Gators grab top Texan

When Stephenville, Texas, quarterback Jevan Snead first asked his high school coach Chad Morris to send out scouting video the first place he wanted it sent to was Utah. Stephenville's offense is just like the offense that Urban Meyer runs and Snead always envisioned himself playing for a program that best fit his skills.

Little did Snead know that Meyer would soon be taking his game to Gainesville and in turn it led him to do the same thing.

"He made it official tonight," Morris said. "He just felt like it was the right fit and the right time for him to get it out of the way."

Snead's father, Jaylon Snead, confirmed that his son had made the call to Meyer and that he was officially a Gator.

"You should have seen the news when all the talk about coach Meyer going to Florida or Notre Dame," Snead said about his son. "He told me he hoped he didn't go to Notre Dame because he could never see himself playing there. When he got the job at Florida, Jevan called me all excited about it."

Who isn't excited now are three very disappointed Big 12 area programs, including in-state powers Texas and Texas A&M. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were also in the picture, but Snead said his son's decision really boiled down to two programs – Florida and A&M – and that made for a very difficult call to coach Dennis Franchione earlier this evening.

"It's been weighing on him for a couple of weeks," his father said.

"For all I know, he would have done this sooner, but he didn't want to have to break the news to the other coaches. I know he sure thought a lot of coach Fran, and he said telling him was one of the toughest things he had to do. But he just thought so much about coach Myer and coach Mullen."

The Meyer and Mullen combination, along with the offense that's the perfect fit, made it a decision that Snead said his son is comfortable with.

"They both were great," Snead said. "They did a great job of recruiting him. But I think really the biggest part was the Stephenville offense is just like the Utah offense, which is now the Florida offense."

And Snead is definitely one proud father.

"We've met some wonderful people, and we have some great admiration for the people that we've met," Snead said. "I never thought I would get to meet such great people, and this was a once in a life time experience. My daughter went out the other day and bought me a Gators hat, and when I talked to Jevan a few minutes ago I asked him if it was all right for me to wear it to the rodeo.

"He said to wear it with pride. And that's what I'm doing now."