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5 Musts For The Florida Football This Season

By Nicholas Gonzalez

Apr 8, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio (14) walks off the field after the Orange and Blue game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Blue won 38-6. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2016; Gainesville, FL, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Luke Del Rio (14) walks off the field after the Orange and Blue game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Blue won 38-6. Mandatory Credit: Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Florida Gators are coming off of a relatively successful first season under first year Head Coach Jim McElwain. The thing about success, though, is it only counts if you can build off of it — so how can Florida football do that?

In his first season, Coach Jim McElwain and Florida managed to exceed all expectations by going 10-4. On top of that, they went on to win the east after a very successful start of the season — going 8-0. To think they even had a realistic shot at the playoffs if Will Grier didn’t get suspended is also incredible. With that said, how can Florida football make this season better than the last?

#5 – Win the East again –

The reason for this being at #5 is because Florida football needs to establish some type of dominance in the SEC under second-year Coach Jim McElwain. Winning the SEC East once is all fine and dandy, but what can you do after that? Last season we saw Missouri go from top to bottom as fast as possible and the Gators need to avoid that at all costs. In doing so, they can show recruits that they are once again becoming a true contender.

#4 – Obtain A 5 Star Recruit – 

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Now this might sound like I’m really nit-picking, but the fact of the matter is top talent brings in more top talent. The same is true for Florida football.  You are more likely to have a 5-Star recruit go to The Opening and mingle with another 5-Star than a 3-Star mingle with a 5-Star.  It’s just the way social classes work — whether in life or recruiting. If Florida football can get their hands on a 5-Star commit before all of the All-American games and season-ending camps, it opens up their chances of bringing in more top recruits before signing day.

#3 – Establish what seems to be a QB friendly team/system –

Coach Mac and the Gators have done a pretty good job of making Florida a haven place for QBs. McElwain and Nussmeier run a Pro-Style offense that translates very well to the NFL and fits all types of QBs. The Gators did a good job of flipping and bringing in 4-Star QB Feliepe Franks.  Unfortunately, he hasn’t turned out spectacular.  Kyle Trask has really lit up camp so far, though, and is making a case for him to possibly be 2nd string come week one.

So far Coach McElwain has done a good job of making Florida seem like it’s a good program for QBs, now they just have to prove it.  The performance of Treon Harris last year didn’t help Florida football with that at all.  With Trevor Lawrence possibly having Florida as one of his top choices, the Gators need to show him in the next two seasons that QBs can come into Gainesville and have success immediately.

#2 – Top 10 Recruiting Class –

Last year Florida entered signing day with the 7th best class in the nation and closed with the 11th or 12th. That cannot happen. They need to do a better job of getting commits earlier in the year and not scramble for players on the last day. Florida football also needs to make sure their commits stay put and not have second thoughts just days before signing day. They need to do a better job of closing out, plain and simple. 

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Multiple times we have seen the Gators enter top recruits final choices but fail to close the deal — that can no longer happen. If you’re going to excuse it by saying one can’t out recruit Alabama, you may as well not show up for the season.  Because you have to beat the best to be the best in every aspect, and recruiting is one of the most important.

#1 – Win The State

I mean win the state in two aspects, but both  spiral back to recruiting. Florida needs to make sure top recruits stay in state and head down the road to Gainesville instead of up north to Michigan or Ohio State. Florida football cannot allow Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh to pick up the best talent in the state of Florida.  Right now I can tell you that only 1-2 of the top 10 ranked Florida football players are really looking at the Gators — the rest don’t even have Florida on their mind.

I will admit that a lot of the top 10 talents are transfers to IMG Academy athletes from other states, so that plays some role in it. Even with that said, Florida is not on the mind of many in-state top 10-15 ranked recruits. Florida football needs to win the state in recruiting, whether it be versus in-state schools like FSU and Miami or verse rival conference competitors.

Now to the second part of what I mean by “Win The State”. Florida football needs to be the best team in the state as well. Getting gobsmacked on your home territory against the Seminoles doesn’t help when pending recruits like Dwayne Haskins, Brian Burns, Shaver Manuel and many others are all attending a game that could be a make or break scenario. If Florida can beat FSU, that can change the minds of a lot of recruits.

must read: Will South Carolina Improve This Season?

The bottom line is Florida had a successful first season under Jim McElwain, but they need to keep it up and do a couple more things to really set them back on track. Now I’m not saying all these things need to be done for Florida to have a good season, but the Gators should really set their eyes on a few of these and go for it. Only time will tell, and I am excited for what is brewing in Gainesville.

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