Gators in limbo after Muschamp dismissal
After months of speculation, the Florida Gators are officially in the
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market for a new football coach. Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley
announced Sunday that Will Muschamp will be stepping down at the end of
the regular season, opening the door for a nationwide coaching search that will
begin immediately.
The news figures to have major reverberations throughout the college football
world, with its impact already being felt on the recruiting trail. Because of
the uncertainty surrounding Muschamp, Florida has struggled to recruit in the
2015 class and currently sit at No. 72 in the Rivals.com Team Rankings, behind
in-state schools Florida Atlantic and Florida International.
While the rumors regarding Muschamp's future can no longer be used by recruiting
rivals against the Gators, Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell
said the situation is far from resolved in terms of recruiting.
"They're still in limbo so it really doesn't change much," Farrell said.
"Prospects are still going to have to figure out who is going to be hired, which
assistants are going to be retained -- so between now and the end of the season
there's still going to be stuff up in air. The good thing is it at least gives
kids closure on all the rumors about him getting fired and now they can move
forward."
Several of Florida's commitments sounded off on Muschamp's dismissal on Sunday,
including Cincinnati (Ohio) Winston Woods offensive tackle
George Brown, the school's highest ranked commitment. Brown said that if offensive
line coach Mike Summers stays on with the new staff, he will remain
committed to the school.
"The first thing I thought about was whether coach (Mike) Summers was staying
because coach Summers is my position coach and I will be around a lot," Brown
said. "Pretty much, I'm staying. If coach Summers stays then there's no way that
I am leaving."
Holding the current nine-member class together will be the job of the Gators
assistants until a new coach is in place, but the real work will start when it
comes to finishing off the current cycle.
Three of the highest ranked uncommitted players in the country reside in Florida
-- The nation's No. 1 overall player, Seffner (Florida) Armood defensive end
Byron Cowart, Glen St. Mary (Florida) Baker County defensive end
CeCe Jefferson and Apopka (Florida) offensive tackle Martez Ivey -- and
at one point during the cycle all three were considered strong Florida leans.
The trio had mixed reactions to the news of Muschamp's dismissal, but it's clear
all three will be watching the situation closely.
"It's sad. It's kind of crazy but I have to understand is a business," said
Cowart, who also said the move won't affect his interest in the school going
forward. "He's a great man more than a coach, a great father and person, and I
hate to see this happen to him and I still love the guy."
Five-star Jefferson echoed Cowart's comments: "Coach Muschamp is my dude but
unfortunately it's a business," he said. "I'm shocked though, I for sure thought
he would be here next season."
Ivey, who is down to Florida and Auburn as his finalists, has said
multiple times recently that Muschamp's fate won't have an impact on his
decision. He hammered home that point again on Sunday.
"It doesn't really matter to me. That's what they get paid for, to win games,"
Ivey said. "You can't really commit to a school off of a coach. So they are still
in it and I want to see who they bring in."
By making the move now, Foley and Florida will have more time to find the right
man for the job to not only reel in coveted targets like Cowart, Jefferson and
Ivey, but return the Gators to national prominence on the recruiting trail and
on the field.
"I think whoever steps into this job is going to be in a pretty good position
with the 2015 class," Farrell said. "Because a lot of these kids had Florida
very high on their list early. They just have to reel them back in as far as
interest. I'm most impressed honestly in the response of kids like Ivey and
Cowart and Jefferson. They understand that this is a business and they know that
you can't pick a school based on the head coach."
Farrell added that the job in Gainesville is still one of the best in the country
and should draw interest from some of the nation's hottest coaching candidates.
"Florida is a brand name," Farrell said. "This is a marquee program and whoever
they hire is going to be given the keys to a Lamborghini, regardless of recent
outcomes. This is Florida, they are going to recruit and at a very high level if
they get the right person in there."
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