The decision to fire Ron Zook cost Florida its most coveted recruit.
Despite visiting Florida a couple of weeks ago, the nation's top prep player, Derrick Williams of Greenbelt (Md.) Eleanor Roosevelt, now is more likely to commit elsewhere, recruiting analyst Jeremy Crabtree of rivals100.com said Monday.
"We talked to his dad, and it really sounded like it's going to be tough for him to end up at Florida now because they wanted a stable coaching situation," Crabtree said. "I really thought it was going to come down to Florida, Oklahoma and Virginia for him, but it doesn't sound like Florida is going to be there now."
Based on early reaction, Williams, a 6-foot, 190-pounder who projects as a receiver or cornerback, might not be the only recruit who feels that way. Despite the knocks from fans and excruciating losses, Zook was popular among high school players and coaches.
"They are really disappointed they didn't give him a little bit more time," Crabtree said. "I think Coach Zook and his staff did a great job of just relating to people. And you look at his recruiting classes the last two years, and he's had some amazing recruiting classes. They've finished no worse than 20th since he's been there in our rankings."
Zook's dismissal came as little surprise, particularly after heavily favored Florida's 38-31 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday. But the timing of the announcement, with four games left in the season, could bring recruiting to a halt.
"This is going to be an extremely, extremely difficult selling point for Florida right now because these assistant coaches are going to have to go out there and try to sell something that they might not be a part of," Crabtree said.
"Or they could end up at a rival SEC school in a few months. And they are telling these kids how great Florida is, and three months from now, they are going to be at Georgia or some example like that."
Area players said Zook's firing won't dissuade them from considering Florida, but they are eager to hear about a replacement.
Receiver Louis Murphy of Lakewood said he stands by the oral commitment he made to the Gators in July. Though the senior picked Florida because of Zook, Murphy said the coach's dismissal alone won't be enough to change his mind.
"I was pretty open when the recruiting process started," Murphy said. "My family really wanted me to go to Florida. And I did like their offensive game."
Murphy has other suitors. He received a call from North Carolina State on Saturday, "just reaffirming that I did have an offer from Florida."
Unlike Murphy, potential recruits, such as Wesley Chapel senior lineman Danny Tolley, found themselves re-evaluating their options.
Tolley, who is considering Florida, South Carolina, South Florida and others, spoke with his high school coach, John Castelamare, on Monday. Though the 6-6, 290-pound Tolley is far from making a decision, Castelamare said it's unlikely Zook's firing would prevent Tolley from choosing the Gators.
"I'm sure it's not a good situation," Castelamare said. "But if you're going to recruit for Florida, I'm sure if you're going to get a new coaching staff, you're going to get a good one."
Juniors Dominic Brown of Pasco and Bryan Thomas of Zephyrhills won't choose colleges until next year. But they, too, could be affected by the decision. Whether Florida becomes an option depends less on who is leaving the program than who takes over.
"Ron Zook wasn't a big factor to me," said Brown, a 6-6 receiver/cornerback who likes Florida, South Florida, Central Florida, Pittsburgh and Penn State. "I'm wishing (Steve) Spurrier would come back ... because they'd pass the ball a little bit more. But I don't really know; wait and see what happens."
-- Times staff writers Antonya English, John C. Cotey and Scott Purks and correspondent Jim Reese contributed to this report.
