Tag: Rob Sale

Florida makes top 8 for this highly-sought 2024 offensive lineman

There’s still plenty of work to do, but Florida has recruited 2024 offensive lineman Blake Franks well enough to land his top eight schools.

Greeneville, South Carolina, offensive tackle [autotag]Blake Franks[/autotag] has narrowed down his options to eight schools, according to a post he made on Twitter Monday.

Florida will compete with Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Ole Miss and South Carolina for Franks’ services. Although Franks’ relationship with UF is still relatively new, he recently visited Gainesville to see the Gators take on the LSU Tigers. That trip helped him connect with position coach [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and gave Franks a taste of what a game day in the Swamp is really like, according to 247Sports.

“When I was down there they treated me like I was one of their top guys, Also, I really like getting to know coach Rob Sale. He’s been the main guy talking to me. He’s been a very good help throughout this recruiting process. So that’s why they made the list.”

Franks was at Clemson this weekend to see the Tigers take down Syracuse and is planning a trip to Florida State for the Georgia Tech game next weekend. He’s planning a December or January announcement but says it could be sooner.

The Gators offered the three-star recruit at the beginning of August, following a surge in his recruitment over the spring and summer. Franks is versatile enough to play at a few different spots on the line, making him a valuable asset for any Power Five program. The 247Sports composite ranks him No. 400 overall in the class of 2024 and No. 32 among offensive tackles.

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Florida football offers this highly coveted JUCO OL recruit

Billy Napier and crew offered one of the top offensive linemen in the JUCO ranks on Saturday.

College football’s regular season is over a third of the way through but that does not mean that [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and his army of staffers have diverted their attention from the recruiting trail. On the contrary, unlike his predecessor [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag], Florida’s new staff continues to grind away as the schedule continues to unfurl.

On Saturday night, despite their game with the Eastern Washington Eagles being delayed by Hurricane Ian, Napier and Co. extended a scholarship offer to Coffeville C.C. (Kansas) offensive lineman [autotag]Keyshawn Blackstock[/autotag], who is highly sought by many top programs.

“I have been talking to Florida for about a month now,” he told Swamp247. “The only thing they have been waiting on me is getting my measurements from my coach. We got those to them a few days ago. They called me a bit ago after my game, maybe 30 minutes ago, and they offered me on the phone. They said my film wasn’t a problem at all, but they just wanted my measurements. That was the biggest thing they were waiting on.”

However, Blackstock has only had limited face time with the new staff.

“I haven’t really been down there, but I’ve watched their offense. I like how their offense plays,” Blackstock told Gators Online. “They also have a hell of a defensive line. You just have to have a dog mentality along the offensive line and all the guys have to be on the same page. You can have a hell of a team like that.”

The 6-foot-5-inch, 315-pound lineman had also been pursued by the Tennessee Volunteers, Oregon Ducks, Auburn Tigers, Michigan State Spartans and Penn State Nittany Lions, among others. However, it appears that Florida’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], who is the main point of contact during his recruitment, is pushing all of the right buttons with the JUCO standout.

“I have been talking to him for about a while now,” he told 247Sports of Sale. “Coach [Billy] Napier actually offered me on Twitter today [Satutday] too. He is a straightforward guy honestly. He is going to keep things honest. He told me if I come there I just have to come in and work and that nothing would be given to me. He told me they have a senior tackle and a junior tackle. I told him I can play anywhere on the field up front and can do whatever to help make the team successful. It doesn’t matter if it’s guard, center, or tackle I will play whatever.”

The Georgia native still has all of his official visits remaining and intends to use them before making his final decision, including a trip to Gainesville. But in the meantime, he remains focused on his current team’s campaign.

“I haven’t really focused on offers right now,” he told Swamp247. “More about the season I have now and my teammates now. I tell every coach that I am 100% open and that I am open to anyone who wants to recruit me. I just don’t know where I want to visit. I haven’t really thought about it, but I want to make a top 10 and then a top 5 whenever that occurs, but I want to finish my season strong.”

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These 5 players will define Florida’s offensive identity

These five players are expected to be difference-makers in 2022.

The arrival of [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] in Gainesville brought the usual buzz of excitement that a new regime always carries with it. But now the rubber is about to meet the road and all the good vibes and big talk in the world won’t win the Gators’ games for them. The coaching and roster in place now will define what Florida’s identity becomes under Napier and his top assistants, [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag].

On the offensive side of the ball, Sale is spearheading the coaching and schematic decisions that have shaped the current state of the team. Whether it will pay dividends is about to be seen, but it’s already clear which players will be the pivot points for the identity of the Napier/Sale offense.

The five players we’ve singled out here aren’t necessarily who you’d call the most important, but some make more of an impact than their standing with the team and fame with fans might indicate.

This Gators offensive lineman named to AP preseason All-America team

Only one Gator made the Associated Press All-America teams and he hasn’t even played a snap in the SEC yet.

The preseason honors for Florida offensive lineman [autotag]O’Cyrus Torrence[/autotag] continue to roll in and the latest is a spot on the Associated Press All-America Second Team.

Torrence has yet to play a down in the SEC, but he’s already well respected as one of the conference’s best. He followed [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] from Louisiana to the Swamp and immediately received first-team honors from SEC reporters during the conference’s media days. He also recently was named a preseason All-American by CBS Sports, making their second team as well.

There’s no shortage of hype surrounding Torrence, which isn’t always typical for an interior offensive lineman. But the fourth-year player immediately became a veteran leader of the team. Players and coaches respect him, and they aren’t afraid to let others know how great it is to have Torrence on the team.

“Unbelievable human first, right, person and character,” Florida co-offensive line coach and offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] said of Torrence to 247Sports. “Identified that when we were there at the other place. But he’s big, he’s twitchy, football comes easy to O’Cyrus, it really does.”

Defensive lineman [autotag]Gervon Dexter[/autotag] praised Torrence for helping him develop as a pass rusher too. Dexter, a projected first or second-round pick in his own right, said he didn’t know what going up against a pro was like until he went against Torrence.

All the praise isn’t going to Torrence’s head either. He said it motivates him to achieve the goals he believes are worthy of that recognition.

“For me, I use (preseason awards) as fuel,” he said. “I feel like it feels good to get the type of recognition. I feel like I work hard to get that recognition, but I still feel like I haven’t done anything yet to deserve it. It feels good, but I still don’t feel too deserving, so it makes me want to work harder to prove to myself that I do deserve it.”

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Two Florida coaches in top 15 of 247Sports’ recruiter rankings

Florida’s coaching staff has been on a roll lately, and much of it is thanks to two men in particular. 247Sports has them in their top 15.

When [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] assembled his staff at the University of Florida, he said that he wanted to prioritize recruiting. Twenty commitments into the class of 2023 and one class of 2024 four-star verbally pledge to the Orange and Blue, it’s safe to say that Napier was successful, and the numbers back it up.

Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach [autotag]Sean Spencer[/autotag] is ranked No. 7 on the 247Sports 2023 football recruiter rankings, and [autotag]Keary Colbert[/autotag] is ranked No. 11, which is good for the second-highest placement of any wide receivers coach on the list.

Spencer has been the primary recruiter on five of Florida’s commitments and has played a secondary role in the recruitment of two others. He’s directly responsible for the additions of No. 70 [autotag]Kelby Collins[/autotag], No. 145 [autotag]Will Norman[/autotag], No. 205 [autotag]Isaiah Nixon[/autotag], No. 218 [autotag]Kamran James[/autotag] and four-star [autotag]Gavin Hill[/autotag]. Despite the battery of four-stars committed to Florida thanks to Spencer, he ranks fourth among defensive line recruiters in the country. Clemson‘s Nick Eason, Notre Dame‘s Al Washington and Alabama‘s Freddie Roach are all ranked above Spencer in ascending order.

Still, it’s clear that coach Chaos’ stint in the NFL paid off, and he’s once again at the top of the recruiting game. Florida has the potential to bring in the strongest defensive line classes in the upcoming cycle, assuming all commitments put pen to paper during one of the signing periods.

Colbert has been the primary on five recruits as well, all of whom will play receiver for UF. No. 78 [autotag]Aidan Mizell[/autotag] leads the group and should be paired with No. 142 [autotag]Eugene Wilson III[/autotag] to do some damage. Four-stars [autotag]Andy Jean[/autotag] and [autotag]Creed Whittemore[/autotag] round out the blue-chip names in the class and three-star [autotag]Tyree Patterson[/autotag] adds some depth to the class. And there’s potential to add more receivers to the group.

The only other receivers coach ranked higher by 247Sports is Ohio State‘s Brian Hartline, who has brought in four recruits that average a 96.48 grade. The next receivers coach on the list is Texas’ Brennan Marion at No. 20 and three commits under his belt.

Florida’s other co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach [autotag]Patrick Toney[/autotag] is ranked No. 31 and the only other Gator inside the top 100. Cornerbacks coach [autotag]Corey Raymond[/autotag] should be next to break that threshold if he can add one of his high-profile targets. Currently ranked No. 101, adding either four-star [autotag]Dijon Johnson[/autotag] or five-star [autotag]Cormani McClain[/autotag] should do the trick for Raymond.

Outside linebackers coach [autotag]Mike Peterson[/autotag] is ranked No. 111, offensive coordinator and offense line coach [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] is ranked No. 188, inside linebacker coach [autotag]Jay Bateman[/autotag] is No. 190, tight ends coach [autotag]William Peagler[/autotag] is No. 240 and running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag] rounds out the group at No. 338 on the list. Assistant offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] received secondary credits for four commitments and ranks No. 259 as well.

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4 Florida football staffers land on On3’s list of ‘rising stars’

By all accounts, the Gators have a slam-dunk coaching staff on and off the field.

Monday morning, On3 revealed their list of 65 “rising stars” across all the support staffs in college football. They included four staffers from Billy Napier’s off-field army: offensive analysts [autotag]Russ Calloway[/autotag] and [autotag]Benedick Hyppolite[/autotag], linebackers assistant [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] and quarterbacks assistant [autotag]Ryan O’Hara[/autotag].

Calloway was brought in by Florida alongside offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] after both were let go by the New York Giants during their coaching purge. Before going to NFL, he was instrumental in Samford’s surge to the top of the FCS passing leaderboard.

Hyppolite has deep roots in the state of Florida. He spent the past two seasons assisting with the wide receivers at Miami, and before that, spent several seasons as a high school coach in South Florida. He’s assigned to the running backs and his connections in-state are valuable for a staff whose key recruiters largely have ties in the bayou.

It’s tough to tell from the outside looking in, but if I had to guess, Chaney would be who I’d point to as Florida’s most trusted off-field staffer. He’s a rare holdover from the previous administration, but never lost the trust of the boys on the team. He’s often assigned to run point on initial contacts with defensive recruits and his name is routinely put next to Mike Peterson’s and Sean Spencer’s in recruiting rumor roundups.

Finally, O’Hara was the Ragin’ Cajuns’ quarterbacks coach under Napier before joining him in Florida under the same role. Technically, Napier was and is listed as the quarterbacks coach, a role consolidation that allowed him to hire two full time offensive line coaches. However, it’s really O’Hara who takes the bulk of those responsibilities, helping Levi Levis become the best quarterback in Cajuns’ history.

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This Gator among On3’s top 10 most impactful OL transfers

New Florida Gator O’Cyrus Torrence comes in near the top of On3’s recent list of most impactful offensive line transfer players.

O’Cyrus Torrence comes in at No. 2 in On3’s top 10 most impactful offensive line transfers list ahead of the 2022 season.

Torrence joins first-year head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] in trading Lafayette, Louisiana, for Gainesville, Florida, making the move from the Sun Belt to the SEC. A three-year starter at Louisiana, Torrence is expected to continue in that role in an offense that he already has familiarity with. New Florida offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] spent 2018-20 as Louisiana’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach before his one-year stint with the New York Giants as their offensive line coach last season. It seems familiarity was a big factor in Torrence’s decision to sign with the Gators in January.

It’s not just On3 that is taking notice of the big guy and his dominance in the trenches. Torrence was named to the Walter Camp All-American watch list last month and was named to ESPN’s 2022 way-too-early All-American team back in January. PFF named him the third best interior offensive lineman in college football, highlighting the fact that Torrence has the most pass block snaps played since 2019 without allowing a sack at 1,091.

At 6-foot-5-inch, 335 pounds, Torrence will look to continue to translate that size into dominance in the SEC like he did in the Sun Belt. Watch as he manhandles the Sun Belt competition in this clip.

Torrence is expected to play right guard opposite of left guard [autotag]Ethan White[/autotag] and next to center [autotag]Kingsley Eguakun[/autotag] on the Gators offensive line this season. Torrence will play in his first game as a Florida Gator, alongside head coach Billy Napier, on Saturday, September 3 at home against Utah at 7:00 p.m. EDT on ESPN.

 

Florida OL commit content with Gators, shuts down recruitment

Florida picked up a commitment from IMG Academy offensive lineman Knijeah Harris back in May and he’s 100% locked in.

Despite what many might expect, the recruiting process rarely ends for high-profile targets once they’ve committed. Once a letter of intent is signed is typically when the university and coaches can take a breath of relief, but Florida offensive line commit [autotag]Knijeah Harris[/autotag] isn’t interested in dragging out the process.

Speaking with On3’s Jeremy Johnson, Harris indicated that he’s fully bought in with the Gators and has no plans to test the waters, so to speak. That’s very good news for Florida after missing out on five-star tackle [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag] to Miami and four-star tackle Lucas Simmons to Florida State. As [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] looks to fill out his offensive line, he can rest assured that Harris will be a part of it.

“Everything is perfect at Florida from the coaches to the campus to the facilities,” Harris said. “Coach Napier’s the man with the plan. You talk with him, you sit down with him, you see how detailed he is and you see he has everything planned out.”

It’s not just Napier who convinced Harris that Gainesville is where he is supposed to be. Offensive coordinator [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag], offensive line coach [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], running backs coach [autotag]Jabbar Juluke[/autotag] and defensive analyst [autotag]Jamar Chaney[/autotag] kept in regular contact with the IMG Academy recruit until he committed and beyond.

As Florida continues putting together its recruiting class for 2023, expect Harris to be one of the most vocal commits in the bunch. He loves being a Gator, and as he puts it, he’s “locked in” with the Orange and Blue.

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This big 3-star offensive tackle steps away from Gators commitment

The Gators lost one of their commitments in the 2023 cycle but it’s not the end of the world.

In an announcement posted on his Twitter account on Friday evening, three-star offensive tackle [autotag]Tommy Kinsler[/autotag] made known his decision to decommit from the Florida Gators. Kinsler committed to the Gators on June 19, but that pledge lasted only twelve days. This development is a frankly unexpected one, he’s been considered all but a lock to play for the Orange and Blue since this recruiting cycle started.

An Ocala native, Kinsler is well within Gator country. However, it looks like another Florida-based team is trying to stick their grubby paws into the area that should be Billy Napier’s home base of recruiting. Kinsler’s decommitment is coming hot on the heels of his official visit with Mario Cristobal’s Miami team. Then, immediately after dropping the news that he was stepping back from Florida, four 247Sports experts added crystal ball predictions in favor of the ‘Canes.

“Dear Gator Nation,” wrote Kinsler, “after days of deep thought and prayer, I have decided to decommit from the University of Florida. This was a very hard decision for me and my family. I would like to thank the entire Florida Gators coaching staff for the time, effort, and energy they put into recruiting me. Please respect this decision.”

There are two ways to look at this. The first is to shrug and point out that Kinsler is replaceable. He’s big, but so are a lot of other linemen in the country. His three-star rating reflects a possible SEC contributor, but a name-brand school like Florida can put a hard press on just about any three-star recruit and have a good chance at getting them.

On the other hand, it’s alarming that offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], who had such immense success with the Ragin’ Cajuns couldn’t get complete buy-in on their system from a hometown recruit they’ve been on since day one.

Here’s hoping a commitment from [autotag]Monroe Freeling[/autotag], [autotag]Francis Mauigoa[/autotag], or [autotag]Payton Kirkland[/autotag] is right around the corner.

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Gators impress this 4-star OT on mid-week official visit

After taking an official visit to the University of Florida, four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons has nothing but positives to say.

Florida football played host to four-star offensive lineman [autotag]Lucas Simmons[/autotag] over the week for an official visit. He left town on Thursday with an extremely favorable opinion of the university, according to 247Sports.

“It was really really really really good,” Simmons said. “I was really excited about this visit. It was a mid-week visit, so I knew going in it was going to be different.”

Simmons got to see the day-to-day activities of players that weekend visitors don’t always get to witness. He thought it was a unique experience that gave him some new things to consider despite visiting the campus several times in the past. Simmons’ parents were also able to make the trip all the way from Sweden for their first time in the Swamp.

Acknowledging his heritage was another good move by the UF staff. Simmons enjoyed Swedish treats left in his hotel room for him and took a photo shoot with the flag. Although they’re small gestures, they are ones that are appreciated by the 6-foot-7-inch, 300-pound recruit.

Offensive line coaches [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag] got to spend some time with Simmons, and that relationship is developing nicely. Simmons says he can expect fairness and respect from them and knows that there’s plenty of work to do before his SEC size translates to SEC playing time.

Simmons’ other official visits have been to Oklahoma State, Tennessee and USC. Florida State will get him over the weekend for the final OV, and then it’s time to think things over before making a decision. Having his parents there along for the ride will make things even easier. A mid-July decision is what he expects at this point.

The 247Sports composite ranks Simmons as the No. 107 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and at No. 13 among offensive tackles in the group.

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