Kirby brought the Alabama way of doing things to Athens. He was able to succeed because their administration was willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. We took the last 10+ years off and ceded that ground to them.
Its interesting that Stricklin used the word "methodical" describing Napier. I'm sure Stricklin didn't mean it negatively, but describing someone as methodical is not always a compliment.
They finished ESD in the top 10...better than UF did. They also got an OT and a LB out of the portal, so it looks like they are on the right track. It will be interesting in how they do in 2023. I think they lose a lot of veterans on a defense that wasn't very good to begin with.
Yeah, I absolutely did not see it as a compliment. We’ve gotta get out of this “it’ll take 3-4 years mindset”. Winning can always happen soon.
Think they'll take a little step back. Hooker was a big difference maker for them. Milton played well the other night, but I can't see him having the same kind of season in 2023. They will still finish #2 in the East though.
Heupel’s offense will always be hard to handle. He can do it with guys he has there even the backups because he quickly brought kids in and recruited. First year had them pointing up. Look at bringing in a kid like Bru McCoy. Huge transfer in that paid off immediately.
It will take 3 very good recruiting classes to field a team that will challenge those at the top. We've only had one so far. There are no short cuts to the top. And if you take one and get lucky, you wind up back down again quickly. I agree that we should win at least 8 games a season. If that's what you mean, then that can happen soon. Everyone points to Spurrier and Meyer as examples of winning immediately. Neither had to rebuild a roster when they got here. They are also Hall of Fame coaches. There's not a lot of them out there.
Stricklin may very well need to go but it WON'T be because of Women's Bball. When the OP mentioned Admin, I immediately thought of the university's admin, not the athletic director. For better or worse, focusing on being in the top 5 public university and trying to enhance the idea that we are the Harvard of the South, we are essentially saying that some premiere athletes will not be recruited. Basically the same issues that Notre Dame has. We need to let the University handle the educational aspects of the school but have no say in who gets recruited and let in for the football team.
Tigert Hall has kept many a future Gator All American from enrolling. It's been a case a unilateral disarmament here for a long time, dating back to when I was a student. It makes Spurrier's accomplishments even more amazing and I'm sure the administration took comfort from that. It just motivated them to keep more great athletes out. That hubris has helped contribute to where we are now.
As for Stricklin, I agree he has been a disappointment. I'm not sure if firing him now is wise though. Let's see how these two hires go over the next 2-3 years. If Golden and Napier can't get it done, then clean house completely and hire a first class AD that can hire his own guys.
I don't know how that works if the kids aren't smart enough to pass the classes. At some point, they're taking seats in the classroom, they're being in that class means someone deserving (academically) is unable to be there. Fuchs and his group are a problem not because of the top 5 but because of their woke nonsense. Glad he's gone.
This is the old paradigm that worked in 2015. Any coach that ignores portal does so at his own risk. Example: Kirby was recently beating his chest how he built Jawja the "right" way through recruiting classes. He purposely failed to say that it was the only way prior to the last couple of years. And then what did he do...ran out and bought two SEC level WR's out of the portal to fill holes in his roster for 2023. I see no reason with proper roster management and careful selection of players that you can't selectively use the portal to fill the holes in the roster from recruiting misses. A great example is LB. We've signed 4 LB's in the last 3 years, 2 of whom played Edge in HS. Why not try to pick up a Jr./Sr. level LB or two out of the portal to to bridge to the new recruits? I can only make a judgement based on what is real as of today and as of today, our roster is worse than it was in 2022, so 8 wins in 2023 will be very difficult. I hope that Napier improves it through the Portal. He picked up one piece who hopefully can replace Dexter. There is still a lot of work to do at OL and LB, so I'm hoping for positive portal news. Agreed. Spurrier told the folks when he arrived that Year 3 would be the roughest because of all the studs that Hall recruited would have used up their eligibility and we would have to count on younger players in 1992. He was right, but still got the Gators into and almost won the 1992 SEC Championship game.
Even this year could have 3 more wins if our QB extraordinaire had some consistency. I love the kid but he was in la-la land sometimes, hurt, confused and great! Then there was the defense. The pummeled dead horse is we've been 'depleted.' And, yes, we have. Unless the portal can save us, expect a fairly slow build. Really great kids coming in but expecting a group of freshmen to beat the current upper tier SEC is pretty delusional. I'll be expecting that anyway! Next year will be an eye-opener for Gator football. Looking back from the future ... did we met our needs in the portal? Has corch made some adjustments to his play-calling? Coach takes the blame a lot which is good. Will that humility motivate change and usher in necessary adjustments? Is it real-time acceptance with no meat or is he really the humble growth-oriented coach we hoped for? I guess we'll see. I chose to think he's the guy! The team we had this year reminds me of the teams in the 70's. Some great players, just not enough of them to make a difference to change game outcomes. The mental aspect of the team is currently being changed. IMHO - if Saban was coaching, if the best NFL coach was coaching the outcome would be the same.--just too many missing parts. To further complicate it-add in a confluence of player mentalities from different regimes- varying cultures. Yeah, that whole patience thing. I hate being told to be patient. But I know I'll have to be. Emotionally it sucks. Intellectually, or perhaps logically it makes complete and total sense. Go Gators.
I really think the portal, NIL and ESD have killed the slow build. You need eliteness immediately, starting with staff. Players have a lot more cards now, deservedly or not. Also puts more pressure on staff in an already difficult field. No taking days off and everyone needs to be surrounded by other work horses to keep everyone going. Ride the Mo Times have changed.
I think to an extent you have a point but recruiting is still of prime importance. Billy is showing signs of being an elite recruiter.
85 scholarship football players is a drop in the bucket for 40,000+ students so taking up a seat shouldn't be an issue. They are smart enough to pass the classes (with the help of the tutors in the athletic department) but is seems like they would rather offer the position in the class to someone that is going to bring in research dollars or grants. Or students that make a 1600 on the SAT (bonus points if they are a minority). The last bit of chatter I heard regarding that Costal Carolina QB that we have desperate need for next year was his credits wouldn't transfer exactly so the university or a particular college wouldn't accept him. That's the BS that has to stop.
Have to keep the credit requirements for those classes no one wants (or departments) ymmv Over the decades, lots of NFL caliber folks failed to qualify here and simply went elsewhere to start. A fundamental flaw in this farm system
