SEC team with the most difficult schedule is.....

Nobody knows what will happen yet, but I love the fact that we are being forecast to win 4-6 games and be battling Vandy for last place in the East. Graham Mertz is being called the worst QB in the conference. Our RB duo isn’t getting respect as a top tier combo, nationally. I hope it pisses off our players and coaches. Perfect setup to surprise people. I think it’s much better than being rated middle of the pack, as that does nothing for motivation.

 

What is the record you think Napier needs to achieve to ensure the majority of the recruiting class signs in Dec?

 

Mizzccua was rated as one of the best run blockers in the entire country last year

10 best college football offensive linemen in the transfer portal | College Football | PFF

"Mazzccua is an absolute people-mover. His 78.5 run-blocking grade this season stood ninth among Power Five guards. The sophomore’s 14 big-time blocks were tied for second among all guards in the country."

"MICAH MAZZCCUA
The 6-5, 331-pounder is a proficient run blocker. His run block grade of 78.5 was the 2nd highest on the Bears among players with 50+ snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. That grade would have ranked 2nd on the Gators' offensive line in 2022."

 

I don't think Florida has to have a big season to keep the class together. The commits we have are gelling already thanks to guys like QB commit D.J. Lagway. He's working to get other recruits on board and the class looks pretty solid for the Gators. I'm looking for the 2025 season to be the breakout year for CBN. If it happens sooner all the better. Go Gators!

 

I'd be interested to hear what "a big season" means in terms of wins and losses. I think we can all agree that 4 wins or below would be bad. What is the threadhold of wins that UF has to make in order for CBN to hold on to the really good class he has so far for '24. The question is how well does he have to do this season to avoid having every other coaching staff flipping his recruits on the pitch that he is on the hot seat next year and why would you go play for a guy that is going to get fired after next season when you are not going to be on the field enough to impact it. They will say why burn your one portal card just to get away from that program when the new guy comes in and you are not one of his guys?

The portal has completely changed the paradigm of how much time a coach gets. In the old system, recruits were locked in for three or four years after they signed their Letter of Intent. That is no longer the case and a coach can no longer take it as a given that his his two big classes (his second and third class) will be on campus to give him enough time to develop the program in year 3 and 4. Previously, a coach could continue to sell his vision of where the program was going and tell boosters, alumni, and fans to wait to see the results in year three and four when his recruits where on the field. Now after year two, a coach can no longer be selling his vision of the program and has to go on results. Other staffs will be hurting your high school recruiting by all telling recruits your coach is on the hot seat, whether he is or he is not. At the same time, other big programs will be looking over your school's roster and targeting the players they just missed out on in recruiting, who they think they can lure away with bigger NIL deals and recruit them through street agents. The possibility now exists for a coach to lose his recruiting class and key parts of his roster all at the same time and lose the confidence of the school much quicker than in past year.

FYI, I think CBN is going to be at UF through '24 at the least and I think the boosters will give him until at least '25.

 

The Gators were basically 6-6 last season (I don't count the Bowl game because of all the opt outs) so I think CBN needs to go 7-5 to hold onto his 24 class (Winning a bowl game is a bonus so 8-5 looks even better.) and the administration needs to give him a vote of confidence for 24/25.

 

I've heard seven wins a couple times from UF reporters so that seems to be the conventional wisdom going into the season.

 

And that's the mistake of reporters who are increasingly irrelevant.

Billy has no "wins" threshold this season. None whatsoever.

He's going to win and lose games, surely, but my fandom standard remains the same: until proven otherwise, the Mighty Gators are winning every damn game!

What about yours, hmmmmm ???

That said, some Gators and many haters are missing the real deal. We as Gators, the Flagship, need to understand who the hell we are -- the best athletic program in the nation, including the best football program in the best football state.

Billy has an incredibly long rope to play with. A very supportive athletic director, a University president who understands football, and a stadium renovation to excite the fanbase.

Anybody talking about a theoretical "hotseat" before 2025 is kidding themselves. I'd even say 2026 because that's when the renovations are likely done.

This is the right coach with equal parts passion and patience and mindset and manhood.

Let that sink in, Gators.

 

Well said!

Fans of other schools, especially the SOW, can only dream about the sky-falling scenario that puts Coach Napier on the "hot seat" in 2024 and allows a majority of this class to be poached . . . but it isn't happening. In fact, this team is being seriously disrespected and may well shock a lot of professionals who put the over/under at just 5.5 games.

 

Disagree, if Billy has a losing season this year, that will be 3 losing seasons in a row, something that hasn't happened to UF since 1936-1938.

If he has another losing season in 2024, he is gone.

 

That's absolute nonsense and ignores the changed landscape. Fans can talk that kind of foolishness, watchers of the University know better.

We've made a *serious* commitment to Billy and no amount of irrational bitching from fans will affect that commitment.

Hiring "Napier's Army" wasn't just a thing, it was a signal.

Ignore it all you want, it's a free country, but that's the real deal.

That said, our team this year is far better than fans presume. I'm unconcerned about wins and losses. Better team, better culture. Build, build, build.

 

Wait- did you just blame the 2021 season on Napier?
Umm- the guy was in Louisiana!!!

News flash- the debacle in 21 had nothing to do with Napier, and he will get no blame for it.
Just wow.

 

I suspect the class will hold together well should UF stumble again with a similar, 6-6 record, or even 5-7, provided the locker room is undercontrol and no crazy scandals are lurking in the dark.

 

And UF just may surprise.

 

I never said he was responsible for 2021, I was responding to a post that said "Napier gets AT LEAST 4 years to make his mark."

I think that is wrong.

In my view, if Billy puts together 3 straight losing seasons on top of the losing season the Gators had 2021, that would be 4 in a row, something that UF hasn't seen in living memory.

And therefore, in my opinion, IF Billy has a losing season in 2024 (on top of a losing season in 2023), he is gone.

I don't care how good he is recruiting, 4 losing seasons in a row, with three of them under his watch, will be too much for him or any HC at UF to survive.

 

Why should anyone care about this, or think it matters in the slightest?

 

I know we all hope that the streak of losing seasons stops this year.
I agree with you that if we have losing seasons in 23 and 24 that is cause for worry.

I don't agree our record in 21 will have any bearing on CBN's status.
Because that's complete idiocy. And our 21 record is irrelevant to CBN.

 

See post #85.