Andy Hutchins of Alligator Army has a great look at Florida’s dealings with former cornerback commitment Tre Bell, who switched his commitment to Vanderbilt after the Gators cut ties.
Alligator Army: Did Florida Decommit From Tre Bell?
My understanding of the situation, which of course Florida cannot officially comment on, is that the Gators accepted Bell’s commitment contingent on him working out at one of their camps. Bell recently visited for Florida’s Friday Night Lights Camp, but did not work out, reportedly because his coach did not want him to work out this close to his high school season, for fear of injury.
It sounds like Bell and his coach didn’t truly believe that Florida would decline his commitment for declining to work out. But Florida called their bluff and held firm to its terms.
Is this wrong? Hardly. Hutchins’ argument is dead on. Florida clearly had some terms attached to accepting Bell’s commitment. The terms were completely ethical. Bell did not meet the terms.
Further, Florida cut ties with Bell in plenty of time. He had a full five months remaining to consider and visit other schools. Not that Bell needed that time, as he committed to Vanderbilt almost immediately. Hutchins’ look at the situation is excellent and I encourage you to give it a read.
This is another consequence of the early recruiting cycle. For more on this topic, please check out College Football Recruiting Starts Earlier And Earlier, Whether NCAA Likes It Or Not.
