Nah there have been a few downplaying what they are doing because of their schedule. It's subsiding now because the wins are stacking up. Also, former coach Allen was brought up because he went 8 and 5 and in the covid year went 6 and 1 or something to illustrate that winning in Indiana wasn't unprecedented. Basically 2 years out of eternity and i havent looked to see who they beat those years. That's all. As far as bashing florida fans, a few here are critical of those skeptical of Napier because of the recent improvements we've seen in the past 3 games. I was a staunch supporter up until Miami and while I don't believe he can change enough in time to save his job I am hoping he does. That doesn't mean I'm negative or a Billy hater but he has to earn every bit of support from here on out. He was given a ton of benefit of doubt up to this point by most.
Count me as both "Still giving Billy a chance, because the next hire needs time/luck"...AND...Cignetti is legit and this is legit. Cignetti isn't a whale. He's older. But I'd be interested in hiring him, if the research worked out.
You must be talking about freedom. Lol. Yeah, he's very defensive when people say something negative about CBN, but says the opposite when someone brings up Cignetti as a possible candidate for UF's HC.
There are a couple at least but yes. I agree with freedom often on things but not this issue as much.
If he can defy all precedence and win at least 3 games going forward while not looking as bad as we have at any point prior then yes, keeping a younger, honorable man as head coach going forward that showed significant improvement would be the best thing for the program by far. Deep down I think it can happen but recent history sure doesn't bode well. That's all. Hopefully the recruiting class would come together given the several young bright spots we have on the roster.
I've said multiple times I think Billy is cooked and I've also said I wouldn't be mad at a Cignetti hire. But don't let facts get in the way of your made up narrative.
Tom Allen the prior coach at Indiana got his coaching start here in Florida in the Tampa Bay area via the HS football scene. I had casually watched his progress at Indiana because of that and thought initially he had Indiana trending in the right direction. The 2021 season saw Indiana open up as the #17th ranked team, but the combination of a opening season loss to numerous injuries saw the season turn into a 2-10 season and 0-9 in the Big Ten. Before the 2022 season Indiana lost over 30 players to the transfer portal but he also had his best recruiting class finishing to 30th nationally, 5 new assistant coaches and 2 new coordinators. Needless to say the 2022 season was for all intent a complete rebuild for Allen, he even changed the offense before the end of the season to a option based offense and finished with a 4-8 record. 2023 pretty much sealed his fate, while Allen made a number of moves, some of which had him taking pay cuts to help buy out assistant coaches contracts....Indiana finished with a 3-9 season and Allen was fired at the end of the season. I still believe in Allen as a head coach at Indiana, things however were never good for him after the covid season. Statistically Allen was the best coach at Indiana since the 80's. This was't a terrible Indiana team he left to Cignetti from a talent standpoint.....Allen is currently the DC at Penn State. Enter Cignetti, the guy has been a winner from a HC standpoint every where he's been, but his time at James Madison is where he really made a name for himself....winning a Divsion 1 national championship and being a semi finalist 2 others season for 3 consecutive seasons befoe James Madison made the jump to FBS and the Sun Belt conference in 2022. As a side not James Madison was not eilgible for a conference championship its first 2 years in the Sun Belt due to a transition to FBS restriction imposed by the Sun Belt Conference. James Madison would have either tied of won the regular season conference championship those 2 years if not for this restriction. Now here is where things get interesting. Guess who Cignetti's OC is? While the name is a familiar one, I want to make sure I make clear that he is no relation to anyone with a Gator back ground. His name is Mike Shanahan and has been with Cignetti since 2015....(He was also breifly a Tampa Bay Buc, before getting into coaching). I just thought all of that was kinda of ironic, and is why I mentioned it! He's been Cignetti's OC since 2021 when both were at James Madison. His DC is Bryant Haines, who also with Cignetti at James Madison. Cignetti isnt young, he's 63 and so the question would have to be, what would be in it for him to come to Florida.....as he obviously isnt going to be a long term answer. Do I believe he could take the current talent at Florida and do something special with it......My answer would be without a doubt! The age thing just is hanging there in my mind.
Question . What is a “long term solution?” 63 ain’t that old, particularly for a coach who enjoys his job and is extremely successful. 7-10 years? Seems feasible but who knows. I like the dude and would be all about it. Also, I’m hopeful Napier turns this around as I really like who he is as a person and how much he seems to value character. Having said that, I’d like to see Florida be a team that is feared again and the SWAMP an advantage. Hopeful we are on that track right now. Also, SCREW JAWJA! edit: just read the post from kryptonite
Perhaps I was wrong for saying 63 is older, I retired at 59 and am about to turn 65 in a couple of months. For me at least and I love football...(is somehing I questioned myself now, as to why I didnt make coaching a reality rather than just a desire), I couldnt see myself taking on a job like Florida at 63. Ideally I'd like to think Florida finally hire a guy that sticks around for 10+ years, in as far as my thoughts on a longterm hire.
I think long term coaches aren’t a thing anymore. Unless they are successful or a former player type situation. UF doesn’t have the track record.
Those are very good questions and the two answers are exactly why college football has become more unpalatable to many. Sadly Me...me...me...me instead of developing and becoming a team is the new norm. Im not sure who all the geniuses were here who said the defense is the real problem with our team winning but Ill give everyone credit...you were 100% right. Since the defensive turn around things have looked like we are moving in the right direction. Certainly some of Lagways deep ball assets are opening things up better for our offense too but now comes the real test. A coach who hasn't won a game in his tenure from this point forward in the season in the last two years facing the most difficult part of his schedule. I think we will have a clear cut answer to Napier as our coach next year very soon one way or the other.
Most would happily take something like Urban's 6 year run. Even Spurrier was only here for 12, and he flirted with the Bucs (or the Bucs flirted with him) halfway through his tenure. The biggest issue with a shorter tenure is about replacing someone sooner rather than later, because everyone leaves at some point, voluntarily or not. So after a successful coach, can you find a quality replacement and sustain continuity, which is something we've not made good decisions with for some time. The shorter term coach obviously means you have to take the risk of hiring all over again in a shorter time frame. The one positive a new coach could bring in that kind of situation, though, is a new tree of potential successors. If success can be reached, even over a shorter time frame, it likely comes with the sort of quality assistants who should be viable options to keep the ball rolling. Many have rightly repeated that there are no sure things in hiring coaches and that would certainly apply in this new coaching tree model as well, but figuring out the problem of how to sustain success would be a nice change of pace around here. It's been awhile.
