By JC Shurburtt
ESPN Recruiting
Florida assistant Steve Addazio helped the Gators weather the greatest of storms and landed several of the top prospects in what is the best recruiting class on paper over the past five recruiting cycles. For this, he is the 2010 national recruiter of the year.
Addazio was Florida's coach-to-be after head coach Urban Meyer announced his resignation and then ultimately took a leave of absence from the Gators' football program because of health issues just following the SEC championship game in early December. On top of that, former defensive coordinator Charlie Strong took the head-coaching job at Louisville, bringing assistants Vance Bedford and Kenny Carter with him. Recruiting coordinator/receivers coach Billy Gonzales, who has a national reputation as a recruiter, also left the program for a position at LSU.
Despite the turmoil and picture of instability -- something that can kill a recruiting effort faster than anything -- the Gators landed the nation's top class and one of the best classes during Meyer's era.
"Steve Addazio is certainly one of the very best recruiters I've ever been around," Meyer said. "He brings the same passion and excellence to the recruiting trail that he does to coaching on the field. Our guys love him because he connects with them and cares about them, and that's very evident to anyone who spends time around our program."
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