TenGator1
Gator Fan
On their first official day Monday as Florida Gators, the remaining 16 members of what most consider the elite class of college football recruiting will be introduced to Captain Pain.
Say hello to your new daddy, Mickey Marotti.
All 27 newbies will be present in the Florida weight room when Mickey – the nice Mickey – meets and greets the fresh meat. By all reports, they are handsome specimens with a collective body fat that would do a Victoria Secret model proud.
“I’ll be nice to them the first couple of days,” Marotti said before taking off to the airport for the wedding of Greg Mattison’s daughter Lisa. “Probably give them some hugs, shake hands, make them feel welcome.”
And within a day or two, the honeymoon ends because a certain part of their anatomy will belong to the erstwhile strength and conditioning coach that Urban Meyer calls “the best in the country” in the weeks leading up to August practice.
Oddly enough, it will be Marotti’s first real look at the 2010 class as well, because he is prohibited from contact of any kind until they are officially in the fold on Monday, although they’ve been going through orientation for several days. He can’t even talk to them on the phone or exchange texts.
“Some of them have been texting, but they’ve all got the wrong phone number (it belongs to another non-coach staff member), and I can’t respond to them,” Marotti said. “They say things like, ‘Coach, I can’t wait to start working out.’ And I want to say, ‘Dude, first of all you better get the right phone number,’ and secondly, ‘You have no idea about what you’re in for the next few weeks’ – but I can’t.”
Never before has there been more highly anticipated group of Gator recruits, top to bottom, if for no other reason than what’s up front.
It is said that in college recruiting, the most difficult position to fill is defensive line. On that count, Dan McCarney struck gold with premier defensive linemen like Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Dominque Easley and Lynden Trail. They are already being referred to as sort of a Baby Fearsome Foursome and they dance in the dreams of McCarney every night. He agrees it’s tough to find “elite guys” like these four.
“They sure pass the eyeball test, even though I haven’t seen them on a field yet,” said McCarney. The good news is that Powell has gained 10 pounds up to 250, Floyd has dropped 20 pounds down to 300 and Trail is up to 220 from 203.
The Baby Fearsome Foursome is easy to spot. When a group of Minnesota Vikings coaches wandered through the weight room last spring as some of the new recruits were visiting, they stopped to visit with Urban Meyer, Steve Addazio, Marotti and McCarney.
“When are those guys coming out?” asked Brad Childress, looking over at Easley, Powell and Floyd, all high school seniors.
“Coming out?” said Marotti. “They’re just coming IN!”
* * *
There is much more to this class, of course, than just defensive linemen.
Another physical specimen who has impressed coaches is offensive lineman Chaz Green, 305, and although he may not crack the lineup, he adds to the aura.
“You look into the faces of those guys,” said one coach, “and you see the future of Florida football.”
There are other promising athletes.
Wide receivers Adrian Coxson, Quinton Dunbar and Chris Dunkley could contribute, especially given the uncertain future of Frankie Hammond Jr.
Not to be forgotten are the 11 who were already in camp and sent through spring ball, which Marotti feels was “a huge difference – and let’s not forget them.”
Quarterback Trey Burton earned his wings. Tight end Gerald Christian should see some playing time. Safety Matt Elam will get a good look and so will cornerbacks Jaylen Watkins and Joshua Shaw. Solomon Patton impressed at times as a wide receiver, as did Robert Clark, who can return kicks. And one or two not named here will emerge as well.
Added to the current roster, this gives Meyer an 85-man contingent loaded with talent and potential, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll walk right into a job.
“We’ve got some good players already on this roster, and they are experienced,” said one coach.
And Marotti is quick to remind us that history proves most first-year freshman don’t play much.
“Look back at how many did,” he said. “What, maybe one or two each year? We had Tim (Tebow), Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins, Maurkice Pouncey … not many.”
* * *
A word of advice to the new recruits: You can only make one first impression. And it will go a long way toward getting off to a good start.
“Body language is important,” Marotti said. “Attitude. Walking around with your head up and your chest out (good). Coming in slouching, hat on backwards, ‘too cool for school …’ (bad).
“And a lot depends on their first few sentences they utter. And I don’t care how good they are.”
On the other hand, the reality is, “We can’t send them back.”
Nor, in this case, would he want to.
article by Buddy Martin GatorCountry Insider
Read more: http://www.gatorcountry.com/football/article/front_loaded/9387#ixzz0rvQw4A7u
Say hello to your new daddy, Mickey Marotti.
All 27 newbies will be present in the Florida weight room when Mickey – the nice Mickey – meets and greets the fresh meat. By all reports, they are handsome specimens with a collective body fat that would do a Victoria Secret model proud.
“I’ll be nice to them the first couple of days,” Marotti said before taking off to the airport for the wedding of Greg Mattison’s daughter Lisa. “Probably give them some hugs, shake hands, make them feel welcome.”
And within a day or two, the honeymoon ends because a certain part of their anatomy will belong to the erstwhile strength and conditioning coach that Urban Meyer calls “the best in the country” in the weeks leading up to August practice.
Oddly enough, it will be Marotti’s first real look at the 2010 class as well, because he is prohibited from contact of any kind until they are officially in the fold on Monday, although they’ve been going through orientation for several days. He can’t even talk to them on the phone or exchange texts.
“Some of them have been texting, but they’ve all got the wrong phone number (it belongs to another non-coach staff member), and I can’t respond to them,” Marotti said. “They say things like, ‘Coach, I can’t wait to start working out.’ And I want to say, ‘Dude, first of all you better get the right phone number,’ and secondly, ‘You have no idea about what you’re in for the next few weeks’ – but I can’t.”
Never before has there been more highly anticipated group of Gator recruits, top to bottom, if for no other reason than what’s up front.
It is said that in college recruiting, the most difficult position to fill is defensive line. On that count, Dan McCarney struck gold with premier defensive linemen like Ronald Powell, Sharrif Floyd, Dominque Easley and Lynden Trail. They are already being referred to as sort of a Baby Fearsome Foursome and they dance in the dreams of McCarney every night. He agrees it’s tough to find “elite guys” like these four.
“They sure pass the eyeball test, even though I haven’t seen them on a field yet,” said McCarney. The good news is that Powell has gained 10 pounds up to 250, Floyd has dropped 20 pounds down to 300 and Trail is up to 220 from 203.
The Baby Fearsome Foursome is easy to spot. When a group of Minnesota Vikings coaches wandered through the weight room last spring as some of the new recruits were visiting, they stopped to visit with Urban Meyer, Steve Addazio, Marotti and McCarney.
“When are those guys coming out?” asked Brad Childress, looking over at Easley, Powell and Floyd, all high school seniors.
“Coming out?” said Marotti. “They’re just coming IN!”
* * *
There is much more to this class, of course, than just defensive linemen.
Another physical specimen who has impressed coaches is offensive lineman Chaz Green, 305, and although he may not crack the lineup, he adds to the aura.
“You look into the faces of those guys,” said one coach, “and you see the future of Florida football.”
There are other promising athletes.
Wide receivers Adrian Coxson, Quinton Dunbar and Chris Dunkley could contribute, especially given the uncertain future of Frankie Hammond Jr.
Not to be forgotten are the 11 who were already in camp and sent through spring ball, which Marotti feels was “a huge difference – and let’s not forget them.”
Quarterback Trey Burton earned his wings. Tight end Gerald Christian should see some playing time. Safety Matt Elam will get a good look and so will cornerbacks Jaylen Watkins and Joshua Shaw. Solomon Patton impressed at times as a wide receiver, as did Robert Clark, who can return kicks. And one or two not named here will emerge as well.
Added to the current roster, this gives Meyer an 85-man contingent loaded with talent and potential, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll walk right into a job.
“We’ve got some good players already on this roster, and they are experienced,” said one coach.
And Marotti is quick to remind us that history proves most first-year freshman don’t play much.
“Look back at how many did,” he said. “What, maybe one or two each year? We had Tim (Tebow), Joe Haden, Janoris Jenkins, Maurkice Pouncey … not many.”
* * *
A word of advice to the new recruits: You can only make one first impression. And it will go a long way toward getting off to a good start.
“Body language is important,” Marotti said. “Attitude. Walking around with your head up and your chest out (good). Coming in slouching, hat on backwards, ‘too cool for school …’ (bad).
“And a lot depends on their first few sentences they utter. And I don’t care how good they are.”
On the other hand, the reality is, “We can’t send them back.”
Nor, in this case, would he want to.
article by Buddy Martin GatorCountry Insider
Read more: http://www.gatorcountry.com/football/article/front_loaded/9387#ixzz0rvQw4A7u
