Manatee RB - Mike Blakely

[Bull Martin]

Auburn and South Carolina will be out.  Florida would never let that happen.

Hope he ends up at USF.

[CPR]

Wow, this is another big blow for UF. From looking around the internet a little bit, it seems like he was originally high on Auburn, USC, Tennessee and Mississippi. Like someone else said above me, I doubt UF lets him transfer to another SEC school, so that bodes well for us. Potentially getting Dunkley and maybe Blakely for 3 years would be great news.

[Woogie53]

From what i've read, the kid is "homesick"...

well if living in Gainesville is too far from home, then USF is his only bet.

No way he'll be allowed to go to an $EC school unless he goes the Juco route.

the kid is amazing.

[Mama_Bull]

gregauman Greg Auman

@ @usfmatt Too early to tell. Are SEC schools in play? Usually coaching change isn't enough to get NCAA transfer waiver. Possible though.

3 hours ago »

gregauman Greg Auman

One thing to remember with Florida RB Mike Blakely, who is transferring: He'll have full 4 years of eligibility, even after sitting out '11.

3 hours ago »

gregauman Greg Auman

Opposing PA announcers, have fun: USF now has incoming linemen named Mak Djulbegovic, Thor Jozwiak, Brynjar Gudmundsson ... oh, and Boo.

3 hours ago »

JoeyHomeTeam Joey Knight

by gregauman

Rangy Carrollwood Day 2-way lineman Mak Djulbegovic will join #USF as a preferred walk-on, Pats coach Lane McLaughlin confirms. #USFBulls

5 hours ago » gregauman

Greg Auman

@joshnewberg247 Mike Blakely's top choices out of high school were SEC schools, and hard to imagine Florida releasing him to an SEC rival.3 hours ago

[CPR]

Per CBS article: http://www.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/24156338/29198813

Despite his limited time with the Gators, Blakely's signed letter-of-intent and early enrollment means he will be nonetheless required to sit out the 2011 season as a transfer. (We think; he may be seeking an NCAA  waiver of some sort.)

But like most members of the Gators' class of 2011, Blakely had committed to Urban Meyer and the previous regime's spread look; per one early report, after getting a first-hand look at Weis's approach, the change in offensive scheme was enough to prompt the transfer request.

Looks like he wants to be in a spread offense.

[usf97]

Well from what Holtz has showed us thus far.....he likes to get the ball in the hands of talented people.....regardless of their position or whatever our offense is called....so I would doubt he would sit on the Bench if he can make plays.

[KB]

What are the rules on a kid like this.  Can any school contact him, or does he have to be the one to initiate?

[Mama_Bull]

USF could be possibility for Florida transfer Blakely

Posted By Adam Adkins at May 10, 2011 at 01:18 PM

Updated May 10, 2011 at 01:57 PM

Not long after the University of Florida announced freshman running back Mike Blakely would be transferring from the program did rumors of potential landing spots begin to float around as well.

One of those spots was the University of South Florida, and, according to Blakely’s high school coach, the Bulls could be a possibility.

“He’s always had the utmost respect for the University of South Florida, and I think they could be a possibility,†longtime Manatee High football coach Joe Kinnan said Tuesday afternoon.

Blakely was one of the nation’s top running back recruits in the Class of 2011. He enrolled at Florida in January, but missed spring drills after undergoing shoulder surgery.

Kinnan said Bulls coaches recruited Blakely out of high school, but that Blakely made it known early in the recruiting process that his desire was to play in the Southeastern Conference, thus eliminating the Bulls and several other programs. Blakely ultimately chose the Gators over Auburn, Kinnan said.

Kinnan said Florida won’t allow Blakely to transfer directly to another Southeastern Conference program as well as “a few other schools.†He added Blakely, who would have to sit out the 2011 season if he transferred to another Division I program but would have four years of eligibility remaining, is scheduled to return home to Bradenton on Wednesday, at which time the coach plans to meet with him to talk about his future.

Does Kinnan think USF would be a good fit for Blakely?

“That’s a good question. We thought Florida would be a good fit, so who knows,†Kinnan said with a laugh. “He needs to figure out what we wants to do because wherever he lands now that needs to be it.â€

—-On a side note, I’m sure most remember that not soon after Holtz arrived as USF, Kinnan had made some pointed comments regarding Holtz and his staff over the recruitment of Manatee quarterback Brion Carnes, who was a USF commitment before Holtz arrived but had a scholarship offer pulled when he decided to take official visits to other programs.

Things have since been patched up between the two coaches, Kinnan said.

“I was up there a couple of weeks ago and spent about an hour inside his office with he, Carl Franks and Mark Snyder,†Kinnan said. “We have a very good relationship.â€

Carnes eventually signed with Nebraska.

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/usf-could-be-possibility-for-florida-transfer-blakely/

[redfisher78]

Gotta be tough to be mad at Skip for too long!

[SRQ]

Kinnan's got it right that the reason to leave UF needs to be known before you can determine where a good fit would be for Blakely.  Bulls don't need a problem-child no matter how talented so lets hope home-sickness was really his deal.