Davis: FIU football’s recent success big recruiting tool
FIU football coach
Butch Davis said the way he handles recruiting has changed for the Panthers since he was hired in November, 2016.
“[Back then], I could just tell recruits about a vision we had for the program,” Davis said. “We hadn’t even played a game.
“Now, [preparing for his fourth season at FIU], we’ve been to three consecutive bowl games. We’ve graduated more than 90 percent of our players. Now they can see what kind of program we’ve built.
“But you don’t have a great recruiting class unless your assistant coaches build a relationship with players. These kids have to trust that you will help them be the best player they can possibly be with great coaching, academic support and strength and conditioning.”
IN OTHER FIU NEWS
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 NFL Draft is still scheduled to take place April 23-25, and CBS Sports projects FIU quarterback James Morgan as the Los Angeles Rams’ seventh-round pick.
“[Morgan] has an innate sense of when to move inside the pocket,” according to the CBS scouting report. “He has the internal clock of when the ball needs to come out.”
FIU men’s basketball coach Jeremy Ballard on graduating senior Trejon
Jacob, a 6-5 wing: “Trejon can get lost in the shuffle [in terms of recognition], but he has become more efficient offensively, and he has improved tremendously on defense and in ball-handling.”
Former FIU pitcher Franco Aleman, who is now at a junior college, is set to sign with the University of Florida in December. He is also a prospect for the 2020 MLB Draft and may not make it to Gainesville.
New FIU men’s soccer coach Kyle Russell has inherited an 18-player roster, including two athletes who are currently injured. Russell said he plans to add up to nine more players before the 2020 season begins in the fall.
“The holes we need to fill are very obvious,” said Russell, mentioning goalie, central defense and central midfield.
FIU had three players drafted by Major League Soccer at those positions this year, including goalie Danny Gagliardi, who was a second-round pick of the Vancouver Whitecaps, No. 32 overall.
Gagliardi was 10-3-4 last season, leading Conference USA with 67 saves. He had a 0.93 goalsagainst average, and was third-team all-league.
FIU also had two field players drafted: Nick O’Callaghan to Orlando City with the 57th overall pick and Andrew Booth to Minnesota United with selection No. 96
Booth, the reigning Conference USA Midfielder of the Year, led FIU in points (15) and ranked second in goals (five). He started 45 games in his FIU career.
O’Callaghan, named C-USA’s Co-Defensive MVP, started all 18 games in 2019 and helped FIU post five shutouts.
Those are big losses for FIU, but Russell — who led Coastal Carolina to the NCAA Tournament nine times during his 10-year tenure as assistant coach and lead recruiter — is confident the Panthers can sign more gems.
“There were already guys I had my eyes on in Florida while I was at Coastal,” said Russell, who was hired by FIU in February. “The timing is not ideal, but there is a saying in college soccer that you never stop recruiting because players could sign pro and leave at any time.
“There are high-caliber players out there. We just have to make sure they are also high-caliber people.”