Well recruiting season has come and gone and as typical some are very upset. Listen, here's the dealio, we are rebuilding. I know I know I know, we didn't get all of the sprinkles and extra cherries on top of our royal banana split, but we didn't exactly drop it on the floor either. Some of you folks reminded me of the mid-level managers yelling at their salesman for not meeting the quotas after HUGE recalls of their product. Or maybe a better analogy is a salesman that fails to get the same margins on a Chevy as the Mercedes dealers routinely get on their brand. So here's my take on all of this...In the words of Douglas Adams, "Don't panic!"

1. Folks I am not blaming anything on anyone. We are coming out of a three day hangover, which is kind of expected when you drink for several days in a row. We are in the morning of the second day. We feel better, but we are more than just a little miffed that we still feel like crap. That is understandable. Like many multi-day hangovers, we kinda got our legs early, but we didn't have them long into the evening. We just felt like crap and very very tired. Last night we slept better AND we will be better going forward.

2. Did our finish hurt us? Maybe. I think that it is same to say that the offense of recent years past put a big dent in our shinny new car. I was an ugly dent and frankly the car wasn't really new, but a rebuilt version of its former self cobbled from old parts and a few new unproven components. That is changing. Frankly I am glad folks have crazy high expectations, but a little perspective please. Rome wasn't built in a day, nor was this car dismantled in an evening. Capice?

3. Recruiting, like any business or public endeavor is all about relationships. Sure, certain coaches may have done better early, but guys like Harbaugh have huge name recognition and frankly Kirby Smart is a known here in the South. Coach Mac and the Gator Staff are building/rebuilding those relationships as GATORS. I think when he talked about infrastructure last year, this was a part of it that most of us missed. We were thinking facilities and the ever increasing arms race between school perks. I think that he was thinking about the entire culture and processes surrounding how they do business too. Yes, that included facilities, but really so much more. He talked about such with the basketball games and recruiting the 17/18 class last night, the finding the right kids that will fit in with UF academics and social aspects. Love the fact that he calls it "Early Mo". That would make a great name here on the board. Again, it is ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. Let's call that the soft infrastructure.

4. We got what we needed to improve next season. Will we be as good on D? Maybe, but I think that it has as much to do with our ability to score and hold on to the ball on offense as it does the team D we field. Last year we had something like 10 seniors, this year we have 9 TOTAL on the ENTIRE ROSTER? That means an awful lot of youngsters are playing and playing for substantial periods. Remember, it is a three day hangover. Next year we will be loaded with 3 year starters and a ton of young talent deep in rotations and FOUR bruising backs and a couple of QBs that can flat out throw it around.... I mean, those folks are here now. Man, this will be fun to watch.

5. Finally, Coach Mac recognizes that we need to get better recruiting the State of FL. I think that this gets back to the Early Mo. SOW has this stuff down cold as do many of the longer term stable coaching staffs. We will get better at this and many many more in-state-rs will be looking towards UF next year because we are in their ears early and often. Listen, we are sold on UF. We are Gators. 10 wins and the SEC East Title means something. Repeat it and it will mean considerably more to recruits in state. That's the hopes for next year. I think we saw a proof of concept car early this season. Next year, I think the recruits will be looking at an entirely new car model. It will not be perfect, no prototype really is, but it will be much tougher and faster.

So with the infrastructure improvement, both hard and soft, Early Mo, the new prototype car coming on line just as we awaken from a long hangover, I am sure that we will be hungry and want to go for a ride to catch some fresh air in Gainesville...maybe on a nice fall Saturday. So settle down, don't panic and enjoy the ride.