Charlie Weis To Florida: Will He Affect Gators' Offensive Recruiting Strategy

For the past 6 seasons, Florida Gator fans have watched Urban Meyer's offense, known as the "Spread Option" win them numerous games in the SEC and two BCS National Championships.

Before Meyer arrived, former Gator head coach Ron Zook ran a shotgun heavy offensive system. Then before Zook, "The Ol' Ball Coach" Steve Spurrier ran the notorious "Fun 'N' Gun" offense.

With new Florida head coach Will Muschamp naming former Notre Dame head coach and current Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to the same position at Florida, it is clear that an offensive revolution is happening in Gainesville.

Weis rose to fame as the New England Patriots offensive coordinator and helping quarterback Tom Brady develop into one of the all time greatest signal callers in NFL history.

This parlayed Weis into getting the Notre Dame job where he implemented his Pro Style offense with Brady Quinn and Jimmy Clausen at the helm. Aside from being known as an extremely gifted offensive coach, at Notre Dame, Weis also became recognized as a very good recruiter.

The consensus in college football of Weis' downfall in South Bend was that he correctly evaluated offensive recruits to fit his Pro Style offense, but never fully addressed the defense.

Now charged with just running the offense at Florida, Weis can do what he does best, recruit offensive players that fit his scheme and put them in the best position to make plays.

Gator fans will notice a difference of the players their beloved school is targeting almost immediately, especially at the quarterback and running back positions.

Under Meyer, the QB was also asked to be a very good runner, ala Tim Tebow, Jordan Reed, Trey Burton, Cam Newton, and Josh Portis.

John Brantley never really was a good fit for Meyer's system, but should fit better in Weis' system. Current Gator pledge, Jeff Driskell, perhaps the top pro-style quarterback in the country, should be a better fit for Weis' offense then he would have been in Meyer's.

Weis wants his quarterbacks to be in total command of the offense on the field, decisive in their reads and accurate from the pocket. If they are talented enough to make plays with their feet, that is a plus, but Weis believes in his route combinations to attack coverages and let the play develop to find the open receiver.  

Another wrinkle in Weis' Pro-Style system is the full field reads compared to the mostly play side reads of the Spread system. This will affect the Gator's recruiting efforts as Weis will look for more disciplined pocket passer quarterbacks, rather than the dual threat types Meyer would love to seek.

At running back, Gator fans will notice the recruiting of more backs with size. Weis' system employs elements of a zone running scheme and also a downhill attacking running scheme. Gator fans have gotten accustomed to employing mostly "scat" type running backs to don blue and orange, as in Chris Rainey, Jeff Demps, Mack Brown, and current commit Mike Blakely.

Meyer almost exclusively had his offense in shotgun and wanted his running backs to be smaller players with gifted agility, quickness, and speed so they could do damage in space.

While Weis will recruit the running backs in the land, he will affect Florida's recruiting at this position by asking for and going after running backs with a bit more size and who are more North and South runners. Weis will use the before mentioned "scat" backs as 3rd down backs and special package players, like he did with Dexter McCluster in Kansas City.

Also, look for the return of a classic fullback to return to Florida's roster during Weis' tenure. So Gator fans, if you notice bigger, downhill backs are looking at Florida harder from now on, that is your new offensive coordinator, Charlie Weis, at work.

With the offensive line, tight ends, and receivers, Weis will recruit the best possible players as these positions are flexible to fill.

Meyer usually liked smaller, run-after-the-catch type receivers, and Weis will recruit these players too, but this is another position where size will likely be increased through recruiting.

Weis will recruit the best offensive linemen and adapt his running game to his roster's personnel. If his five best big uglies are smaller and more athletic linemen, then he will run more of zone based running scheme. If his linemen are bulkier and strong point of attack players, then a downhill, power running scheme should be the choice.

The tight end position will see the classic big tight end who can block as the sixth offensive lineman, and a smaller "move" or "flex" tight end who can be a dynamic threat in the passing game like Tony Moeaki has become with the Chiefs.

So in all Florida fans, Weis will have a serious effect on the Gators recruiting on the offensive side of the ball.

And if past history is an indicator, Weis will correctly evaluate, recruit, and bring in talent that fits an offensive scheme that will be very different from the type of players Urban Meyer, Dan Mullen, and Steve Adazio brought to Gainesville in years past.