Recruiting 2020 Recruiting Thread: Gervon Dexter gets 5th Star on Rivals

[soflagator]

Ok, put me back on the mullen train

Mullen in HS recruiting...

Mullen in the portal recruiting...

 

[Slevin]

I'm starting to wonder if Mullen's plan is to be meh and land top 10 classes and just recruit every stud looking to transfer?

He was fantastic with Jucos at MSU. Now that he has the portal he’s been fantastic at that too.

 

[soflagator]

He was fantastic with Jucos at MSU. Now that he has the portal he’s been fantastic at that too.

I was just having this conversation. Ftr, I'm not championing this approach as it has its own dangers from a roster management standpoint. But considering that nearly half the talent comes out of Florida, even if we get raided by OOS schools, if/when things don't quite work out, there's a noticeable patter of kids wanting to come back home. If nothing else, it's one of the few chances they have of getting some type of hardship waiver. So again, I don't think he's purposely going this route, but our location---in addition to being a warmer weather attraction for grad transfers--may turn the portal into a major ally going forward.

I still don't like the ease of things, because it will just make kids think, "oh well, I'll try it at OhSt/Oregon, etc. and can always come back", which only adds to our struggles on the trail. But while it's here, I'm glad to see we are exploiting the hell out of it.

 

[soflagator]

He is, and has always been, an absolute troll. If I had the time or desire to do so, I'd love to take a walk down memory lane in our coaching search thread back in 2017. I couldn't tell you how many times we were warned and mocked about not going after Taggart. Funny that he mentioned Conf-USA in an earlier post, which happens to be where his boy is currently at. He knows nothing, and simply looks for any excuse possible to bash UF.

 

[maheo30]

Shorter next? Maybe Terrance Davis? I assume Camps would know.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Mullen in HS recruiting...

Mullen in the portal recruiting...

You know, this post got me thinking, and I'm inclined to believe that it is much more apropos and pure genius than you intended it to be.

Let me explain:

We all know mullen has struggled in crootin kids out of high school. He has improved no doubt but still struggles to land the big fish that the top tier crooters are after. We always seem to finish a close 2nd or distant 3rd. Now, the issue behind our 2nd place luck has been discussed a little bit here and focuses on the narrative that mullen doesn't do the kiss ass, tell the kid everything they want to hear, make empty promises, and blow sunshine up their ass approach that guys like kirby are known for. The rub is he's pretty honest and frank with them, tells them the truth about their abilities, what UF has to offer from an athletic as well as academic standpoint, and let's them know how much they play and their level of success is largely based on them and how willing they are to put in the work. He tells them the truth in a nice but matter of fact way.

Contrast this to guys with the snake oil salesman approach like kirby who seem to hemorrhage top talent yearly with the consistent narrative being that they weren't told the truth, were jerked around, sold a bill of goods, etc. After having smoke blown up your butt, reading your own preseason press clippings coming out of HS, then not getting the attention and playing time you were led to believe would happen, along with a heavy dose of brutal reality from the same pricks that were blowing you 6 months prior, it stands to reason that if you then decide to look for a new spot, you probably want to go play for someone that is, and in many cases, was honest and frank with you about things. Enter Mullen.

His approach may not be the best to snag the top tier talent high schoolers desperate to have their egos stroked and all, but after a hefty dose of adult reality, his approach may be what a lot of the kids look back on and say, "man, i should have listened to that guy." Now with the portal there is the opportunity for a do over and some talented kids have taken advantage of it, to ours and Dan's favor.

I could be completely wrong, but it makes sense to me.

 

[soflagator]

You know, this post got me thinking, and I'm inclined to believe that it is much more apropos and pure genius than you intended it to be.

Let me explain:

We all know mullen has struggled in crootin kids out of high school. He has improved no doubt but still struggles to land the big fish that the top tier crooters are after. We always seem to finish a close 2nd or distant 3rd. Now, the issue behind our 2nd place luck has been discussed a little bit here and focuses on the narrative that mullen doesn't do the kiss ass, tell the kid everything they want to hear, make empty promises, and blow sunshine up their ass approach that guys like kirby are known for. The rub is he's pretty honest and frank with them, tells them the truth about their abilities, what UF has to offer from an athletic as well as academic standpoint, and let's them know how much they play and their level of success is largely based on them and how willing they are to put in the work. He tells them the truth in a nice but matter of fact way.

Contrast this to guys with the snake oil salesman approach like kirby who seem to hemorrhage top talent yearly with the consistent narrative being that they weren't told the truth, we're jerked around, sold a bill of goods, etc. After having smoke blown up your butt, reading your own preseason press clippings coming out of HS, then not getting the attention and playing time you were led to believe would happen, along with a heavy dose of brutal reality from the same pricks that were blowing you 6 months prior, it stands to reason that if you then decide to look for a new spot, you probably want to go play for someone that is, and in many cases, was honest and frank with you about things. Enter Mullen.

His approach may not be the best to snag the top tier talent desperate to have their egos stroked and all, but after a hefty dose of adult reality, his approach may be what a lot of the kids look back on and say, "man, i should have listened to that guy." Now with the portal there is the opportunity for a do over and some talented kids have taken advantage of it, to ours and Dan's favor.

I could be completely wrong, but it makes sense to me.

I think you’re dead on. We probably need to modify and balance out our approach a bit, but I was thinking something similar the other day. We seem to give kids a better picture of reality and are likely too honest with them. Think it was Washington that called our visit “informative”. I’d like to see us close better, but we do seem to give kids a good picture of things and I think that, along with our location, is helping us in the second go around.

I’m thinking 2 years of Lingard and then a seamless transition to Bowman once he transfers in. I’m excited.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I’m thinking 2 years of Lingard and then a seamless transition to Bowman once he transfers in. I’m excited.

man, if this isn't signature sofla wit, i dont know what is

 

[Marine1]

You know, this post got me thinking, and I'm inclined to believe that it is much more apropos and pure genius than you intended it to be.

Let me explain:

We all know mullen has struggled in crootin kids out of high school. He has improved no doubt but still struggles to land the big fish that the top tier crooters are after. We always seem to finish a close 2nd or distant 3rd. Now, the issue behind our 2nd place luck has been discussed a little bit here and focuses on the narrative that mullen doesn't do the kiss ass, tell the kid everything they want to hear, make empty promises, and blow sunshine up their ass approach that guys like kirby are known for. The rub is he's pretty honest and frank with them, tells them the truth about their abilities, what UF has to offer from an athletic as well as academic standpoint, and let's them know how much they play and their level of success is largely based on them and how willing they are to put in the work. He tells them the truth in a nice but matter of fact way.

Contrast this to guys with the snake oil salesman approach like kirby who seem to hemorrhage top talent yearly with the consistent narrative being that they weren't told the truth, were jerked around, sold a bill of goods, etc. After having smoke blown up your butt, reading your own preseason press clippings coming out of HS, then not getting the attention and playing time you were led to believe would happen, along with a heavy dose of brutal reality from the same pricks that were blowing you 6 months prior, it stands to reason that if you then decide to look for a new spot, you probably want to go play for someone that is, and in many cases, was honest and frank with you about things. Enter Mullen.

His approach may not be the best to snag the top tier talent high schoolers desperate to have their egos stroked and all, but after a hefty dose of adult reality, his approach may be what a lot of the kids look back on and say, "man, i should have listened to that guy." Now with the portal there is the opportunity for a do over and some talented kids have taken advantage of it, to ours and Dan's favor.

I could be completely wrong, but it makes sense to me.

Good post. I would only add that winning begets winning. As we continue to build the brand and start beating Georgia the kids will come. It’s cyclical and they flow to the winners. I don’t spend a minute thinking about DM’s recruiting history at MSU. Apples to oranges.

I think Mullen has carved out a niche to fill the gaps in the meantime.

It might also be as simple as dropping bags at Bama, Clemson and Georgia. If we’re not in the game.....we’re not in the game.

 

[JDW]

Good post. I would only add that winning begets winning. As we continue to build the brand and start beating Georgia the kids will come. It’s cyclical and they flow to the winners. I don’t spend a minute thinking about DM’s recruiting history at MSU. Apples to oranges.

I think Mullen has carved out a niche to fill the gaps in the meantime.

It might also be as simple as dropping bags at Bama, Clemson and Georgia. If we’re not in the game.....we’re not in the game.

Using Florida as oranges compared to apples is what’s apropos

 

[Marine1]

Using Florida as oranges compared to apples is what’s apropos

Touche

 

[gatorplank]

Mark Pope Contemplating A Transfer To UF.....

 

[Durty South Swamp]

Mark Pope Contemplating A Transfer To UF.....

whole lot of cocaine butthurt in that thread.

 

[Frozen Gator]

I was just having this conversation. Ftr, I'm not championing this approach as it has its own dangers from a roster management standpoint. But considering that nearly half the talent comes out of Florida, even if we get raided by OOS schools, if/when things don't quite work out, there's a noticeable patter of kids wanting to come back home. If nothing else, it's one of the few chances they have of getting some type of hardship waiver. So again, I don't think he's purposely going this route, but our location---in addition to being a warmer weather attraction for grad transfers--may turn the portal into a major ally going forward.

I still don't like the ease of things, because it will just make kids think, "oh well, I'll try it at OhSt/Oregon, etc. and can always come back", which only adds to our struggles on the trail. But while it's here, I'm glad to see we are exploiting the hell out of it.

It's putting us on a little faster track to reach the level we all want to achieve.

 

[maheo30]

Mark Pope Contemplating A Transfer To UF.....

I don’t think we have the room.

 

[JDW]

If Lingard and shorter can be used as retro counters....couldn’t Pope as well?

 

[soflagator]

whole lot of cocaine butthurt in that thread.

The best thread in there is below. They call Diaz Mandy, a combination of Manny and Randy.

“Is Mandy Too Old to Get Drafted?”