**The end is not near, for Billy Napier at Florida**

Awful read imo. The writer assumes everyone was on board with Napier hiring. Total lie. He quotes people who are not going to say anything of consequence . I learned nothing

 

I bet he would.

 

I wish I shared your optimism. I hope you are right!

 

The story definitely had some holes and inaccuracies (particularly regarding "overwhelming" support for Napier...a coach that I doubt most boosters had ever heard of before Mullen was fired). However, FWIW, Richard Johnson, one of the 2 authors may have some real connections at UF considering he grew up in Gainesville and attended Bucchholz HS and then UF. I don't think we should just assume the sources they quote are completely in the dark.

 

My opinion? He wouldn't. Some of us pining for the old days believe we are a top 5 destination but at this point I have doubts. The brand is tarnished by inadequate coaches and Napier might be taking us to a new, unimaginable low. I think we're a good fit for a coach that actually, truly has potential and the wherewithal to hire coaches who are on his level or even perhaps better at some aspects of an organization. Billy hired slouches because he's weak and doesn't understand the value of assistants- my opinion but it fits, at least.

Kiffen's salary is $8.75, so about $2 million more than Silly's base salary. In addition, he gets $150k per SEC win starting at 5, $150k for OOC wins against P5 schools, and more for making the playoffs. That's a summary but not all of it. Easy to see how he can stay at Ole Miss and reasonably earn $10 million a season. Is he really going to leave OM for a team that might have potential but needs a lot of coaching and recruiting just to get back to .500? I think not unless we throw so much money that it later backs us into a corner if it doesn't work out. My opinion, he stays at Ole Miss and gets a raise.

 

Sounds likely.

It's feeling like we're in the same HC rut UT was in. They couldn't get it right after Fulmer, and admin was apparently to blame. We're going to have to pull a rabbit out of our ass. Or at least a Hueppel.

Hire a 3rd choice gamble or keep BN another year until we have a prez and ducks in a row, and better timing for a top candidate?

No one wants to hear that but we may not have a choice. Last thing I want is another gamble, but also don't want to just throw money at the hot name.

 

Agreed. No idea what the available or potentially available HC market looks like. As bad as Napier is, does us little good to hire someone who turns out to be a lightweight where if we wait, maybe we get a real winner.

IF we did wait and let Napier fumble and fail another season, I would be all but certain Admin knows what it's doing and has the guy they want, but have to wait. IF that were the case, I imagine they would insert an interim just because Napier is so toxic at this point.

 

If I recall correctly, UF hiring Napier was seen as an excellent hire and top of the class, but then was quickly overshadowed by the Kelly and Riley hires--both of which were considered jokes ala Gruden to UT until they actually happened. Then suddenly those were the top two hires of the season and Napier was relegated to the second tier.

 

Geux Gatuhs!

 

It's easy to say Tennessee made some bad hires that never really looked good to begin with and they got what they deserved, but it's not like Heupel was anywhere near a slam dunk. If you look at the history of college football hires, there is no rhyme or reason why some work out. It really seems to be dumb luck. Look at UCF before and after Heupel,

2016: 6-7 (Scott Frost)
2017: 13-0 (Scott Frost)
2018: 12-1 (Heupel)
2019: 10-3 (Heupel)
2020: 6-4 (Heupel)
2021: 9-4 (Gus Malzahn)
2022: 9-5 (Malzahn)

There is nothing that says Heupel would be a million times better at a big time job than Scott Frost and Malzahn basically kept them on the same trajectory as Heupel.

 

Well, probably because Kelly and Riley were proven P5 HCs. Napier seemed like a possibly great hire early and he did bring in a support staff that would make most believe he knew how to build a program. Had we known then that his coaching staff was going to be so meh and that it would turn out Napier does not know how to train his players to be very good in games, this wouldn't be such a surprise. But I can say from hovering around other boards that many seemed to discredit the hire immediately, or outright predict failure.

 

The Kelly and Riley hires definitely wound up with all of the attention and accolades because they were proven P5 coaches. I think we were all shocked that OU and ND could basically have their proven coaches "poached" out from under them by other schools. Those kind of "shoot for the moon" hires were always getting talked about by fans but then LSU and USC actually did it.

 

Right. On one hand makes me believe we could get Kiffen, if that's who the power decide on. But on the other, those schools were not nearly close to the bottom like us so more attractive to a proven coach that did not want to have to rebuild a program with an already skeptical fan base. FTR, I don't think Kiffen ends up being our guy, mostly because it would be so expensive and Ole Miss will counter to close the gap with what we offer. He probably likes it there- hot coed fest.

 

Ole Miss loses a ton of players after this year and we have hot coeds.

 

There are a lot reasons that favor us but The coeds at ole miss are pretty choice too

 

I think your scenario is most likely, especially if he continues to win.

Potentially he could accept a UF offer but stay with his team thru the playoffs (assuming they make it, long way to go still). No way in hell does he just quit on a team in the playoffs if they have a chance to win a NC.

 

The Kiffin paradox. It's in our interest for him not to make the playoffs or get bounced early so he can start working for us, but that might indicate he's not as good of a coach as some think.

 

I think this is the most likely scenario. Kiffin doesn't need to start after the FSU game. He has some leverage here and so that could be part of the deal. "Yes, I'll take the job, but I want to be there for my guys to see this season through. Plus, you're going to want my portal transfers anyway, so ESD isn't a big concern for you." Realistically, how much are we going to lose on ESD with a lame duck coach? Kiffin will probably replace them with kids from Ole Miss' roster/recruiting class anyway. If that's what Lane wants to do, don't let that be your impediment from hiring him.

 

Yep, if he doesnt make the playoffs many will be off the Lane Train.

I think the Rebs have a very manageable schedule, tho with Ky, @SC, @LSU, Okla, @Ark and Ga before the Gators and finish with State as always. No Texas, Tenn or Bama and the get Ga at home, so if they go 10-2 they are in imo.