Where was this team for the first 7 games?

Right. Beat Vandy. Plain and simple. Things need to be a little more detailed for Florida State so I gave that game plan

 

Well if you paid attention to what the coach says you'd come to the conclusion that Kitna progressing helps AR feel more confident in him, resulting in AR being more willing to tuck and run. That, in turn, helps the offense

 

Seriously?

You're essentially blaming the Ky loss on the coach playing Wright instead of MJ when the obvious reason for the loss is right in front of you. You're trying too hard to excuse poor QB play.

 

we've played 4 of top 10 in CFP rankings

 

New coaching staff coming in.. Wright coming off a major injury from last year, working hard to rehab. I'm sure that CBN did not want to upset team chemistry from the start by bringing in his guy (Johnson) and shit canning Wright. In the beginning of his rebuild, team chemistry and buy in is more important than a few yards extra. CBN handled this perfectly by giving Wright a chance as the lead back, and eventually switching over to the other 2 backs.
I think it's great the way the team has 'bought in' and played hard throughout the year. If you think about it, he handled Cox in a similar way.. Gave Cox a chance to lead, but it didnt work out. Although Wright wasn't disruptive, Wrights issues were strictly physical

 

Also you want to lean on experience when you're not sure what you have when bullets fly.

It's a delicate thing to manage a roster, especially at first. The ultimate goal is to have chemistry build and leaders emerge. You train your squad as best you can then send them out to battle to execute the best they can and fight for each other.

I think we're seeing the success and have turned the corner. Any successful rebuild is going to see 2 steps forward and 1 step back along the way. Execution has not always been 100% but effort and attitude has.

 

We have seen the opposite happen where the Gators looked good in the beginning of the season, but looked bad late in the season. It is not a stretch to believe the opposite could happen.

 

I am answering the OPs question. It’s safe to say the RB cost us hundreds of yards early season and the switch gained us hundreds of yards since.

It’s a big deal and one of the biggest changes.

Of course other things influenced games as well. AR running more, Dean playing better, less 12 personnel, etc.

 

I don’t think he made a bad decision. Lose the battle win the war type of thing.

CBN probably didn’t anticipate the gap being this wide either.

But it is also true the total offensive output could be 1000 yards more full season between MJ/ETN vs Wright getting a third of the run. It’s a huge deal

 

I try to avoid coach speak, learned years ago they really don’t say much of value.

 

Growth

 

Wright has 47 carries this year. He averages approx 2.3 yds per carry less than MJ/ETN. If you gave MJ/ETN Wrights carries that would increase running production by approx 110 yds. Throw in a couple of 50 yards runs for good measure and it's still only approx 210 yards increased production, but by actual numbers it would be approx 110 yards increased production

 

Florida is 1-3 versus the FOUR top ten teams they’ve played with their first-year coaching staff after a miserable season during which their head coach was fired. I’m leaning into that’s where the team was for the first half of the season. If they win out and end the regular season 8-4 and maybe 9-4 after a bowl I’d call this season a resounding success.