Trending in right direction
Mullen works to turn success into recruiting wins in South Florida
GAINESVILLE — Coach Dan Mullen’s trip to South Florida to promote the Orange Bowl Wednesday was another chance to sell the Florida Gators in one of the nation’s recruiting hotbeds.
Before UF faces Virginia Dec. 30 at Hard Rock Stadium, Mullen aims to ink a top recruiting class during Wednesday’s early signing day.
By maintaining a maniacal schedule this month, Mullen and his staff have positioned the Gators to finish strong and potentially end up with the school’s highestrated class since 2013, when 247Sports.com ranked UF No. 3.
The Gators class has moved to No. 9 in 247Sports team rankings, while Rivals.com ranks the current 22-member class No. 6 nationally. With seven days to go, UF is trending in the right direction.
“They’ve got a chance to be one of the hottest teams here going into early signing day,” said Steve Wiltfong, director of recruiting at 247Sports.
When Mullen was not meeting with bowl executives and chatting with reporters, he was checking in on some of South Florida’s top talent, ranging from UF commitments securely in the fold to possible 11th-hour signees considering changing their minds.
“Yep, last night, this morning, this afternoon,” Mullen said of his non-stop schedule. “And then this evening again, I’ll be able to do that.”
Six commitments in the 2020 class hail from South Florida. The players who sign next week can attend UF’s Orange Bowl practices, Mullen noted.
“I think we’ve gotten out to see those guys and it’s huge,” Mullen said.
Linebacker Derek Wingo of Fort Lauderdale’s St. Thomas Aquinas headlines the Gator commits from South Florida. Rivals.com recently elevated Wingo to five-star status, the ilk of player UF needs to sign and keep in state to close the gap with the nation’s top programs.
“Coach Mullen is an Xs and Os guy,” said Mike Farrell, national recruiting director for Rivals.com. “He likes to find guys that fit his system, and he doesn’t care about recruiting rankings and all that
stuff. But you’d like to see Florida in on more in-state kids that are getting away.”
To that end, Mullen spent some of his time in South Florida casting a line in the water for some big fish, notably Miami pass rusher Donell Harris, whom Mullen met with Wednesday, and defensive tackle Timothy Smith of Sebastian. Among the nation’s top 100 players, according to 247Sports, Harris is committed to Texas A&M and Smith to Alabama.
“They’re swinging at some guys and they’re in the mix for some blue-chippers here,” Wiltfong said. “Recruiting is a game of inches; you never know what inch is going to help you.”
With double-digit wins and a New Year’s Six bowl game for the second straight season, Mullen’s Gators (10-2) have distanced themselves among the Big Three Florida schools.
Mike Norvell’s hiring at
Florida State should give the Seminoles some recruiting traction, Farrell said, but Miami is coming off a disappointing season under firstyear coach Manny Diaz.
“He’s No. 1 in the state when it comes to a winning program, a stable program, a program where you know the coach is going to be there and you know what you’re getting with the coach,” Farrell said of Mullen.
A trip to the Orange Bowl is another win for the Gators, though No. 24 Virginia (9-4) is not an ideal opponent. The Cavaliers are coming off a 62-17 loss in the ACC title game to Clemson, the defending national champion and a recruiting force in Florida. Tailback Demarkcus Bowman of Lakeland and defensive tackle Demonte Capehart of Brandenton’s IMG Academy are two of the state’s top recruits, but they are committed to Clemson.
“It’s kind of a no-win situation because they’re supposed to win,” Farrell said of UF’s game against Virginia. “If you lose, that’s bad. If you win by a field goal, that’s bad. You got to blow them out.
“So I don’t think it’s a great bowl for them, even though it’s the Orange Bowl.”
Whatever happens on Dec. 30, Mullen looked to capitalize on his trip to South Florida this week. Against Virginia in a little more than two weeks, he will look to do it again by giving recruits a sense of what it’s like to play for the Gators.
Some coaches make their mark primarily as recruiters, while Mullen has built his reputation on calling plays and developing players. In the end, Mullen might be selling what ultimately matters most.
“He’s a good recruiter, but he’s more of a player developer,” Farrell said. “I’d rather have a great coach than a great recruiter. He’s definitely in the top five of the top 10-programs in the country when you go strictly on coaching ability.”