I don't think Napier will hire an OC. He will stick to his process plus he likes making the calls. This can only end in one of two ways. 1- He succeeds and the program is better for it. 2- He doesn't succeed and we'll be looking for a new HC for 2025.
It’s more than just calling plays, it’s the timing of specific playcalls. Billy gets dragged into the emotional ebb and flow of the game and this affects what play he calls when. He doesn’t have a killer instinct. He doesn’t seem driven to humiliate an opponent the way SOS was. He takes the foot off the gas or plays too conservative. Given what we have seen the first two seasons, how can we expect this to change? Was Billy just missing two years of SEC play-calling experience to finish the “product?” He is clearly in over his head and stretched too thin as both HC and OC. Not hiring an OC will be his undoing.
Share in another thread but this was in an article when BN was let go from Clemson as OC Napier was especially young to be a coordinator at age thirty, and was a questionable hire last year for the Tigers. After serving up a 9-4 campaign in his first season, his offense in 2010 would suffer a below average performance in 2010, especially at the quarterback and wide receiver positions. His lack of success in 2010 was due to his predictability on offense. The play calling was conservative, and his offenses failed to develop any kind of identity at any point during the season, even when Andre Ellington was healthy. His tendencies were easy to read, as noted in the Boston College game, the players and personnel knew if the play was under center, it was a run; if it was in the shotgun, it was a pass. Those tendencies coupled with conservative play calling equaled the dismal, below average offense that would end up with a losing record of 6-7. Sound familiar. He needs a real OC
really hope you are wrong. Scenario #2 is not just going to put even more pressure on Napier but the entire offense as well. I can just see the first 3rd and 11 vs Miami in August where Napier calls a running play. The boo birds will be out in force- in game 1. They won’t be booing the players but the play call…but the players are now under more scrutiny and pressure due to Napier retaining play calling duties. Not really fair to the players on offense. similar to how Dan Mullen could have lifted weight off his shoulders by canning Grantham after 2020- instead he tied his own fate to Grantham the next year by keeping him. Napier would be doing same thing by staying as OC.
Reading this you wonder if the hiring committee (or whoever) actually performed any due diligence on the coach before they hired him. And if so, did they raise this issue of anemic offensive performance and tendencies with him beforehand? Given how much of an identity offense has been at Florida since Spurrier, you think they would have some sort of plan in place should the offense sputter under Napier.
I’m not sure SS uses a search committee. I think he just honed in on culture and recruiting. I’ll be disappointed if BN doesn’t hire an OC. I think he can be the better culture and attention to detail guy if he hands over the duties to someone else.
When he was announced I tuned in to one Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute game and that was all it took to give me a sinking feeling that has only grown worse over time.
Stricklin stated when he hired Napier that unlike the time he hired Mullen he already knew whom he wanted and did not need a search committee. Stricklin did hone on culture and potential for program building.
Thanks for repeating what I posted. Has SS ever used a search committee for any of the coaches he hired?
Yes. He commissioned a search committee in November 2017 (resulting in Mullen) but not in November 2021 (resulting in Napier). On a similar note, Stricklin did not commission a search panel for Todd Golden, but he did interview half a dozen candidates.
Help me understand this. SS needed a search committee to hire a coach who previously worked for him? But SS didn't need a search committee to hire either of two coaches who had not previously worked for him? Have I got that right?
Exactly. Stricklin wanted a committee to provide independent perspective in 2017. That search was biased towards an offensive mind. In 2021 he knew what he wanted based on following Napier’s rebuild of Louisiana’s program that was hit with NCAA sanctions under Hudspeth. That search was based on a businessman who could help navigate through NIL and Transfer Portal 2.0. Gators AD Stricklin Well-Connected for Coaching Search - Florida Gators
I'm of the opinion that CBN will be around for at least 2 or 3 more years (and hopefully longer) to rebuild our program. I think everyone went into this with eyes wide open, and i don't see boosters or anyone else coming up with 20+million to once again buy out a coach and start all over. That would be monies that would take away from allocations to NIL and the transfer portal. It's end of year 2 offseason and IMO, CBN will have plenty of opportunities to tweak coaching staff, roster, etc.. I'm not going to get upset about what hasn't happened until the off season is over and all moves have been made, and then for those who want to get crazy, you at least will have something to get upset about, instead of the current speculations.
I don't know if people aren't paying attention or just forgetful. Napier says and Napier does. He said straight up we're in the talent acquisition business. He will get us a few top ten classes, work the portal, manage the army, and fix a few dozen other things broken or missing. It's a 5 year rebuild.
Well you can certainly see the improvement from our defense since Graham was let go. He was definitely the problem.!!We have so many defensive wizards on the thread here that most could do a better job than who we have hired.
