Analysis: What Zachary Evans to TCU Means for the Florida Gators
Now that things are all said and done, Florida's running back recruiting in the class of 2020 can be viewed as a swing and a miss.
And it isn’t at all for a lack of trying.
Things began when five-star running back Demarcus Bowman committed to Clemson, slipping through the cracks of Florida's pipeline with Lakeland High School. Should Florida have landed Bowman, we wouldn't be having this conversation and the outlook on Florida's ability to recruit as a whole would be drastically different right now.
While the Gators pursued plenty of different backs, they were notably able to get Jahmyr Gibbs (Dalton - Ga.), Jaylan Knighton (Deerfield Beach - Fla.), and Ashaad Clayton (Warren Easton - La.) in for visits right before signing day ceremonies, but each walked out unswayed from their previous commitments. The Gators turned up the heat for Henry Parrish (Columbus - Fla.) in December despite his commitment to Pittsburgh, yet when Parrish decommitted and announced a new top four schools, Florida wasn't one of them. He has since signed with Ole Miss.
Then on Monday, Zachary Evans (North Shore - Texas), the No. 2 running back in the 2020 class according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings, enrolled at TCU following a whirlwind of a recruiting process. Evans was scheduled to visit Florida on March 20th, following his release from Georgia for reasons unknown. Yet, the novel coronavirus pandemic canceled that visit and the rest is history.
We won't call Evans' recruitment a failure on Florida's part, much like we won't call Lorenzo Lingard's transfer to Florida as a recruiting win. Evans' situation was unique and the forced cancelation of his visit could have been monumental in his decision-making process, but the Gators had zero control over that. Could a harder push from Florida have gotten Evans to Gainesville? Maybe, but it just wasn't as cut and dry of a situation like other instances.
As for Lingard, it's as simple as he chose to transfer closer to home after two years at Miami. That isn't a recruiting win, rather, it's more of a cherry on top of Florida's 2020 recruiting haul.
Yet, despite establishing some ground rules in how we grade out Florida's failure to get Evans into the fold, missing out on his services still stings. And at this point, it's par for the course as to Florida's recent recruiting at the position.
Florida last landed a high school running back in Nay'Quan Wright from Miami Carol City (Fla.), when he committed on November 24th of 2018. Over a year and a half ago.
It has now become vital for Florida to land at least one running back, and two would probably be in their best interest, in the 2021 recruiting class. Presumed 2020 starter Dameon Pierce is entering his true junior year, Malik Davis will be a redshirt junior, and Lingard will be a redshirt sophomore. Pierce has shown enough to be trusted as a starter, but has yet to emerge as a three-down threat. Meanwhile, Lingard dealt with injuries during his time at Miami and much of the same can be said about Davis at Florida.
Those three running backs combine for 655 offensive snaps in their college careers. Florida's entire running back room, at the moment, has combined for 685 offensive snaps. In other words, those three players count for 95.6% of Florida experience in the running back room. Wright and Iverson Clement have combined for 30 offensive snaps in total.
The expectation is that Pierce and Lingard will carry the load for the remainder of their eligibility while remaining optimistic that Davis can get back to his old form - all of those players are, at least, approaching their half-life in terms of eligibility. Florida is hopeful that they can squeeze something out of Wright and Clement moving forward, though neither player has emerged yet.
And it's currently unknown if Lingard will even be allowed to play in 2020 due to eligibility requirements following a transfer.
Meanwhile, 2021 recruiting isn't off to a hot start either. Of course, it's early and anything can change, but the current in-state crop of talent at RB leaves a lot to be desired in general.
Florida had been pursuing Lovasea Carroll of IMG Academy (Fla.) and Cody Brown of Parkview (Ga.) specifically, but both have gone on to commit elsewhere within the SEC.
Evans selecting to go to TCU shouldn't dampen the outlook on Florida's ability to recruit running backs. His situation was far different than any that Florida or any school has dealt with before when you combine his release from Georgia with the nature of the coronavirus. It would be unfair to criticize UF for not landing his services specifically.
Rather, Evans selecting TCU over Florida simply amplifies Florida's struggles at the position and begs the question as to where the team will go next at running back. The top of the depth chart in running back coach Greg Knox's room isn't getting any younger, while the bottom is both unproven and has yet to be restocked.
