Katie Turner turns attention to transfer OVs, junior days in January
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The early signing period has come and gone, but the transfer portal window is still open for a few more weeks.
While the Gators have signed all of their commits in the Class of 2023, things are just beginning to heat up with transfer players. They will be focus for UF coach Billy Napier and his staff to start the New Year.
Florida has already announced the signings of Louisville defensive lineman Caleb Banks and Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz. The Gators landed a commitment Friday from Memphis defensive tackle CamRon Jackson, who is scheduled to officially visit UF on Jan. 4.
That will be an important weekend for Florida assistant athletic director of recruiting strategy Katie Turner & Co.
“There’s new legislation that was passed this year where we can have official visits with transfers between January 4th and January 8th, so that is a new thing. That’s a transfer window for official visits,” Turner said on the Gators Tales podcast. “Even though it’s technically a dead period, that is an exception this year. So, we could potentially have visits throughout that week.
“The transfer portal is just such a new thing. It’s not like they have to wait for a national signing day. The transfer portal is open through January, so I’m just kind of on edge. We have announcements (coming). We’ll be working on the transfer portal. When we come back, we know that we’re going to have to do transfer OVs because that’s the thing that’s new this year.”
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The transfer portal, which opened Dec. 5, closes after 45 days on Jan. 18. Meanwhile, the contact period will resume Jan. 13 for Florida’s staff to make in-home visits, stop by high schools and host official visitors on campus.
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UF had a total of 22 official visits in January during the 2022 cycle, including four early signees. But with 20 recruits already signed for the 2023 class and 18 enrolling early, the Gators won’t have as many January official visitors as they did last year.
Instead, their focus will be on the Class of 2024.
“Last year at this time for January, every weekend was official visits because we were a new staff and we were coming from behind. So next month, it’s going to be more junior days,” Turner said. “I’m expecting maybe we’ll have an official visit here or there, but it should really be junior days in January, every Saturday.
“So, we’re taking a few days to go reset and then back at it with the transfer portal and junior days. We’re excited to start flipping to the Class of 2024. It’s exciting to now have a year under our belt. Everything will be a little bit easier next year just because now I’m seen everything, whether that’s a junior day, whether that’s a game day, whether that’s camps, 7-on-7, Friday Night Lights, OVs. So, I’m just excited for Year 2.”
