Thoughts of the day: June 29, 2010

Given its track record for taking complicating the rules to the point that a degree in rocket science is not only helpful  but necessary, any time the NCAA starts dabbling further into recruiting you have to hold your breath and hope they don't make an even greater mess of things. Still, the men in blue suits did get it right when they dropped the hammer on Southern Cal and they could be onto something with this new proposal that effects scholarship offers. 

Under the new proposal, there will be no scholarship offers until after July 1 between a kid's junior and senior years in high school and no offers will be allowed unless the interested school has the kid's five most recent semesters (or seven quarters) on an official transcript. This rules change applies to all NCAA sanctioned sports. 

These new rules wouldn't necessarily result in sweeping changes in the recruiting process, but they would slow things down considerably, forcing both the schools and the kids to take a little bit more time to evaluate things before decisions are made. Considering we've seen Lane Kiffin offer a ninth-grader a football scholarship and Billy Clyde Gillispie offer an eighth-grader a basketball scholarship with the last two years, it's obvious that something needs to be done to slow things down and force a bit more logic and thought into the process. 

Here is what I like about the proposal:

1. For football, we won't see offers going out until after the June camp season and I think that's a good thing. I think the kids will benefit by going on campus to camps where they can meet with prospective new coaches and get a feel for the college environment. I think coaches will benefit because they'll get a chance to see how a kid responds to their style of coaching.

2. If adapted, I think the new rules change will put a greater premium on scouting the AAU basketball tournaments in July. I think you'll see fewer scholarship offers early in July and more toward the end after the big tournaments and after the early August elite camps.

3. From an academic standpoint, I like that there will be no offers made unless coaches have transcripts in hand. Knowing they can't get a scholarship offer unless the coach has a transcript should inspire kids to work harder on their grades. I've been around the recruiting circuit way too long to see how kids use those scholarship offers as a badge of honor. If they don't have the grades already in order or close to it, there won't be any offer forthcoming. 

Let's hope the NCAA stays on a roll and puts these rules into place. I'd feel a lot better about the men in blue suits if I knew they had gotten it right two times in a row.

* * *

Gator basketball commit Brad Beal (6-4, 190, St. Louis, MO Chaminade Prep) scored 29 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the USA 17-and-under team in an exhibition loss to Russia's 18-and-under team in Kaunas, Lithuania. The USA team, which also features Gator targets Johnny O'Bryant (6-10, 248, Cleveland, MS) and Adonis Thomas (6-6, 211, Memphis, TN Melrose) is getting ready for the FIBA World 17-and-under championships. That Russian team they lost to will be heading to San Antonio to play in the FIBA World 18-and-under championships. The USA team for the 18-and-under event will feature Gator signee Patric Young (6-10, 237, Jacksonville, FL Providence) and also features former Gator commitment Austin Rivers (6-4, 192, Winter Park, FL), who still lists Florida as his number two choice behind Duke. 

I think that by the end of the summer, Brad Beal will be generally regarded as the best rising senior in the country. He is a great kid who makes the grades in the classroom and is an absolute sponge when it comes to absorbing coaching. I don't know when I've been more excited about a Florida basketball recruit. 

Gator assistant Rob Lanier will be in Germany to watch Brad play and his presence will definitely send a message to O'Bryant and Thomas, who both have the Gators on their short list. 

* * * 

With Brad Beal a solid and unshakeable commitment to go with Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario (already in school), there is room for two more in the Florida basketball recruiting class for 2011. My guess is the Gators go for one long, athletic wing and a post player to finish things off. Here are the kids I think Billy Donovan and staff have on their short list:

POST:

1. Rakeem Christmas (6-9, 222, Philadelphia, PA Academy of the New Church): This is the guy I think the Gators will get. He's a terrific defensive presence and lately, he's shown more of a motor. I think his mind is just beginning to catch up with his body. I'm encouraged that he's becoming more of an offensive factor. 

2. Mikael Hopkins (6-9, 215, Hyattsville, MD DeMatha Catholic): Every time I've seen this kid play on the AAU circuit, I've been impressed with him. I think he runs the floor as well as any big in the country and he's a natural safety in the full court press. Plus, he's from DeMatha, which means you don't have to teach him how to play the game. 

3. Cody Zeller (6-10, 210, Washington, IN): Butler has the inside track and at some point I figure Roy Williams will really amp up the pressure on him but for now, Florida is a solid number two and a growing presence. The kid knows the game and is extremely unselfish. 

4. Willy Kouassi (6-10, 225, Birmingham, AL Central Park Christian): Two weeks ago I thought he was all but a lock for Alabama but with Alabama landing 7-1 Swede Carl Engstrom and Auburn so limited in scholarship numbers, Kouassi has really opened things up and the Gators are a serious player. Kouassi is raw but he's got everything it takes to become a force. 

5. Johnny O'Bryant (6-10, 248, Cleveland, MS): If he had to choose right now, I think he would be a Gator but I've got a feeling he's going to wind up at Mississippi State. His mama really loves Rick Stansbury and Starkville is a lot closer to Cleveland, MS than Gainesville. When it comes to a motor, no  big in the country plays harder and with more energy than Johnny O'Bryant. 

6. Michael Chandler (6-10, 225, Indianapolis, IN Lawrence North): He's got Indiana, Kentucky and Cincinnati listed ahead of Florida, but this is one the Gators have a chance to steal away. Chandler was once committed to Louisville. His recruiter at Louisville? The same Richard Pitino who's on Billy D's staff at Florida. This is a very talented kid.

WINGS:

1. Sam Thompson (6-6, 190, Chicago, IL Whitney Young): No matter what you might have heard anywhere else, Florida is definitely the leader for Sam I Am. He's got a 50-inch vertical leap and the best defensive skill set of any perimeter player in the country. I think he's further advanced at this stage than Corey Brewer. Made a 29 on his ACT and wants to take it again because he's "embarrassed" that he scored that poorly. Maybe if he scores a 33 like he wants he could donate four points to some kid who needs them!

2. Adonis Thomas (6-6, 211, Memphis, TN Melrose): From an offensive standpoint, this is a guy you would love to have. If he has one offensive weakness it's the fact that he's sometimes too passive when he needs to take the game over. He's got a 4.3 in the classroom, too.

3. Dorian Finney-Smith (6-8, 190, Portsmouth, VA IC Norcum): Plays the point on offense and the four on defense. He's also one of Vern Macklin's best friends. He has grades, basketball smarts and the kind of length and quickness to be a disruptive force defensively. 

4. Ky Madden (6-5, 195, Lepanto, AR East Poinsett County): You can make a strong case for him as a point or as a wing guard. He's so athletic he can also play small forward. Arkansas leads and Baylor is making a push but Florida is definitely in the mix and the Gators aren't going away. 

First shot at a mock class for 2011

With Urban Meyer turning up the recruiting heat, it's time to take a look at what might be for the class of 2011 for the Florida Gators. As all of you know by now, recruiting is this gigantic roll of the dice, a regular soap opera with more twists, turns and subplots than you'll find on The Young and the Restless, but here goes, a first attempt at a mock class that could be wearing orange and blue next year.

QB: Jeff Driskell COMMITTED (6-3, 225, Oviedo Hagerty)

TB: James Wilder (6-3, 219, Tampa Plant); Mike Blakely (5-9, 195, Bradenton Manatee)

FB: Hunter Joyer COMMITTED (5-11, 250, Tampa Catholic)

WR: Kelvin Benjamin (6-6, 215, Belle Glade Glades Central), Sammy Watkins (6-1, 185, Fort Myers South Fort Myers), Javares McRoy COMMITTED (5-9, 165, Lakeland)

TE: A.C. Leonard COMMITTED (6-3, 232, Jacksonville University Christian)

OL: Tommy Jordan COMMITTED (6-5, 285, Ridgefield, CT), Zach DeBell (6-6, 280, Tarpon Springs), Kiaro Holts (6-5, 280, Indianapolis, IN Warren Central), Trip Thurman (6-5, 310, Dover, DE)

DL: Ray Drew (6-5, 253, Thomasville, GA Central), Tim Jernigan (6-2, 280, Lake City Columbia County), Jeoffrey Pagan COMMITTED (6-3, 260, Asheville, NC), Curt Maggitt (6-3, 210, Palm Beach Gardens Dwyer)

LB: Ryan Shazier COMMITTED (6-2, 202, Plantation, FL), Stephone Anthony (6-2, 220, Wadesboro, NC Anson), Lamar Dawson (6-2, 230, Danville, KY Boyle County), Kent Turene (6-2, 230, Fort Lauderdale Boyd Anderson)

DB: Loucheiz Purifoy (6-0, 175, Pensacola Pine Forest), Chris Johnson (5-9, 190, Ocala Trinity Catholic), Wayne Lyons (5-11, 190, Fort Lauderdale Dillard), Marcus Roberson (6-0, 180, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas), De'Ante Saunders COMMITTED (5-11, 185, DeLand), Nick Waisome (5-10, 170, Groveland South Lake)

Are the Gators about to get another commitment?

I'm hearing that there is a stud cornerback from the panhandle on campus today and that he has either just pulled the trigger or is getting ready to tell Urban Meyer that he wants to be a Gator. Urban is on a real recruiting roll right now and that means it's fast and furious time at the Florida football offices.

There is a good chance that the Gators will land another commitment this week from a hard hitting safety from north Florida.

I keep hearing that a big time transfer is imminent, too, perhaps in the next few days. If it's who I think it is, then this is a real coup.

Is there a better recruiter out there than Urban Meyer?

The two best recruiting head coaches in Florida football history are Charley Pell and Urban Meyer, two men with a systematic approach to fill the roster with quality players from top to bottom. When Charley got fired three games into the 1984 season, the Gators fielded an NFL roster on both sides of the football and the two and three-deep was brimming with exceptional talent just waiting for its chance to see the field. I see the same thing out of Urban Meyer, who understands that the only way you can overcome injuries, attrition and graduation is to fill the roster with quality, capable kids hungry for a chance to show what they can do.

Take a look at that 1984 team, just on the offensive side of the ball:

QB: Kerwin Bell (played in the NFL, MVP in the CFL)

TB: Neal Anderson (#1 draft pick of the Bears in 1986) and Lorenzo Hampton (#1 draft pick of the Dolphins in 1985)

FB: John L Williams (#1 draft pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1986)

WR: Ricky Nattiel (#1 draft pick of the Denver Broncos in 1987)

WR: Gary Rolle (played in the NFL)

WR: Frankie Neal (played in the NFL although he transferred out of UF)

OT: Lomas Brown (#1 draft pick of the Detroit Lions, will make the NFL Hall of Fame someday)

OT: Crawford Ker (third round draft pick who played several years in the NFL)

OT: Scott Trimble (played in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers)

OG: Jeff Zimmerman (drafted, played several years in the NFL)

OG: Billy Hinson  (drafted, played three years in the NFL)

And those are just the guys who played!

Now fast forward to the past five years of Urban Meyer and take a look at what you see. The three-deep at nearly every position is manned by quality players who everyone in the country was recruiting. Oh, there’s an occasional sleeper in the bunch but for the most part, these guys are prime time players and the guys who start understand fully well that if they don’t come to practice every day with their chin straps buckled and their jock straps tightened that some young kid who’s hungry and wants it so bad he can taste it is ready to step in and get the job done.

So many kids these days want guaranteed playing time as if simply getting on the field is the ticket to the future.  Urban doesn’t promise playing time but he does promise kids that if they come to Florida determined to compete and do whatever they have to do to get onto the playing field that they will get better and when their playing careers are over, they’ll most likely have a chance to play in the NFL.

On more than a couple of occasions, Urban has recollected recruiting Percy Harvin, Tim Tebow and Brandon Spikes, who came to UF together in the recruiting class of 2006. None of them were promised a chance to start, but as Meyer happily points out, they never once asked for a guarantee of playing time --- they simply wanted to have a fair chance to show what they could do.

I guess it’s safe to say that Percy, Tim and BSpikes all proved themselves during their Florida careers.

The great ones, you see, never ask about playing time. They only ask for a chance to compete because they know the only way they’ll get better is if they have to prove themselves every day in practice.

* * *

The Meyer Recruiting Machine is cranked up and ready to hit high gear after Monday’s commitments of offensive tackle Tommy Jordan (6-5, 285, Ridgefield, CT) and linebacker Ryan Shazier (6-2, 202, Plantation, FL).  Expect at least four, possibly five more commitments before Friday Night Lights in July. This might not end up the number one class in the country, but it will finish in the top five for sure.

* * *

Is there a better recruiter out there than Urban Meyer? I don't think so.

* * * 

Florida’s baseball team went 0-2 in Omaha, certainly not where they expected to finish, but there’s no reason for them to hang their heads. The program is flourishing under Kevin O’Sullivan and this trip to Omaha is just the next step on an inevitable path toward a national championship. With almost the entire team returning next year, the Gators are going to be loaded and should begin the 2011 season with a top three or four ranking.

* * *

It’s been quite a year for Florida sports with two national championships and a bunch of top ten finishes. If there is one thing that stands out in Florida’s outstanding sports program it is the quality of the coaching and for that you have to give props to athletic director Jeremy Foley. I’ve said for a long time that when it comes to understanding the bottom line in college sports there is no one better. I can also say with a reasonable degree of certainty that he’s probably the best in the business at finding coaches who are the right fit for the Florida athletic programs.

I know there are people out there who think that just because it’s Florida that anyone could succeed here, but that’s simply not true. What separates the Gators from everybody else is the quality of the coaches that Foley hires.

Back in the spring, someone told me that Foley puts an enormous amount of pressure on coaches to win. I replied that Foley doesn’t have to. When coaches come here they simply take a look at the amount of success everyone is having in all the other sports and they put the pressure on themselves. Foley doesn’t have to put the squeeze on anybody.  I think the coaches simply look around, see what everyone else is doing and then figure out they better match the time, commitment and effort they’re seeing out of everyone else.

* * *

I don’t know about you, but I’m already psyched about 2010-11. I think it’s going to be a remarkable year for Florida athletics. 

The Gators averaged 36 points per game and finished sixth nationally in total offense last year with Tim Tebow at quarterback. While it’s impossible to replace all the things Tebow brought to the Florida football table, there’s no need to feel sad for the Gators, who will be able to put even more speed on the field this year than ever before.

Of course, the offense will change the way it does business. Tebow was such a threat in the running game that the Gators were a 60-40 or 65-35 percent run-pass team. With Johnny Brantley taking over, look for that to change a bit. Florida will still run the football but they’ll be throwing it around a bit more and the depth at receiver will allow them to add some wrinkles to the passing game that we haven’t seen in an Urban Meyer offense. We will also see Brantley under center some of the time and we’ll also see some I-formation. The option will still be a part of the offense although not as prominent as it was the past couple of years.

It might come as a shock to some of the experts who think the Gators won’t be as good or as explosive on offense as they were with Tebow, but this group has the potential to be one of the best offenses in Florida history.

Here are five reasons the Gators will be as explosive as they have ever been on offense in 2010.

1. A SENIOR DOMINATED OFFENSIVE LINE: There is something to be said about senior-dominated offensive lines, particularly when three of the starters have national championship starting experience under their belts. Mike Pouncey (28 consecutive starts on the offensive line) will be the best center in the nation. Mark it down. It’s going to happen.  Carl Johnson (24 consecutive starts on the O-line) at left guard and Marcus Gilbert (18 career starts, 14 consecutive) at right tackle will be among the two or three best at their positions in the SEC this year. Sophomore Xavier Nixon has seven consecutive starts at left tackle. He’s going to be a first rounder in the NFL someday. I like the situation at right guard where you have fifth-year senior Mo Hurt and fourth-year junior James Wilson. I love the depth and versatility, too. Mike Pouncey can play all five positions on the line while the coaches are confident that backup center Sam Robey could fill in at either guard slot or right tackle. Carl Johnson has starts at both left guard and left tackle and sophomore Nick Alajajian played center in the spring, so he’s another one trained to play all five positions. A guy to watch is sophomore Jon Halapio. If either Hurt or Wilson have injury problems as they have been prone to in the past, they’ll be seeing Halapio’s license plate in the future. When talking about the O-line you have to consider Matt Patchan, too. He’s coming off knee surgery and it might be too much to ask him to bulk up (he’s 6-6, 280) to play tackle again. He’s got the speed to play tight end. Will the coaches be tempted to leave him on the outside? The Gators will have 15 scholarship offensive linemen in the fall but it’s the seniors that make you think this group could be as good as Florida has ever had from top to bottom of the depth chart.

2. SMART QUARTERBACK WITH THREE YEARS OF PREPARATION: Johnny Brantley has what I consider the best and most accurate arm of any quarterback I’ve ever seen at Florida. He’s also got three years of training and preparation heading into this season, which is one of the chief reasons I think there will be little if any dropoff at the position. He won’t do the things that Tim Tebow could do but Tim wasn’t adept making some of the throws Johnny Brantley can, either. The Gators won’t use Brantley as the battering ram on short yardage this year, but just because he isn’t the go-to guy on third and two, don’t think he isn’t a capable runner. He will begin the season the third rated quarterback in the Southeastern Conference. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if he isn’t the All-SEC quarterback when the season is over.

3. DEPTH AT RUNNING BACK: The Gators really could have used Chris Rainey in the slot last year but with Emmanuel Moody dinged up and Mike Gillislee an unproven freshman, the coaching staff decided the offense was better with Rainey and Jeff Demps as the two primary tailbacks. Now that Moody has had bone spur surgery, his ankles should be healthy for the first time since he’s been at Florida and that should make a significant difference. The way Gillisleee played in the spring should tell you he’s ready to play a big role in the offense, too, and Demps? Well, the fastest man in college football is back and once again that means safeties will have to play 25-30 yards off the line of scrimmage. Then there is the matter of freshman Mack Brown. He expects to play right away. In that he’ll be reporting at somewhere between 200-210, he will be ready to take on a prominent role from day one. Four tailbacks means the Gators can move Rainey to the Percy position, where he should quickly establish himself as one of the most dangerous players in all of college football. Don’t forget fullback Steve Wilks. He gives the Gators the same versatility they had when Billy Latsko was in the backfield.

4. RECEIVERS FOR EVERY KIND OF ROUTE: I think this is significant because the Gators have everything from deep strike guys with blow by speed like Deonte Thompson, Chris Dunkley and Andre Debose to physical guys who can operate in the middle of the field like Carl Moore and Omarius Hines to make you miss types like Chris Rainey, Solomon Patton and Robert Clark. Tight ends Jordan Reed and Gerald Christian will be heard from plenty. And speaking of tight end, there is that little matter of Matt Patchan, who has tight end speed to go with the dancing feet of a prime time left tackle. If some of the backups on the offensive line show up big in August, there could be more than just a little bit of temptation to put Patchan at tight end where he could excel as a pass and run blocker as well as use his 6-6, 280-pounds to be the nightmare matchup in the middle.

5. A SPECIAL PLAYER WHOSE TIME HAS COME: I can count on one hand the number of players I’ve seen over the years who have that ability to suck the air right out of an entire stadium every time they touch the ball. I put Chris Rainey in that category and believe strongly that this will be his year to literally take college football by storm. Everybody knows that if you give him a seam it’s see you later but now he’s moving to the slot where his combination of speed, moves and elusiveness will give the Gators the kind of explosion at the position that was sorely lacking last year. Brandon James gave the Gators 350 yards of rushing and receiving and one touchdown last year, quite a dropoff from the nearly 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns the position averaged the three previous seasons. In the Sugar Bowl, Rainey gave the Gators four carries for 27 yards and a touchdown rushing to go with four catches for 71 yards. He also returned four kickoffs and a punt for 144 more yards. If Chris Rainey can give the Gators 200-plus all-purpose yards per game this season, the Florida offense is going to be all but unstoppable. Put that kind of explosiveness in the slot and the wideouts suddenly get more room to maneuver and the tailbacks don’t see eight in the box nearly as often.  

Did the Gators just get a new commitment? And is another one on the way?

There are rumblings out of The Swamp this morning that the Gators either got a commitment or are very close to a commitment from stud outside linebacker Lamar Dawson (6-2, 235, Danville, KY Boyle County). This is a versatile kid who is the best athlete on his high school team. He is a slot receiver and part-time tailback in addition to being a seek and destroy linebacker.

Also keep your eye on offensive lineman Tommy Jordan (6-5, 285, Ridgefield, CT), who is another one who could pull the trigger for Florida this weekend. Jordan is a Steve Addazio special. Every year Addazio goes up to the northeast and brings home a big time player (see Aaron Hernandez, Will Hill for example).

The Florida recruiting class of 2011 is just starting to pick up steam. Don't be surprised to see the Gators somewhere in the neighborhood of 12-15 commitments right after Friday Night Lights in July. This is going to be another serious recruiting class, more than likely top five in quality.

I keep hearing the Gators could get a transfer of some magnitude in the next two or three weeks. Can't confirm who he is or where he's from, but the little bit of info that's been leaked my way says it's a significant addition if indeed the Gators do land him.

I'm supposed to be taking some time off before life at the new network kicks in for me, but I've been writing about the Gators way too long so in a lot of ways, this is an addiction that has to be fed. I'm in withdrawal right now, so time to express myself.

If you follow me here and on facebook, you'll be able to find the launch time for the new network that I will be working for. I'll still be writing about the Gators just at a new place. Until I'm launched at the new place, you can follow my incessant ramblings and occasional brilliant (debatable) thoughts right here.

So .... a few thoughts for your Thursday evening.

1. A NEW COMMITMENT FOR FLORIDA FOOTBALL: Say hello to Hunter Joyer, a 5-11, 250-pound fullback from Tampa Catholic who committed to the Gators Thursday. Camp observers say that Joyer was put through the paces in the heat of the day with Urban Meyer looking on. Word is that the tougher the drills, the better Joyer got. He's an intriguing prospect. He's got ideal size for a fullback, which is mostly a blocker in the Florida scheme, but he's an accomplished running back with tremendous power and he can catch the ball. Watch what the Gators do this year with Steve Wilks and I think you'll get a pretty good idea of how they'll be using Joyer. Wilks can catch the ball and he's a tough runner between the tackles, too. One thing that I've always liked about Meyer's offenses is that they adapt to what the personnel do best. I think Hunter Joyer gives the Gators the kind of kid who gets those creative minds figuring out new ways to use him.

2. A REAL SHOT AT WINNING IN OMAHA: Kevin O'Sullivan takes the Gator baseball team to Omaha where they've got a real shot to bring home the national championship. The Gators last went to the College World Series in 2005 when they made it to the championship round only to get knocked out by Texas. This is a young team that has earned its experience on the fly and Omaha is a place where youth and inexperience often meet an unhappy ending. Something about this crew tells me don't worry about the Gators. I think Kevin O'Sullivan has done a terrific job of keeping this team focused and getting them in the right frame of mind to take on increasing challenges. Here's why I like Florida's chances: (1) they don't beat themselves in the field and (2) they've got a deep bullpen which will enable O'Sullivan to use plenty of arms every single game.

3. WHERE HAVE YOU GONE JOE DIMAGGIO?: No, I'm not talking about hitting streaks, but I am talking about a streak that could stand longer than Joe D's 57-game hitting streak in Major League Baseball. I'm talking about our fine friends out west from the Harvard of Leon Spinks County. This marks the 20th time the Seminoles have made it to the College World Series and if they come home empty-handed (again), they will add to a record of futility that I doubt anyone will ever approach. Now, Mike Martin is one of the finest human beings on the planet and in some respects you hope that he finally gets the 800-pound gorilla of doubt off his back but records are records. If you can't break a record then you should have the decency to at least add to it.

4. IN THE AFTERMATH OF EXPANSION: Okay, the Big Ten, which was actually the Big 11, is now the New Big 12 and the Big 12, which was actually the Big 12, is now the Old Big 12 Minus Two. Confused? Well that's what expansion will do for you. Think of how confused you would be if the Big Ten (the one that is now the Big 12 had added Missouri from the Big 12 Minus Two) and then for kicks, added Syracuse, Rutgers and Pitt from the Big East, making it the Big Least. And what if the Pacific-10, which is now the Pac-12, had become the Pac-16? It's now the Pac-12 because Utah and Colorado are now members. Funny, but they don't seem all that Pacific to me. If the Pac-10 at the time had become the Pac-16 by raiding six (count 'em) teams from the Big 12 (at the time) Minus Two, you wouldn't have been able to tell the players without a program.

5. IN THE AFTERMATH OF EXPANSION, PART II: What happens if the New Big 12 decides that there is still some expanding to do? Personally, I like a 12-team conference but if commish Jim Delaney decides the New Big 12 could significantly add the bucks by going on another raid he'll do it. Obviously, the top target is and will always be Notre Dame and as long as Delaney leaves the Big East alone, Notre Dame can stay right where it is. But, if Delaney were to secure three Big East schools --- effectively turning the once proud Big East into the soon to be defunct Big Least --- Notre Dame would have no options but to join. Notre Dame can do just fine as an independent in football, but if the Big East were no longer a viable option for basketball and other sports, the Irish might be forced to capitulate.

6. NOTRE DAME COULD REMAIN INDEPENDENT NO MATTER WHAT IF THIS HAPPENED: The Big East is this interesting 16-team coalition of eight football schools (Syracuse, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Louisville, Pittsburgh, South Florida, Connecticut and South Florida); Notre Dame and seven basketball-only Catholic schools (Providence, St. John's, Georgetown, Villanova, Marquette, Seton Hall and DePaul). Even if the New Big 12 were to raid the Big East of some of its football schools, Notre Dame could remain independent if the Catholic schools were to band together to form their own conference. Those eight teams could perhaps add St. Joseph's, Dayton, St. Louis and Fordham to bring it to a 12-team league that would be formidable in basketball. With Notre Dame's financial clout with NBC, I could see a television deal that could make a brand new league formidable.

7. BRAD BEAL ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE: Everybody knew Florida commitment Bradley Beal (6-4, 190, St. Louis, MO Chaminade Prep) was one of the elite players in the recruiting class of 2011 before last year's FIBA Americas 16-and-under tournament in Argentina, but ever since he lit everybody up on that international stage, his stock has gone through the roof. It's safe to say he's one of the three or four best prospects in the country for 2011 and the reason is he doesn't take plays off no matter which end of the floor he's playing. At the Houston Nike event back in May, he scored 36 points in the final game while serving as the St. Louis Eagles' emergency point guard and on the defensive end, he took on a 6-8 power forward and locked him down. Brad goes back on the international stage starting July 2 in Germany at the FIBA World 17-and-under tournament.

8. BRAD BEAL ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE, PART II: I'll be very interested to see if Beal's solid commitment to Florida has any influence with Gator targets Johnny O'Bryant (6-10, 248, Cleveland, MS) and Adonis Thomas (6-6, 211, Memphis, TN Melrose) while in Germany. They became good friends last year down in Argentina and have maintained a friendship since then. Thomas has Florida, Arkansas and Memphis in his top three while O'Bryant likes Florida, Memphis, Ole Miss and Mississippi State. O'Bryant and Thomas would like to play together in college but it's not a set in stone requirement.

9. FLORIDA'S 2011 RECRUITING CLASS ... : Rutgers transfer Mike Rosario is already in school and counting against the 13 scholarships this year so that means the Gators will sign three more. Brad Beal will be one of the three. The other two? Ideally, the Gators would go for a big like Johnny O'Bryant or perhaps Mikael Hopkins (6-9, 220, Hyattsville, MD DeMatha Catholic) but an intriguing possibility would be to add two high flying athletic types who can multi-task. I think the Gators are in great shape for Sam Thompson (6-6, 190, Finney-Smith (6-8, 185, Portsmouth, VA IC Norcum). The question is: if O'Bryant or Hopkins wants to be a Gator and two of the threesome of Thompson, Thomas and Finney-Smith also want to be Gators, what does Billy Donovan do since that would put UF one over the scholarship limit? It's a real dilemma but I would rather have that kind of dilemma than one like last year when the Gators really had only eight scholarship players available.

10. RANDOM THOUGHTS: Shelley Meyer tells me that Urban is healthy, re-charged and ready to coach. That's good news for the Gators. Bad news for everyone else ... I think the longer Tiger Woods goes without winning, the more that once formidable aura of invincibility shrinks. Watching him at Pebble Beach I didn't get the feeling that anyone is intimidated by Tiger these days ... Enjoy Chipper Jones while you can. He's going to seriously think about retiring after this season. Wouldn't it be great if the Atlanta Braves sent him off with at least a division championship to remember all those good years? ... Whoever thought vuvuzelas was a good idea needs to spend a month in solitary confinement forced to listen to that incessant drone 24 hours per ... Pete Carroll should have kept his mouth shut. The more he claims the NCAA wronged Southern Cal the more I think people are going to wish the men in blue suits had delivered the death penalty for the first time since SMU ... Speaking of the death penalty and the NCAA, anyone remember what happened to Southwestern Louisiana (now Louisiana-Lafayette) back in the 1970s? The Rajin' Cajuns got the death penalty for two years due to recruiting violations having five players on the roster whose cumulative high school GPAs were below 1.6.

Have a great evening.

Franz