My suggestion to Coach Billy Napier

Mine would be to retire. That's what I would do with that much money.

 

That's a lot of words to point out the obvious!

 

Doc, I love your spirit but I’m sure BN knows we need get more yards, more points and have a strong defense. If we play like we did the last 8 games (sans TX), we will be very competitive.

I don’t know what the magic # is. But I’m thinking an 8 point swing in either direction would do it. 33 ppg and <20 on defense would be good enough to win a lot of games. 9-3 isn’t a stretch.

 

Mine would be you've got a Ferrari quit putting around at 25mph and get someone in here who really knows how to drive the car (and it's not him). It certainly didn't hurt OSU to bring in Kelly did it?

 

Not when you look at the defense that year. It was downright nasty. I think we held people to around 13 points per game. Even the best team ever put together, the Buckeyes, could only get 14.

 

That Buckeye team had the Heisman trophy winner, btw... Don't forget that.
And actually Ohio State only scored 7 on our defense. The first 7 was scored on a KO return.
They also only gained 82 yards of offense.

 

DJ's development is the biggest factor and there are no guarantees. We need improvement all the way around. We dont play an easy schedule and most games should be contested.There may not be much difference in 6 or 10wins. Itll be a big difference on paper but to decidedly win 10 games, we will have to be a much better team all the way around.

 

I'm not sure our 2025 Gators will be quite ready to be compared to 3 of UF's all-time great teams. The key in 2025 will be maintaining the disruptive D that we saw in the last half of 2024. We lost significant talent off that unit, so it won't be automatic. I believe the offense should be better even if Napier retains play-calling duties just because of the experience our young guns got in 2024.

 

Aye Doc, it must be the off season.

 

We did lose our two best receivers.

 

Hi Doc. I certainly agree CBN has a bit of momentum.
"and he needs to build on it"

For sure, it has been a long time since UF won 4 in a row and a bowl. The end of season, early signing day run was pretty special.
I don't ever recall UF starting so far behind and signing so many kids in such a short space of time.

So catastrophe on the field (W-L record) was averted after tamu, And catastrophe in recruiting was averted with a late season run and signing day close.

But for many of us UF fans, we are EXHAUSTED with these "near catastrophe" scenarios.

Having posted that:
"In comparison, the 1996 Gators averaged 46.6 ppg;
in 2006, 29.7 ppg; in 2008, 43.6 ppg (the 2006 ppg average surprised me). Contrast that with only allowing Gator opponents 16.8 ppg in 1996; 13.5 ppg in 2006; and, 12.9 ppg in 2008. Clearly, statistics indicate quite a disparity of ppg scored vs ppg allowed."

Doc, you are only mentioning National Championship teams here, all of which went 12 - 1. Is that "Fair?". IMO it's "fair" if your expectation is winning the playoffs next year. Which is A very steep ask.

Sure, the buzz in Gator circles is" "Success = Lagway at QB". Do whatever is necessary now. Go all in.
BTW I agree, the time is "now". But we may differ on the end game. UF's success or failure should not come down to one position group (QB).

While I want UF to go unbeaten (every year) what I want does not matter, what "is" matters.

"expectations are extremely high--perhaps too high--for the 2025 season."

YEP - I agree with this statement, considering the schedule, and considering UF's recruiting and transfer portal performance so far under Napier.

I am no expert but when one considers UF has been behind in in the talent acquisition business since CBN arrived, to about half a dozen other SEC teams, I don't see the metrics (recruiting and portal) translating in UF equality with the upper tier SEC teams yet.

So that puts additional pressure on DJL and the coaching staff to "equalize" the talent situation when facing the top SEC teams.

I don't see it myself. Not in terms of winning the playoffs. I think the best possible scenario is making the playoffs (ala TN and taking a bow out early), and that's a real stretch. Improving on 8 - 5 is going to be tough.

I hope UF surprises me. I am in the David Waters camp, that if UF goes 8 - 5 or 9 - 4 that Gator Nation should not tear it all down and hire a new coach.
I think if UF makes a serious playoff run it is more likely in 26 and that's if DJL is still around and Nape is able to continue to "improve" the talent acquisition agenda.

 

To be fair, it was 84 yards... IIRC.

 

^what he said

 

Thanks Scooterp, I was half expecting ET to ban me for a year after that diatribe!

 

I went to Arizona for the game, my first and only "in attendance" football UF National Championship.
Shelly Meyer running around in her UF cheerleader outfit getting Gators fired up.

Oh it was sweet. All those Bucknuts were so sure they were going to beat us down! "HA"

 

Doc offseason threads...

 

Agreed, going 8-5 will be just as tough and maybe tougher than 2024. I'm concerned about our defense going into 2025. They finally started playing the way we had hoped for toward the end of 2024, but they lost a lot of talent and can that be seamlessly replaced? I don't know about 2026 either because it looks like we'll be breaking in a new OL for that season.

 

Doc has the disease man, just like us, maybe worse!
I love it, talking season means we are unbeaten and ready to win it all!!!!