Welcome home, fellow Gator.

The Gator Nation's oldest and most active insider community
Join today!

*** The end is near, for Billy Napier at Florida ***

Discussion in 'RayGator's Swamp Gas' started by 62gator, Sep 14, 2024.

  1. kryptonite

    kryptonite GC Hall of Fame

    3,013
    1,165
    2,018
    Dec 12, 2008
    We have a lot of athletic talent on the DL, but it isn't coming together and won't with this staff.
    Do you remember Greenard and Zuniga being able to get pressure on the qb plus crash down on rb? Zuniga was a master at that against rb. Miami ran between the guards repeatedly on 1st and 2nd down and our edges did not crash down on their rb one time in that game. Anybody who has every seen Miami games under Cristobal knew that running between the guards was going to happen (and Mario would die on that hill if he had to as a former OL). Of course, the DT get worn down after stalemating for 3 seconds turned into tush push for 7 to 8 yards in the second half. The coaching staff just has made things hard on our players, e.g. making Uman someone who had to drop back to cover, so they could send a delayed S blitz. I wish a long break could change things, but I don't see it.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Fistbump/Thanks! Fistbump/Thanks! x 1
    • Winner Winner x 1
  2. DieAGator

    DieAGator GC Hall of Fame

    Apr 3, 2007
    Tenn #1 scoring offense, #2 scoring defense. We are going to get throttled.

    OT but miami #2 scoring offense with 49.4ppg. They ONLY scored 41 on us.
     
  3. spike718

    spike718 GC Hall of Fame

    2,872
    857
    2,018
    Apr 11, 2007
    Interesting. It would also be an interesting problem to have.

    when I first read your post I took it to read we won 8 games in the regular season. That, I think I would be leaning to keeping Napier. 7-5 regular season….we beat UCF, UK, FSU, Ole Miss and LSU? Trickier. But even me, who has wanted him gone since last year…I may keep him. Bowl game wouldn’t matter too much as the decision would have to be made before that.

    With no can’t miss coach in the pipeline….i guess I’d be ok seeing what happens next year. This also gives time for a new president to be hired, new AD, smaller buyout, retain Lagway, maybe go all in with the transfer portal for elite players for a run with Lagway, and maybe get a larger pool of good coaching candidates if we bomb in 2025.

    don’t see 7-5 happening but I would love to cheer on some victories.
     
    • Like Like x 2
  4. hawaiigator

    hawaiigator GC Legend

    634
    267
    1,718
    Sep 9, 2018
    The decision is already made, they just haven’t told him if you ask me. Even if his record improves, I don’t see where we keep him. Especially when fans are seeing what we are seeing.

    To me, it seems like he’s had this big plan to implement and the reason it is taking so long is he is unable to multi-task. It’s like he lets the whole season happen, and then evaluates it. Has no idea the ST is an issue until the season ends…..then he spends all his time fixing that and let’s something falter. Rinse wash repeat. “Next year” is when he’ll worry about an OC because last year he had to focus on getting a DC…..and the year before as well. Zero sense of urgency on the field, zero sense of urgency on turning the program around.
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
  5. gators1994

    gators1994 Junior

    100
    27
    193
    Sep 10, 2024
    Yeah, not looking forward to the Tennessee game. Their defensive line is really good and is going to give us fits.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Fistbump/Thanks! Fistbump/Thanks! x 1
  6. filamg8torfan

    filamg8torfan GC Hall of Fame

    1,006
    348
    1,803
    Mar 17, 2019
    I'm in here in Graceland and watched EP's old concert where he sang, "and now the end is near and so I face the final curtain."
    The song reminded me about the OP regarding CBN. Lol
     
    • Funny Funny x 4
  7. wingtee

    wingtee GC Hall of Fame

    13,554
    23,640
    3,248
    Apr 11, 2007
    Daytona Beach
    Not that funny honestly. Hope Billy can pull it out. He is a great dude and is doing the right thing for the players by helping them plan a future after football. I’m ok with that. The chances of winning the championship even with a Saban is almost zero. All this firing talk is crippling this program.
    Our fans act like there are a boat load of coaches that want to come here . There isn’t. Brando said it best..”Florida is a toxic fanbase “
     
    • Come On Man x 5
    • Like x 2
    • Disagree Bacon! x 1
    • Funny x 1
    • Friendly x 1
    • Creative x 1
  8. gators1994

    gators1994 Junior

    100
    27
    193
    Sep 10, 2024
    You could say every fan base is “toxic”. Fans are the same everywhere. Do you expect everyone to just say we are great and everything is roses when we are getting our ass handed to us?
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
    • Disagree Bacon! Disagree Bacon! x 1
  9. Endless Excuses

    Endless Excuses GC Hall of Fame

    2,844
    1,094
    2,628
    Jan 13, 2010
    Swampville
    The fan base expects better than to lose a zillion games in a row...I dont think fans are to blame when Mac, Muschamp, Mullen and oh lord BN gave them a myriad of reasons for complaining. Many of our fans came into the season more than patiently supporting a coach who had lost his last 11 season ending games in a row. Show me any top program which would have supportive fans in that scenario. BN has been afforded much more fan patience than he deserved and the others were flatly the wrong guys for the job. UF is a great program with great resources which deserves to at least be top 15 most years and if we aren't there I wouldn't point my finger at a toxic fan base Id point it at the underperforming product on the field and those responsible for that product.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Winner Winner x 2
  10. Matthanuf06

    Matthanuf06 GC Hall of Fame

    12,424
    559
    673
    Sep 13, 2007
    I don’t think we give an assistant a raise to be interim but I could be wrong. And we aren’t going external unless it’s like SOS for a game.
     
  11. Matthanuf06

    Matthanuf06 GC Hall of Fame

    12,424
    559
    673
    Sep 13, 2007
    Back door conversations won’t exist until you fire given they all share an agent. Meaning you can’t ask Sexton about Kiffin because Sexton reps Napier.

    So firing now opens up more options.

    That being said in the grand scheme of things it’s likely not a big difference either way.

    The risk is your upside case. If somehow we sneak 5 wins will people want to keep him? That’s a true downside risk and why firing him early helps….but then again maybe we catch fire and win 8?
     
  12. SewaneeGator

    SewaneeGator GC Hall of Fame

    2,133
    104
    178
    Apr 8, 2007
    Almost every big time program complains about coaching when they don't win as often as they'd like--which is pretty much all the time. I simply don't see anything unique about our fanbase in comparison to everyone else. Bama cycled through coaches until finding the right one. Tennessee cycled through coaches until finding the right one. Georgia pushed out one of their all time winningest coaches because he didn't win quite enough. LSU fired two coaches this decade with national championships. Ryan Day has a ridiculous record but will catch unending heat if he can't beat Michigan this year. FSU fans were on top of the world less than a year ago but are openly asking how much Norvell's buyout is, and that's after firing his predecessor after only 18 months on the job. Auburn is doing the exact same thing after firing Harsin after 18 months and Freeze fizzling this year. So if we're toxic, then so is just about everyone else. It's kind of the nature of big time football.
     
    • Like Like x 4
    • Agree Agree x 3
    • Winner Winner x 2
  13. spike718

    spike718 GC Hall of Fame

    2,872
    857
    2,018
    Apr 11, 2007
    the Florida fan base is so toxic it continues to sell out games even though the product on the field is horrible. What toxic fan base continues to show up to games with sell outs? None.

    Fans are rightfully mad at the product- the coaching really- that they have had to endure with the last several coaches. That is in the UF administration not the fan base. We don’t get to hire the coaches.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 5, 2024 at 4:58 PM
    • Like Like x 4
    • Agree Agree x 4
  14. Heisenberg

    Heisenberg All American

    309
    87
    1,813
    Jan 10, 2014
    North Mississippi
    The old “The fan base is the problem” line is getting so old. Any program with a history of success is going to react to failure exactly the same as we have. The failures on the field have absolutely nothing to do with us.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
  15. tigator2019

    tigator2019 GC Hall of Fame

    1,404
    2,561
    1,873
    Dec 25, 2018
    In my head--- UF
    Nebraska fans are not toxic. I went to games there when they stunk the past three years.

    The Nebraska home fans, give a standing ovation to the visiting team every single game at the end

    A lot that could be learned from them

    I could name more, but I don’t think I’m gonna change anyone’s mind
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Informative Informative x 1
  16. Gatorfred

    Gatorfred GC Hall of Fame

    1,815
    8,041
    330
    Oct 15, 2012
    It just means more…
     
  17. gator34654

    gator34654 GC Hall of Fame

    5,171
    665
    358
    Jun 5, 2007
    "Florida is a toxic fanbase" Apparently you don't get around much. Here's some fanbase's for you, fsu, um, lsu, auburn, ut, uk... They despise losing as do we. Florida fans don't tolerate going backwards once mountain tops have been reached. It's fair to say generally speaking fans know if a coach has it or not within two to three years. Coaches are brought in to win, participation trophies are for Kent State and the Sisters of the Blind.
    I am fully aware when SOS left feeling UF fans were not satisfied with winning seasons of 9 or 10 wins. The thing is he had been at UF for a long while and I'm guessing he was a hot commodity for the NFL and wanted to try his brand of football with the Pros. Heck, LSU coach won the NC and year later got the boot. Fans are passionate about their football especially in the south, it just means more.
    Hope this doesn't come off too snarky, your post are usually right on.
     
  18. workemsillyg8rs

    workemsillyg8rs Junior

    199
    45
    63
    Sep 14, 2024
    What the heck does a toxic fanbase have to do with anything. These coaches are paid generational money to win now! Do you really think that they care about the toxic fanbase? C’mon man!
     
  19. TrueGator

    TrueGator GC Hall of Fame

    2,020
    906
    2,063
    Nov 11, 2014
    I'm not sure either, but, seems logical.
     
  20. fox

    fox GC Hall of Fame

    17,542
    28,433
    3,328
    Apr 3, 2007
    Florida Beachland
    Fans. Alcohol. Testosterone. Competition.

    WCGW?