June 20, 2023 A few thoughts to jump start your Tuesday morning: Billy Napier must be channeling his inner Yogi Berra, because what’s going on with Florida football recruiting seems like déjà vu all over again. Think back to December of 2005. The Gators had just finished the regular season at 8-3 and were prepping for an Outback Bowl date with Iowa. On December 13 in front of a packed auditorium at Nease High School and an ESPN national audience, Tim Tebow chose Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators over Alabama, a move that triggered a recruiting tsunami that would bring Percy Harvin, Brandon Spikes, Jermaine Cunningham, Marcus Gilbert, A.J. Jones, Riley Cooper and others to the Gators. That hot class led to Meyer recruiting at an unprecedented level to UF for the next four years. From 2006-09, the Gators went 48-7 with SEC and national championships in both 2006 and 2008. In the last three days, Billy Napier has been recruiting at a level we haven’t seen in years. Monday, the momentum continued as Napier added to those four 4-stars who committed to the Gators over the weekend. Monday, the Gators added 5-star EDGE Jamonta Walker (6 -2, 225, Picayune, MS), 4-star offensive tackle Marcus Mascoll (6-5, 295, Snellville, GA South Gwinnett) and monstrous 3-star nose tackle Michai Boireau (6-5, 375, Hampton, GA Creekside). To land Walker, the Gators beat finalists Auburn and Penn State from an initial offer list that included Alabama, Georgia, LSU and Tennessee. Mascoll chose the Gators over LSU and North Carolina State while Boireau had offers from Georgia, Auburn and Florida State among others. Florida is the hot team in the recruiting rankings. Currently, On3 has Florida No. 2 behind Georgia, while 247Sports and Rivals have UF at No. 3 behind Georgia and Michigan. Only 10 or so days ago, Florida was ranked as low as 23rd by 247Sports. Napier, his coaching staff and army of recruiting staffers have made Florida the state’s most attractive football landing spot. The Gators have all the momentum now and Florida State seems to be spinning its wheels. FSU hasn’t landed a recruit since April 17 and its recruiting class has dipped outside the top 10 (13 at On3; 17 at Rivals; 18 at 247Sports). The Seminoles could take a hit if Florida flips 4-star wide receiver Tawaski Abrams (5-11, 180, Fort Myers, FL Dunbar). Miami’s class currently ranks No. 21 at both On3 and Rivals, No. 23 at 247Sports and that’s even with the Hurricanes landing three 4-star recruits within the last week. It's entirely possible the Gators will be getting commits rather soon from 4-star wide receiver Jerrae Hawkins (5-9, 170, Bradenton, FL IMG Academy), 4-star linebacker Kristopher Jones (6-2, 225, Fairfax, VA), 4-star offensive tackle Ethan Calloway (6-7, 310, Mooresville, NC Lake Norman) and 3-star corner Teddy Foster (6-2, 175, Sarasota, FL Cardinal Mooney). Also, you shouldn’t count the Gators out from flipping 5-star Ohio State wide receiver commitment Jeremiah Smith (6-3, 198, Hollywood, FL Chaminade-Madonna). If he is so solid to Ohio State, then why has he taken an unofficial to FSU and has an official visit set for Miami tomorrow? Florida is still in the hunt and the way the Gators are trending, you have to like Florida’s odds for a flip. One last thing to consider. Once Tebow committed in 2006, Florida became the hot team on the recruiting circuit. Tebow told recruits come to Florida and win championships with me and they did. The 2024 recruiting class has star power at quarterback in 5-star DJ Lagway (6-3, 225, Willis, TX), who dusted off Tebow’s 2006 recruiting pitch and is in the process of convincing players that Florida is the place to be in the future. DJ, obviously, is a kid others can believe in and want to follow. It was Ron Zook who coined the phrase, “It’s not about the Xs and Os but all about the Jessies and Joes.” Napier inherited a roster that top to bottom had the look of an SEC bottom feeder. He brought in a very good 2023 class and now has a class that is shaping up as the best since the Gators have landed since 2013. It’s elimination day in Omaha Florida (52-15) and Wake Forest (54-10) have a day off to find out who they play in the College World Series semifinals. Oral Roberts (52-13) will face off with TCU (44-23) today at 2 p.m. with the loser going home and the winner advancing to a Wednesday (2 p.m.) game with Florida. Wake Forest, a 3-2 winner over LSU (49-16) Monday night, will get the winner of today’s 7 p.m. elimination matchup between LSU and Tennessee (44-21) Wednesday evening. The Gators will be sending lefty Jac Caglianone (7-3, 3.78 ERA) against whichever team emerges from the TCU-ORU game. Caglianone scattered four hits while striking out seven in six scoreless innings against Florida A&M in the Gainesville Regional, his last outing on the mound. At 2-0 through their first two games, the Gators are in very good shape with their pitching. If the Gators get a win Wednesday, they will have two full days to rest before the championship series begins Saturday. That would set up Brandon Sproat (8-3, 4.66 ERA, 127 strikeouts in 102-1/3 innings) for the Saturday start and Hurston Waldrep (10-3, 3.99 ERA, 154 strikeouts in 99-1/3 innings) for Sunday. If the Gators needed a third game on Monday to play for the championship, O’Sullivan probably wouldn’t risk Caglianone throwing on five days rest, but he might be willing to send him out for an inning or two late in the game. O’Sullivan would probably choose between Ryan Slater (10-1, 3.79 ERA) or Cade Fisher (6-0, 3.32 ERA) as the starter and then take an all hands on deck approach the rest of the way. Mountain West says no extension for San Diego State When San Diego State sent a letter of resignation to the Mountain West Conference while at the same time requesting a one-month extension so it could work out where it might land in the future I had to laugh. This is like telling your partner, “Look, I never close my eyes when I kiss your lips anymore … I’ve lost that loving feeling! So, here’s my intention to get a divorce, but don’t do anything for a month or so because I want to go out on a couple of dates to see if I can find someone who sends chills up and down my body and makes me lose control.” Divorces are always nasty and complicated, especially when one of the parties involved is insistent on being stupid, which is the case with San Diego State. Rather than wait to see if the Pac-12 (a) gets a media rights deal; (b) sees if the Pac-12 deal is close to what the Big 12 schools will be making; and (c) makes sure there will even be a Pac-12 conference in two years, San Diego State sent out the divorce demand as well as the request for an extension. The Mountain West said no, so San Diego State finds itself up to its ears in a Lake Okeechobee-size cess pool and the alumni motor boat is about to blast by at 60 miles per hour. The MWC will be happy to grant the divorce to San Diego State and take the buyout money – $16.5 million if it happens prior to June 30, $34 million as of July 1. Meanwhile, by playing its hand too early, San Diego State may have blown its chances of landing in the Big 12 in case the Pac-12 deal doesn’t come through or the Pac-12 falls completely apart. Stay tuned. This will get messy. ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: In a sit-down interview with Joel Klatt of Fox Sports, Nick Saban asked the kind of question that a lot of folks say is sour grapes, but it should cause at least some thought into how the field is picked for the College Football Playoff, particularly with the CFP expanded from four to 12 teams in 2024. Here is what Saban said: “So all we do is take the teams that won the most games at the end of the year, put them in the playoffs. But do you really get the best teams? When they told me that we (Alabama) would be favored against three of the four teams that got in the playoff, I’m like why aren’t we in the playoff? Does that mean they have a better team or does that mean that those people (CFP Selection Committee) don’t know what they’re talking about? I really don’t know that but I’m not being critical of anybody. But if you’re going to have parity, you have to have a better way of figuring out who has the best teams, not just because you lost two games on the last play of the game.” Oddsmakers would have favored Alabama to beat Michigan, Ohio State and TCU, which all made the playoff last year along with Georgia, which won the national championship in a 65-7 rout of TCU. Alabama finished the regular season 10-2 with last play losses on the road at Tennessee (52-49) and LSU (32-31). Michigan was undefeated through 13 games before losing to TCU 51-45 in a CFP semifinal. Ohio State’s only losses were to Michigan 45-23 in the regular season finale and to Georgia (42-41) in the CFP semifinal. TCU had a Big 12 championship game loss to Kansas State, 31-28, before the loss to Georgia in the national championship game. Alabama almost certainly was better than Michigan, Ohio State and TCU, and who knows if the Crimson Tide could have beaten Georgia in a rematch of the 2021 national championship game, but it’s a debate worth having. Because it was a 4-team playoff, the committee can justify eliminating a team that had two regular season losses from contention, but that doesn’t mean TCU, Michigan or Ohio State were better teams. We’ll have one more year of a 4-team playoff at the end of the 2023 season and then the playoff expands to 12 teams. The new playoff will guarantee the six highest-ranked conference champions which means the best Group of Five champion will have its chance to play the Cinderella role. After that, it will be the six highest ranked at-large teams but once again, we could wind up with a situation similar to what we had in 2022, particularly since the Southeastern Conference will expand to 16 teams in 2024. League schedules all but guarantee that no one will make it through an SEC gauntlet undefeated. Will 9-3 or 10-2 SEC teams miss at-large selections for the 2024 playoff because teams from the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12 or Pac-12 have better records while playing inferior opponents? That’s a question worth asking. Perhaps a better question is can someone come up with a system that puts the best teams in the playoff not just the ones that got through weaker conference schedules undefeated or with one loss? Folks who don’t like Nick Saban or who are tired of Alabama’s run of dominance that began with the 2009 national championship would probably say Saban feels entitled to getting in the playoff every year, but he’s right. Simply going undefeated or having the best record doesn’t mean you’re the best team in the country. Think back to 1984. BYU went unbeaten against a schedule that had a combined 61-85-3 record. When the season ended the Cougars were the nation’s only unbeaten team so they were awarded the national championship even though the only ranked team they played all year (Pittsburgh) finished with a 3-7-1 record. The best team in the country that year was Florida and the second best was Washington. There was no playoff back then. If there had been, BYU would have been crushed.

Billy Napier and the Gators have been on an unbelievably hot streak this week, and it continued into Monday. After an extremely eventful Sunday, three more recruits announced their commitments to the Gators on Monday. Four-star EDGE Jamonta Waller, who was on campus this past weekend, is the latest to verbally commit to the Gators. The Picayune High School (Ms.) prospect is a five-star according to 247Sports. He is the third five-star in the Gators' 2024 class per 247Sports' rankings. Later Monday night, one of the other five-stars, Xavier Filsaime, announced his recruitment was shut down. It appeared that Waller was beginning to lean towards Ole Miss, but nonetheless Florida came through and landed their ninth, yes ninth, commitment in the last seven days. Waller, who is ranked as the No. 7 linebacker in the nation according to On3's industry rankings, has been a top priority for the Gators who have looked to add loads of depth on the defensive side of the ball. Despite what may be considered a small frame for a traditional edge rusher or outside backer, Waller makes up for it with his strength, athleticism and wing span which provide him the tools to create separation. He is also extremely quick and does not waste any movement when pursuing the ball or dropping into coverage. Although he is not regarded as a great defender in pass coverage, he does have the proper attributes to drop into coverage situationally. In addition to football, the 6-foot-2, 230 pounder ran track and field participating in several sprints as well as the long jump and triple jump events. With the addition of Waller, Napier has completely revamped the 2024 class and in the matter of just days. The On3 class rankings now have the Gators with the No. 2 rated class nationally. Meanwhile 247Sports has the class ranked third. It's been an exciting few days for Gators fans who have finally seen the results of the "June Bloom" rolling in. However, it's not necessarily over as several prospects who have been on campus this June are yet to make their announcements.

Marcus Mascoll, a highly regarded offensive tackle from South Gwinnett High School in Georgia, has officially committed to the Florida Gators. The announcement came on Monday, solidifying Florida's desire to secure Mascoll's talent and potential. Considered a "hidden gem" in the current recruiting class, Mascoll had been a priority target for the Gators' offensive line. His commitment comes at a time when Florida's recruiting efforts, under the leadership of head coach Billy Napier, have been gaining impressive momentum. Mascoll had narrowed down his choices to three schools: Florida, LSU, and NC State. Following an official visit to the University of Florida, he had the opportunity to develop a strong connection with the offensive line coaches, Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton. Their belief in his abilities and their vision for his development played a significant role in his decision. "They're all great dudes," Mascoll shared after his visit to Gainesville. "You know, they all believe in me. That's one thing they emphasized, they believe in me. It means a lot from them, just the fact that they believe in me and that they can take me to that next level." Despite receiving interest from several prominent programs during the spring, the Gators' early involvement in the recruitment process helped maintain their position as the top contender for Mascoll. Their comprehensive plan for his development and their focus on his potential made them the team to beat. "They mainly talked about my development," Mascoll explained. "I got to see their plan for how they develop linemen. They have phases throughout the season, they showed me that phase and it made me believe that they can really take it to the next level." Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 290 pounds, Mascoll possesses the desired size for an offensive lineman. His versatility allows him to play both guard and tackle positions, providing valuable depth and flexibility to the Gators' offensive line. While he is expected to start at tackle, his ability to adapt to different roles adds an extra layer of strength to his game. "I can play guard, tackle, you know. I'm versatile, so I can play wherever on the O-line," Mascoll stated. With his commitment, Mascoll becomes the 15th addition to the impressive 2024 recruiting class at Florida. He joins an already strong group of offensive line commits, solidifying the Gators' success in that area for this recruiting cycle. Napier, after acquiring speed on the outside is beginning to build the trenches for the future with his past few commitments. There may not be another school in the country hotter on the trail right now than the Gators. With this amount of momentum, expect more news regarding the 2024 class to keep flooding in.

Florida's recruiting momentum continues to surge as they secure their fifth commitment in just three days, with in-state defensive lineman Michai Boireau announcing his decision to join the Gators. The 6-foot-5, 350-pound three-star prospect from Fairburn, Georgia had attracted interest from in-state rival Georgia but ultimately chose Florida due to a combination of factors. While Georgia was one of the first programs to offer Boireau, it was Florida that turned up the heat on his recruitment in recent weeks. The Bulldogs managed to get him on campus for an official visit over the weekend, but their efforts fell short as Florida emerged as the victor in the battle for the talented nose tackle. Boireau took an official visit to Gainesville on June 9, and that experience played a crucial role in his decision-making process. "When I went on my official visit last weekend, Florida showed me everything that I needed to know on the academic side and the athletic side," Boireau explained, highlighting the impact of his visit. His time spent in Gainesville provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the university's offerings, both academically and athletically, solidifying his choice to commit to the Gators. The vibrant atmosphere in Gainesville left a lasting impression on Boireau even before his official visit. He was particularly impressed by the coaching staff and the camaraderie among the players, which made him feel at home during his interactions with the team. "I just love the atmosphere not just from the coaches, but from the players when I saw them practice," Boireau shared ahead of his official visit. He also commended Coach Spencer's coaching style, further confirming his support for the program. For Boireau, the time had come to finalize his commitment. He intends to enroll in January and desires to focus on his senior year without the distraction of the prolonged recruiting process. Having dealt with recruitment since his sophomore season, including numerous visits to different schools, he feels that committing early will allow him to remain fully dedicated to his final year of high school football. With Boireau's commitment, Florida maintains their impressive recruiting streak in the month of June. He becomes the 14th player to join the Gators' 2024 recruiting class and the seventh commitment secured this week alone. As a result, Florida rises to a consensus top-10 recruiting class. Florida's recent string of commitments, including Aaron Chiles, Amir Jackson, Amaris Williams, Nasir Johnson, Noel Portnjagin, Mike Williams, and now Boireau, underscores the program's ability to attract is a massive swing for Napier and the nation has begun to take notice.

In a season filled with awe-inspiring displays of power, 2023 Florida baseball has etched its name in the record books by breaking the single-season home run record. Led by the resurgence of Ty Evans in the postseason, who has emerged as one of the team's hottest hitters, the Gators have surpassed all expectations with their astonishing long-ball ability. They hit three more dingers Sunday in a 5-4 College World Series victory over Oral Roberts. Jac Caglianone, the nation's leader in home runs, has faced a recent slump, but other players like Luke Heyman and Wyatt Langford have stepped up to contribute mightily to the team's historic achievement. Josh Rivera, Heyman and Evans all had long balls in Omaha against Oral Roberts. Omaha being a historically hard park to achieve the long ball in, ultimately gave the Gators edge the in Sunday’s night nail-biting victory. Wyatt Langford almost added his name to the home run list on Sunday night -- not once, but twice. In his first at-bat, Langford smashed a ball to left field that would have been out in 90 percent of the parks in America but fell just short at the warning track. A few innings later, Langford sent a rope down the left field line which was originally called a home run, the record-breaker. After a review by the umpires, it was overturned after sneaking just outside of the foul poll. However, the record would shortly be broken by Evans' second home run of the College World Series. Evans, who has had a stunning postseason thus far, hit his second home run in as many at-bats in the second inning of Sunday night’s game. This monumental swing not only put the Gators on the board first but also marked the breaking of the Florida baseball home run record. The blast from Evans propelled the team's total to a staggering 134 four-baggers, surpassing the previous record of 133 set in 1998. Caglianone, with his remarkable 31 home runs, has been the driving force behind Florida's power surge, but the team's success cannot be attributed to just one player. The remarkable performances of Heyman, Langford and Josh Rivera have been instrumental in filling the void left by Caglianone's recent slump. These players have exemplified the team's "next man up" mentality, stepping into the spotlight and delivering clutch performances when it matters the most. Florida's ascent to the top of the home run charts has been nothing short of spectacular. Currently standing among the top three teams in the nation in terms of total home runs, the Gators are positioned to challenge the record set by Florida Gulf Coast in 2023, which stands at an impressive 142 long balls. With the combination of Caglianone's power and the consistent production from the rest of the lineup, Florida possesses the necessary firepower to claim the home run title. Although that is not the title they have on their mind after being the first team to have two wins in Omaha. Head coach Kevin O'Sullivan's emphasis on developing a culture of excellence and hard work has laid the foundation for the team's continued success. Under O'Sullivan's guidance, the Gators have consistently showcased their power-hitting abilities, earning their reputation as one of the premier teams in college baseball. The “next man up” mentality is something that can be seen by not just the nine players on the diamond but all the way down to the team managers even making “victory laundry” posts following a Gator win. All-around buy-in. The Gators' relentless pursuit of excellence extends beyond the single-season home run record. Florida's baseball program has a rich history, marked by multiple appearances at the College World Series and a nation-leading eight trips since 2008. This impressive track record demonstrates the program's consistent ability to develop talent and compete at the highest level. With the emergence of Evans and the depth of talent present in the current roster, the future appears bright for Florida baseball even after this year’s Omaha run, and the Gators' power-hitting prowess will continue to captivate fans. Led by the sensational performances of different unsung heroes each night, whether it be Evans or BT Riopelle coaching the guys in the field, the Gators have showcased their ability to dominate opponents with their power at the plate. While Caglianone's slump serves as a reminder that baseball is a team sport, the collective effort of the entire roster has propelled Florida to new heights. As the Gators continue their run in Omaha, their power-hitting will undoubtedly be a form of motivation. Oh, and Hurston Waldrep pitching at the level he is right now only adds more gas to the fire. And the Gators are definitely on fire.

“There's no pressure in baseball. Pressure is when the doctor is getting ready to cut you, take your heart out, and put it on a table.” – Charlie Manuel