Orlando Sentinel: UF AD Scott Stricklin Insists Billy Napier Is Not On Hot Seat

I’ll stop if you answer a direct question with no equivocating, no misdirecting, no qualifying.

How many consecutive losing seasons does Napier get until it proves he was not the right hire?

My answer is three. What is yours?

 

Very good post, you made a lot great points.

“He is a chess player whose acumen could work well 10 or so years ago but the game is now MMA. Does the UF BT ride it out because "they see sanity just around the corner" or is Napier the right person at the wrong time?”

Is he football Mike White? That’s an interesting question, maybe. Good guy, absolutely, without a doubt. It appears to me he has a couple of blind spots though that are really bad. I think he probably does his best work M-F, not so much on Saturdays (in my best Charley Pell voice ). Because of it and the fact that UF is not and will not be a all in factory outlet, you need to have a top-flight staff, and it’s far from that now, imho, G5-like.

 

"Now to what is THE salient point of this thread."
The "salient" point of this thread is your agenda! You have your mind made up that BN must go. To continue your rant is to beat a dead horse! Yes, a few people concur, but I don't think most of GN agrees with you. Incidentally, my brother stated after year one that he didn't think "BN was the guy for the job!" Maybe my brother (who still lives in Gainesville), yourself, and others are correct.
I am fine with debate, but this seems to be your obsession! The salient point wasn't even a remotely possible conclusion. I know the writer and he didn't even interpret the interview with SS as you did. He genuinely realized SS sees a bigger picture, which some here do not--BN WILL SUCCEED!

"Now, to the State of the Program (another part of your agenda)." That wasn't what the article was about either, but it is your spin. I only somewhat agree with you that there are problems with the program, which were there long before Billy. IF, in year one, the offense had executed consistently, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.We would be saying, last year was due to losing our quarterback to the NFL. The problem in year one was predominantly offensive pass execution, not the OL or running backs (the defense is another issue, but perhaps the defense would not have been so abhorrent if the offense had executed better).
[Year one the team did not buy in to BN culture, and is not uncommon for year one. Year two, players left because they did not buy in to BN's system, and our OL especially was affected.]
Year two, Mertz did remarkably well, but his patchwork OL was the issue (as well as the defense). Consequently, the offense did not execute in year two, and the defense did not execute either. Will the OL show improvement in year three? They might, but I'm not betting the farm on it. I can say I am hopeful, but that is guarded-optimism. Realistically, the line is probably one year away. If Mertz was a dual threat or DJ emerged next fall, the OL might not be a liability. That's a BIG if!
Honestly, I think we see the situation similarly; our conclusions differ due to "optics." In a year or two, I may say that you were right; or, vice versa.
Just know this: how you and the author interpreted that interview were polar opposite, and that is a certainty!

 

Like most all things , Time will tell. If the product on the field shows clear , definite progress, perhaps he will get all that he needs to get it right. If the product looks like an uninspired, unorganized train wreck, he won’t. Simple as that.

 

So the noble media is pouring fuel on the “hot seat” fire while Stricklin tries his best to douse the flames. Terrific

Ever consider that the media might be pushing an agenda that’s not in UF’s best interests?

 

Nothing that a winning season won’t cure. It falls to Napier to get himself out of the situation he is in. No one else to blame. We’re even well, well, well past the point of blaming Mullen.

 

The Orlando Slantinel would never!! - Larry "Pest" Guest

 

Well then. I guess my post above was not designed for you. That is fine.

Have a good day.

 

Of course they are!

 

I appreciate what you often have to say. Obviously, you didn't even think you might be reading more into it? Fair enough.

 

well, well, well?

 

Let me answer your question with a question — why are you so hooked on the idea of Napier having another losing season? It’s like you’re willing it to happen. What kind of fan does that? Don’t try and tell me you’re pulling for Napier to do well because that’s just talking out of both sides of your mouth. Admit it - you’re rooting against him so you can be right and we can fire our coach after 3 years - again. Man I’m done talking with you

 

College football second-year coach grades: Kalen DeBoer earns 'A+' mark, Billy Napier gets 'D'

“I'm not sure there's a coach at the Power Five level on a hotter seat than Napier. After an uninspiring 6-7 record in 2022, the Gators were less inspiring in 2023 amid a 5-7 campaign. What had been a great recruiting class fizzled as signing day approached and the losses mounted. The Gators head into 2024 with one of the toughest schedules in the country and not a lot of confidence in their coach.“

 

Muschamp got a fourth season because he won 11 games his second year.
To get fired after a bad third season would have been disastrous for us.

One does not fire a person one year after being in the national championship hunt.

Unfortunately, he did not do very well his fourth year and Foley let him go.

 

Waaaaaah

 

If it goes south this year and they want to replace him, that doesn’t mean anyone is writing a check.

 

And the coaches looking in probably don’t have much confidence in our bags.

 

Yet forgot to pay our players that flipped.

 

It’s all pay for play. They just didn’t jump through the proper hoops.

 

I'm sure the NCAA and the ACC have a hard-on for FSU and their lawsuit antics. They have to be made an example of... not to shake too many trees while "clowning" around in the court of law..

Lol at gringoloco. Optimistic... becasue you're a newbie nole here, or becasue the NCAA really is feckless?