Florida lands No. 1 kicker in the nation
Since becoming the new head coach of Florida, Dan Mullen has reached out to extend an offer to several of the prospects that had committed to him while he was still the head coach of Mississippi State.
On Sunday the first of those prospects flipped from the Bulldogs to the Gators when Fort Payne (Ala.) three-star kicker Evan McPherson decided to join the Gators immediately upon completing his weekend official visit to Florida.
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“Definitely the relationship I have with Dan Mullen and the staff he brought with him from Mississippi State,” replied McPherson when asked why he decided to commit to Florida. “Knowing the staff and then going down on an official visit this weekend and getting to see everything, it made me want to go there. It's where I felt most comfortable.”
In some cases, out-of-state prospects visiting Florida have visions of sandy beaches, tanned bodies, perfect weather and enjoying time outside in the sun.
However, this past weekend felt more like a trip to the Midwest in winter as temperatures hovered near freezing.
That didn't deter McPherson one bit. He was focused more on the overall picture.
“I was hoping it would be warm, but we checked the forecast before we came and saw that it was going to be rainy and cold. That doesn't bother me. I liked the school and campus overall. This visit really opened my eyes to everything Florida has to offer. The academics are incredible. The facilities are great with the new Hawkins Center. The way I got along with the players and how welcoming they were. Everything made me feel comfortable with this choice.”
Unlike wide receiver, offensive line or cornerbacks, there aren't two or three kickers out on the field at a time. There is really only room for one at a time on a roster.
McPherson's signing makes the most sense if current Florida kicker Eddy Pineiro is going pro.
However, according to McPherson, that hasn't been determined yet and regardless of what happens, he doesn't see it impacting his choice.
“They don't know yet,” replied McPherson when asked if Pineiro was going pro. “They are all still waiting on his draft grade. It doesn't change my situation, I am 100-percent committed to Florida and I'll sign with the Gators on December, 20. If he comes back, I'll redshirt or back him up if he gets injured. If he doesn't come back I'll be kicking.”
In a true leap of faith, not only is Pineiro's future with Florida still up in the air, McPherson said that Mullen didn't tell him who the new special teams coach would be.
McPherson said that he was hosted this weekend by Tommy Townsend and the highlight of the weekend was spending time with the players.
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