**Buzz Buzz Buzz** - How did we get here?

What I would like to know is what do Indiana fans think of Cignetti? Are they constantly dumbfounded by his bad play calling? Do they question his intensity? Did he brag about how great he was compared to previous Indiana coaches before the season began? Is he lucky or is he a really good coach? Because at Indiana, even a friendly schedule a team will lose a game or two easily by this point in the year.

 

Learn from the past? Which coach should we have held on to and please show your work.

 

So you’re one of the ones who think we were too quick to fire Mac. Like I said, this board has had many posts from people thinking we were too fast to fire the previous 3 guys

FWIW, I recall the death threats thing to kind of be his undoing. That and of course the whole shark thing

 

Yes. The depth at QB doesn’t change. Top tier talent has always had to decide whether to compete at the highest level or go to a lower level.

UGAs third string is Rashada
Ole Miss third string is Walker Howard
Texas has a 4 star third string freshman
Bama has a 4 star third string RS frosh

Obviously the drop off from first string to third string is major.

And the reality is Millen would have been a perfectly fine third string option. I’m not sure what happened there

 

I have not said anything that isn’t factual. Of course I’m also stating opinions - but even those aren’t false. Opinions are opinions — the fact that you don’t like my opinions is noted.

 

What coach after years of failure ultimately turned it around? The list is small right? Dabo?

How many times did a team keep a hot seat coach and ultimately fired him a year later? Often.

For me a great “learn from history” moment is Muschamp. We gave him a mulligan because of injuries and then fired him the next year.

 

I think in the past, this argument made great sense. But now, what are we losing by cutting Napier now? His recruiting class is the worst I have ever seen for the Gators. A new guy might at least inject some enthusiasm and get some late flips. At worst, the new guy would generate quick enthusiasm to build the 2026 class, whereas Napier will likely have just as crappy a class for next year for the same reason he does this year — he’s on the hot seat and fan apathy grows with every day he stays.

 

It is the result of NIL. NIL is your team payroll. Not many programs can afford to spend money on the 3rd string guy that may never play a down.

I wonder how much more those programs spend on NIL than UF.

 

I'm with you for the most part. Agree we'd be better waiting for the can't miss hire. I don't see one available and timing sucks. we may have a new AD first AFTER we get a President. Kiffin feels like a desperation move.

This is a tough situation and no time to panic, as many posters have already done. Not much use talking logic.

If Lagway is healthy and we return most players and get a few portal guys we could make the playoffs next year. Mertz going down puts Lagway ahead of the curve experience wise if he is healthy for the remaining games.

 

This is the key. Its hard to see Napier winning more games over the next few years than just a random new coach given the poor recruiting + his gameday.

Also we have to fight sunk cost and status quo biases.

If we had no head coach right now, would Billy Napier be our choice over Cig, Kiffin, Fisch, etc. Hard to see how he would be. If the only reason you’d keep him is because he’s already here then you have a losing mindset

 

Show my work? They said there would be no math.
To answer your question, I don’t think we should have kept any of them. Mullen gave up on the job - I think he maybe could have worked out if he hadn’t quit. Mac kind of imploded with the death threats thing. Both were sucking worse and worse by the time they left. Muschamp probably had the most potential when he was hired, but he apparently only wanted to coach and recruit defense - and I had a hard time getting past the comical rages he displayed on the sideline.

FWIW, I’d take Billy over all 3 of them, based upon his recent work. It’s been too slow coming, but he is getting better not worse. I’m opposed to bring in anyone new to replace him unless it’s a rock star. Anything less and I’d rather let Billy try and work this out for another year. Opinion, not fact.

 

We are high in NIL now, it’s just drying up for the future. Our QB room was likely top 10 in NIL dollars allocated in 2024

 

Key being recent work. The beauty is we have 3 more real games and 1 cup cake left. At this point the results should speak for themselves postseason

 

Hard to argue they weren't bad hires in hindsight. But at the time, each had justifiable reasons. And I get that we're in a tough spot between a seemingly endless cycle of wash and repeat on one side and when is it time to try something new regardless of the sunk cost on the other. It's not an easy decision and I'm not pushing one way or the other as the only, obvious choice.

But if the decision is made (purposefully or de facto) that Napier had his chance, then I am of the camp that we should move on, rockstar guarantee or not. Don't get me wrong, I definitely want the absolute most successful guy we can find if it's time to hire again. But as you know, there are never any guarantees. And the wrong head coach is, almost by definition, the most expensive one. So please, someone. Whoever. Do it right.

 

But what do you mean?! He’s improved! lol.

 

You do understand Indiana is supposed to one of the "fake" teams right?

 

He hits on a great QB and a ton of short term transfers. Then he doesn't hit the next time. It's quite simple really.

 

Your logic is missing that all those other coaches DEMONSTRATED they could win at UF to the level we expect. BN hasn't even come close.

Define improvement? Currently .500 which is slightly above his record to date with a likely chance he regresses to his norm. The only thing he has improved is we aren't getting blown out, just losing normally now, give him a participation trophy.

 

I don't disagree with you. I just don't think there is "learn from past mistakes" component to this.

 

Wut? If any of those three DEMONSTRATED that they could meet our expectations, one of them would still be here. All 3 failed to deliver. Gotta pick a better argument than that one.