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Published Apr 17, 2017
Spring Evaluation Period: Florida Coaches Area Breakdown II
Mark Wheeler  •  1standTenFlorida
Publisher

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.

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TIGHT ENDS COACH GREG NORD

INSTATE: Last year Nord was primarily responsible for one of the weakest areas in the state - north central Florida including Ocala, over to Gainesville right up to Tallahassee. This year his territory has expanded exponentially. Not only does he have the same area, he is also taking over the Nature Coast (north of Tampa) and the State Capitol. Florida has basically taken two of the instate regions which are least kind to the Gators and combined them into one. It is a huge swath of ground for Nord to cover, but as you get out that way, while there have been some successes over the years, more often than not the area isn't kind to Florida by way of delivering signees.

OUT-OF-STATE: South Georgia.

TOP TARGETS IN-STATE AREA:       

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DOUG NUSSMEIER

INSTATE: Florida's offensive coordinator has the west coast of the Sunshine State from Pinellas County (Clearwater/St. Petersburg) heading south to include Bradenton, Naples, down through Fort Meyers.

OUT-OF-STATE: Atlanta area.

TOP TARGETS IN-STATE AREA:   

DEFENSIVE LINE COACH CHRIS RUMPH

INSTATE: The same as the last two years, Rumph is holding down the Tampa area - for years one of the Gators traditional strongholds in recruiting.

OUT-OF-STATE: Atlanta area.

TOP TARGETS IN-STATE AREA:     

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