Gators head coach Billy Napier discusses recruiting challenges at the end of Florida's 2023 season, following decommitments from EDGE Jamonta Waller, CB Wardell Mack and DL Nasir Johnson.
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00:00 - Can you speak a little bit to the challenges
00:02 that come with recruiting at this time of year
00:03 and keeping a strong class together
00:05 just when the results have been
00:07 what they've been on the field as of late?
00:08 - Yeah, no, it's a battle.
00:09 I mean, I think, and look, it's not this time of year.
00:14 It's every day of the year, right?
00:16 So it's part of the job, you know?
00:20 And look, I would tell you, you win some, you lose some,
00:25 you know, and I think it's highly competitive.
00:27 I think it's good to have some players
00:29 that everybody want, you know, truth be known.
00:32 So look, it comes with the territory.
00:36 I think recruiting challenges your resiliency, you know?
00:40 And, you know, ultimately for me,
00:42 I think it's important that we get it right
00:44 in the front end, right?
00:45 We want players that have conviction about being here,
00:49 that believe in, you know, the experience
00:53 that they're gonna have at the University of Florida
00:55 relative to the degree, all the things that come along
00:58 with being an alumni here,
01:00 the resources that we have to offer as a football program.
01:04 And, you know, you got a bat, you know,
01:07 sometimes you're gonna go through some things like that.
01:10 It's nothing new, right?
01:12 This is a year round battle that we do.
01:15 We do it every year,
01:16 and we're right in the middle of some of those.
01:20 - When you have a few losses like you've had,
01:23 is it important to punch back
01:25 and maybe go get some wins in the recruiting?
01:29 Is that like the most important thing right now?
01:31 - Well, I think momentum's real.
01:35 And look, I think this, anyone would,
01:39 at any profession, you know,
01:43 I think momentum's a key component, right?
01:45 And I think ultimately there's one way
01:48 to get momentum back, right?
01:49 And that's to go compete, you know?
01:51 We specifically have talked about that.
01:54 So, you know, I'm watching Buffalo the other night,
01:59 you know, and I'm sitting there thinking,
02:01 you know, we're not the only team in America
02:04 that can go through some challenges, right?
02:06 So, you know, I think it's part of it.
02:10 And look, it's what we sign up for, right?
02:14 It's part of the challenge.
02:15 It's part of the competition.
02:17 I mean, I think recruiting is highly competitive.
02:21 You know, I enjoy it.
02:23 And, you know, there's always gonna be some of that.
02:28 You know, it's not going away, right?
02:32 So you gotta get used to it.