Football Preview

Thursday, 08 April 2010 14:14

While the health of University of Florida head football coach Urban Meyer may be in question, his recruiting abilities certainly speak for themselves.

Florida is hailed as having the No. 2 overall recruiting class by online college sports reporting forum Rivals.com. The Gators accepted commitments from 28 players who signed national letters of intent on February 3. Eleven of those players had already enrolled at UF for the spring 2010 semester.

At the front of the class is No. 1 overall player Ronald Powell, a defensive end from Rancho Verde High School in Moreno Valley, Calif. The class also includes three of the top seven overall players, as ranked by Rivals.com, and 11 of ESPNU’s Top 50 high school seniors. Fifteen of the 28 players are from Florida, including nine from South Florida, an area famed for producing high-caliber players.

The class is already being referred to as the best in school history, competing with the 2006 class that included then-No.1 overall prospect Percy Harvin and Tim Tebow to form the No. 1 national recruiting class.

Meyer and the Gators have many holes to fill on each side of the ball after losing more than half of the 2009 starters to the NFL Draft and graduation. Meyer told the media in February that if any year was a rebuilding year, this was it.

But the high caliber of the recruits should speed up the rebuilding process. The strength of the class is on the defensive side of the ball, with Florida signing three of the No. 1 position prospects in Powell, safety Matt Elam, and defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd.

Meyer told reporters following signing day that he hasn’t seen a defensive line like what he recruited for the upcoming season.

On offense, Florida breaks in redshirt junior quarterback John Brantley and returns four of its five offensive line starters, including Mike Pouncey, who returned despite his twin brother, Maurkice, declaring for the draft.

Meyer told reporters that while it was nice to be recognized for compiling an elite recruiting class, none of it will matter unless they can produce results.

Florida will certainly be tested early this fall, particularly in October, when Florida faces a tough conference schedule. The Gators’ trip to Alabama is followed by visits from LSU and Mississippi State before they head to Jacksonville to play Georgia.

Alabama and LSU have recruiting classes ranked fifth and sixth, respectively, and Georgia sits at Rivals.com’s 16th spot. Florida also faces tough match ups against

Tennessee, South Carolina and Florida State, all who have recruiting classes in the top 25 as ranked by Rivals.com.

The coach of this new recruiting class is yet to be determined, as Meyer’s status is still in limbo. Following signing day, the head coach began an unspecified leave of absence. He had a series of heart and stress tests scheduled for the end of February.

On Dec. 26, 2009, Meyer announced he would be stepping down as Florida’s head coach due to health concerns. The following day, he reduced that resignation to a leave of absence, which was quickly reduced again. Meyer has said he expects to return to the team by the start of spring practice, but that has yet to be confirmed.

The coaching uncertainty was expected to negatively impact the pending recruiting class, but Meyer’s relationships with recruits stalled rumors and inevitably gained more commitments, he has told media.

More coaching questions loom as recently hired defensive coordinator George Edwards leaves to join the Buffalo Bills staff under newly hired head coach Chan Gailey. Edwards was named co-defensive coordinator in January along with secondary coach Chuck Heater, filling the position left vacant by Charlie Strong who left for Louisville after the 2009 season.

Fans can get a first look at the 2010 UF Football team when it takes the field for the Orange and Blue spring game Saturday, April 10.