Florida's Nightmare National Signing Day Scenario

By the time Jim McElwain took the reins in Gainesville, Florida's recruiting class had fallen to 61st nationally in 247Sports' composite class rankings. Just 48 hours following an announcement of his hiring, the Gators lost a commitment from 4-star California quarterback Sheriron Jones. 

Nearly two months later, Florida fans are still waiting for the former Colorado State coach to find his footing on new recruiting turf.

The program is planted at 77th in national class rankings, failing to seal the deal with several in-state standouts who are considering other options. A week shy of national signing day, the clock is ticking on a late turnaround for McElwain's efforts to salvage a decimated group.

It's an arduous task given the Gators' fall from grace.

The era of Urban Meyer, Tim Tebow and national championship celebrations are fading farther into the rearview mirror for today's generation of high school talent, as Orlando Sentinel reporter Chris Hays recently noted.

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Recruits aren’t stupid. They know a sales job. A lemon is a lemon, no matter what color you paint it. And right now, Gators’ orange has a sort of faded yellowish tint. New UF coaches have to prove to recruits they are reconstructing the image; restoring the colors to the brilliance that once shined on this football program.

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Florida has landed just three 2015 commitments since McElwain assumed his top spot in The Swamp. Defensive end Jabari Zuniga, linebacker Rayshad Jackson and tight end Daniel Imatorbhebhe are each fine athletes and quality additions to a class that needs bodies, but they're 3-star talents who won't exactly send Gators fans jogging across campus with joy.

Imatorbhebhe, a former Missouri pledge who enrolled early at Florida, was the first commitment of this new regime. 

"(McElwain) is ready and motivated to return the program back to where it was—getting Florida back to dominating the SEC East and contending for titles," Imatorbhebhe told me shortly after his decision.

The Georgia playmaker expected several others would follow suit soon afterward, refilling a largely barren Gators recruiting bandwagon.

"Now that I understand the kind of man Coach Mac is and what his plan is for the program, I know it's only a matter of time before he gets things rolling with recruiting," Imatorbhebhe said. "Big stuff is in the works for these next few weeks."

Those comments came more than a month ago, and Florida has yet to fuel a recruiting frenzy. 

New Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh just flipped 4-star quarterback Zach Gentry from Texas and appears to be inching toward a recommitment from coveted Connecticut tight end Chris Clark. Meanwhile, first-year Nebraska coach Mike Riley recently lured top-tier offensive lineman Jalin Barnett away from Oklahoma.

The buzz you're hearing generated in Gainesville?

Probably just the sound of crickets. 

Florida was unable to lock down a high-profile public commitment last weekend despite compiling a VIP guest list that included 5-star defensive end Byron Cowart, Miami running back commit Jordan Scarlett and former Hurricanes commit Jordan Cronkrite:

Florida State quarterback pledge Deondre Francois was also on campus. Though he enjoyed the experience, his next journey to Gainesville will occur in a Seminoles jersey.

“The Florida visit was good, it was great. It’s a great environment with a great coach, but I’m staying with Florida State,” Francois told Brendan Sonnone of the Sentinel. "My heart is with Florida State. ... I feel I can be more successful with Florida State, under Jimbo [Fisher].”

Florida may now turn its attention squarely toward Louisville commit Lamar Jackson as it looks to fill the quarterback slot. The team also offered North Carolina State quarterback pledge Jakobi Meyers on Wednesday, per Luke Stampni of 247Sports.

But again, McElwain faces an uphill battling for recruits who already established rapports with other staffs.

The remaining week toward signing day promises to provide plenty of drama and perhaps a large portion of disappointment.

The Gators are locked in battles with SEC rival Auburn—and new Tigers assistant Will Muschamp—for top-rated offensive tackle Martez Ivey, 4-star linebacker Jeffery Holland and Cowart, who is reportedly down to the two programs.

Fellow 5-star defensive end CeCe Jefferson continues to entertain the idea of playing in Gainesville:

However, his constant flirtations with Ole Miss and various visits to Oxford can't make McElwain feel incredibly confident in that pursuit:

Prized players like Jefferson, Cowart and Ivey landed on Florida's radar a long time ago, garnering interest from the Gators as underclassmen. Now McElwain, despite just showing up for the last leg of a long journey, is banking on reaching the finish line with at least a few of them on board. 

Backup plans, like Philadelphia defensive end Shareef Miller, received Florida offers earlier this month. Though flattered, Miller echoed repeated sentiments by citing limited time as a detriment to McElwain's recruiting attempts.

"The effort was real strong," Miller said. "(Coaches) really tried their best to recruit me to Florida. It was kinda too late for them to jump ahead of my other schools cause they haven't really known me like the others schools."

This is the tight spot that McElwain and his staff now find themselves entrenched.

Florida's top-tier targets received most of their love from Muschamp, who now recruits for Auburn, while the Gators' newly identified prospects are being asked to pick a program that essentially ignored them throughout much of a lengthy cycle. 

If things don't develop the way McElwain envisions during the next seven days, a roster in need of significant overhaul won't welcome many instant upgrades this year. 

Still seven months shy of his first game as a Gator, pressure is already mounting for Florida's new leader.

 

Quotes obtained firsthand by B/R national recruiting analyst Tyler Donohue unless otherwise noted.

Recruit ratings courtesy of 247Sports.