South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Gators’ recruiting focus obvious
Defenders are a big chunk of their 2021 class
Saturday’s Florida-versus-Alabama SECtitle game was not completed in time for this edition.
Florida coach Dan Mullen frequented defensive meetings, watched film, offered input and even publicly chewed out coordinatorTodd Grantham.
Nothing the offensive-minded Mullen did seemed to fix the Gators’ recurring problems on defense this season, andit remains the area that could thwart Florida’s push to win championships.
Mullen said he and his staff did address their issues on the recruiting thetrail. More than half the members of the Gators’ 2021 class play defense, and the biggest recruiting hitswereonthat side of the football.
“I do think with this class, front to back, we’re really signed a complete defense,” Mullen said. “I mean, if you look at it, it’s kind of a starting 11 on defense that go out there on the field at each position, so that’s something I was really excited about.”
MiamiPalmetto defensive backs JasonMarshall and Corey Collier are twoofthe headliners. Marshall, afive-star cornerback, andCollier, a four-star safety, helped spearhead a defense that nearly carried Palmetto to the 8A state football final. Instead, a late touchdown
off a blocked field goal sparked KissimmeeOsceola to a 9-3 win.
The Gators beat out Auburn for Birmingham linebacker Jeremiah “Scooby” Williams and convinced St. Thomas Aquinas end Tyreak Sappto stickwithhiscommitment, spurnMiamiandleaveSouthFlorida, bringingmore top-100recruits into the Gators’ fold.
“Part of it shows the character
theseguyshavewhenwe’re talking about making commitments and being committed,” Mullen said when asked about Sapp. “I know early on, hetalkedabout his dream, his love of being a Gator, always wanted to be a Gator and live out his dream.”
The same goes for linebacker Diwun Black, a member of the Gators’ 2019 class who failed to
qualify academically. But aftertwo seasons back home in Mississippi as one of the nation’s top junior college players, Black inked scholarships papers this pastWednesday on the early national signing period.
“Igivehimalotofcreditbecause I’ve been around it; you see a lot of these guys as it pertains to junior college— that’s not an easy route,”
Mullen said. “He took care of his business. We’re excited because I knowhe’s a phenomenal athlete, a great leader, a great personality, a guy youwant around the program and a guy you want around the team.”
Academics were the least of the Gators’ concerns with outside linebackerChiefBorders. Stanford Universitywasinhotpursuitofthe four-starrecruitfromGeorgia, who ultimately chose UF — a top-10 publicuniversitywithatop-10football program.
“Chief ’s a guy that we’ve recruitedforalongtime, knownfor alongtime,[an] exceptionalathlete [and] absolutely great student,” Mullen said. “Academics were a huge part of his recruiting, but he also wanted the opportunity to go play big-time football. That’s what Florida brings to the table.
“When academically you’re recruiting on the same level of Stanford and the same football level as a playoffteam... we’re kind of the only university that’s in that combination.”
The Gators hope their dozen defensive signees — of 21 overall Wednesday — offer the right combination of talent, versatility andcoachabilitytomakeanimpact next season and beyond.
Mullen is confident it will be the case.
“That’s the question I get, ‘Who do you think is going to make an immediate impact?’ ” he said. “I usuallycomeupwithdifferentones that everybodymaybethinks, but I do think they will be ready.”