A Tribute to Napier's Army

No, a poke at Bobby Pruett. He was there for both, "The Choke at Doak" and "The Fiasco at the Fiesta". Hoke was after Bob Stoops.

 

I think every coach has to evolve and tweak all the components of their team, including staff and players. Saban mastered this like no other coach, even when his coaches got poached he hardly skipped a beat. I think BN has shown potential and we don't know yet if he can take a team to the pinnacle and keep it there. I am enjoying the process in spite of it going more slowly than some would desire. Count me in the camp of believing "Napier may need more changes". I'm hoping he decides to hire an OC, but am I sure that we can't succeed without one? I would have to answer no. If Napier can correct his clock management and other game management gaffes (such as getting the right number of players with unique numbers onto the field), he could be fine. But I can agree that handing the play calling off to an OC might be helpful to that end and also could result in a more productive offense.

 

Oops, my bad. So Spurrier said, "Pruett can't do it."

 

He did well at Marshall, but we got humiliated 2 years in a row when he was DC.

 

You mean this thread?

 

If it’s not on the first page it doesn’t exist.

 

Me too. As I recall, Spurrier won the Heisman basically for coming up with ad hoc heroics, on the spot, with zilch for analytics or consultation. Of course, that's an obviously unfair comparison because no one else in the history of CFB has played the game at that level and won a NC as a Head Coach. No one. But Billy does enjoy several major strengths - particularly his recruiting/evals, relationship building and above all, his deep personal integrity. But, IMO, he is not a brilliant play caller - especially in the red zone.

I give BN tremendous credit for the roster he is building and the culture of Gator Brotherhood he has clearly revived in a long-broken program. IMO, we could be on the brink of a historic run if certain things fall our way. Billy literally started over from scratch and has weathered a storm that I did not expect him to survive. I'm not the only one who gave up on the BN era after the TA&M beating, and I have never been happier to be wrong. But the dysfunction in the RZ against UTe and FSU suggests that we must improve significantly on offense if we want to rejoin the ranks of the perennial heavyweights in the SEC. Billy Napier the HC is the one who has put UF in the position to at least have a chance to succeed at a higher level. Billy the OC needs to find a replacement who can devise a passing attack that will take full advantage of the talent now on hand - and a scheme that results in more consistent success in the RZ. Billy may turn out to be a very successful HC in the long haul. I just want an OC that does him and the program he's building full justice.

 

Why do so many think we have seen the system at all. Mertz had an OL that couldn't pass block. Lagway is a freshmen forced into a starting role. Does anyone really believe that Lagway has a pro style OFF dowm pat. Personnel matters. Experience matters. It's a very young team with a freshmen dual threat QB that can't run. Evaluate the play calling when all the pieces all in place.

 

To my knowledge, no one here has ever described the O under BN as being anything like a finished product - in any shape, form or fashion. But there is absolutely a body of existing work that can be instructive, and some legitimate concerns that deserve to be addressed - both within the program and in the fan boards. I'm confident that both will proceed apace, regardless of what I or anyone else has to say about it.

 

What's your time frame for the pieces in place?

 

It's unreal the number of times The Florida team was either penalized for delay while trying to get a team on the field or had to call time out to avoid a penalty. And correct. It's game 13 and that's still occuring. If I'm AD I would demand that this stop. Would ask why this repeatedly happens? Ask what is the method for getting the correct players on the field on time. I might ask, what process would you use to make sure this never happens again.

This to me is just an indicator of someone who doesn't think these details are important and that is deadly for a coach.

 

My opinion, the process was never meant that we only needed to recruit and change culture, but for our staff that came with Napier to understand how to coach in the big league.

 

Nothing, ever, is a finished product. Every time you think you have it figured out, the rest of the world evolves (they adapt to your system) or changes (NIL). The encouraging thing with BN is that while he seems quite conservative, he has also instituted more competitive practices, made staff changes and adapted to Lagway (more deep balls). The concerning thing is that these usually seem a little forced/late.

I have to believe that BN sees the disorganization that costs us time outs and potentially a loss versus Tennessee. The job of head coach is SOO much more complicated now with players transferring in/out and media requirements. Nobody can look at our offense and argue that we have answers on offense. I guess I would look at this from a risk/reward perspective: No new OC and we have what we have had (60th ranked offense) improved somewhat by more talented players, but no reason to suspect that BN's history of middling offenses changes. Alternatively, he hires an OC (or passing game coordinator). Downside risk is we get a floor of BN's offense (if he rejects the guys ideas). Upside is another bright mind applied to the issue. Roberts seemed to do fine w/out Armstrong so we have a coaching spot available. Seems like an important, but high upside, opportunity.

Funny and weird thing to me is folks attacking as haters those who suggest we need an OC. Spurrier learned the importance of defense and adjusted - was suggesting that to be needed "hating". Believing an OC would help Florida is not an indictment of BN, but if he refuses to consider that possibility, it is.