One of Brent Pease's duties as Florida's new offensive coordinator was to recruit quarterbacks. With Skyler Mornhinweg, who committed to the Gators on Friday, according to ESPN's GatorNation's Derek Tyson, Pease has gotten his man.
Mornhinweg is a three-star prospect according to Rivals, but a four-star quarterback in ESPNU's eyes. He's got good size, at 6'3" and somewhere between 190 (ESPN) and 215 (Rivals) pounds, and he's got a decent football mind — at least, that's what I'd hope, given that Mornhinweg is the son of Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg, who only helped resurrect Michael Vick as an occasionally lethal passer.
Hit the jump for highlights of Mornhinweg's junior season and a bit more analysis.
Mornhinweg — who was previously committed to Penn State, but whose recruitment by the outgoing Jay Paterno created an opening for other schools — gives the Gators four scholarship quarterbacks, joining Jacoby Brissett, Jeff Driskel, and Tyler Murphy at a position that has more talent than production or experience. He'll add depth, which became critical in 2011 as Florida's outmanned offensive line helped force the Gators to start then-third-stringer Brissett, but he's also insurance against the loser of the Brissett-Driskel quarterback derby transferring.
Mornhinweg's commitment should also end Florida's pursuit of quarterbacks for the 2012 recruiting cycle. The Gators had reportedly been in contact with Jacob Guy and Paxton Lynch, but will probably choose to take players at positions of need instead of a second quarterback in 2012, and focus on Brice Ramsey or other quarterbacks for 2013.
It will also now become Pease's job to mold his charges. He did good work in not screwing up Kellen Moore's senior season at Boise State, but he'll be taking on a slightly different challenge as the steward of a stew of raw ingredients in Gainesville.