What will it take for DJ to be named the starter for the remainder of the year or at least aTm?

When you are patently more talented than your opponent, you can look WAY different. But they have to care. Emory Jones made his career about playing less talented teams.

 

None of our recent hires had or currently have any sense of urgency in turning around the wins and loss column. Loyalty to their ego and players first. Maybe their contracts are just too big now. I don't anticipate that DJ get's meaningful time after this game. Maybe BN could start by playing our best OL most of the game.

 

I'd love to see that brilliant performance happen for DJ and for a UF team badly in need of a shot of adrenaline. I just can't help but get a case of the yips when I start thinking about that O line being the only thing between DJ and an SEC defense. BN is on the horns of a major league dilemma, as is all of Gator Nation at this point. Que sera sera.

 

Yeah, at least last year we held our crappy teams to one TD but against Charlotte what did we score? 20 points or something? I went to that game last year hoping that I would see an offensive explosion against an over matched team but nope, didn't happen.

 

Correct on the "magical" descriptor and on saying Napier will play it close to the vest. Infact He will most likely play it too close. I doubt that we will see Napier get creative and change things up. In other words he will be very predictable. No matter what approach he takes, the Gator O-line will have to learn how to actually block. We are now in year 3 and the Miami game showed everyone that they have regressed.

As for the defense "effectively shutting down Samford". I can see this happening for a half but now for entire game.

As of today, the offical word on Mertz is that he is still in Concussion Protcal. In Concussion Protocal, the best case situation is to pass the criteria in 48 to 72 hours after the concussion. Due to confidentiality, we will not get any more info pertaining to Mertz until he and or Napier goes public with it.

A big factor for Mertz to be the starter at the ATm game will be if he is cleared to take practice snaps this coming Monday. If he is not taking them on Wednesday, Lagway will get the nod to start.

I totally agree with you. Napier had since Aug 1, to get Lagway to ready to be a starting (if needed) for the Miami game. More damming is that he and his staff cannot get the Gator O to block, lined up in time for the next play. execute a play that the opposing defense was expecting.

 

I don't mean to be Negative Nancy here, but the odds of DJ lighting it up seem slim. He's a kid, and he doesn't seem to have great playcalling or a great roster around him. It's kinda hard to succeed that way. Sure, he should still be able to beat Samford (we hope!). But I don't think we should be expecting him to turn into a Heisman candidate or do anything "magical", even if he gets the nod for the aTm game and beyond. There are bound to be *plenty* of bumps in the road, no matter who is the QB for the rest of this season.

 

Bingo!

 

Just no need to get him hurt if he’s really not ready. I’m off for playing him and I hope he starts the rest of the year, but don’t make him a sitting duck back there.

 

I hope he plays all year and makes a lot of progress. This off-season, they better buy him the best damn offensive line money can buy if expect him to stay here.

 

Hell freezing over. I can hope Napier would take a chance and do something different, but we have seen slow, steady, methodical, conservative these past 2 years and I don’t see anything to persuade me that Napier would make that choice.

 

aTm will have maybe better pass rushing than Miami because Bain was out. Mertz will be hit hard multiple times if he plays. He shouldn't play regardless of what protocol says.

 

I’m coming to believe that he’s not smart enough to be taking those kind of chances

 

1. Mertz not clearing concussion protocol by Thursday before aTm.

2. Lagway beating aTm and looking good doing it.

 

If DJ throws a bunch of intermediate passes at or about the midline, the job is his

 

What’s a midline?
If DJ plays great, I believe Mertz will still start when able. I have no issue with that per se because the team has invested a lot in him and he’s a senior. I imagine there is different pressures with the portal. Best player should play but the pressure has to be on. Was last week the norm or was he off? He will get another shot.

 

I actually think he has it in him, but time will tell.

 

A great QB can mask a lot of deficiencies. Dabo’s successes came off of great QB play and now he’s struggling as his quarterbacks haven’t been too good lately.

I think if Billy wants to win and win now, he needs to go all in on Lagway. I know it doesn’t fit his MO as I’m sure he’s loyal to Mertz, who’s he’s paraded out as our unquestioned leader all off-season, but his MO hasn’t been working.

This is the Hail Mary that may save Napier’s job I’m thinking as if Lagway can rally the team and we look competitive and even pull off a few wins and look like we are having fun again (I know a lot of ifs)…Napier has a chance to right this ship.

 

Here is the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good is that we are playing Samford.

The bad is, our OL line and Defense is so bad and one deminsional that Samford may be able to keep the score with in two touchdowns and the Gators under 40 points.

The ugly is that the marin of victory could be under 20 points.

 

Napier doesn’t appear to be learning. His gameplan, playcalling, and in game adjustments are no better than when he started. The other coaches are just better than him on gameday. It’s just painful to watch. We have talent deficiencies but we can do better with what we do have.