To Ralph Friedgen and his Maryland football team, Florida no longer exists ? at least in recruiting.
As he announced this year?s class of signees ? an 18-member group that includes nine players from Maryland and the District ? on Wednesday, Friedgen revealed his new approach to recruiting.
“I?m kind of pulling out of Florida. We?re going to settle into a five-hour radius,” Friedgen said. “This is a tough school. That?s a concern of mine. We really want to make sure we have kids that can do the work.”
Much of Friedgen?s news conference was about the character he sought in his recruits. But the idea that the Terrapins, who have four Florida natives on the roster, plan to back out of Florida was striking.
Florida has long been filled with talented players, and this year was no exception. Of the top 150 prep seniors according to ESPN, 33 attended high school in Sunshine State.
Recruiting coordinator Dave Sollazzo said Maryland will still have special teams/linebackers assistant Al Seamonson to recruit northern Florida, but the state?s seven Division I programs ? led by the “Big Three” of Florida, Miami and Florida State ? make it difficult for programs across the country to invade the peninsula.
“What?s happening now in Florida is something that is really tough to deal with. Back in the day, everyone recruited Florida,” Sollazzo said, mentioning the rise of South Florida,
Florida Atlantic, Central Florida and Florida International as stumbling blocks. “Now, there are so many choices.”
Maryland has just as many choices in states within a five-hour radius, an area the team has used as its focal point for recruiting.
“Normally, we?ve been pretty good in the Philadelphia and the surrounding areas,” Friedgen said. “New Jersey was a little bit down this year, but we recruit that heavily. The next few years should be pretty good for us. It?s how it falls on certain years. We always want to work our own territory first.”
With Florida an unlikely pipeline for future Terrapins, Friedgen and his staff hope to open a steady stream of players from Pittsburgh. It will be up to first-year wide receivers assistant Kasey Dunn to make it happen.
“We really want to get back into Pennsylvania, especially Pittsburgh,” Sollazzo said. “Obviously there?s a lot of great football there. With [Dunn?s] demeanor and personality, he?ll do a great job there.”
