After watching the UF class go from 3rd to whatever ranking service you choose to use, it would be easy to call it a failure. In some ways I think it was, who can argue with the quality of the guys UF lost. I on the other hand feel that in the short term this COULD benefit the 24 team and CBN. With so much negativity which started early on and was quelled somewhat by the victory over UT, the narrative became harder and harder for CBN to deal with. Fan forums are for fans to discuss and often times vent, that said, I spoke to a recruit who was told by more than one rival staff, to go read Florida's fan boards and decide if CBN will even be there after next year. I can't pretend to tell you why each of those who departed chose to leave UF's class, it was different for some and quite frankly, UF was out bid for at least 3 of those guys, perhaps more. So on ESD eve night, I'm hearing UF was going to get a big flip to counter the inevitable departure of Hayes, Williams and some who had already left the class. Most were hoping for Smith but it turned out to be Baugh (more on him later). As the signed LOI's came in it was becoming apparent UF would fall but how far? There was even some angst with McCray. I went out and drank several beverages and stayed away for a bit. Not every ones coping method but the one I chose that day. Building a team in Todays World: Bama and UGA build from signing primarily HS talent. It is Sabans and Smarts preferred method of restocking their rosters. Who can argue with there success. UF and most everyone else is not in that place right now. We saw first hand (fsu, Ole Miss) how if you recruit the portal very well, you can in most cases help your team much quicker than waiting for 17-18 year olds mature. This is why I made the statement that it COULD benefit CBN and UF to use those spots on more developed players obtained in the portal. Of course, you need to get quality guys and UF's last portal class left a lot to be desired. With that said, I do like what UF has done in the portal thus far. Including the portal guys the new addition of talent looks much better in my opinion. I also feel UF will add 1-3 more HS guys and 5 or so more from the portal. Will UF's talent be better next season that this season? I think it will be but we all know the schedule is extremely difficult. Coaching changes: There was no way the staff was not going to have some turnover. I've heard very good things on the new S&C coach. DL is a wait and see for me, but I do expect better line play next year on both sides. I also expect an OC to be named sooner than later and more emphasis on ST with the staff reorganization. Of course the results will not be known for sometime. Bottom line for me is I'm going to support the current staff as long as they are the staff here at UF. That does not mean they are above criticism when warranted. I will give an early opinion on each room with a more in depth write up once the dust settles and we know who is in and who is out. Note, this is just my opinion. QB: Mertz and some D.J thrown in. Add in a potential new OC and I'm saying a better OB room. RB: no doubt loosing ETN will hurt, adding two very good backs who I am very impressed with and I think the room is potentially as good or better. OL: Another year in the system, hopefully better S&C and I say better. TE: Contributors are back, non contributors are gone. Better. Still excited about the talent in that room. WR: Adding Hawkins and Abrahms to go with Wilson, Jean, Mizelle and Dike from the portal. Maybe better, the key here could be the OC and how he will develop the passing tree. Speed will not be an issue. DL: The freshmen will now be sophomores, adding the portal guys and in spite of loosing Princly, UF will be better on the DL. LB: Who will emerge to play along side of Shemer? Plenty of candidates and some believe Batemen was not the best developer of talent. Better DB: Young and talented and for some, now a year of experience. Better. ST: has to be better Doesn't it. UF will need to win the games they should, spring an upset or 2 and if they do that, perception will change drastically. If they don't, things could get ugly in Gville. That's all for now. Candy
Yup. Maybe there was a time that people who claimed recruits don't read or make decisions based on message boards but those days are over. The vibe of the program can and is created by the 24 hour social media presence. I wouldn't even be surprised to find out some programs have bots or people to create negativity but the truth is they aren't needed. Our fans do the legwork for rivals on their own with their constant garbage. Constructive banter is fine but I'd ask those who doubt the significance of negativity to go and check out the other message boards and platforms to see how pervasive the negativity is. Every move Napier makes is followed by a bombardment of hyperbolic negativity and ad hominem attacks on Napier and his intelligence. As someone who think any fanbase will devolve into the same negative cesspool given a fall from grace, I don't think we are different than Georgia, Bama and others when they fall on hard times. The difference is they haven't during the new social media age and we have. Fans are apart of our own undoing. I'll also add that 2025 recruiting will be very difficult without some big wins. I think Napier may have underestimated the negative presence with a longer rebuild without showing some results. In that regard I think Arkansas and to a lesser degree mizzpu and fsu were Critical performances given the overall state of football fans and recruiting.
BN is not a good game day coach. His only saving grace was the top 5 class he had coming into ESD. We have a tough schedule next year and will likely not make a bowl game again. I’ll be surprised if he survives this. My guess is SS and BN are gone in 2025. The real problem is our UAA. They destroyed our program.
Yep, I am the problem. Lol. Keep receipts of what I said and call me out if I am wrong. Now, tell me your predictions.
And here we go with the negative posts, again, despite the fact the OP pointed out that it really does impact recruiting. We can't read through a single thread without Negative Nellies coming in and ruining it.
Learn to read. Don't be part of the problem. What good does it do to be a constant source of negativity. Nobody is asking you to fart rainbows. Maybe just comment on the positive news that comes out instead of being that never ending bastion of negativity Even in the face of a good but small recruiting class and active changes to the staff.... My prediction is that we will trot out a better roster this year with a hopefully better coaching staff. My prediction is that I will wait and see since this is what we have and that guys like you will be there every step of the way should any missteps occur. Go Gators?
Ending 3 years 0 fer with loosing seasons surely doesn’t affect the fan base or recruiting. The narratives are from self inflicted wounds. There is zero national media putting anything good about The Gators. Wouldn’t expect the fan base to be any different. Go Gators and Looking forward to a bunch more W’s next year. Thanks Candy for continuing to gives realistic updates and info.
Why wouldn't you expect anything different from Gator fans? Mullen left us with one of those losing years. I'm not defending the product on the field this year but it's clear going forward that the roster has been improved and if nothing else there was something disjunct in the defensive staff. We thought Corey Raymond was a coup but in hindsight lsu fans had been disappointed in his coaching for sometime. Can only hope his loss is a plus going forward. I agree Napier painted himself in a corner with this years ending but here we have a recruiting recap stating some positives and yet the usual suspects ( not you) show up like fleas on a dog. You think Gator fans should join along with Georgia, fsu and others in deriding the coach and team?
Agree with most of that. Just think we are in uncharted territory with 3 losing seasons. A slow decline that has everyone bummed. Not making excuses for the trolls, just that glimmers of hope keep getting dashed. Just want another natty before I move on in this world. Is that too much to ask Seems we are in two camps eating our own. Attacking coaching decisions or attacking posters. And the FSU Russian trolls don count. Maybe I’m cranky because I just cracked a tooth and hate dentists.
We'll go as far as the OL and DL takes us this year. If they take a noticeable improved leap in 2024, this team will win the close games that we lost over the past two years. If the new S&C staff is improved....watch out
Check the other boards. The comments are beyond political ugliness. I'm definitely on a shorter fuse with them. When a Gator fan tells me he is saving receipts for our imminent failure I'm gonna attack. Especially on a positive thread. He can shove those receipts up his....
AND, this should be the last year we need to go out and buy offensive lineman in the portal. There is no excuses why this coaching staff doesn't coach up their recruits. Billy has gone after a lot of big guys on the O-Line. Time to start using them. Rod Kearney & Harris at center and Guard. Mike Williams and Fletcher Wesphall at OT. These guys should be starting next season.
Crazy thing is I'm a glass is half empty type. I am not an optimist. I lost a lot of interest when Grantham laid an egg against lsu in 19. We played them as bad as anybody defensively and if we had a top 50 defense then we probably beat "the greatest offense ever." I just can't help responding to the amount of insufferable miserable and incessant comments. I knew Mullen packed it in after Kentucky in 21. Is what it is. If nothing else we know Napier isn't going to quit.
