Recruiting Woes: Jumping into Lake Alice

Oh, recruiting season.

To an outsider, it may just seem like a bunch of grown adults begging high schoolers to come to their university, but to college football fans, it is a way of life. It's a little slice of offseason football we get to consume, and it gives us a glimpse into our team’s future.

Since they arrived in the 352, Billy Napier and the new football staff were working overtime, with their eyes set on National Signing Day. Back in December, they made some splashes on Early Signing Day, which stoked a lot of hype in the hearts of fans for February 2nd. Billy Bags made it clear that he wasn't just shooting for Preferred Walk-Ons; he was going for whales.

Harold Perkins' visit in Gainesville went well. Very well. So well, that most of us thought we had him, including yours truly. I was feeling bold, and being the College Football Expert that I am, I forecasted a crystal ball of my own.

And, as if my prediction wasn't bold enough, I doubled down.

I really thought we had him.

I was riding high on my prediction the days leading up to February 2nd. As far as I was concerned, Perk was a Gator, and I don't think I was alone. The day before national signing day, the HP4 anticipation in Gainesville wasn't hard to see. Hell, Perkins was even teasing the move himself.

But, despite all of this, at 4:30 PM on National Signing Day, tragedy struck.

Pain.

I was so very wrong. The realization of my massive mistake soon set in, and I had to come to grips with the fact that I'd be jumping into an alligator habitat. I am a big believer in honor, and I am nothing if not a man of my word. After all, isn't integrity part of what it means to be a Gator?

I am not going to lie, I was quite concerned. I am not afraid of alligators on land (I would SMOKE one in a 40 yard dash), but at sea, I am afraid I'm outmatched. I do work as a lifeguard for UF, so I am a good swimmer, but water-based combat is not my forte. If a hungry gator wanted me in the lake, they would probably have me. I did my research though, and I got some tips about how to survive an alligator attack if things did go south (go for the eyes).

After spending a couple days mentally preparing, Sunday, February 6th, on a cold and overcast afternoon, I made my leap.

Next year, I will up my bar to make sure there is no doubt before making a ridiculous bet like this one. With a year to work though, I am confident Billy Napier, Katie Turner, Bri Wade, and the rest of our recruiting dogs will get some more big fish to The Swamp. It's time to look towards the #UFuture and the #GreatToBe23 class.