1st 10 with Joshua Evans

InsidetheGators.net is starting its post signing day coverage of the signees in the class of 2009 by going over ten questions with each about the recruiting process as well as what they are currently doing to prepare themselves for their future at the University of Florida.

Up next is Irvington (N.J.) athlete Joshua Evans.

InsidetheGators.net: Looking back, would you change anything about the recruiting process?

Joshua Evans: Absolutely not. I loved the way things turned out and there's absolutely nothing I would change about it.

InsidetheGators.net: What was your favorite part about the process and what was the worst?

Joshua Evans: The calls were both. At the beginning you kind of like, like it. Everybody's showing you love. That's cool to get all of that attention and people recognize you as a good player. But then by the summer it started getting aggravating. It's all the calls you get and then after you do an interview you had to get on and make sure what they said you said, is what you really said.

I always had to watch what I would say to them (reporters).

I remember one of the first things I said in one interview is that I liked Virginia Tech when I was growing up because I watched players like Micheal Vick and his style. Then you read the story the next day and they have Tech leading when I never said that.

The next thing you know I have everyone calling me up asking me why I want to go to Virginia Tech.

All (of) that gets kind of old. You have to watch what you say because people will write it up wrong and rephrase it if you don't.

InsidetheGators.net: Florida has signed a couple of prospects out of New Jersey over the years, but it always seems a little strange when a player from the northeast ends up in Gainesville. What was it about UF that made you want to become a Gator?

Joshua Evans: I have a cousin (LaMarr Davis) from North Carolina that's an All-American on the track team. I knew some stuff about Florida already. I went down there on an unofficial visit over the summer and it was great. It was one of the first times I got to experience a big-time college football program.

We didn't get to do all the stuff they do on official visits, but we did some of the stuff.

We went into the weight room and I was blown away. I don't want to say I fell in love with Florida then or I knew that's where I wanted to go. That didn't happen, but I knew I really liked them after that.

InsidetheGators.net: If it weren't for Florida, where would you have signed?

Joshua Evans: It came down to Florida and Oklahoma with Pittsburgh in third. I liked my visit out there (to Norman) and me and Bob Stoops were cool. I liked it when I was out there, but Florida was more home for me. It would have been a harder transition for me to go to Oklahoma than it will be for me at Florida.

I don't want people thinking I chose Florida over the Sooners because they won the National Championship Game.

InsidetheGators.net: How strange was it that your two finalists were playing for the National Championship? Were you pulling for either team during the game?

Joshua Evans: It was tough because I knew the decision was going to be hard and the team that lost would be telling me that I could be the reason they win the game next year or the team that won the game would be telling me I could be the reason they will win another one next year.

You have to cut through all that BS.

It was a great position to be in. I have to admit that I did love it.

I was at the game with my aunt. I was pulling for both of them. I wanted it to go down to the wire and be a good game for both teams.

InsidetheGators.net: You were a jack-of-all-trades in high school. What position did Florida recruit you to play?

Joshua Evans: They actually have me coming in as an athlete. I've been talking to my position coach (Chuck Heater) and he said that they are going to start me out as a nickel back my first year coming in.

They have two deep at corner already. Maybe they can move me to corner later on.

InsidetheGators.net: What is the workout plan from UF like?

Joshua Evans: I've looked over it, but right now I'm No. 3 in the nation in the 55 meter hurdles in track so I can't follow it. I've tried to blend in some of the speed drills and some of the weightlifting, but I really can't do that right now.

InsidetheGators.net: What is your academic status?

Joshua Evans: Coming in to my freshman year, I lost my mother in May, so that sort of pushed things back academically. I kind of lost it there for a little while and didn't do what I should have been doing, but coach Heater saw my transcripts, how I've got better going into my junior year.

I'm getting back on track. I should be straight.

Coach Heater has me taking a full class load and he's mapped out everything. I have to retake some classes and take some BYU online classes. I to do some things over the summer. All I need is about 10 more points on my SAT and I should be good with the way they have everything set up for me.

InsidetheGators.net: What number will you wear?

Joshua Evans: I've told them I like number one a lot, but there's probably other people who've been there and already claimed it. I'd like t wear number one like I did in high school or if it came down to it, number six, but I don't have anything to do with it. I'll have to come in and fight for it.

InsidetheGators.net: Do you communicate with any of the other signees?

Joshua Evans: I talked to some of them while we were on our visit, but I didn't get any numbers from any of them to call them up or anything.