GAINESVILLE -- Well, the big story after Tuesday's practice was whether or not the team was going to "rally around" Brandon Spikes after his suspension for unsportsmanlike conduct. Lame, right? You're not going to read any of that here, though. Sorry. Urban Meyer said he decided on the half-game suspension after talking with Coach Charlie Strong and athletic director Jeremy Foley. Moving on...
Instead, we're talking recruiting today after an interview I had with UF assistant coach Vance Bedford. Bedford, who coaches cornerbacks, is the Gators' recruiter in Miami-Dade County. That's a hard job and it deserves our attention.
Considering what Bedford is up against, it could be argued that he has the most difficult recruiting assignment among the Gators' coaches. Miami is, of course, the Canes' backyard. There's not only a strong love for the Canes in Miami but, according to some, also a long-standing distrust of the Gators' coaching staff by several key Miami-Dade high school coaches.
"They're tied to Miami, which I understand that," said Bedford [PICTURED]. "Miami is the local flavor and we totally understand that, but there are enough players to go around. There are a lot of young men down there who have strong interest in Florida, so we're trying to get in there and recruit and say, 'We're here. We're going to win.'"
In addition to the UM bias throughout Miami-Dade, Bedford is also outnumbered in the area. Nearly every UM assistant helps recruit Miami-Dade while Bedford is the only UF assistant assigned to the area. (Florida's assistants will overlap at times when recruiting a player they really want.)
In his first year as UF's point man in Miami-Dade, Bedford didn't have much in the form of players to show for his work. For the fourth-straight signing class, Florida failed to land a player from Miami-Dade in 2009. That four-year streak is a bit odd considering Florida has one of the best football programs in the country and Miami-Dade is the state's most populous county and one of the nation's most talent-rich areas.
For whatever reason, former UF assistant Doc Holliday didn't have much success in Miami representing the Gators and coach Urban Meyer. One story I've been told several times is that the Miami Northwestern crew that is now the core of the Canes' team -- Jacory Harris, Sean Spence, etc ... -- used to refer to Holliday as "Snake Eyes" -- a great nickname if you're a covert government agent but probably not the best moniker for a college football recruiter. Holliday left for West Virginia last season and that's when Meyer brought in Bedford, an old friend, to make some headway in Miami. Bedford's hard work appears to be paying off.
"We're going to keep working and hopefully get one or two this year and see what happens," Bedford said on Tuesday, speaking in general terms about UF's goals for Miami-Dade in 2010. Signing day is in February.
With several months remaining in the 2010 recruiting cycle, it appears that Bedford has made some inroads in Miami. The Gators already have commitments from three players in Miami: linebacker Gideon Ajagbe of Miami Ransom-Everglades and Miami Booker T. Washington teammates Quinton Dunbar, a receiver, and Lynden Trail, a defensive end.
The skinny on Trail: At 6-7, 220 pounds, Trail is a project player who looks more like a basketball player than a defensive lineman. He could blossom into a defensive force but it will take time. Chances of him remaining committed to Florida: 60-40.
[PICTURED, Lynden Trail goes for the old push-your-bicep-out-with-the-back-of-your-hand trick. (Just kidding, Lynden! Nice pipes!]
The skinny on Dunbar: At 6-3 with above-average speed, Dunbar is a quality receiver who could grow into a top-flight target. If he de-commits (can't qualify or just picks another school), then the Gators might also end up losing Trail. Chances of Dunbar remaining committed to Florida: 40-60.
The skinny on Ajagbe: Ajagbe plays for a small private school in Coconut Grove, so the learning curve once he arrives in Gainesville will be considerable. Ajagbe has attended UF football camps, so he has an idea of what he's getting into. Ajagbe is very athletic with better than above-average speed for a linebacker. Like Trail, he'll need to put on some muscle once he arrives in Gainesville. Chances of Ajagbe remaining committed to Florida: 90-10.
For the past couple of years, Meyer has stressed quality over quantity when recruiting Miami-Dade. I guess that's another way of saying, "Since none of the good players in Miami want to come to UF, then we're not taking anybody." That company line could be changing slightly.
"They all can't go to Miami," Bedford said. "If I was living in the city of Miami I would be like, 'OK, Miami and its tradition. OK, I might want to go there, too,'" Bedford said. "But I might be looking at Florida right now. If you want to play for championships, Urban Meyer is the guy you want to come play for at the University of Florida.
"Coach Meyer, two national championships since he's been here. We're No.1 in the country for eight straight weeks. We have an 18-game winning streak. Why would you not want to come to the University of Florida?"
-jo-
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http://www.marconews.com/photos/2009/nov/04/128494/
Urban is that you? Did you finally get caught giving a worthless check to a recruit? I mean we all know that you have no morals, you proved it by slapping your star linebacker on the wrist against a team you wouldn't even had needed him for. Way to go coach, enjoy picking up the trash on the side of the road with the rest of your felons on your team.
Posted by: Eric | November 04, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Eric,
Seriously? That's the best you got?
Posted by: Gator1994 | November 04, 2009 at 11:31 AM
Good luck?
Posted by: MTX-Cane | November 04, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Eric,
you are crazzzzzy... dont kid urself..... The gators are no thugs, they are goodie-2-shoes who get arrested for stupid and weak crimes... Now the boys at Da U... now we are the true THUgzzzzzzz ..... C-A-N-E-S- CANES CANES CANESSSS BABYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY...
THUG -U All day, we got that Swaggggggggggg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR4l0vMSrlc
lets see if UF gets into a brawl like this vs. fiu, i doubt it cause they are a bunch of softies....
THUG - U till we die!!!!!!!!!!!
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
Posted by: Pablo | November 04, 2009 at 11:34 AM
i like it when the gators play in the swamp on a rainy day, because the announcer says "timmy goes up the muddy middle again".
it just gives me chills.
i am purple drank and swamp donkey and i can't wait to see timmy working here in the loading dock in palm beach.
i sure hope nobody pokes tebow in the eye, but if they do he can be my pirate anytime, if you know what i mean.
after all, his one eyed worm is what i use to gut myself each night. i just wish he would stay with me and not be with the little filipingo boys. timmy says i am getting too old for him.
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 11:37 AM
Same pillow biter that says, " I like UF when they aren't playing Miami"?
Not that anybody bought that line of krap
Posted by: RuPaul | November 04, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Sarasota cane, are you gay? Get a life...loser
Posted by: Hogtown Gator | November 04, 2009 at 01:00 PM
Sarasota cane, are you gay? Get a life...loser
Posted by: Hogtown Gator | November 04, 2009 at 01:00 PM
It certainly looks like "fake" Sarasota 'cane is! The irony is that he is a Gator Fan! "D" Bag is throwing UF under the bus to try and throw me under the bus??????????????????????? What a country!
Go 'canes!
Hey Swamp Donkey!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 01:38 PM
man you're grammar is terrible. and again, i am the one who called you a d-bag, d-bag.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 01:50 PM
man you're grammar is terrible. and again, i am the one who called you a d-bag, d-bag.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 01:50 PM
Hey dan if you want to be the original "D" Bag, then I'm not going to fight U!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 01:59 PM
man you're grammar is terrible. and again, i am the one who called you a d-bag, d-bag.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 01:50 PM
P.S. If you're going to throw someone under the bus for grammar, you might want to use the correct version of "you're"! It's "your", you F'ing TOOL!
"You're" such a "D" Bag!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 02:03 PM
As a Gator, I would rather be me than "U"
Keep on playing the way you are playing and you will be the Miami "Tropical Depression!" A team that can't even win the Assciation of Community Colleges (ACC) should never brag about how bad they be!!!
Posted by: Gatorsam | November 04, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Great comeback Gatorsam! I could not make any sense out of what you were trying to say, but it was still a great comeback!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 02:09 PM
Gainesville = get arrested for stealing credit cards or laptops, your tints being too dark (personal experience), or god forbid too many noise ordinance infractions (darn those house parties).
Miami = get arrested for brawls (Notre Dame, Sugar Bowl, Peach Bowl, FIU) and firearms... and that's if you're lucky enough not to get shot first. Get out your camo...
Posted by: Meh | November 04, 2009 at 02:14 PM
yikes, guess you got me there. must have been distracted having a job. you win some, you lose some...when you're a cane it's a loss more often than not. you're still a doosh for feeling the need to insert yourself on a gator blog an obscene amount of times.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 02:30 PM
yikes, guess you got me there. must have been distracted having a job. you win some, you lose some...when you're a cane it's a loss more often than not. you're still a doosh for feeling the need to insert yourself on a gator blog an obscene amount of times.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 02:30 PM
So a minute ago you were bashing me for my grammar? I didn't have enough space to correct everything wrong with you previous paragraph! What's a doosh?
P.S. Too bad you don't like what you do for a living! If you did you wouldn't consider it a job!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 02:39 PM
what? haha, oh man you are a loser. i picture your face looking like scott rothstein's on the front page of the website. smug, undeserved self satisfaction. maybe you prefer the correct spelling; you are a douchebag. gfy. look that one up if you can't figure it out. i'm sorry, you probably can't tear yourself away from the "occupation" you love so much...unless of course it's to write on this blog all day...about a team you have nothing to do with.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 02:51 PM
GOOBERS, just answer these questions..
How many GAYtors have been arrested under RURAL LIAR?
The answer is 25 (all documented)..
How many Canes have been arrested under Randy Shannon?
The answer is 1 (Marve knocked someone RV mirror off).
CASE is CLOSED the new THUG U is
UF, 'aka' the university of FELONS..
Hope your all proud of your THUGS and FELONS..
Posted by: rail larur | November 04, 2009 at 03:30 PM
Lets be honet why would you wanna be a gator check our record.Yea the gators are having there little fun right now but if you want to be part of something great MIAMI is where you need to be 14 consecutive 1st rd picks.58 home game winning streak like its nothing but greatness over here(PIPELINE TO THE PRO'S. I feel sorry for somebody trying to recuit against Miami.The only reason they got that 6'7 sack of bones is because miami stop recuiting the kid he was a BANDWANGON Hurricane.WE want the kids who bleed ORANGE AND GREEN and its in there HEARTS.GATOR fans your in for the shock of your life next season.
Posted by: JAY | November 04, 2009 at 03:42 PM
ha. way to ignore the huge brawl with FIU which included violent helmet swinging on the field. would you rather have your eye poked or a football helmet smashed over your head? way to see it one sided. your clever rhyming names and capitalization really help to EMPHASIZE what a CLOWN you are. jealousy is a stinky cologne.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 03:43 PM
U of Felons 25 arrests v. Canes 1 arrest.
Be proud GOOBERS..
Posted by: rail larur | November 04, 2009 at 04:01 PM
stinky cologne, stinky cologne...
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 04:09 PM
That Saraota guy has to be a pillow biter. No straight guy would ever have that train of thought. What is he 16 years old?
Gay teenager cane fan on a uf blog. Nice
Posted by: RuPaul | November 04, 2009 at 04:15 PM
Soooooo, the GAY-Turds ( or swamp lizards like I like to called them ) THINK they are making progress in cane county, listen up losers, you're only getting the garbage we don't want...
Posted by: FZB | November 04, 2009 at 04:15 PM
what? haha, oh man you are a loser. i picture your face looking like scott rothstein's on the front page of the website. smug, undeserved self satisfaction. maybe you prefer the correct spelling; you are a douchebag. gfy. look that one up if you can't figure it out. i'm sorry, you probably can't tear yourself away from the "occupation" you love so much...unless of course it's to write on this blog all day...about a team you have nothing to do with.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 02:51 PM
Dan you started this exchange by poking at me about my grammar, but now "you're" all uptight because not only is "your" gramar bad, but you can't spell as either! Lighten up dude!
I had no intention of getting into an argument with U today. "Your" smacktalk is weak, and "your" responses are stupid.
Example: "stinky cologne, stinky cologne..."
What the hell does that mean? Who the hell even wears that crap anymore. How about you just shower and use some deodorant instead Dan.
P.S. Who the hell is Scott Rothstein?
Looks like you gotta go Dan, the shopping carts are starting to pile up in the parking lot, plus there's a clean-up on isle 9!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 04:28 PM
So worried about Miami-Dade you let us come right in your backyard and get two solid recruits from Gaineville H.S. (just like when we got Clinton Portis). Devont'a Davis and Kevin Nelson grew up very close to the Gator nation and chose to leave the land of mullets or JORTS. Any recruit who really thinks the Gaytors can sustain there success without Tebow must've forgot who Florida was before Tebow--middle of the pack in the SEC.
Go Canes!
Posted by: Orange and Green A.D.A.T.O.S. | November 04, 2009 at 05:12 PM
my replies keep getting deleted...nice.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 05:14 PM
dude you on a gators blog talking trash. you wouldn't come here saying the things you say if you weren't looking for an argument. jealousy is a stinky cologne and you are wearing it (mentioned in a previous post). i admitted you got me on the "your" thing. congrats, what else you got now besides the canes arrest record?
scott rothstein stole a bunch of money and was on the front page of the website holding about a dozen $50k watches with a smug look on his face. the same face you get after you post your idiotic comments on here.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 05:22 PM
my replies keep getting deleted...nice.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 05:14 PM
That's not it Dan, I believe we have established today that you are just stupid!
Sentences and proper names begin with a capital letter. This isn't a GD text message you idiot! lol
What were you saying about my grammar?
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 05:26 PM
Hey Dan, if you shutup for 30 minutes, I'll go away for the day. You picked the fight "D" Bag!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 05:29 PM
this coming from the canes fan on a gator blog all day
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 05:30 PM
Sarasota cane is a jealous dweeb. Spends his whole afternoon pissing and moaning here. What a turd.
Posted by: RuPaul | November 04, 2009 at 05:35 PM
i picked the fight? you're delusional. how can you come on here blasting the gators and when someone responds say they picked the fight? you're right, its not a GD text message, it's even worse, its a GD blog post.
listen, i'm real sorry i hurt your feelings, didnt mean to get to you this bad.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 05:37 PM
GAYtors 25 arrests under rural, miami 1 under shannon..
Posted by: rail larur | November 04, 2009 at 06:25 PM
Canes 5 titles, GAYtors 3.
Posted by: rail larur | November 04, 2009 at 06:27 PM
Miami has 27 1st round draft picks in last 10 years.
GAYtors have 10.
Posted by: rail larur | November 04, 2009 at 06:29 PM
A MIAMI HURRICANE has scored a TD every week in the NFL since 2002 (113 weeks, next longest streak is Ohio St. at 82 weeks, GAYtors aren't on the list).
Just shows you we get'em ready to play with the big boys and not to manage a waffle house or run a missionary in the Phillippines..
Posted by: larur rail | November 04, 2009 at 06:40 PM
BREAKING NEWS
Spikes is now suspended for the entire game!
Posted by: MTX-Cane | November 04, 2009 at 06:42 PM
Conference 1st round draft picks in the last 10 years.
ACC 74.
SEC 68. That VERY over-rated conference.
big 10 58.
big 12 48.
Posted by: larur rail | November 04, 2009 at 06:45 PM
Only thing you GOOBERS leads us in is ARRESTS.
BE PROUD, BE VERY PROUD..
Posted by: larur rail | November 04, 2009 at 06:49 PM
I visit a ton of blogs and I have never seen so much hate on the Gators on a Gator blog! Just think six more games and the Gators will have three National Championships in four years. I can't wait to see all the comments from the "U" about the Canes and how they did it 10 to 20-years ago! It's just what I would expect from haters!
Stop living in the past it's 2010, bro....
Posted by: BJ | November 04, 2009 at 07:16 PM
larur rail, who care what UM players are performing in the pro's, or how many first round picks came from each conference over the past ten years? It is all about the present... I don't follow the pro game anyway; I bet your favorite team is the Dolphins too, right!
Posted by: BJ | November 04, 2009 at 07:26 PM
the guy is a clown. does nothing but come on here and whine about arrests and the waffle house. and goobers for some reason.
Posted by: dan | November 04, 2009 at 07:28 PM
Quit hating on Waffle Houses people! I met my wife in a Waffle House at 3 a.m. in Irondale, Alabama!
-jo-
Posted by: Goody | November 04, 2009 at 07:54 PM
So it's 6 more games and UF will be the champs again BJ? Just 6? Congrat's!
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 04, 2009 at 08:15 PM
So Sarasota, do you sit home at your computer all day pressing the refresh button just waiting for Jo's next blog entry? I'd like to write some disparaging comments about you, but there is and overriding sense of sadness that keeps me from kicking a man when he's down. You should really get out more, there is life outside of the Herald sports blogs!
Posted by: GetYaPopcornReady | November 05, 2009 at 12:01 PM
Urban changed the course of UF Footbal history with three (3) five star recruits in the 2006 class:
(1) Tim Tebow
(2) Percy Harvin
(3) Brandon Spikes
That and he actually knows how to coach and cultivate a program...unlike Randy Shannon, who does less with more than any other coach in D1.
Go Gators.
Posted by: ccb223 | November 06, 2009 at 04:01 PM