Notebook: Muschamp stressed quality over quantity in filling out his first UF recruiting class
Thursday, February 3, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
Will Muschamp has been on the clock since the day in early December that he agreed to replace Urban Meyer as Florida's head coach.
He had to begin the process of relocating his family. He needed to meet the players he would inherit. He needed to hire a coaching staff.
Oh, and he needed to put together a recruiting class in a little more than a month.
Muschamp took on the task of filling out his first UF recruiting class by first, “re-recruiting the players already committed.''
He then began evaluations based on the Gators' current roster and what he felt the team needed. What he didn't do was get seduced by player rankings and other ways recruiting is evaluated in this day and age.
“Recruiting is all about developing relationships and trust, and it's tough to do that in a short period of time,'' Muschamp said Wednesday. “We have a smaller senior class for next season, so I didn't feel like at the end of the process to make an emotional decision in offering guys that I didn't think could play at — on and off the field — a championship level at the University of Florida.
“I'd rather have held those scholarships to the next season to give our staff a whole year to evaluate and recruit.''
Muschamp said Florida could have signed 25 players to complete a full class, but instead, he opted to sign 18 and have more wiggle room entering next year's class.
“I'm excited about our signing class coming in,'' he said. “I didn't want to sign guys just to sign guys. We did a nice job of securing the class we had. [I'm] just really pleased with what we had, and Urban [Meyer] and his staff did a great job with those guys that were already committed to the university.''
He's not starry eyed
Muschamp walked on at Georgia as a player after a serious leg injury his senior year of high school scared off recruiters. He played his way into a starting role and was defensive co-captain as a senior.
So you shouldn't be surprised by Muschamp's recruiting philosophy when it comes to player rankings by the national recruiting services.
“I don't count stars,'' he said. “Have you seen those guys that rank those five stars? I watch tape. I recruit. I haven't turned on ESPN today to check on what everybody is saying. I'm worried about what I think more than what they think."
Getting a head start
Florida's recruiting class of 18 includes seven early enrollees: QB Jeff Driskel, TE A.C. Leonard, WR Javares McRoy, RB Mike Blakely, DB Pop Saunders, DL Clay Burton and P Kyle Christy.
Muschamp views that as beneficial to the program in his first season.
“Coming mid-year is great from the standpoint of you're getting way ahead academically, and also from a football standpoint, you're able to go through spring ball,'' he said. “Academically, it's not as hectic. It's huge to get a guy mid-year, but they have to be totally into it because they're not going to be able to go to the prom.''
A Story with a happy ending
Brooksville Nature Coast WR Ja'Juan Story is considered one of the top receiving prospects in the nation. He committed to UF early in the recruiting process, but after Meyer resigned, Story considered other options.
He took a trip to Ohio State and talked to other programs, but in the end, he signed with the Gators to boost Florida's class.
“You're always concerned about wavering until you get that form in,'' Muschamp said. “Until you actually get that in these days, it's always a concern. Ja'Juan is a bigger receiver. He's going to be a tough matchup with a smaller corner.
“He's a guy that can vertically stretch the field. He's got great ball skills down the field, very athletic. Again, played quarterback most of high school. He's electric with the ball in his hands, but he's a guy that's shown really nice ball skills down the field.''
The Driskel Factor
Driskel is considered by recruiting analysts as the gem of Florida's class. He was ranked the No. 1 prep quarterback recruit in the nation by both Rivals.com and Scout.com.
He committed to the Gators while Meyer was coach, but after meeting Muschamp, he remained committed and helped keep other players committed to the program.
“That was critical,'' Muschamp said. “It was a very short period of time to make that happen. Jeff's an outstanding player. He's a very athletic big quarterback that can really spin it. I mean, he's got great velocity on the ball.
“He's shown good leadership, good skills. I'm excited that he's here mid-year.''
Hill's expanded role
Muschamp is heavily involved in recruiting and plans to remain that way. However, he announced Wednesday that he has installed former Gator receiver Aubrey Hill as recruiting coordinator.
Hill joined Muschamp's inaugural staff as receivers coach but added recruiting coordinator to his title when Stan Drayton left to become receivers coach at Ohio State.
Muschamp likes Hill's connection to the program and his familiarity in recruiting the state of Florida. He was Miami's receivers coach the past three seasons.
“Aubrey will tell you the same thing I'm about to say: it's as much a title as anything else,'' Muschamp said. “We coordinate the recruiting efforts as a group, as far as what we're doing. I set the numbers of what we're looking for and the type player we're looking for, and I define what we're looking for at each position with the input from the assistants.
“That's why we did it.”
