There’s a lotta talk “out there” about how “poorly” the Gators have generally recruited under Dan Mullens, at least relative to the so-called “elite” programs who’ve been noticeably grabbing the lion’s share of elite “5-Stars” out of highshools the last few years (even, noteably and disappointingly so, out of the state of Florida!).
Certainly relative to that “elite” (‘Bama, Clemson, Ohio State), even more like “near elite” teams in our own Conference (like UGA) that we SEEMED to have finally caught up with this past season (but subsequent events and surrounding stories coming out around our program currently have seemingly begun to call into question) have lately begun to eat away at my own shaky confidence: I’m not sure if it is all that “external background crap”, disappointments and letdowns here in the post- and OFF-season that have worn away at my outlook, after the disappointingly uneven way our season unwound down the stretch, that has me worried—but we all are having to hold rather tightly to the narrow hope engendered in the one potential bright spot there, the fact that we gave Nat Champ Alabama their toughest challenge this year there at the end, in the SEC Championship Game—tougher than they got from anyone else in 2020, INCLUDING the ensuing playoffs.
And that is encouraging, meaningful—though perhaps less so as various events and processes have played out since...least of all the Gilbert-fiasco, our continued “misses” at 5-star prospects in general AND QB in particular: As difficult to fathom as ever with Mullens’ well-founded rep and history (recent as much as EVER!) with quarterbacks as this is, it is happening AGAIN, notably so for the 2022 class thus far!
There is a certain “trend” here in Mullen & Co.’s recruiting, and with his “different approach”, especially their so far impressive “fill ins” using the Transfer Portal, but the growing concern here is the question as to whether Mullen and his staff CAN “turn that corner” in recruiting, begin to grab enough of the very top-tier talent ACROSS-THE-BOARD that will allow them to finally move into that annual “Elite Group” that is at the very least “considered in the running” on an annual basis.
Because that is where we expect them to be—where our Head Coach expects them to be, and where he came here to TAKE them to!
I haven’t given up hope—but I am less and less confident in our getting there with stopgap measures that depend on things like “new transfer rules” and/or solely our Coach’s admitted talent for “developing talent” and fitting inventive “schemes” TO that talent. WE NEED SOME OF THE VERY BEST PLAYERS TOO!!!
Certainly relative to that “elite” (‘Bama, Clemson, Ohio State), even more like “near elite” teams in our own Conference (like UGA) that we SEEMED to have finally caught up with this past season (but subsequent events and surrounding stories coming out around our program currently have seemingly begun to call into question) have lately begun to eat away at my own shaky confidence: I’m not sure if it is all that “external background crap”, disappointments and letdowns here in the post- and OFF-season that have worn away at my outlook, after the disappointingly uneven way our season unwound down the stretch, that has me worried—but we all are having to hold rather tightly to the narrow hope engendered in the one potential bright spot there, the fact that we gave Nat Champ Alabama their toughest challenge this year there at the end, in the SEC Championship Game—tougher than they got from anyone else in 2020, INCLUDING the ensuing playoffs.
And that is encouraging, meaningful—though perhaps less so as various events and processes have played out since...least of all the Gilbert-fiasco, our continued “misses” at 5-star prospects in general AND QB in particular: As difficult to fathom as ever with Mullens’ well-founded rep and history (recent as much as EVER!) with quarterbacks as this is, it is happening AGAIN, notably so for the 2022 class thus far!
There is a certain “trend” here in Mullen & Co.’s recruiting, and with his “different approach”, especially their so far impressive “fill ins” using the Transfer Portal, but the growing concern here is the question as to whether Mullen and his staff CAN “turn that corner” in recruiting, begin to grab enough of the very top-tier talent ACROSS-THE-BOARD that will allow them to finally move into that annual “Elite Group” that is at the very least “considered in the running” on an annual basis.
Because that is where we expect them to be—where our Head Coach expects them to be, and where he came here to TAKE them to!
I haven’t given up hope—but I am less and less confident in our getting there with stopgap measures that depend on things like “new transfer rules” and/or solely our Coach’s admitted talent for “developing talent” and fitting inventive “schemes” TO that talent. WE NEED SOME OF THE VERY BEST PLAYERS TOO!!!
