Uf fans tend to be very football savvy and we expect championship level football, so if you are a little too "Fired UP" for the season, and there is low expectation for the team (6-6) then one should expect some negative backlash. On the other hand, there is actually reason's to be excited about the football season. 1) Any college football is better than no college football. 2) Napier finally has a second year QB who knows the system and runs it well. 3) The roster has been upgraded with much more talent and experience than last year. 4) The defensive staff has been upgraded 5) The defense should be much improved and could make a big difference 6) Our schedule puts us in a lot of big time games, which will give us a lot of exposer. The win/loss record will be what it is at the end of the season and decisions, that no fan will make, will be based on that. So, I'm going to enjoy the season, as there will be a lot of big games and a lot of fun.
Other than the locker room completely falling apart… Lagway all but guarantees BN gets a year 4. There are very few QB prospects that shift the balance, and he is one of them. This is by far our biggest catch in recruiting since Tebow. Maybe more so.
those guys inherited much better talent and I’m sure you’ve heard what a shit show mullet left behind, but apparently you think those guys would have excelled with that “talent”.
A distinct possibility. Its the reason I thought Napier was making a strategic mistake by not really trying to mine the portal his first 2 years. Not winning more his first 2 years puts a ton of pressure on year 3 with a loaded schedule and a bench full of younguns’ that we really hope can contribute enough to be competitive,
The reason I have to agree with the comment regarding Lagway possibly being our biggest recruit of all time, reflects two realities for me. First, is that I can't think of a more crucial moment for a generational QB talent to emerge at UF - ever. Secondly, I've never seen a combination of really good size and athleticism, general arm talent at every level, and poise with an instinctive command of the game like Lagway, at least at seventeen YO. He's the second or third greatest large, athletic QB for UF after AR, and possibly TT. Tebow is the GOAT now because he was and is a champion and a tribal hero who exceeds the bounds of standard measurement. But he's long gone from Florida Field now and the program desperately needs a new champ. We have seen glimpses in the O&B game of what could lie ahead for this program. Be patient, stay the course, piss a lot of haters off big time in '25 and beyond. GG.
FWIW, Frangie is saying that Napier has a mysterious smile on his face lately, like he knows something that we don’t know. I’ve also heard several of Frangie’s guests say that they’re looking for the Gators to have a breakout year this year. Call me crazy but I think that our first seven games are winnable. As everyone knows, the Miami game should show us a lot about this team. Napier has every advantage in that game. I just hope they execute.
Yes, if you look at the 23 class recruits and who is enrolled we are a top 7 class for 23. That is far more important than who committed to a school in December. Compare that to Mullen who had a top 7 on paper but by time of enrollment was a top20-25 class. Our roster is much improved.
Who are these good players that transferred away? The only one I can think of is Hopper who was close to an All SEC player who went to play with his brother. We weren't going to get it done with those players with any coach. BTW, there isn't an incompetent head coach in the SEC. They didn't fall into the jobs by chance. It's just hard to win in the SEC.
I totally agree. I think he’s a better passer AND a better runner than Tim. )we love you Tim !) It just comes down to the intangibles. Can he read and react consistently. But his ability is unmatched IMHO.
You can’t be serious about this. Sorry to keep introducing realism into a thread designed to inspire optimism, but unless Napier has improved greatly (as we hope) in several elements of the game, including his own in-game judgment, then this season could go extremely poorly. If last season’s team shows up this season, we are looking at 4-8. If that happens, the illusions will be gone. Napier would have zero confidence from any of the stakeholders that a turnaround is coming in Year 4 or 5 or 6. With respect to Lagway in such circumstances, the decision makers would rightly assess that a different coach would have more success developing Lagway. I’m sorry to say it again, but to get another year Napier has to start winning, and he has to win seven games. We need to stop shaping the earth with scenarios where Napier gets an “all but guaranteed” fourth season. He’s got to earn it.
Completely serious. If he goes 4-8 and it’s an ugly struggle, then well…he probably loses the locker room. But, if the team is still behind him and Lagway stays, I believe he’s here for year 4.
To have a good year in 2024 some are going to have to step up, step in, and perform up to the level of the starter. If they can’t do that it could be a long, troubling season.
It’s possible that two or three will be major contributors, but we need a handful of all SEC players to win seven or eight games. I doubt any of the freshmen will be all SEC their first year
It could happen. There are eight teams that could be in the top 15 on our schedule and expecting us to be a top 15 team this year is a stretch.
Well, that’s a prediction. I’ll give you that. Mine is if he goes 4-8, then he’s gone. If he goes 5-7, then he’s gone. In my opinion, the most dangerous situation is if he goes 6-7 with another humiliating loss to a ridiculous team like Oregon St. In that case, I think the excuse fairies will get their way with “well, the schedule …” (it would be his third consecutive losing season; that’s a habit), “well, he showed improvement” (uh, no; 6-7 with an embarrassing bowl loss is the same unacceptable performance he turned in two seasons ago), “well, the recruiting is about to improve,” (no, it won’t; recruits want to play for a winner), “well, it’s too late to a fire a coach by bowl season” (really? what do we do when they quit after the bowl), “well, it’s impossible to keep players from opting out” (how did the other team manage to do it?), and “well, Mullen …” (how many decades later will this still be his fault?).
I would have wanted to keep Tarquin, Braun, Powell and Hopper. But the issue is not, "who was worth a sheet", it's that there's no reason to believe while not in communication with our players, the staff was conducting evaluations. Remember players on roster saying the staff requested film?
