Welcome home, fellow Gator.

The Gator Nation's oldest and most active insider community
Join today!

Reasons for Optimism

Discussion in 'RayGator's Swamp Gas' started by Tolbert1906, Oct 28, 2023.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
Page 1 of 10
  1. Oct 28, 2023 #1
    Tolbert1906

    Tolbert1906 GC Hall of Fame

    3,773
    198
    288
    Apr 8, 2007
    United States
    With the blowout loss to Georgia, it's easy to feel like there isn't a lot of hope for the future, but I think we are close to actually turning the corner and being a pretty good team. I think my biggest concerns have been or will be addressed:

    - Recruiting
    A year ago our NIL was hot garbage. I likened Billy Napier's recruiting to Dan Mullen's, not realizing how bad our NIL situation was. With our revamped NIL, Billy Napier is able to recruit at an elite level now. Plus, our facilities are as good or better than any other team, which helps tremendously. Recruits and their parents also seem to really love Billy. It's a hugely positive sign that we are beating out Georgia, Alabama, FSU, Miami, et al. for some highly-coveted guys.

    - Staffing
    Billy has shown he is willing to make necessary changes wrt staffing. He upgraded at defensive coordinator in the off-season, and he appears to be open to handing over play calling duties to someone else next year. I'm optimistic he will revisit our OL and special teams coaching situations.

    - Culture
    The recent ESPN article on Napier's first year at UF really drives home how dysfunctional the team was from top to bottom. Billy has cleaned house and implemented a culture where the players actually care about each other, care about winning, and hurt when they lose. There were maybe some lingering issues at the start of the season, but it seems like the team is finally starting to gel. They haven't come out flat in the past few games, so that's a positive sign.

    I think the next few games will be telling. Will the players come out flat against Arkansas after a huge loss to a rival? Or will they want to take out their frustrations on a mediocre opponent? Previous years' teams would go in the tank at this point in the season. I'm optimistic we'll see a resilient team that will dig deep and find something worth playing for.
     
    • Like Like x 15
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 6
    • Fistbump/Thanks! Fistbump/Thanks! x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. Oct 28, 2023 #2
    Juggernautz

    Juggernautz Don't tread on me! VIP Member

    64,939
    5,699
    2,353
    Apr 17, 2007
    Yulee, FL
    I think we beat Arky but the rest are tossups.
     
    • Agree Agree x 5
    • Like Like x 1
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 1
  3. Oct 28, 2023 #3
    Distant Gator

    Distant Gator GC Hall of Fame

    5,500
    885
    478
    Apr 9, 2007
    Upstate, SC
    I agree our response vs arky will be telling.
     
    • Agree Agree x 11
  4. Oct 28, 2023 #4
    duggers_dad

    duggers_dad GC Hall of Fame

    17,322
    1,263
    2,088
    Jan 5, 2022
    I’m hopeful about the direction of the program.

    But I’m not optimistic.
     
    • Agree Agree x 6
    • Come On Man Come On Man x 5
  5. Oct 28, 2023 #5
    crescent_beach

    crescent_beach GC Legend

    586
    167
    1,818
    Sep 25, 2016
    I think we’ll have near-elite level talent soon. Maybe near-elite level depth with enough time.

    I’m not so sure about near-elite level coaching, though.
     
    • Agree Agree x 10
    • Winner Winner x 2
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 1
  6. Oct 28, 2023 #6
    Bazza

    Bazza GC Hall of Fame

    38,165
    14,900
    3,803
    Jan 2, 2009
    New Smyrna Beach
    This wasn't a blowout loss....but please continue.......:ninja:
     
    • Agree Agree x 5
    • Like Like x 3
    • Funny Funny x 3
    • Come On Man Come On Man x 1
  7. Oct 28, 2023 #7
    Mikog8tor

    Mikog8tor GC Hall of Fame

    1,699
    663
    2,038
    Aug 16, 2010
    We lost by 23, what is a blowout in your mind?
     
    • Agree Agree x 14
    • Like Like x 1
  8. Oct 28, 2023 #8
    Bazza

    Bazza GC Hall of Fame

    38,165
    14,900
    3,803
    Jan 2, 2009
    New Smyrna Beach
    As an un-ranked team....we lost to the defending 2 time national champion team but still scored more than any other team this year except UAB.....and that's by 1 point.

    Considering the above context....and to answer your question.....if we lost by 30 or more. I might consider that a blow out.

    I would also say the turnover and dumb 4th down play GAVE them 14 points.

    Yes I realize we still lost by 23.

    But I do not consider us to have been blown out. Not by that team.....
     
    • Like x 8
    • Optimistic x 6
    • Funny x 5
    • Agree x 3
    • Fistbump/Thanks! x 1
    • Winner x 1
    • Friendly x 1
    • Creative x 1
  9. Oct 28, 2023 #9
    okeechobee

    okeechobee GC Hall of Fame

    11,289
    1,507
    678
    Sep 11, 2022
    Realistically, we will finish 6-6 this season, but don’t sleep on Arkansas. They played LSU, Ole Miss and Bama on the road, all one possession games at the final bell.
     
    • Agree x 10
    • Like x 1
    • Disagree Bacon! x 1
    • Funny x 1
    • Informative x 1
  10. Oct 28, 2023 #10
    GatorLuke

    GatorLuke GC Hall of Fame

    1,084
    1,192
    2,048
    Apr 3, 2007
    Florida
    Yeah, you won’t get a lot of optimism out of the board after this loss, lol. 2024 class looks loaded, 2023 cruits balling out, Napes will hire an OC as soon as the season ends, facilities are tops, academics #1, NIL is well improved, former players involved/engaged and the best fans in college football. It’s coming!!!
     
    • Like x 13
    • Agree x 3
    • Optimistic x 3
    • Fistbump/Thanks! x 2
    • Funny x 1
    • Winner x 1
    • Best Post Ever x 1
  11. Oct 28, 2023 #11
    GatorLuke

    GatorLuke GC Hall of Fame

    1,084
    1,192
    2,048
    Apr 3, 2007
    Florida
    Agreed. Arkie is a must win because 0-3 to finish the season is legit as we will be underdogs in all 3.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
  12. Oct 28, 2023 #12
    eastowest

    eastowest GC Hall of Fame

    23,532
    8,518
    6,031
    May 13, 2007
    6-6
     
  13. Oct 28, 2023 #13
    orangeblue_coop

    orangeblue_coop GC Hall of Fame

    4,457
    732
    2,968
    Nov 19, 2016
    We lost to UGA 42-20 last year and managed to lose by one more point this year, 43-20. At this rate we’ll lose to them 44-20 next year and we’ll still be optimistic after that happens.
     
    • Come On Man x 8
    • Funny x 5
    • Dislike x 3
    • Like x 2
    • Agree x 1
    • Disagree Bacon! x 1
    • Optimistic x 1
    • Creative x 1
  14. Oct 28, 2023 #14
    okeechobee

    okeechobee GC Hall of Fame

    11,289
    1,507
    678
    Sep 11, 2022
    careful..
     
    • Funny Funny x 2
  15. Oct 28, 2023 #15
    airgator96

    airgator96 GC Legend

    696
    231
    1,873
    May 16, 2007
    Jacksonville
    We are going to beat Arkansas and F$U

    Yes, F$U beat LSU, but I do not think they are elite
     
    • Agree Agree x 8
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 5
    • Like Like x 1
  16. Oct 28, 2023 #16
    06GATORS08

    06GATORS08 GC Hall of Fame

    1,531
    435
    1,963
    Dec 12, 2009
    Right?! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It was definitely a tighter game than people realize...
     
    • Funny x 11
    • Agree x 2
    • Winner x 1
    • Friendly x 1
    • Creative x 1
  17. Oct 28, 2023 #17
    RealGatorFan

    RealGatorFan Premium Member

    15,088
    7,736
    2,893
    Apr 3, 2007
    They beat the living crap out of LSU. Unless you are saying we score 60 on them, I don't see the defense stopping their offense so it's going to take our offense outscoring them. I think FSU's offense is better than anyone we've faced so far. The thing is, we don't score many points against good teams. Right now, I see a similar Georgia-UF outcome. The concern is 4 takeaways all season. 126th in the FBS, with only 2 teams with fewer at 3. If we can't get at least 1 turnover per game, that requires your offense to score 35+ points per game and we aren't even close. BTW, we need to throw good money at Bowling Green's DC because they have 20 takeaways this year at 8 fumbles and 12 INTs.
     
    • Informative Informative x 2
    • Creative Creative x 1
  18. Oct 28, 2023 #18
    GatorLuke

    GatorLuke GC Hall of Fame

    1,084
    1,192
    2,048
    Apr 3, 2007
    Florida
    That’s the optimism we like to see. I would say though, FSU’s passing game against our pass rush and the secondary we had today will look elite.
     
  19. Oct 28, 2023 #19
    nawlinsgator

    nawlinsgator GC Hall of Fame

    5,696
    747
    458
    Apr 11, 2007
    Not sure if this is sarcasm or not
     
    • Funny Funny x 5
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Creative Creative x 1
  20. Oct 29, 2023 #20
    airgator96

    airgator96 GC Legend

    696
    231
    1,873
    May 16, 2007
    Jacksonville
    Is LSU a great team? They are 6-2 and play BAMA next so that is probably another loss.

    It is my opinion that they have played a very weak acc schedule and the acc is down this year.

    I think they will struggle in the swamp as long as this team does not implode.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    • Like Like x 3
    • Optimistic Optimistic x 1
Page 1 of 10
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.