hope the top teams create a new division with 32-48 teams and never play outside of that.

 

what big games did Tn play in other than have great offense numbers? I get what you’re saying but still.

 

Nothing beats cash for sure. From coaches to facilities, all aspects have to be up to par along with the cash. We have to have the total package to be elite.

 

That will most likely become an important resource for the second tier schools annual recruiting. Even with NIL, these kids that are warming the bench know that they have to get on the field to show the NFL what they can do (and they all think they are going to the league). Some will most likely take smaller deals with less "involved" schools so that they can play rather than sit.

 

Well there is on the field performance, media attention and the glitz and glamor of being a "winner", a media darling in other words.

Until, this staff, as Gators, in the big bad SEC, puts a product on the field, we just are not going to know about this particular aspect.

I see Utah as a really big deal and I'm grateful it is at home. We all want the "trajectory" to start moving up immediately.

My "instincts" and what I am reading and seeing suggests this:

We will be better on the offensive line and the running game.

I expect the gators to be better in all aspects of the special teams, with the possible exception of field goal kicking.
"Dan had some really good FG kickers"

I expect the DEFENSE to be far far superior than what was experienced the last two years.

I think "depth" will be slightly improved.

I think the passing game will be one area that may be questionable, in terms of improvement, statistically. No knock on AR-15. He brings much more to the position than chucking it down field.

But this Utah team seems pretty good. If I were a betting man, I would take the 2.5 and the Gators.

It would do wonders for all of us to win at least 9 regular season games, but the SEC is a tough grind.

We shall see, starting in a few months!

 

The Gators are favored for some reason. Do you mean you would lay the 2.5 and take the Gators, or take the 2.5 and bet on the Utes?

 

Thanks Crusher, I thought we were 2.5 dogs........... but, either way, I'm putting on my O&B Glasses and going strictly Gator on this one. (I'm all in on the new crew!)