Florida football still 'actively recruiting' under interim coach Billy Gonzales

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With early National Signing Day approaching on Dec. 3, Florida football is still hopeful to hold its 2026 class together.

Florida football interim coach Billy Gonzales said he and his staff are still actively recruiting to keep its current 2026 class of 19 commitments and perhaps, add a few more.

“It’s no different than anything else,” Gonzales said. “We’re still communicating on a daily basis, sending texts and sending email, and getting a chance to talk to them on the phone. They’re still Florida Gators. We’re still Florida Gator coaches, and we’re still recruiting our student-athletes to come to this university.

“It’s a great opportunity. Again, this is the University of Florida. We want to go out and get these players to come here and they understand that part, this is a special place.”

So far, there’s been so significant attrition to UF’s signing class since head coach Billy Napier. That could change, depending on whether UF has hired a full-time coach by the first week of December. Florida could choose to wait if one of its projected targets − Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin or Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz − is getting its squad ready to play in the College Football Playoff. Recruits are often tied closely to the position coaches who recruit them, which makes the chances of UF keeping its current class together even more slim.

UF’s 2026 class is currently ranked 14th nationally per 247Sports.com composite, with 10 four-star recruits and nine 3-star recruits. The list includes four-star Gainesville Buchholz wide receiver/running back Justin Williams, who said publicly he intends to stay committed to the Gators no matter who ends up as UF’s coach.

Kevin Brockway is The Gainesville Sun’s Florida beat writer. Contact him at kbrockway@gannett.com. Follow him on X @KevinBrockwayG1. Read his coverage of the Gators’ national championship basketball season in “CHOMP-IONS!” — a hardcover coffee-table collector’s book from The Sun. Details at Florida.ChampsBook.com

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida football’s interim staff actively recruiting to maintain 2026 class ahead of NSD

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