Gator soccer stats per NCAA.com (339 D1 Women's Teams): Scoring Offense - #310 0.72 Shots Per Game - #204 - 11.39 Shots on Goal Per Game - #314 - 3.83 Shot Accuracy - #339 - .337 Corner Kicks Per Game - #104 - 5.17 Fouls Per Game - #317 - 11.44 Saves Per Game - #277 - 3.17
Thanks. Its about as bad as I expected, maybe worse. I will watch UF compete in just about anything including intramural sports. However, once UF soccer fell behind by 1 goal it was game over and I found other things to occupy my time. I sure hope Samantha turns it around with the incoming class and some aggressive movement in the portal, but lets be honest, if this was any other sport, she would be gone after three seasons and a well below .500 winning percentage.
I guess in theory she saved the program money -- no week long trip for SEC tournament and no ncaa tourney travel expenses. keep in mind the reality is also besides Miss State, Arkansas, Texas and South Carolina, the rest of the teams really aren't that good. Vandy looked absolutely terrible against bama last night. They looked the gators, couldn't string 2 passes together, shot from distance, they were just bad. Zero pace on the wings, and bama isn't a good team either with an rpi in the 100s. I see it across the board, college soccer places a premium on fitness over soccer ability. kids work all summer to pass the fitness tests, where that time would be better spent on the ball. Zero progress and regression. we do have a ton of freshman and sophomores on the team. But we also have 3 redshirt juniors, 2 seniors and 6 grad students so not buying the youth argument etc. teams poorly coached period.
looks some nights for womens college soccer can just be ugly. like really ugly, the problem is almost everyone of our games are like that. not questioning the players or a specific player -- but effort should never be questioned at this level given the substitution rules. I go back to my original point and I see a complete lack of fundamentals across the league --- over emphasis on can i pass the fitness test in july vs working on the ball all summer. yes, many/most of the girls play in the semi pro womens summer leagues. i'm talking every day work out with the ball, and then at night go play pick up games with boys at the local college. That's how you get better on the ball.
Yep - Gator soccer has now supplanted women's basketball as the worst of our athletics programs. Should never have happened and shouldn't be the case now. All on the AD.
When you think about the raid-able schools in soccer (after suddenly firing your coach in the middle of the off-season despite having no plan whatsoever for who you might replace him with) THAT'S when Embry-Riddle comes to mind.
On a different note: did anyone else see the goal last night by Texas (correction to crediting Villarreal with the goal; it was scored by Lauren Lapomarda) to win their semifinal match against Arky at the end of double overtime? It was absolutely incredible.
that seems to be a pretty good class, 4 top 100 players? Now from everything I read we need to do a revamp of some offense? Does she need to upgrade coaching around her? I am like I have said a novice with the game, just love rooting for my gators in every sport I can. Samantha is not going anywhere now so can anyone really delve into what would help us?
We need speed on the wings, midfielders who are better on the ball, and that one goal scorer we just don’t have (though Hinnenkamp is a nice piece). Then she needs to hire an offensive specialist on her staff, our attack, even with the talent deficiency, was simplistic. Jmo.
I'd add from a recruiting stand point, you have to compete with FSU for the best players in the state, there Is no reason for these players to be leaving florida -- need to keep those kids close to home. Hit the portal to find a few players with pace and the obvious which every team needs is the goal scorer. But this team doesn't even have anyone who can get behind the defense and run onto a ball. She needs great success in the portal. and enough of this Student-person-player BS, its time to start playing soccer! We get it, you needed that in year 1 to bring dignity back to the program -- that's done move on from it. We need soccer players! look non revenue generating sports are usually a moot point, but there are only handful of college sports that i enjoy watching on TV and will tune in for football, basketball, baseball, softball, and womens soccer. The timing of womens soccer is often great, thursday nights, nothing else on the TV and only competing usually with thursday night football. Same for sundays, often nice to turn on to get away from nfl when none of the games are of interest in that time slot.
And, a forward who is comfortable on the ball in the middle with her back to the goal, and then can see and deliver that devastating pass which disjoints the defense.
How strong is the state of Florida overall in the recruiting picture? It seems like we underproduce as a state relative to population.