Tag: Rob Sale

Blue-chip offensive lineman says Florida is at top of his recruiting list

The Gators are doing everything right when it comes to recruiting 4-star OL Payton Kirkland.

A week after naming the Gators in his top five, four-star offensive lineman [autotag]Payton Kirkland[/autotag] indicated that Florida was on top of his recruitment following a visit to the Swamp.

Kirkland got to Gainesville on March 24 and had a chance to meet with head coach Billy Napier and both offensive line coaches, [autotag]Rob Sale[/autotag] and [autotag]Darnell Stapleton[/autotag], according to 247Sports. After the trip, he said that Florida has stood out compared to the other schools still in the race.

“I’m still not sure but I really do feel like Florida is very much in contention as of right now,” Kirkland said. “They may be in the lead.”

Alabama, Miami, Michigan State and Oklahoma are the Gators’ competition, and Kirkland has a set decision date of July 23 along with two other Orlando-area recruits that Florida is targeting. The last recruiting staff at Florida had trouble landing big-name offensive linemen, so it’s encouraging to see Napier prioritizing in-state big men early.

The family-oriented approach that Napier has brought to UF is a big reason things are going so well with Kirkland. He’s looking for a mentor and someone to guide him, and his time with the coaches allowed him to see what Florida has to offer in that area.

“There are some coaches where once you mess up, they chew you out and wait for your next rep 15 minutes later,” he said. “(Stapleton and Sale) were like, ‘OK, do this, do this, do this, now give it another try.’”

Now the Gators will wait and see how the rest of Kirkland’s visits go. He plans to take official visits to each of his top five in June, so Florida should have one more go at him if that connection begins to waver in the coming weeks.

The 247Sports composite ranks Kirkland as the No. 203 overall recruit in the class of 2023 and the No. 18 offensive tackle. Regardless of those rankings, Napier and Co. are treating him like he’s the best lineman in the country. With the way that Florida is going after Kirkland, it will be hard for another team to eat into the Gators’ lead.

[mm-video type=video id=01fz0p71cc5g28vaeph4 playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fz0p71cc5g28vaeph4/01fz0p71cc5g28vaeph4-3dfa801cc65275f96a63f08933caa248.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=80521,80518,80514,80461,80443]

[listicle id=79833]

[listicle id=77787]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

This 4-star OT wastes no time scheduling visit after receiving Florida offer

Four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling quickly scheduled a visit to Florida after receiving an offer.

Florida and offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton have extended several scholarships offers this past week, They understand that the talent level among the offensive line needs to be raised significantly if the Gators want to compete for a national championship again. One offensive tackle to receive an offer recently is four-star Monroe Freeling out of South Carolina. He wasted very little time scheduling a visit to the Swamp after earning the green light, according to 247Sports.

Sale has run point for Freeling so far from coach Billy Napier‘s staff. Freeling said he likes the former New York Giants assistant coach even though their relationship is in the infant stages.

With this upcoming visit, Freeling looks forward to learning more about the Orange and Blue.

“I do know they just got a new head coach and they are really trying to rebuild to get back to where they were years back,” he said. “I really don’t know much about them other than that, but Coach Sale has told me some things. I like how they are a little close to home, even though travel has never been a big deal to me. It’s always an addition to be able to be close. Florida has been known to develop offensive linemen, so that is a plus. Coach Sale was telling me they have a new engineering facility, which is good because I want to major in math and science.”

Florida may have just offered Freeling but that hasn’t stopped him from including the Gators among teams he feels that are recruiting him the best. Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame and Ohio State are some other schools he mentioned. Finally, he said he doesn’t think a decision will be made this spring and that he wants to visit some more schools.

[mm-video type=video id=01fxx7hffn2z4b9vr0fc playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fxx7hffn2z4b9vr0fc/01fxx7hffn2z4b9vr0fc-d86b5e715a89c508f8b7c17b6098a9f2.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=79775,79761,79752,79742,79710]

[listicle id=77787]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

This big-time 4-star OT plans to visit Florida next week

4-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons sets multi-day visit for next weekend.

Florida has worked since mid-January to try and get four-star offensive tackle Lucas Simmons to the Swamp. After all that hard work put in by coach Billy Napier and staff, the No. 17-rated prospect at his position told Swamp247 that he has scheduled a multi-day visit to the Gators next week on March 15.

Offensive coordinator and offensive line coaches Rob Sale and Darnell Stapleton have led the charge in Florida’s pursuit of Simmons so far. He said he likes how both coaches are down to earth and want to have conversations about other things besides football. For example, he’s from Sweden and his parents haven’t made the move across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. Simmons said Sale and Stapleton always make sure to ask about his family back home. However, he is still in the process of getting to know the new coaching staff.

His visit that he set up for next week won’t be his first trip to see the Orange and Blue. Simmons has visited Florida on game days under the old coaching staff. He said the atmosphere in the Swamp is crazy.

After his visit to the Gators, he plans to head out west to see USC on March 26.

[mm-video type=video id=01fxx3mxqx0cyer7hves playlist_id=01eqbz250mdknqvm5z player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01fxx3mxqx0cyer7hves/01fxx3mxqx0cyer7hves-ee2f13bc0794332faf351a2e41e6bb0c.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=79710,79703,79676,79573,79550]

[listicle id=77787]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Florida offers 4-star offensive tackle out of Palmetto State

Four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling added a scholarship offer from Florida on March 4.

Four-star offensive tackle Monroe Freeling has seen his recruitment blow up over the last couple of weeks. Ohio State, LSU and Louisville have offered him scholarships recently, and now he can add Florida to his list as coach Billy Napier and Co. offered him on March 4. Freeling is the nation’s fifth-best offensive tackle, according to the On3 Consensus rankings.

After his offer, he spoke to Gators Online and told them that offensive coordinator and line coach Rob Sale has run point for Florida so far. Freeling hasn’t talked to him much but his first impression of the former New York Giants assistant is that he’s “cool”.

Even though he hails from South Carolina, he said he still knows a good bit about Florida. Freeling said the Gators are a good football program and that they send a lot of players to the NFL.

Player development isn’t the only thing he is looking for in his recruitment. He wants to major in math and science and is looking for a school with a strong department in that area.

Freeling added that even before the offer that he wanted to visit the Swamp, but now the offer gives him extra motivation to make the trek to Gainesville. While he looks into scheduling a Florida visit, he is set to visit Clemson and Miami later this month.

[lawrence-related id=79703,79676,79573,79550,79538]

[listicle id=77787]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

4-star offensive tackle previews his Florida visit in March

Here’s a look ahead at a big Gators recruiting target, who will be visiting in March.

Four-star offensive tackle Payton Kirkland has made several trips to the Swamp under coach Dan Mullen and his staff, but March 5 will be his first time seeing the Gators under coach Billy Napier. He caught up with Swamp247‘s Blake Alderman to preview his visit to Gainesville that he’s looking forward to.

So far, most of his conversations have been with Florida offensive line coach Rob Sale. He said his phone calls with him have gone well and that they are expanding their relationship.

On his visit, Kirkland looks forward to meeting the whole staff in person and putting names to faces.

“I just want to see the consistency in person, because they have been very consistent in recruiting me since they got here,” he said. “They are prioritizing me like they said they would and they want a chance to roll out the Orange carpet for me when I get there for a visit. They are definitely trying to make it hard for me to say no. I am keeping them in close consideration like I am everyone else.”

He always appreciates the staff’s approach when they are recruiting him because they want to get to know him as a person first and foremost.

Kirkland mentioned that he likes coach Sale because he is someone who will take care of his players. He said he doesn’t know Napier that well, but it’s clear that everyone on staff believes and trusts him and that speaks volumes to him and other recruits.

Kirkland added that his mother will play a big factor in his recruitment and said the Florida staff have done a great job recruiting her as well.

“They have definitely been doing that,” he said. “My mom is very excited about getting up there on March 5. She is excited to see how things are and feel things out. We will get to know the staff when we get there and then she will be able to give her opinion more then.”

His trip to Florida next month is his only one set so far, but in April, he plans to use the first of his five official visits to Georgia.

He plans to see how trips unfold this offseason before making a decision.

[lawrence-related id=78311,78306,78226,78221,78198]

[listicle id=77787]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Here are Billy Napier’s five most important staff hires at Florida

Here’s a look at the key acquisitions for Billy Napier and his army of assistants.

Billy Napier has assembled most of his “army” and is ready to move on to the next phase of his plan, which is spring practice.

He has made so many hires that it seems difficult to keep up with them. And in doing so has reenergized a fan base that went through a pretty rough 13 months.

Of course, we are curious to see how all of this works when the Florida football team actually plays football games. Coaches and analysts and everyone else on the inflated staff will be judged on the wins and losses. It’s just the way it works.

Napier’s plan isn’t that complicated. Get better players, develop all players and put them in position to make winning plays.

It’s not rocket science.

But getting the right people on board to try to achieve a common goal is not always easy. Napier didn’t get everyone he went after, but he didn’t miss on many.

So, here are the five most important hires he has made as the head coach of the Florida Gators.

Florida coaches visiting offensive line commit Thursday

Florida’s offensive line coaches are stopping by this commit’s school before he visits Auburn and Mississippi State.

The only Florida commit that didn’t sign during the early period was three-star offensive lineman Jalen Farmer. Offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Rob Sale will be making a trip to Covington, Georgia to visit Farmer on Thursday, according to 247Sports.

Sale will be joined by assistant offensive line coach Darnell Stapleton on the visit to Eastside High. Farmer previously met with head coach Billy Napier and strength coach Mark Hocke in December, and he was able to make it to Gainesville the weekend of Jan. 14.

While Farmer did hold off on signing, he’s one of the few commits who stuck with Florida through the coaching change. He committed to Dan Mullen on Sept. 10, but the new staff made a good impression on him quickly. Farmer’s high school coach said that he felt comfortable while visiting Florida and kept mentioning how cool the coaches were.

The 6-foot-5-inch, 325-pounder has looked at other options, though. He took an official visit to Kentucky in December and is set to visit Auburn and Mississippi State in the coming weeks. Losing the No. 34 ranked interior offensive lineman in the 2022 class isn’t something Napier wants right now, so stopping in before Farmer heads to another SEC school for the weekend makes sense.

[lawrence-related id=67738,67733,67611,67606,67586]

[listicle id=63502]

Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.

Let us know your thoughts, comment on this story below. Join the conversation today.

Rob Sale leaves Giants, joins Florida Gators

The New York Giants have lost offensive line coach Rob Sale, who has taken the offensive coordinator role at the University of Florida.

The New York Giants will once again be looking for a new offensive line coach under Joe Judge — assuming Judge himself stays.

Rob Sale, who had taken the Giants’ offensive line coaching job for the 2021 season, is departing to become the offensive coordinator for the University of Florida.

The move was widely expected, especially given Sale’s ties to Florid head coach Rob Napier, who were both assistant coaches on Alabama together.

Since Judge has become the head coach for the Giants in 2020, he’s had three offensive line coaches: Marc Colombo, who was fired in the middle of the 2020 season after an in-house blow-up, and Dave DeGuglielmo, who finished the rest of the season before he was hired away by Louisiana Tech.

And now Sale, who departs for the college game like DeGuglielmo.

The next offensive line coach has the task of trying to help fix a unit that has been near the bottom of the NFL for several years.

[listicle id=683729]

15 wild quotes from Giants coach Joe Judge’s epic rant

New York Giants head coach Joe Judge went on an epic 11-minute rant following a Week 17 loss and here are 15 of his most wild quotes.

The New York Giants were completely disassembled by the Chicago Bears on Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field. The game was literally over after the very first play and the remaining 59 minutes were very much like torture.

Following the game, a clearly frustrated Joe Judge was asked why he had faith about turning around a bad Giants team. What ensured was a nearly 12-minute rant that covered an impressively wide range of topics.

Some of the rant came off as little more than babble, while other parts of it had substance. Judge touched on Vegas odds, former players, Pat Shurmur’s team, Giants fans and much, much more.

Below is a look at 15 of the craziest things that came out of Judge’s mouth on Sunday.

[pickup_prop id=”13786″]

Giants’ Rob Sale offers ominous take on Isaiah Wilson

New York Giants OL coach Rob Sale was asked about Isaiah Wilson on Thursday and his short answer was both ominous and revealing.

New York Giants offensive line coach Rob Sale spoke to the media Thursday morning and had some revealing comments about his beleaguered unit.

Offensive tackle Isaiah Wilson, a former first-round selection of the Tennessee Titans whose professional football career has been marred with suspensions, two arrests and multiple incidents of insubordination, was the subject of conversation as the COVID-19-ravaged Giants search for answers and depth on the offensive line.

Sale did not sound enthusiastic about Wilson contributing this year or, perhaps, at all.

Apparently, Wilson has not straightened out his act since the Giants took a flier on him back in late September.

Wilson, the 29th overall selection in the 2020 NFL draft out of Georgia, played only one game as a rookie last year for the Titans. He was traded to the Miami Dolphins earlier this year but was cut after showing up late for his physical and missing two workouts.

The Giants decided to sign Wilson to their practice squad in September after multiple players were lost for the season due to injury. He was a college teammate of Andrew Thomas — the Giants’ first-round pick last year and starting left tackle — at Georgia and the thought process was that a reunion with Thomas might reset Wilson’s career path. Apparently that hasn’t happened.

[listicle id=681664]