Allegedly is the key word here along with if he can find the right guys.....
Our current roster is a veritable mess with only 51 guys available for the FSU game due to injuries and the fraud suspensions. The numbers are an ever moving target as we have no idea when the honor court and administration will finish their "business". Also a few more will transfer due to coaching change or whatever reason and some will take medical hardship exemption. We have 9 minimum guys that may be asked to move on due to University Administration or honor court decision. The suspended guys were not on the team this year and could possibly be considered "non-counters" for count back purposes.
The 85 limit applies to the official count at the start of the season next fall. We need to stop penalizing ourselves with not having enough players at the damn start of the season. You have to sign them in February as you can't add them in September. Eight more is NOT enough....attrition is going to happen, no way to know how much until after spring practice.
I think Mullen is fully aware of this situation and will act accordingly.
Well:
1. The key words are 13, 25, 85 and count back. UF has signed 13 guys. UF can only have 25 initial college students (counters) in the fall, UF can only have 85 players overall, but some of the 13 guys UF has signed already can count back on the class of 2017.
2. There is a ZERO chance that guy who UF recruited, signed, gave grant in aid to and who attended class last fall will not count on the 25/85 limits. It is a pipe dream to think otherwise.
3. A school can sign each year the SMALLER of 25 or 85 - returning players. The binding constraint for UF this year is likely to be the 25.
4. However, my chart had UF at 85 to start last season. Of those there were 13 SRs. 2 JRs, Del Rio and Zaire with possible eligibility are not coming back. At least 3 guys have declared early for the NFL, Bryan, Callaway, Pineiro. Robinson has been DQed due to heart issues. So that gives UF 19 under the 85 limit and UF has accepted at least 2 transfers reducing that number to 17. So UF must have 8 more guys leave some way to get to 25. (4 year college transfers count on the 85 limit but not the 25 limit.)
5. UF signed 23 in the class of 2013. According to 247 this class had 5 players enroll early. That means of those 23 players 18 counted in the class of 2017. That appears to leave UF with the possibility of counting 7 players back on the class of 2017. Of UF's 13 signees we do not know yet how many if any have enrolled.
6. That would mean in February that UF could sign 25 - 13 + 5 = 17 players for a total of 30 in the two signing periods, if UF can get those 8 additional slots open.
There is always some error in this as there are so many numbers that are constantly changing.