**Thread title change** At this point, barring something crazy, this won't be a coaching search thread for at least 10 months or so... ..so for now lets discuss what the turnaround has been based on...and make no mistake. There has been a turnaround. Was It the players telling Billy that the D needed simplified? Is it DJ playing ahead of his age? Did the injuries allow some young studs the time to excel? Where are we. How did we get here?
Really hoping a turning point is occurring. Should have beaten UT, had uga on the ropes, Clearly not the same team that got waxed by Miami and aTm. This team is growing up. I love the no quit. Lagway is a generational player. The last one of those we had was one Tim Tebow.
The defense is fixed! If we had fewer injuries it would be dominant. The depth has stepped up though quite well. Next week is an even bigger test. We're lucky Lagway got back so quickly. Not just for the win but the experience is invaluable and he will be much farther ahead to start next year. I hope to see us at 8-5, a good recruiting class and some holes filled in the portal. Quite a turnaround. Better late than never.
I think what we're probably witnessing here is the classic case of a stud QB lifting a program up from the ashes and the HBC riding on that wave. It appears CBN will be very lucky that Mertz's injury forced him to do something he clearly didn't want to do, which was to play Lagway full-time. CBN is in the same class with Norvell and Jimbo, riding a stud QB to great success and then will look very beatable when for whatever reason said QB is gone. All of the actual evidence points to this. It points to CBN's inability to coach at this level and Lagway's generational talent saving his skin. DJ Lagway should have been starting from the Miami game. We did not win any games with Mertz we would not have won with Lagway. And the crazy part is, if Lagway's injury still happens, guess what? We would have had Mertz on the sideline waiting to finish out the Georgia game, not Aidan Warner. I truly hope my fellow Gators use this as an opportunity to exalt DJ Lagway, because it is not an opportunity to exalt Napier. He simply brought in a special talent who will light his way for a few years much like the two QBs at FSU did for Jimbo and Norvell.
Adding on.. it's not unheard in these situations for players to step up when their guy is taking the snaps. The players love playing with Lagway at QB. They work harder to play at his level. Thereby, DJ Lagway pulls everybody else up. That's the effect of a generational type QB.
I don’t think any of them alone would make a turn around in a vacuum. Our defense has allowed us to stay in the games while DJ grows up. It isn’t like the offense is hanging 50 on every opponent. Taking the top off the D has allowed our RBs to thrive, and Baugh and company have had just as much to do with what we are seeing. I for one wouldn’t be shocked to see another win next week, especially if we can get Pup and a DB or two back. I hope that we continue to see the team trend up into 2025.
This is the best defense I’ve seen Florida play in what feels like a decade I’m willing to give Napier a shot, the team physically just looks different and plays with an energy I haven’t seen Florida play with in a while. I don’t mind his offense, I think it compliments a great defense well and we simply haven’t had that until now. Add in a dynamic QB and an offensive line unit who has improved every week and almost completely returns and you have something going here. Would be very dumb not to run this back.
This team is beginning to believe that they can play against anybody. They are also learning how to go through issues like injuries, blown plays, bad refs, and so forth. It is becoming evident that the players that have entered UF in the past three years is really talented. If the Gators close out the season with wins over Ole Miss and FSU look for even more talent to come to Gainesville.
Motion: We ought to move this thread to the archives. At least lock 'er up, let 'er fade. Hopefully not have to revisit .... at all. We'll beat the nolies, so bowl eligibility is a lock--and a fair chance to beat the rebs. Better than not, imo. That's a winning season, a bowl, and upward trajectory. Time to buckle up and be united Gators--to beat the rebs, not be rebs, so to speak. Jmho/fwiw.
When everyone is hurt, it's the coach's fault the third stringer isn't Joe Montana and he should've brought in better players. When the QB he brought in plays well "he simply brought in a special talent" as if it's nothing. Laughable.
if you suspected that Okeechobee just might be a troll, his Colorado v. Utah thread will clear up any doubt. He is about the only one posting on it, and every post gushes all over Colorado’s players and you know who. I’ve never seen anything like it on this forum, ever. He’s literally having a conversation with himself.
DJ didn't fall from the sky and magically appear at The Swamp one day. Same with Jadan Baugh, McCray, .... Today more than ever HS recruiting, recruiting your own team to keep them out of the portal, portal recruiting i would maintain is the major responsibility of the Head Coach.. Also, people downplay team chemistry. Our team for the most part has stuck together, continued to play hard with effort ( with a few exceptions), and have not pointed fingers at each other.. Which is especially impressive in light of the struggles and controversy surrounding them.. Contrasts us with LSU.. We are 5-5, they are 6-4. We are together, all working/playing hard, and we look genuinely happy and willing to give all. LSU is a freaking mess, with Kelly and the team going at it with each other. It's not if but when Kelly gets run out of town
It’s pretty amazing that Napier has kept this team together through all this. I have definitely been waffling in my support of his leadership. At times we have looked so bad (like a week ago at Texas) but this was a big win. Now he must capitalize on this momentum and land some recruits. I think that is as or more important than beating ole miss. He has been able to have a single win before. He just hasn’t been able to string some good consecutive wins together. This was a good starting piece of the puzzle though.
