Get Excited About the Defense

Because its highly unlikely that it could actually be worse?

 

Wasn't it supposed to be better last season? Toney to Armstrong.

 

Uh huh, pre season. Believe we started with good stats but after about three games went to poop. Defense has to make a statement this season, STs need to function well, and in-game staff errors should not be an issue for the staff to be credible.

 

Maybe my biggest knock on coach to this point was his comments about the improved defense last spring. Personally speaking, I gave him a pass for many reasons like our talent level, disarray of NIL, injuries, recruiting wars (NIL again) etc but the misread on the defense is what I took as concerning more than any of those things.

With that said, I'm cautiously optimistic that we will see considerable improvement due to experience added to the staff and the talent infusion from recruiting, the portal and growth from the young guys in the program last year. Never thought I'd be happy to see Raymond leave but he was a bust for us across the board.

 

Sometimes its hard to get a read on one of your units when its going against your own guys. D dominated the Spring game so maybe the takeaway is the the D will be much improved, when actually the story was that the OL was not nearly as good as the prior year. Once the Gators got into real games with real opponents it was easier to judge the soundness of the various units. I still had hope for the Gators D being much better until the UK game and was praying that was just a "bad day" aberration. Unfortunately it was not.

 

Our staff obviously was not on the same page last year, and our talent was not very good. Early in the year, seeing our cornerback coach standing completely away from the team with his arms crossed pouting like a little bitch pretty much told the story.

 

Poor recruiting and poor hires. Iron sharpens iron, mud just mushes together. All the hype last spring and yet, regression.

Hopefully we are making sparks and getting sharp this year. Lots of newish pieces to start moving on the board.

 

Did the same thing at LSU for many years, and they hired him back!

 

In 2007, 73% of our scholarship players were freshmen and sophomores.

 

2007 was frustrating because we had the opposite problem from 2005 and that was a very winnable title year with just an average defense. I believe that was our worst defense statistically until the past few years.

Still though, we knew we had to take our lumps and we knew it was due to youth but we knew what we had going forward.

 

Agree, but those sophs were really special. Guys like Tebow, Percy, Spikes, Dunlap to name a few!

 

Good god, I’m reminded of Greg Knox standing on the sideline arms crossed and pouting when he was interim, believe during the bowl game vs UCF. Those coaches threw that game with no regard for their players. Disgraceful. He ended up at a small school in the northern Midwest where he belonged, I believe. Good Riddance!

 

Nice post. And yet, here's the same outstanding fan after game one:

 

Mario Cristóbal destroyed our defense.

absolutely nothing to be excited about

 

I guess it begs the question, "Ultimately, is any post on a message board actually constructive - or destructive - in any way to the team or program?" As for thriving at finding fault, you have to admit that BN has made it pretty easy to do.

My opinion: Comments where one poster criticizes either a specific poster - or a general group posters - are neither justified, acceptable nor helpful. Ever. Sadly it happens far too frequently here. It sure would be nice to not see any more posts directed from one Gator fan to another saying stuff like "told you so" or "haters" or "troll" etc. (And, yes, I've been guilty of it too.) If one finds someone's post is offensive, let it go. If events prove them wrong, that's the best comeuppance of all - if that's what one is into. If events prove them correct, one has spared themselves from looking foolish.

So, let's all pledge to be better when we post, especially now.

 

You're right, man. I've been guilty as well and need to realize that we're all entitled to voice our opinions and not take anything personally. Easier to vent and attack in writing over a message board than it is to look someone in the eye and say it.

 

Posts do not have to be constructive. Say what you believe, what you see, what you hope or wish will happen. One person might wholeheartedly believe Napier and his staff are going to succeed if we just "be patient", another might have seen enough and believe the only course is to part ways sooner than later. Even on a message board, it still should stand that my rights end where others begin, so taunting, blaming players, insults etc do not go over well. But the staff is fair game. They are paid very well, probably overpaid. If someone vehemently dislikes a staff that is failing his institution, I call that All Gator.