Looks like Muschamp is opening up some schollies

Dec 13, 2013, 12:31 AM

Six Transfers

After a 4-8 season in which Florida had the worst offense in the Southeastern Conference by a fairly wide margin, UF announced the departure of six players Thursday. All of them are from the offensive side of the ball.

"These young men felt it was in their best interest to look for an opportunity to play somewhere else,'' Gators coach Will Muschamp said in an official statement. "We wish all of them the best of luck."

Here's an in-depth look at what each transfer means for Florida moving forward.

-- REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SAFETY/FULLBACK RHAHEIM LEDBETTER --

It's never good when you're a scholarship player and your position is not clearly defined. Ledbetter, a cousin of UF linebacker great Brandon Spikes and high school teammate of Jonathan Bullard, couldn't find the field as a freshman and was moved to fullback last spring. His only career action was in limited special teams play.

At 5-foot-9, 219 pounds, his most realistic position is a spot loaded with talent at Florida. He returned to being listed as a defensive back during the 2013 season. His departure assures the competition for safety playing time next season will be between Marcell Harris, Keanu Neal, Jabari Gorman, Cody Riggs, Marcus Maye and Nick Washington.

Ledbetter was a three-star prospect and the No. 25-rated safety in the country for the 2012 recruiting class.

-- REDSHIRT JUNIOR OFFENSIVE GUARD IAN SILBERMAN --

Silberman will graduate this weekend from Florida, pursue a graduate degree and play football next season. He will not do the two latter things in Gainesville. Though he intends to play one more season of football, Silberman will do so at a school outside of the SEC given the conference's rule on not allowing post-graduate students to bypass the required inactive transfer season.

It is the same move as the decision made by Matt Patchan last season, who spent this past fall starting for Boston College under former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio.

Silberman played in every game this season for the Gators and saw action in 24 games during his UF career with seven starts. Florida will return nine scholarship offensive linemen for the 2014 season, six of which have played in a collegiate game. Silberman was a Rivals100 prospect and the No. 10-rated offensive tackle in the nation coming out of high school. Florida contemplated moving him to tight end in 2013 before injuries forced him to play regularly at guard.

-- FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK MAX STAVER --

The Gators have signed two quarterbacks in their last two recruiting cycles that felt more like padding than substantial depth. Staver was the most recent one. As a senior at Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy with Jalen Ramsey at his fingers as a receiver, Staver threw more interceptions (eight) than touchdowns (seven).

Coaches raved about his "live arm" in camp, but Staver was never higher than no. 5 on the quarterback depth chart. After Jeff Driskel and Tyler Murphy went down, it was walk-on Christian Provancha listed as Skyler Mornhinweg's backup with Brent Pease saying the Gators wanted to preserve Staver's redshirt season.

At 6-foot-6, 238 pounds, Staver was a three-star prospect coming out of high school. Staver's departure leaves Florida with three scholarship quarterbacks, not including Will Grier, who is scheduled to enroll in January.

-- SOPHOMORE TIGHT END KENT TAYLOR --

Florida got four catches for 42 yards out of the tight end position in 2013, and Taylor - a receiver hybrid tight end - was forced to watch from the sidelines. This came after Taylor caught two passes for five yards and one touchdown in six games as a freshman.

The No. 1-rated tight end in the country and a Rivals100 prospect in 2012, Taylor was seemingly brought in to fill the modern-day receiver-as-tight end role that has become prevalent in the NFL but was kept out of the lineup because of a lack of size and blocking ability.

Florida returns contributors Clay Burton and Tevin Westbrook next season while likely transitioning former linebacker signee Jordan Sherit to offense. Redshirt freshman Colin Thompson will look to overcome nagging foot injuries and contribute. The Gators have three tight ends committed for the 2014 signing class.

-- RESDHIRT FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE TACKLE QUINTEZE WILLIAMS --

The only time Williams made headlines during his two falls in Gainesville were for a position change from defensive lineman to reserve offensive tackle and for a season-opening suspension in August. After redshirting as a freshman, Williams moved to offense in the spring of 2013 but never grazed the possibility of playing time despite multiple injuries.

Losing Williams is more about numbers than anything else, but it's difficult to refer to him as capable depth when he was never considered for playing time in 2013.

Williams was a three-star prospect in 2012 and the No. 22-rated strongside defensive end prospect in the nation.

-- FRESHMAN OFFENSIVE TACKLE TREVON YOUNG --

It was strange when Young signed with Florida two days after National Signing Day when his other option was playing Division II basketball at Eckerd College. It was even stranger when the 6-foot-6, 265-pound prospect was initially considered a tight end. That didn't last long, and Young started fall camp as an overmatched offensive tackle going against some of the nation's best defensive talent.

He was largely an afterthought during the season and his transfer came as no surprise. Young was listed as a three-star offensive tackle prospect out of high school. His other football options included Florida Atlantic, Purdue and Tennessee State. - See more at: http://florida.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1586677#sthash.80EiQP6H.dpuf

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Looks like Muschamp is opening up some schollies

Re: Looks like Muschamp is opening up some schollies

i like this

This is College Football. These kids have chosen Clemson...

Because winning is more important than integrity

Bama does this all the time.

Re: Looks like Muschamp is opening up some schollies

I remeber a Tiger that had a hard time finding the field

So, You Think Florida's Issue Was Talent?

SOMEBODY HAD TO GET FIRED!***

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