Running back Tyrek Tisdale is one of Florida's top recruiting leaders as coach Jim McElwain attempts to get the Gators back on track.
Every new coach has a few selling points in common on the recruiting trail: the energy of a new program, and playing time. Then they add in a few wrinkles of their own.
New Florida coach Jim McElwain is certainly taking pages from the usual playbook, and to it, he's adding his resume as a successful offensive coach at Alabama, a program builder at Colorado State, and making sure prospects know about Florida's considerable winning tradition.
Florida running back commit Tyrek Tisdale, of Orlando (Fla.) Oak Ridge was sold on the pitches from coach McElwain and staff. A 6'1, 205-pound running back, Tisdale packs a punch on the field and off, as the three-star recruit has been doing his best to be a class leader and recruiter for the Gators.
"It's all about coach Mac," Tisdale said when asked why he is confident the Gators will turn their offense around immediately, noting McElwain's successes at Alabama and Colorado State.
Tisdale is particularly enamored with the momentum the Gators' class is riding.
"He's going to come in and make a difference. Since he's been the head coach, he's had six commitments and we've just had three in the last few days, so that's a lot of commitments under his belt," Tisdale said.
In fact, Tisdale expects that the players McElwain is signing in his class will make an immediate impact and take advantage of early playing time.
"This year coming up will be rebuilding, but still good, and then the next four or five years after that, with [Gator commits] Chauncey [Gardner], Rick [Wells] and all them, we're going to try get SEC Championships."
Bonding with fellow commitments
Tisdale is one of the leaders of the Florida class, and is using technology to keep it together and help it grow.
"We have a twitter group message, we snapchat, and we have a group text message," Tisdale said of the groups he set up. "We're trying to make it like a family. Even though we're all spread apart, we talk daily and encourage each other."
And while it is still early in the recruiting process and Tisdale knows prospects will continue to take visits elsewhere, the group helps everyone be up front with one another.
"We all talked about it and said 'hey, if you're gonna visit schools, tell us when and where you're visiting and the real reason why,' just keep it honest with each other and be straight up," Tisdale said.
"We're brothers, so just be honest with each other. We all know each other are going to take officials and visit other schools. If you do decide to decommit, or are thinking about it, tell us. The communication is really open. I like that about us, we communicate with each other like a family."
In fact, Tisdale is trying to organize the entire Florida class for a visit to UF for a game in the fall.
Best relationship?
With which coach is Tisdale closest on Florida's staff?
"That's hard, I'm close with all of them," Tisdale said. "I'm going to have to go with the head bossman, coach Mac."
Other than coach Mac?
"I'll go with [defensive coordinator Geoff] Collins," Tisdale said. "He's just got a switch, and he's bringing something new every day. One day he has an orange Gators tie, the next day orange Gators pants, I don't know where he found those. Every day, it's something new he brings out of the box to surprise you with. Coach Collins just related to us well.
Florida's class is currently numbers 10 the Gators are expected to take a full 25. With the infectious enthusiasm of the new coaching staff, if the Gators can show progress on the field, it shouldn't take long to restore Florida as one of the SEC's top contenders.