Is the 2023 Roster Still Better than What Billy Inherited?

When I said they quit I meant on the season. As soon as the FSU game ended they packed it in. And to me, that’s a direct reflection on the coach. And it’s been all downhill since then, many people were hoping for a top 5 recruiting class that turned out to barely be top 15. Now it looks like we’re going into next season with Graham Mertz at QB. We got our butts kicked in recruiting, got our butts kicked in the transfer portal. Everyone around here likes to talk about DJ Lagway, when the team goes 4-8 next year good luck trying to convince him not to flip to a winner…the 3 biggest programs that hired coaches last year were UF, LSU and USC. Any idea how those other two schools did last year?? Our 3 biggest rivals, how about them?? Wake up people, before it’s too late

 

Always?

Lincoln Riley won the PAC championship. Sonny Dykes made it to the national championship.

Hell, even Dan Mullen brought us to a top 10 finish after a 4-7 season.

Plenty of other examples.

 

True...unfortunately we now have a unproven rookie leading them.
Not a smart hire and not a good prescription for winning in the SEC.

 

For the sake of argument, let's say I'm "woken up" as you say.
What exactly should I do?
Demand that CBN should be fired?

It sounds like that's what you are saying. Is that right?

 

Lincoln Riley to SC proved that all it takes is hiring the right guy and everything changes immediately. Obviously I know the AD won’t listen to a bunch of guys on the swamp gas forum but I just keep hearing everybody praising Napier and continually bringing up patience. I just disagree on both counts. I think he’s done a bad job and we’d be better off cutting ties and finding a guy with a system that kids want to play in. All UF is missing is the right coach, everything else is there. Did Tennessee really have that much talent last year? No, they have a system that even a guy that sucked at VA Tech could succeed in. Because of that they land the number one QB recruit and now they’re off and running. They’re going to be great as long as Heupel stays there.

EDIT: Even though we don't allow calling for Coach Napier to be fired in his first year, and thankfully most wouldn't do it, I'm leaving this post (among his several) so folks can see it for what it is.

 

Ahhh, I've heard this all so many times. "If we only had the right coach!" As if they grow on trees and we can just reach out and pluck one off. Cut Napier off after one year? Rots of ruck finding that "right coach." Since 2001, we've had more coaching changes than anyone in P5 football. You think top talent is just going to say "Ahhh, all those other guys just sucked"?

And Hooker did NOT suck at VT. Not sure where you got that from. VT fans were calling for Fuente's head when Hooker led a convoy of stars out of Blacksburg and into the Portal.

 

After the two most recent additions, assuming guys like Tony Livingston and Mark Pitts get scholarships, I count 78 on scholarship now. Not counting those 2, it's 76.

I still feel like Florida needs to add instant play guys in the secondary - S and NB, a deep threat WR, and a more dynamic TE. I also think they need at least one more pass rusher. That's 5 more. And yes - they need another QB in the room, so that's 6 getting to 84.

Do we get those things? IDK.

But until we do it's hard to say UF is in a better position now than they were in 2023.

Honestly the situation looks like a slightly better front 7 than last year, especially in the middle, a thin and young secondary but I can't imagine it being worse than last year, so say push, weaker OL, nice RB rotation, but probably weaker at QB, same shit at TE, and HOPEFULLY a bit more talented at WR with the freshmen.

So a mixed bag really. Excited to see what they do with these last 7-9 spots.

 

Glad you bought Fuente up, a group of 5 hire that got a chance at the big time but just couldn’t get it done. Sound familiar? Gave him 6 years to figure it out and he just got progressively worse. But you are right about Hooker, I shouldn’t have said he sucked. He was decent at VT.
Two years with Fuente, 22 TD 7 INT. Two years with Heupel 59 TD 5 INT.
Coaching matters bud

 

Man, you just keep digging a hole for yourself.

 

Heupels first year was pretty comparable to CBNs, no?

This board and the internet as a whole, is loaded with revisionists. Thought I read earlier in the post that you're a newer member here? If so, here's the bulk of the comments on this board a year ago and the hiring of CBN:
"We got a good one.....a program builder, but it's going to take a few seasons. It's an impossible ask, but Gator Nation needs to be patient on this one. 6-6 is likely, maybe 7-5......if we hit 8 wins then we've hired the next Saban. Next year is a "give me with House Money" and we need to all place our bets on PATIENCE."
Fast forward first season and half of those people want him gone and Gruden hired.

 

I must of missed what titles USC and TN won last year. I think we will be fine with Napier, but if you want to build something for the long haul it takes time to build.

 

Trolls gonna troll, the best part is the righteous indignation

 

Heupel took over a 3 win team and won 7. Not quite comparable in my opinion. I hear you on the response when Napier was first hired. I felt the same way. But after watching him coach 12 games I have changed my mind based on what I have seen.

 

Well, that, talent, and a good OC...

The minimum standard of suck is not anything less than Heupel...bud.

 

Mullen took a 4-win team and won 10 his first year and 11 the following year...

 

Before the smoke & mirrors caught up with him and it all fell apart

 

for someone who joined the forum yesterday, you sure talk a lot of crap about Napier. The stench of a troll...

 

During your commute have you ever driven by an old restaurant and it’s suddenly crawling with hard hats and heavy equipment and you realize it’s being torn down? Then you get all melancholy and think to yourself how much you loved that place and how your parents used to take you there to eat when you were little? And before long it’s just a pile of rubble and dirt as dump truck load after dump truck load is hauled away until there’s nothing left but an empty lot of fresh dirt. A blank slate. And you’re left to think to yourself what’s going on because you have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes? You wonder who would do such a thing to your favorite place and your beloved memories? Then after some time you notice a new foundation is being poured and new materials are being brought in by the truckload. After that walls are being stood and it’s starting to look like something new and you have a new found excitement for the future of this place. Before long, a beautiful, new, modern venue is standing in its place and you realize it never could have been built without tearing down the old! Then, suddenly, you understand that renovations and an updated facade might have kept it going for a few more years but would never have been able to match what a complete rebuild could do? Have you ever witnessed that? No? I’m just guessing, but I bet Billy Napier has…

 

I won't say that's unreasonable, unfair, invalid ect.....but you moved your own goal post.
No judgement here. Im at fault of the same thing in regards to AR being QB1. With just avg QB play, everyone on here would be satisfied with CBN Year 1. Miller/Mertz don't have large production shoes to fill. Couple that with allegedly a lot of poor attitudes getting washed out - I'm optimistic Y2 trends up.

 

Sounds like a nice Sunday sermon.