TWO BITS: New RB offered, another Elam update

By Adam Silverstein
January 6, 2010

1 » Florida has just offered a scholarship to three-star running back recruit Shontrelle Johnson (Deland, FL) according to Chris Hays of the Orlando Sentinel. “I’m gonna check it out,” said Johnson, who just recently committed to the Iowa State Cyclones. “It kinda shocked me but I don’t really know since it came so late in the season. You gotta check it out, it’s Florida, they got national championship and all that…but there are positives and negatives.” OGGOA believes the Gators’ offer to Johnson is a back-up plan in case four-star RB Mack Brown (Lithonia, GA) decommits.

2 » News broke Tuesday that five-star safety recruit Matt Elam, who was previously committed to Florida for over a year before recently switching to the Florida State Seminoles, was considering recommitting (must-read) to the Gators. Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post got the thoughts of those closest to Elam about his upcoming decision. “I just have to watch the [U.S. Army All-American] game Saturday and see what he’s going to do,” said Robert Clark, Elam’s Dwyer High School teammate and three-star Florida commitment. “He’s tricky. We had a conversation [Tuesday], and he said it’s 50-50 right now.” Elam’s Dwyer head coach Jack Daniels confirmed the indecision. “Now that Coach [Urban] Meyer’s back in the mix, he’s torn again,” Daniels said. “It sounds to me like Matt is still going to go to Florida State, but other people are saying other things. You could say he was doing it for the attention, but now the kid is confused. He likes both schools a lot. He’s having a hard time.”

UPDATE: Scout is reporting that Elam will choose between Florida, Florida State and the Georgia Bulldogs on Saturday.

16 Comments

  1. miamigator says:

    If Elam can’t see the difference between UF & FSU, then he should be a Criminole. If his choice is between Alabama-Texas-UF, that’s another matter. But between UF & FSU there is NO choice & playing time can be the only consideration. See ya Matt….Go Gators!

  2. miami, I heard that he not only wants to start right away but that he doesn’t want to compete for playing time. But that’s just a rumor – he’s supposed to be a very hard worker.

  3. gonoles says:

    Criminole, really? UF is the school with the criminals. No NC because those players can’t call a cab. Talk about being biased.

  4. O-town Gator says:

    I’m just taking a wait-and-see stance with Elam; I’m planning on watching the Army All-American Game on Saturday since this is huge as far as our recruiting is concerned. If his heart is with Coach Meyer and the Gators, he’ll say so this weekend.

  5. Christine says:

    His coach’s name is Jack Daniels? That’s kind of awesome.

  6. Brittany says:

    gonoles- I’d hardly call Dunlap a ‘criminal’, yes he committed a crime but the world criminal implies he’s got a criminal history (which he doesn’t). And I think it’s a little silly to suggest we aren’t playing for the National Championship because of Dunlap’s DUI. Yes, his presence was missed at the SECC but we lost because we didn’t play well (one could say they didn’t play well because of Dunlap’s arrest but I don’t buy that).

    Adam- I totally believe that rumor, I’ve said from the get go that it sounds like he just didn’t want to have to work to play.

  7. Tom says:

    Hopefully Matt is taking note of the absolutely classless comments being made by a lot of Gators. Nasty, unecessary, inaccurate garbage…directed at him and other schools he’s considering (FSU, UGA). Of course…now that he’s reconsidering UF…Gator fans are trying to “take back” all of the horrible things posted on the boards and facebook. Seriously…what’s wrong with some of you Gators…it’s almost psychotic. IT’S JUST A GAME.

  8. Tom says:

    PS I’m talking about stuff on other boards…not here!

  9. Tom- When it comes down to it, the most important thing is that Elam finds a place to play where he is happy, comfortable and can get a good education. That being said, when you are a passionate fan (which is short for fanatic) of a team and your No. 1 recruit who has been all about your team for over a year makes a sudden decision to decommit and turn his back on your head coach who happens to be a good family friend, I can understand how said fan could get extra upset and riled up. If the shoe was on the other foot, I promise that Florida State fan would react the same way.

  10. Tom says:

    My prediction is that Matt will go to UF. Even after he announced that he was going to FSU…I found his interview on Rivals to be bit suspect. It didn’t seem completely genuine…or at least seemed shaky.

    He’s a friend of Meyers family, his coach is a gator, his mom’s a gator fan…come on. This is a no-brainer…his choice was already made!

  11. To your PS – I assumed that is what you meant. I’ve seen some pretty hateful things elsewhere.

  12. Tom says:

    Adam,

    You’re being very fair. But given the situation with Urban at the time…it should have been greeted with a lot more understanding. And quite frankly…even when Percy Harvin (a Nole fan growing up)…went with UF…I didn’t see the same level of nastiness toward him. Not even close.

    I dunno…I just have seen a lot of ugly stuff this past week that really makes me wonder if a lot of college football fans have their priorities in order. It’s a game. Wish the kid luck and move on. I will do the same when Matt chooses UF (as i fully expect).

  13. Tom says:

    By the way…very good site Adam. Even if it is made for Gators =)

  14. Tom- But the understanding should have come from both parties. Gators fans should understand Elam having reservations, but Elam should have understood that this man is having health problems and some things are more important in life than football. Elam showed absolutely no concern for a man who LEGITIMATELY cares about him and his family by IGNORING Meyer’s phone calls after the announcement. On two occasions. Think about it from that angle. It is pretty despicable.

    Thank you for the comments on the site.

  15. Tom says:

    That’s definitely fair enough if Urban’s having serious health issues. Keep in mind, Matt probably heard from the press conference “not life threatening” and “i plan on being back”…so he probably wondered why Urban didn’t clue him in earlier. But who knows…it’s a complicated and fluid situation.

    Hopefully this saga will come to a respectful end on Saturday. I don’t think anyone – winner or loser – wants to see more useless drama.

  16. Mr2Bits says:

    Tom : You keep saying “its just a game” but it’s really not for some. I know Gator football can be life for many of our crazies. Myself and others vest thousands(others in the 100’s of thousands) into this program yearly and it breeds more passion than most can fathom. If the Gators lose, my wife and I cannot sleep and go into somewhat of a depression. The last 10 years of our lives have been all UF, its almost an addiction.

    I’m not sure of your age or direct ties to state but UF football this decade is what FSU football was to Nole nation back in the 90’s. FSU fans were just as crazy maybe even crazier for this madness. I think what makes it more prevalent today is the breadth of knowledge and access the internet provides today where-as the 90’s your updates came from the local news or paper. Every top player out this is a celebrity in their own mind with their Rivals profiles being created before most even see hair on their balls. Just think about the evolution of everything and how readily available your access is to seeing these fanatics first hand whereas before you had to know one in person.

    College football today is only getting bigger and more crazy year in and year out.

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