While the Gators' tickets to the BCS National Championship Game were punched Dec. 6 with a win against Alabama, the journey began much earlier.
Not in August, but in February 2006, when many of the current UF players committed to take snaps in Gainesville.
National Signing Day this year is Feb. 4, and until then, coaches will call, host, visit and send letters to high school seniors in hopes of swaying them to their schools. The work done over the next few weeks will lay the groundwork for the next few years.
Last weekend, the Gators got a boost to their class at the U.S. Army and Under Armour All-American games when they received oral commitments from linebacker Jon Bostic, offensive tackle Xavier Nixon and wide receiver Andre Debose.
The Gators already have 16 commitments - 14 oral - for next season and have put a priority on two things: swiftness and bulk. Speed has been a UF trademark for years, so it's no surprise the team has targeted quick skill players. But the number of linemen bound for Gainesville (already 10 combined defensive and offensive) is surprising.
Debose, of Sanford Seminole High, is considered one of the most explosive players in the class. Recruiting Web sites and forums have been making Debose-Percy Harvin comparisons for months, despite what Debose thinks.
"I don't compare myself to nobody," Debose said.
He is not as technically sound as other top receivers, but he impressed scouts at the Under Armour Game, and Mike Bakas of Scout.com said Debose has emerged as a potential game-breaker
"There were probably 10 or 11 receivers (at the Under Armour Game) - all four-, five-star guys - and Debose was the most explosive kid among them," Bakas said.
Nixon is the No. 1 offensive tackle on Scout.com and is very athletic, considering his 6-foot-6, 285-pound frame. The Fayetteville, N.C., Jack Britt High star plays basketball for his high school team, which could help him dominate in pass protection, where footwork is key.
While much of the class is set, UF is still pursuing a few recruits who could push this year's class from the top 20 to the top five.
The Gators have found themselves in some head-to-head recruiting battles over players like Maryland-based linebacker Jelani Jenkins (Penn State), Georgia native linebacker Jarvis Jones (Georgia) and Seffner Armwood High defensive end Ryne Giddins (South Florida).
Then there's cornerback Greg Reid. Reid orally committed to Florida last February but has recently de-committed and will visit Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi State - now home to former UF offensive coordinator Dan Mullen - later this month.
Oral commitments are non-binding until a national letter-of-intent is signed on National Signing Day on Feb. 4.
