USF goes with defense, UCF stays local
South Florida coach Willie Taggart worked fast and hard. He had no other choice.
Taggart, hired in December after three seasons at Western Kentucky, placed the finishing touches on his initial recruiting class with the Bulls. The 23-player haul emphasizes defense, with 14 players from that side of the ball inking with USF on National Signing Day.
Perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch is 6-foot-1, 300-pound defensive tackle Derrick Calloway, a Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee High product who chose the Bulls over schools such as Miami, Louisville and South Carolina. The USF football Twitter account (@USFFootball) hinted at how important of a get he was, when it tweeted Wednesday morning, “(Linebackers) Coach Raymond Woodie says Calloway has a chance to ‘play on Sundays’ & that his ‘job was on the line if I didn’t get this one.’ ”
Scout.com ranks USF’s class No. 63 overall and sixth in the Big East Conference, beating out league mates SMU (No. 69), UCF (No. 87), Temple (No. 91) and Memphis (No. 94).
UCF’s class, meanwhile, is heavy on local flavor. The Knights signed 19 players, and 14 hail from Florida. Defensive end Seyvon Lowry, a 6-4, 228-pound three-star prospect from Jacksonville, figures to have among the highest ceilings of the new talent. He received interest from Alabama, Ole Miss and USF, among others, before choosing UCF. Coach George O’Leary said some programs tried to flip Knights commits late, but the approaches failed to work.
In Boca Raton, Florida Atlantic coach Carl Pelini announced a balanced 23-member recruiting class. Twelve players are projected to play offense, and 11 are expected to line up on defense. Scout.com ranks the class No. 104 overall and sixth in the Sun Belt Conference, topping league foes Georgia State (No. 108), Troy (No. 114), Arkansas State (No. 119) and Louisiana-Monroe (No. 124).
“I’m proud of the effort our coaching staff put into this class,” Pelini, entering his second season at FAU, said in a release. “It was our priority to bring in quality young men both on and off the field – young men who will lead this program in the direction which began last year about this time.”
Meanwhile, in Miami, Florida International announced an 18-member class. Seventeen players from the crop are from Florida, and all but one from that selection hail from South Florida.
Scout.com ranks the Panthers’ class No. 120 overall, only beating out North Texas (No. 122) among Conference USA teams.
Most significant signing: DT Derrick Calloway. The three-star prospect from Bradenton, Fla., ranked No. 38 at his position, visited Louisville in January and received other offers from schools such as Florida and Miami.
Biggest surprise: WR Lamar Robbins. The three-star prospect from Miami received a range of interest, including offers from Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Florida State and Arkansas. Louisville also pressed late, but he decided to stay in his home state.
The one that got away: WR Stacy Coley. The four-star prospect from Oakland Park, Fla., considered USF before signing with Miami.
Rank: 63
Scout.com: USF’s complete 2013 recruiting class
Most significant signing: DE Seyvon Lowry. The three-star prospect from Jacksonville, Fla., ranked No. 49 at his position, received offers from schools such as Ole Miss, Cincinnati and West Virginia.
Biggest surprise: RB Micah Reed. The Crestview, Fla., native was the Knights’ first commit of the class so “surprise” may be too strong a word. But this three-star prospect received offers from schools such as Louisville, Florida and Mississippi State. It was a good sign for UCF that he stuck to his pledge.
The one that got away: N/A
Rank: 88
Scout.com: UCF’s complete 2013 recruiting class
Most significant signing: OG Austin Bland. The three-star prospect from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ranked No. 75 at his position, received interest from schools such as Arkansas and Florida State.
Biggest surprise: S Robert Miller. The three-star prospect from Coral Springs, Fla., received an offer from Indiana but chose to stay close to home.
The one that got away: DT Keith Bryant. The four-star prospect from Delray Beach, Fla., visited FAU on Feb. 1 but ended up signing with Florida State.
Rank: 104
Scout.com: FAU’s complete 2013 recruiting class
Most significant signing: OG Jordan Budwig. The two-star prospect from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., ranked No. 83 at his position, is Scout.com’s highest-rated player in FIU’s class.
Biggest surprise: N/A
The one that got away: WR Sean Avant. The two-star prospect from Miramar, Fla., was a verbal commit before signing with FAU.
Rank: 120
Scout.com: FIU’s complete 2013 recruiting class