Blue chip breakdown: Will Muschamp’s recruiting at Florida
Dec. 23, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
A closer look at the top talent USC’s coach brought in as head man
Defense made up the bulk of his top gets
Muschamp’s staffs brought in a strong set of quarterbacks
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/article51480435.html#storylink=cpy
Will Muschamp broke out two of the bigger recruiting clichés on his first day on the job. He pointed to the looks of the wife he recruited into his life and promised he could sell frozen water to some folks so far north it’s pretty abundant.
He’s also spent his past 14 college seasons at part of strong recruiting staffs at perennially strong recruiting locales (yes, even Auburn).
We know he gets the talent, pulls in the sought-after kids, but where does he pull in the high-level guys? Every team generally pulls in a similar mix of passers, skill position players and options along each level of the defense overall, but many have certain spots where stronger players consistently come through.
Muschamp’s staffs closed three full recruiting cycles at Florida and finished up an Urban Meyer group in year one. Counting players his staff added in that first class, he pulled in 40 blue-chip players, 4- or 5-stars by 247 Sports’ composite ranking, plus held onto top-rated five-star passer Jeff Driskel.
We only look at Muschamp’s Florida tenure since that was the only time the buck stopped with him, and exclude members of the 2015 class since his coaches didn’t take them to signing day.
The first thing that stands out about the group is the heavy bent toward defense. No surprise here considering Muschamp’s background, but 27 of the players came on that side of the ball, 10 on the defensive line, seven at linebacker and the rest in the secondary.
The most elite prospects in the group were defensive end Jonathan Bullard, now an All-SEC tackle, and corners Vernon Hargreaves III, arguably the best player at the position in the country, and Jalen Tabor, a first-team all-conference pick as a sophomore.
What’s more striking is the collection of talent Muschamp’s teams assembled at quarterback and the dearth of talent everywhere on offense.
His staff brought in Jacoby Brissett and QB Will Grier, both four-stars, plus Treon Harris, a four-star athlete. They also held onto Driskel, considered a top-20 prospect overall.
The staff even gave them a few outside targets with four four-star wide receivers, though it seems Florida always pulls in talent at that spot.
What’s somewhat perplexing is Muschamp was a proponent of ground-and-pound football, but couldn’t seem to build a surplus of well-rated talent to that end.
They only got two blue-chip running backs, one being five-star Kelvin Taylor. They only got one blue-chip tight end. What was the biggest problem was only pulling in two blue-chip offensive linemen across 3 1/2 cycles, 5-star D.J. Humphries, who ended up a first-round draft pick, and David Sharpe, who has started every game this season.
There’s a caveat that offensive line development is tricky and four members of his last line ended up drafted. But the unit with those four players was not good, and the depth was such a problem, the team has started Mason Halter, a transfer from FCS Fordham, all of this season.
Perhaps that heavy defensive lean won’t be as much of an issue at South Carolina or a consistent offensive staff can balance things out (Muschamp went through three with the Gators). But his first head coaching run had teams that reflected the talent, and that proved problem.
Muschamp’s Blue Chip History
2011
5-star
QB Jaff Driskel - Urban Meyer recruit, held onto
4-star
CB Marcus Roberson
QB Jacoby Brissett
S Jabari Gorman
OLB Graham Stewart
2012
5-star
OT D.J. Humphries
DE Jonathan Bullard
4-star
DE Dante Fowler
S Brian Poole
TE Kent Taylor
OLB Marcus Maye
Ath (RB) Matt Jones
OLB Jeremi Powell
S Rhaheim Ledbetter
Ath Latroy Pittman
DT Damien Jacobs
ILB Antonio Morrison
DT Omari Phillips
2013
5-star
CB Vernon Hargreaves III
RB Kelvin Taylor
4-star
OLB Alex Anzalone
OLB Daniel McMillian
WR Demarcus Robinson
S Marcell Harris
WR Ahmad Fulwood
S Keanu Neal
DT Caleb Brantley
OLB Matt Rolin
WR Alvin Bailey
S Nick Washington
DE Jay-nard Bostwick
DE Jordan Sherit
DT Darious Cummings
2014
5-star
CB Jalen Tabor
4-star
DT Gerald Willis III
QB Will Grier
DT Thomas Holley
OT David Sharpe
ATH (QB) Treon Harris
WR J.C. Jackson
DT Khairi Clark
CB Duke Dawson
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/article51480435.html#storylink=cpy
Dec. 23, 2015
HIGHLIGHTS
A closer look at the top talent USC’s coach brought in as head man
Defense made up the bulk of his top gets
Muschamp’s staffs brought in a strong set of quarterbacks
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/article51480435.html#storylink=cpy
Will Muschamp broke out two of the bigger recruiting clichés on his first day on the job. He pointed to the looks of the wife he recruited into his life and promised he could sell frozen water to some folks so far north it’s pretty abundant.
He’s also spent his past 14 college seasons at part of strong recruiting staffs at perennially strong recruiting locales (yes, even Auburn).
We know he gets the talent, pulls in the sought-after kids, but where does he pull in the high-level guys? Every team generally pulls in a similar mix of passers, skill position players and options along each level of the defense overall, but many have certain spots where stronger players consistently come through.
Muschamp’s staffs closed three full recruiting cycles at Florida and finished up an Urban Meyer group in year one. Counting players his staff added in that first class, he pulled in 40 blue-chip players, 4- or 5-stars by 247 Sports’ composite ranking, plus held onto top-rated five-star passer Jeff Driskel.
We only look at Muschamp’s Florida tenure since that was the only time the buck stopped with him, and exclude members of the 2015 class since his coaches didn’t take them to signing day.
The first thing that stands out about the group is the heavy bent toward defense. No surprise here considering Muschamp’s background, but 27 of the players came on that side of the ball, 10 on the defensive line, seven at linebacker and the rest in the secondary.
The most elite prospects in the group were defensive end Jonathan Bullard, now an All-SEC tackle, and corners Vernon Hargreaves III, arguably the best player at the position in the country, and Jalen Tabor, a first-team all-conference pick as a sophomore.
What’s more striking is the collection of talent Muschamp’s teams assembled at quarterback and the dearth of talent everywhere on offense.
His staff brought in Jacoby Brissett and QB Will Grier, both four-stars, plus Treon Harris, a four-star athlete. They also held onto Driskel, considered a top-20 prospect overall.
The staff even gave them a few outside targets with four four-star wide receivers, though it seems Florida always pulls in talent at that spot.
What’s somewhat perplexing is Muschamp was a proponent of ground-and-pound football, but couldn’t seem to build a surplus of well-rated talent to that end.
They only got two blue-chip running backs, one being five-star Kelvin Taylor. They only got one blue-chip tight end. What was the biggest problem was only pulling in two blue-chip offensive linemen across 3 1/2 cycles, 5-star D.J. Humphries, who ended up a first-round draft pick, and David Sharpe, who has started every game this season.
There’s a caveat that offensive line development is tricky and four members of his last line ended up drafted. But the unit with those four players was not good, and the depth was such a problem, the team has started Mason Halter, a transfer from FCS Fordham, all of this season.
Perhaps that heavy defensive lean won’t be as much of an issue at South Carolina or a consistent offensive staff can balance things out (Muschamp went through three with the Gators). But his first head coaching run had teams that reflected the talent, and that proved problem.
Muschamp’s Blue Chip History
2011
5-star
QB Jaff Driskel - Urban Meyer recruit, held onto
4-star
CB Marcus Roberson
QB Jacoby Brissett
S Jabari Gorman
OLB Graham Stewart
2012
5-star
OT D.J. Humphries
DE Jonathan Bullard
4-star
DE Dante Fowler
S Brian Poole
TE Kent Taylor
OLB Marcus Maye
Ath (RB) Matt Jones
OLB Jeremi Powell
S Rhaheim Ledbetter
Ath Latroy Pittman
DT Damien Jacobs
ILB Antonio Morrison
DT Omari Phillips
2013
5-star
CB Vernon Hargreaves III
RB Kelvin Taylor
4-star
OLB Alex Anzalone
OLB Daniel McMillian
WR Demarcus Robinson
S Marcell Harris
WR Ahmad Fulwood
S Keanu Neal
DT Caleb Brantley
OLB Matt Rolin
WR Alvin Bailey
S Nick Washington
DE Jay-nard Bostwick
DE Jordan Sherit
DT Darious Cummings
2014
5-star
CB Jalen Tabor
4-star
DT Gerald Willis III
QB Will Grier
DT Thomas Holley
OT David Sharpe
ATH (QB) Treon Harris
WR J.C. Jackson
DT Khairi Clark
CB Duke Dawson
Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/sports/college/university-of-south-carolina/usc-football/article51480435.html#storylink=cpy