Thoughts of the Day: June 28, 2021

A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning: LOOKING AHEAD: UF BASKETBALL ROSTER AND A FEW RECRUITS TO KEEP AN EYE ON

Awkward. That’s the best way to describe the roster management issues Mike White will be facing over the next year. He loses only two players for sure – graduate transfers Plandrous Fleming Jr. (from Charleston Southern) and Brandon McKissic (from Missouri-Kansas City) – but thanks to the NCAA mandate that didn’t count 2020-21 against anyone’s eligibility, seniors Anthony Duruji and Tyree Appleby have the right to come back for a sixth season.

Then we have Keyontae Johnson, Colin Castleton and transfer Myreon Jones (from Penn State). Technically speaking, this is their fourth year, but since last season didn’t count they have options. They can graduate, transfer to another school or stay around for at least one more season. Johnson, for example, could get a hardship waiver for last year so if he is healthy enough to continue playing he could stick around two more years.

Because it’s up to the school to determine if it wishes to extend scholarships to players who were given that extra year of eligibility, it creates issues for recruiting. Does White sign two for the recruiting class of 2022? Or does he sign as many as five?

It’s awkward.

2021-22 Roster as of June 27, 2021

Graduates (2): Phlandrous Fleming Jr. (6-4, 210); Brandon McKissic (6-3, 195) Seniors who could come back for a sixth year of eligibility (2): Anthony Duruji (6-7, 220); Tyree Appleby (6-1, 170)

Seniors with at least one more year of eligibility beyond 2021-22 (3): Keyontae Johnson (6-5, 229); Colin Castleton (6-11, 231); Myreon Jones (6-3, 180)

Juniors with two or more years of eligibility (2): Jason Jitoboh (6-11, 285); CJ Felder (6-7, 230)

Sophomores (2): Neils Lane (6-5, 206); Samson Ruzhentsev (6-7, 192)

Freshmen (1): Kowacie Reeves (6-6, 180)

12 recruits to keep an eye on

Point guards (3)

Chase Cormier (6-3, 180, Decatur, GA Greenforest Christian Academy): He’s got serious quickness and an explosive first step. He is a lefty shooter who knocked down eight jumpers in a row at a recent AAU event. Florida was his first high major offer and the Gators have been at the top of his list since last summer followed by Xavier. Georgia, Arkansas and Auburn have been trying to get his attention.

Tre Donaldson (6-2, 190, Tallahassee, FL Florida State University School): He’s a 4-star safety and a 4-star point guard who wants to play both sports in college, which makes sense when you consider his basketball coach is Charlie Ward, who won the Heisman at FSU in football and played 10 years in the NBA as a point guard. Both Florida and Auburn have told him he can be a two-sport guy. Apparently, those two teams are the ones to beat.

DeVontes Cobbs (6-3, 180, Phoenix, AZ Hillcrest Prep): He’s from Milwaukee originally, moved to Arizona in the ninth grade and will be at his third high school this fall. He’s an athletic freak who can wow you with his dunks. He’s a very good passer in transition. His most favored list has Arizona State and West Virginia, both of whom already have three underclass points on the roster so the Gators are in good shape.

Wings (3)

Ven Allen Lubin (6-7, 215, Orlando, FL Orlando Christian Prep): Florida has been in on him from the beginning but his recruiting is really starting to heat up. He is going to play outside in college although he’s strong enough to be effective on the inside, too. He’s a streaky shooter who can carry a team from the outside when he starts feeling it. Very good defensively and a really underrated rebounder. With Florida State putting its focus on Dillon Mitchell (6-7, 210, Tampa, FL Bishop McLaughlin), Lubin is Florida’s to win or lose.

Jaylen Martin (6-6, 190, Tallahassee, FL Florida State University School): For the longest time he was thought to be a mortal lock for Georgetown but he recently made an unofficial visit to Florida, which offered him last October. He’s a very good shooter who can get to the rim off the dribble but his best work is done defensive where he can guard three positions.

Josh Reed (6-7, 210, Atlanta, GA Pace Academy): Reed has grown an inch and put on 15 pounds in the past year. Florida offered last week and five other high major schools including Florida State, Arkansas and Clemson have offered in the month of June. There is a lot to like about Reed because he is as comfortable playing outside as he is inside where he rebounds and defends taller than his height.

Big guys (6)

Ernest Udeh Jr. (6-10, 230, Orlando, FL Dr. Phillips): Florida was one of the first schools to offer Udeh more than a year ago. He’s big, strong and runs the floor extremely well. He catches the ball easily, turns and wastes no time powering up to the rack where he’s a fearsome dunker. He has a very good relationship with Mike White. Kansas has gotten into the mix in a big way thanks to a Joel Embiid and Udoka Azubuike, both of whom prepped in Florida and then made their way to Lawrence. NCAA problems for KU and Bill Self could steer Udeh Florida’s way.

Tarris Reed Jr. (6-10, 225, St. Louis, MO Chaminade Prep): He’s from the same high school that gave the Gators David Lee and Brad Beal. He plays for Brad Beal Elite (formerly St. Louis Eagles) on the AAU circuit. He’s grown two inches in the last year. He is a very good midrange shooter, has good footwork around the rim and uses his long arms to defend in the paint at a high level. Michigan State is working him very hard and seems to have the inside edge. Florida, Illinois and Creighton are right behind.

Felix Okpara (6-10, 225, Lagos, Nigeria/Chattanooga, TN Hamilton Heights Christian): He’s from the same high school that gave the Gators Jason Jitoboh and Samson Ruzhentsev so Florida has been in on him for a long time. Okpara doesn’t have a great offensive game outside five feet. He’s one of the most intimidating shot blockers in the country and that’s why his recruiting stock is really starting to rise. Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio State are working him hard but Florida is very much on his radar.

Brenen Lorient (6-8, 210, Ocala, FL/Fort Lauderdale, FL Calvary Christian Academy): Lorient is an Ocala native who played at Forest last year. He recently transferred to Calvary Christian where he will team up with Gregg Glenn III (6-7, 210), Clemson commit Ben Middlebrooks (6-10, 200) and UCF commit Taylor Hendricks (6-9, 210) for what will be one of the top prep front lines in the country. Lorient has had an excellent spring playing for Nike Team Florida so his recruiting is really heating up.

Eric Dailey (6-7, 225, Tampa, FL/Bradenton, FL IMG Academy): One of Dailey’s IMG teammates and buds is Jett Howard (6-6, 190, Ann Arbor, MI/Bradenton, FL), son of Michigan coach Juwan Howard. There is an assumption that because they’re buddies Dailey will wind Michigan. The only problem is Michigan only has two scholarship openings and there’s probably no room at the inn. Alabama has come on hard. Same problem as Michigan. No space. So, Florida may end up a default winner here. Dailey is a nice combo forward who can shoot well enough to play on the wing and physical enough to run the baseline or play the high post.

Malique Ewin (6-10, 230, Lilburn, GA Berkmar): Ewin is one of the most physical bigs in the country. Total power guy who owns the paint. He’s very unselfish and knows how to pass the basketball. He was thought to be leaning heavily to Illinois until Orlando Antigua joined the Kentucky staff. Kentucky hasn’t offered yet and may not. Georgia Tech is salivating over him. Georgia will probably be hiring a new coach after the disaster that awaits next season. If Ewin doesn’t go all-in for Georgia Tech, Florida might have a decent shot.

MULLEN SEALED THE DEAL FOR THUNDERFOOT 2022 PLACEKICKER Recently committed placekicker Trey Smack (6-2, 200, Severna Park, MD) recently made 16-day tour of Michigan State, Virginia Tech, Florida, Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech before committing to the Gators. He cancelled visits to Texas A&M and Florida State. Smack, who hit six 56-yard field goals in a row at the National Scholarship Camp in Gatlinburg, Tennessee last summer, decided that Florida was the place after extensive time spent with Dan Mullen during the time in Gainesville.

Speaking to G. Allan Taylor of The Athletic, Smack’s mom, Libby Swarr, a former Penn State field hockey player, said, “We got to meet with some head coaches for five minutes, and sometimes we didn’t meet the head coach at all. But Mullen was there the whole time. He set the bar. Trey was wowed by the sincerity and how he took the time to get to know our family.”

Taylor writes that it was after a meeting with the Georgia staff that Smack told his mother, “Mom, I know you’re gonna love Florida. I wanna be a Gator.”

VANDY VS. MISSISSIPPI STATE IN AN ALL-SEC COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

It’s an All-SEC affair that starts tonight in Omaha as the College World Series starts its Championship Finals (best two-of-three) with Vanderbilt (48-16) and Mississippi State (48-17). Mississippi State earned its way into the championship by beating Texas Saturday night in a winner-go-home game. Vanderbilt’s in the championship series via the forfeit route. The NCAA declared Saturday’s elimination game with North Carolina State a forfeit because of COVID-19 protocols. North Carolina State only had 13 players available Friday when Vanderbilt took a 3-1 win to force a winner-goes-home game on Saturday. North Carolina State went home, but only because of positive tests for the virus and contact tracing.

It’s advantage Vanderbilt heading into the championship series. By not having to play Saturday, the Commodores got a full day of rest for their entire pitching staff. Jack Leiter (10-4, 2.08 ERA) didn’t have to pitch Saturday and will open against Mississippi State tonight. Leiter was the losing pitcher to North Carolina State last Monday night despite 15 strikeouts.

Mississippi State had to play and use its ace Will Bednar for 6-1/3 innings Saturday night so he won’t be available to make a start in the championship series. He may be available for an inning or two if it goes to game three on Wednesday. The final 2-2/3 innings Saturday were logged in by closer Landon Sims, who did get Sunday off, but will he be available and effective if he is called on tonight?

Mississippi State does have the confidence that it knocked Leiter out of the box back on April 24. A night earlier, Vanderbilt took a 6-2 win over tonight’s expected Mississippi State starter Christian MacLeod (6-5, 4.61 ERA). MacLeod hasn’t pitched well since a May 20 win over Alabama. He’s won only one of his last four starts while giving up 19 earned runs.

ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: Kendall Rogers of d1baseball.com, probably the best reporter in the country when it comes to the college game, has put together a timeline of how the NCAA reached its decision to declare the forfeit and advance Vanderbilt. Two things stand out: (1) On Friday, several prominent unvaccinated North Carolina State players were removed from TD Ameritrade Park and taken to the Marriott where they tested negative … the players, some of them prominent starters, were not allowed to return even though there was plenty of time; and (2) there were eight positive tests but due to its protocols, the NCAA viewed it would be impossible for North Carolina State to continue the tournament (they brought 27 players with them). I’m not a doctor nor am I an expert on COVID-19, but the NCAA can allow more than 20,000 fans into the stadium without masks or proof of vaccinations and can’t allow a team with a chance to win a championship to play? Perhaps the NCAA did the right thing, but its lack of communication doesn’t lend itself to feeling warm and fuzzy about this decision. Rather than issue a statement, Mark Emmert should have personally taken charge, held a press conference and offered the NCAA’s reasoning. Anything less than that stinks.