forums

The Decline of South Florida

View as article
423Hurricane said:
The really sad part of the CFB landscape these days is that image and $$$ have taken precedence over a college degree. As we all know, a very small % of CFB players make it to the NFL and a small % of those make it past their rookie contract. That degree is much more valuable than most of these kids realize.
Click to expand...
This.....that degree is something to fall back on in case of a devastating injury.
 
Advertisement
JamesQuall said:
I just don't see it.

I get the tiny country town kid going to a big city like Miami or LA. But Tallahassee outside of FSU there aint much to do so it's pretty much small town to small town, the only thing specific to him would be minus the mormons

:beedog1:
Click to expand...

I get it lol. Gilbert is a massive suburb of Arizona with a lot of -- if not only -- white Mormons. It sounds comical, but it might be a thing lol.
 
ageezy said:
"He was the leading receiver in the Big 12 through nine weeks and then the last three weeks he didn't really have any production and we couldn't get him the ball and we were struggling up front."

this quote says alot ... he finished 10th in receiving ... 4 guys ahead of him are now in the league ... speaks to the talent
www.espn.com

College Football Offense Receiving Big 12 Stat Leaders, 2024 Season - ESPN

ESPN is the place for NCAAF stats! Discover the Big 12 Offense stat leaders of the 2024 college football season.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Click to expand...
One interesting tidbit given this thread pertains the ‘20 and ‘21 classes. Two Miami guys listed in the top 15 for BIG12 receiving yards last year.

Xzavier Henderson (listed in D$’s OP) and Jayden Higgins. I believe most on here know Xzavier, Christopher’s younger brother. Still has a shot at being a day 3 pick.

Not sure if any of the coaches on here squared up against Westminster Christian. However, it is a rarity to see a kid this productive being basically unranked.

24/7 has no composite grade for Higgins while their own service ranks him as a 2*. 357th best player in Florida’s 2021 class and the 459th best ‘21 WR.

Higgins had 983 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his first year at Iowa State. He transferred from Eastern Kentucky. He had a record 214 receiving yards in their bowl game win. Listed at 6’4.

Sounds like a future pro to me. Most projections have him as a Day 3 guy with the potential to get into day 2 with a strong season.
 
Last edited:
SWFLHurricane said:
This.....that degree is something to fall back on in case of a devastating injury.
Click to expand...
423Hurricane said:
The really sad part of the CFB landscape these days is that image and $$$ have taken precedence over a college degree. As we all know, a very small % of CFB players make it to the NFL and a small % of those make it past their rookie contract. That degree is much more valuable than most of these kids realize.
Click to expand...
To add to what you two and Macho already said, we are also in a weird time from a communication standpoint.

Since we are all CFB fans who saw Keith Bryant trolling even before NIL, we know the effect attention/money can have on the athletes on campus.

However, Nick Saban’s Congressional complaints about the effect of money on the sport, on the human beings, on the family and friends around them, on the coaching staff’s, etc. are seen as unfavorable by a huge portion of people.

They think he hates to see his players earn a living for their family. Moreover, people put a bad, inaccurate labels on Nick Saban just because he is a white, older gentleman 🤦🏽‍♂️
 
Might be a bit OT. I don't know if it's even considered part of South Florida. There are a few documentaries about football in The Muck. My understanding is that it's a small, low income area that has produced several NFL and quality college players. Are they still grinding out players or have times changed?
 
Advertisement
JamesQuall said:
I just don't see it.

I get the tiny country town kid going to a big city like Miami or LA. But Tallahassee outside of FSU there aint much to do so it's pretty much small town to small town, the only thing specific to him would be minus the mormons

:beedog1:
Click to expand...
Mi niece lives up there and is a Jehova's Witness. Does that count?
 
cane4life72 said:
Actually the year I played we were pretty good and was one short of the State Championship game as we lost to Sarasota Riverview. William Bell was also on my team who went on to star at GT when GT was **** good and he was on the cover of SI. We beat CC which was the #1 team in the state at the time and Homestead in the playoffs which had Michael Barrow on that team. NW wasn't good or Central. The down south schools was running Dade Cty at that time. Southridge which was ranked nationally every year and Killian was always good back than. Hurricane Andrew pretty much destroyed those programs as many people moved north to the city or Broward. BT Wash wasnt even a high school in the early 90's.
View attachment 294771
Click to expand...
For sure like the history. When I played against Edison ..Corey Bell was the coach lol.

Down south teams like the ridge really were good..and like Katrina....Andrew did a number and displaced alot who never moved back
The new Orleans Katrina babies flooded Houston and Dallas with even more of a talent pool
 
cookies said:
One interesting tidbit given this thread pertains the ‘20 and ‘21 classes. Two Miami guys listed in the top 15 for BIG12 receiving yards last year.

Xzavier Henderson (listed in D$’s OP) and Jayden Higgins. I believe most on here know Xzavier, Christopher’s younger brother. Still has a shot at being a day 3 pick.

Not sure if any of the coaches on here squared up against Westminster Christian. However, it is a rarity to see a kid this productive being basically unranked.

24/7 has no composite grade for Higgins while their own service ranks him as a 2*. 357th best player in Florida’s 2021 class and the 459th best ‘21 WR.

Higgins had 983 receiving yards and six touchdowns in his first year at Iowa State. He transferred from Eastern Kentucky. He had a record 214 receiving yards in their bowl game win. Listed at 6’4.

Sounds like a future pro to me. Most projections have him as a Day 3 guy with the potential to get into day 2 with a strong season.
Click to expand...
There are guys like Higgins almost every year for south Florida.

In fact he was a guy i thought we would entice to hit the portal.

Him and Henderson are definate draft picks if healthy
 
Advertisement
Imukat said:
Might be a bit OT. I don't know if it's even considered part of South Florida. There are a few documentaries about football in The Muck. My understanding is that it's a small, low income area that has produced several NFL and quality college players. Are they still grinding out players or have times changed?
Click to expand...
The muck is south Florida as it's palm beach

That's belle glade, pahokee, clewiston.

The demographics have changed a bit and their kids have moved east ..pahokee just put out a QB that is an early enrollee at ole miss.

They aren't the powerhouse they were previously as the area is still low poverty and families head more east to make a living
 
gogeta4 said:
The muck is south Florida as it's palm beach

That's belle glade, pahokee, clewiston.

The demographics have changed a bit and their kids have moved east ..pahokee just put out a QB that is an early enrollee at ole miss.

They aren't the powerhouse they were previously as the area is still low poverty and families head more east to make a living
Click to expand...
I know you don’t agree with D$ here but that was just wrong what you did to his South Florida dog.

IMG_7372.gif
 
Advertisement
cookies said:
To add to what you two and Macho already said, we are also in a weird time from a communication standpoint.

Since we are all CFB fans who saw Keith Bryant trolling even before NIL, we know the effect attention/money can have on the athletes on campus.

However, Nick Saban’s Congressional complaints about the effect of money on the sport, on the human beings, on the family and friends around them, on the coaching staff’s, etc. are seen as unfavorable by a huge portion of people.

They think he hates to see his players earn a living for their family. Moreover, people put a bad, inaccurate labels on Nick Saban just because he is a white, older gentleman 🤦🏽‍♂️
Click to expand...
Nick doesn't want his players to have a lot of money because he wants control. He doesn't give a **** about the kids or the families. He just wanted to win and have an advantage over teams like Miami and USC because he had the NCAA in his back pocket
 
RangerGranger said:
Respectfully, you may have missed me elude to this when I said "Chubba Purdy to Florida State?".

Chubba Purdy grew up in Gilbert, Arizona - the safest zip code in the US filled with Mormons. Maybe it's just a lucky guess, but I knew the kid was not going to mesh with the city/culture in Tallahassee.
Click to expand...
Actually some of them Gilbert kids should fit right in at that garbage fire of a town.

www.newyorker.com

How a Homegrown Teen Gang Punctured the Image of an Upscale Community

The authorities didn’t seem to pay attention to the Gilbert Goons until one boy was dead and seven others were charged with murder.
www.newyorker.com www.newyorker.com
 
Advertisement
Mikesmith29150 said:
Nick doesn't want his players to have a lot of money because he wants control. He doesn't give a **** about the kids or the families. He just wanted to win and have an advantage over teams like Miami and USC because he had the NCAA in his back pocket
Click to expand...
I mean, let’s be real..

Do we really think Nick Saban cannot control a collegiate locker room just because his players are paid? The man is 72 years old. He was not going to keep on coaching forever.

Offering Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. shows me he cares about his players. The TV dynamic he has with Marcus Spears twenty years later shows me he cares about his players. This video does as well.

 
cookies said:
I mean, let’s be real..

Do we really think Nick Saban cannot control a collegiate locker room just because his players are paid? The man is 72 years old. He was not going to keep on coaching forever.

Offering Dre Kirkpatrick Jr. shows me he cares about his players. The TV dynamic he has with Marcus Spears twenty years later shows me he cares about his players. This video does as well.

Click to expand...

Nick cares about Nick. He does things for perception. I don't have a problem with this, just calling it his how I see it
 
Advertisement
Back
Top