Alligator Alley

Sigh...leave it to Bianchi to stir the pot.

Wasn't this the same guy who was ripping "recruiting experts" for knowing nothing a couple of weeks ago in reference to the knocks on Emmitt Smith's game coming out of high school? Now he's using the opinion of the same "experts" to write a column on Florida State making a statement on the recruiting trail.

I'm not even saying I disagree with his point in this article...just saying he's playing both sides of the fence (which is pretty typical of newspaper columnists.)

About the only thing this will do is motivate the Meyer recruiting machine to step things up. I have no doubt Florida State will put together a very good recruiting class, but I seriously doubt Jimbo Fisher and FSU are going to outrecruit Urban Meyer. Wilder was a MUST get for FSU but until Jimbo wins more than an occasional battle with Urban, the jury is out and will stay out.

No doubt they are down compared to UF recruiting over the last 5 years plus, especially the last two. No debate. But this is Fisher's first full recruiting cycle this year. I'd say he's already pushed the program in the right direction. And this is a big get for him and the momentum of that program. That said, no they won't finish with more stars than UF this year. But I'm not a stars guy.

Why do people keep saying this is Fishers first go around? He's been with FSU for many years now and has been running that show. Do people honestly think Bowden was calling the shots? Really?

They are using this as a "time to usher in a new era" when they've been presiding over the last few years of futility.

Anyway, good get for FSU no doubt. Wilder bought the RB sale hook, line, and sinker. One year or two years before he's on defense?

I guess Fisher did not want Waisome.

No. I absolutely don't think Bowden was calling the shots. But I also don't think Bowden was allowing anybody else (particularly Fisher) to call the shots either. In fact I think that was the biggest problem with FSU for the past 5+ years. Nobody was in charge!

So I think this really is Fisher's first go around.

So I guess those years where Jimbo was the defacto FSU coach don't really count eh? Neither does last year when UF out recruited FSU, and beat them on the field for the 7th year in a row. Somehow, 1 recruit evens the score. Well it's a good thing that FSU fans have set the bar low, because this year will be Ponder's last, and this is about as good as it is going to get for them.

Jimbo was the Head Coach in Waiting. That doesn't mean he has extra powers like deciding who to hire/fire.

UF out-recruited FSU last year.... and a big reason for that was FSU was running with half a staff. Dexter Carter failed the recruiting test and couldn't visit prospects on his own. Chuck Amato was lazy and put in no effort. Jody Allen the same. Mickey didn't recruit either. Kind of hard to put together a full class with only 4 guys (Jimbo, Coley, Trickett, Dawsey) who recruited the whole year. Gran and others came late but they only had 1 month to recruit, not nearly enough time to do anything.

Jimbo hasn't been calling the shots. Again, if he did why did he wait until Bowden was gone to make all these changes? Just a coincidence. Read what I posted a few posts ago, don't ignore it. He called the offensive plays and was the main recruiter, that's it. He didn't have anything like the powers Meyer had.

Hmmm...I honestly don't know if that is true or not. It is possible to fail the test once and take it again until it is passed. Carter did a really good job on the recruiting trail for Florida State. Nick Waisome may have been on his way to FSU, but when Carter's contract was not renewed, the Seminoles' chances with the Under Armour All-American went south.

I know Carter was very involved with the Greg Dent recruitment as well, and helping secure his services for FSU. Generally, most of the feedback I heard in regards to Carter on the recruiting trail was pretty positive.

Jimbo was calling the shots on offensive recruits - not defensive guys.

I would take Florida's staff over the FSU staff any day of the week starting with Addazio over Rick Trickett. The NFL scouts I know tend to agree that this is a seriously good Florida staff, maybe the best that Urban has had.

And ... Florida has definite advantages. The Gators play in the SEC not the ACC. Better TV contract. Better exposure. VASTLY better education. That's not even close. FSU is Romper Room.

Now FSU probably won't go any lower than where it's been the last six years but I have serious doubts that the Seminoles will ever regain the glory days again. Jimbo and this staff might be an improvement, but they aren't going to change who sits at the top of the football world in this state and that's the Gators. As long as Urban Meyer is here, you can take that to the bank.

Let me go through your reasons:

1. Urban Meyer is smart and has won as a head coach at three levels. He's had an unbeaten team at Utah, two national championship teams in five years at Florida. He's 97-19 as a head coach. Jimbo Fisher? He's 0-0 as a head coach and his 2005 offense at LSU, which was loaded to the gills with high draft picks on the offensive side of the ball averaged exactly ONE more yard than Florida's offense, which, because of injuries had exactly ZERO healthy playmakers for more than half the season.

2. Jimbo might keep Nick Saban hours but he isn't Nick Saban. He isn't Urban Meyer. Heck, he hasn't even won a single college football game yet.

3. Coaching staffs. Top to bottom, I'll take Florida. Let's see, on Urban Meyer's coaching staff there are several coaches with national championship rings. Scot Loeffler has put more quarterbacks in the NFL than Jimbo Fisher, by the way. You could look it up. Teryl Austin? All coached two secondaries to the Super Bowl and both led the NFL in interceptions. Jimbo has coaches like Lawrence Dawsey. Oh please, don't make me laugh about that one. Mark Stoops? Just because his last name is Stoops doesn't mean he's actually done anything. Did you happen to see Arizona's defense? I've seen sieves that weren't that leaky. By the way, Eddie Gran is under NCAA investigation right now and they're looking all the way back to Auburn. I could go on and on.

But let's talk about recruiting. Who's actually put together FIVE consecutive TOP FIVE recruiting classes and guess whose class is going to finish top three again this year? Won't be FSU.

4. Jimbo is a better recruiter? I'm giggling. Seriously giggling over that one. But the only way to be fair about that one is to see what happens in five years. If Jimbo outrecruits Urban for five straight years then maybe you're on to something, but if you're honest, you know that's not going to happen. Florida's got too much to sell and FSU is still the country cousin taking state money to make ends meet. While FSU was cutting its athletic budget by 7.5% last year, Florida actually expanded its budget. Florida will take in 2/3 as much money from TELEVISION as FSU will spend on its entire athletic budget. What does that have to do with Urban and recruiting? Everything. Kids want to be on TV. Kids want to go where things are done first class. Selling Florida academics is easy. FSU is Romper Room. And Urban has proven it by putting together FIVE consecutive TOP FIVE recruiting classes. Let's see Jimbo do one before you make that claim.

Bottom line is Jimbo BETTER win half the recruiting battles because if he doesn't he will fail.