I mean, Mullen WAS a good hire... then the team inexplicably fell apart and he seemed to become a different person after 2020. We had to cut him loose, I get it, just kind of saying that sucks for Stricklin. I feel like Napier's hiring cycle was much more difficult to find a clear-cut answer than Mullen's hiring cycle.
100% this. The Larry Shyatt analogy is on point. I think Napier is learning a bit on the job, which is to be expected somewhat, and while I do think he is nowhere near a finished product, I do think he still has a lot of potential. But there isn't any reason why everyone on his staff should also have the same issues. We need some proven players to be manning the big assistant positions and Geoff Collins is a known commodity. If he can change this FL defense, he'll get his fair share of coaching choices in the NFL.
It is plain to see our DC is way over his head. If he made any adjustments, I couldn't tell. I'm not an OC or former quarterback, but it is so easy to see where the weakness is in our defense when they line up. DBs/Safeties twenty yards off the guy they are supposed to cover. Wide open spaces in the middle of the field that just begs for some sort of slant that will pick up 10-15 yards anytime they want. And for goodness sake, why do we have to play paddy-cake on third and long? Send the damn house after the QB. If they hit a long throw, it's no different than watching our DBs 5 yards from the receiver catching the ball for the first down. We miss more tackles than any team I've watched this year. We don't challenge receivers. Our players don't play very smart i.e. jumping offsides and letting the receiver get behind you for a TD as well as Gervin's penalty. Hire Geoff Collins right now and have Toney learn from him. I don't want to hear that it's "correctable." Our last two coaching staffs said the same BS and it never got corrected.
The Tradition was started vs. LSU in 2017. Since then we have gone 25-9 at home with a 1-3 record vs. LSU at home during that time span
Calling for firing anyone is ridiculous at this point however.... We have adopted this bizarre idea that it's ok to put all of the blame on the players right now. We have deficiencies no doubt but 5 punts in any 4 game stretch is unheard of. We forced punts against EW but they still moved the ball a lot on us. I don't knownwhat the mix of personnel vs scheme is but it's pretty hard to believe that no other coordinator or scheme could do better than what this defense is doing right now. Some fans had unreasonable expectations this year but there was a healthy chunk that just wanted to see improvement. The defense has not improved.
Here's some good news folks: On the field results, especially in the first year, have minimal impact on recruiting. And the reverse is true as well, just because you win big in your first year does not necessarily translate to an excellent "bump class."
I agree with your points . . . with the following caveat: How much can a defensive scheme be changed half-way into the season? Plus with inexperienced players? I don't think that much. I would agree completely that more aggression (blitzes, press coverage) would benefit the team by this point though.
We might not win another game. Has a single player gotten better as the season has progressed? we have more coaches than players, and have seen very little improvement. great coaches get qbs playing well as well, the passing yards are all from 2 plays
You just said it though. And there is precedent for doing just that under Meyer in 05 and certainly under spurrier at times.
Just remember, we have one of the best, if not THE best, DB class signing on ESD and are playing a lot of young talent. I think Florida will be known as DBU sooner than most think. Keep the faith.
