Spring Evaluation Period: Florida Coaches Area Breakdown I
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* Florida takes the lead for four-star back
* Gators in good shape for top 2019 defensive end
* Florida offers Peach State defensive tackle while on visit
* Alley: South Carolina commit talks Florida Saturday visit
* Florida adds big time back to commitment list
* Five-star Johnson visits Florida once again
* Social Slant: Copeland expands list from two to five
* Four-star Miami commit talks Florida visit
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It's tax season, which means that across the nation most people look upon April 15 with disdain. That is except for those who are involved or follow recruiting as either as a coach, prospect or recruitnik. For that select group the date is looked at as the kickoff to the six week spring evaluation period.
Up until several cycles ago a program selected which four of the six weeks they were designating for their staff to be on the road.
Now, a program can be out for all six weeks. You have a grand total of 168 evaluation days to use as you see fit. One evaluation day consists of one coach being out on the road. Regardless of whether he visits one or 21 schools that day – it still counts as one evaluation day.
Coaches are limited to two visits per prospect - one to watch him in an athletic setting and one to check up on his academics. Spring is a time to evaluate, by rule, there's no recruiting.
Coaches are able to watch a player practice, talk to his coach and school employees, but in person contact with a prospect has to be limited to basically a hi and bye.
High schools in the Sunshine State don't begin spring ball for another 10 days at the earliest.
Of course there have been some assignments rearranged with the addition of three new assistant coaches.
One thing to pay close attention to is that outside of the state of Florida - there are only four other states/areas that have an assigned coach - Georgia, southern Alabama, New Orleans and Houston, in all other states coaches will recruit by position.
Today Inside the Gators takes an in-depth look at the coaching staff's primary recruiting responsibilities in this three part feature.
DEFENSIVE BACKS COACH COREY BELL
INSTATE: He, defensive coordinator Randy Shannon and running backs coach JaJuan Seider will work two of the most talent rich areas in the Sunshine State in Broward and Dade Counties. That is a lot of firepower (time, energy and effort) Florida is dedicating to South Florida. Last cycle Florida had two coaches working the area and came away with perhaps their best class ever from the southern part of the state. What are the possibilities with these three?
OUT-OF-STATE: Atlanta area
TOP TARGETS IN-STATE AREA:
OFFENSIVE LINE COACH BRAD DAVIS
INSTATE: Polk and Osceola Counties. This is a small area for one coach to handle. The reasons are likely two-fold this cycle. There aren't a ton of prospects in the region Florida is recruiting. Also, Davis doesn't have a history in the state, this gives him a chance to get his feet wet. Also, it affords him the opportunity to spend more time concentrating just on offensive line targets, who are spread out over the state.
OUT-OF-STATE: South Georgia
TOP TARGETS IN-STATE AREA:
WIDE RECEIVERS COACH KERRY DIXON
INSTATE: Dixon, who came in as an unknown, but has shown to be an up-and-coming recruiter, has a pretty sizable - and important area. It stretches from Daytona Beach all the way down to the Space Coast on the eastern border of the state while also adding in the Orlando metro area.
OUT-OF-STATE: The area around Houston, Tx.
TOP TARGETS IN-STATE AREA:
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