Post-Game Discussion: FLORIDA at Kentucky

Spurrier Jr as OC. Coached under leach and now Kevin Wilson. Fire up the fan base, bring us into the 21st century, balanced offense…. Do it.

 

How did he not have a presser if there are reports saying "everything BN said in his presser"?

 

Could be worse, could have had a 35-7 lead and lost 36-35 like the national champs in Oviedo.

 

‘24 or fired. If he has 3 classes under his belt, ZERO excuses. And if he’s not aware enough to hire a true OC and special teams coach then no amount of 5 stars will fix it. He’s not Miles, he’s not Jimbo.

Most disappointing today was D. I expect this crap from Billy. Really thought we had our guy at DC.

 

I thought (as just about everyone else did) that this game was a coin flip. Pretty disappointed it wasn't close to that. I was shocked by the defensive performance.
But considering how awful the defense has been and how it got turned around pretty quickly, I'll give it time. We are young and we we were on the road. We have the best recruiting classes we've had in a long time. The O line is where I'm worried. We are thin there and it shows.

 

It just hasn’t been posted yet by the media staff. They do that on the road sometimes, especially when we get or ass handed to us. I will try and post it when it finally pops up.

 

My bad it was just posted after I typed that, alot of coach speak- I didn't see a lot of the good things he was talking about

 

Ask USCe on what kind of OC he is, No thanks on hiring someone just because of his last name.

 

As a member that is trying my best not to give in to the negativity, this is a pretty accurate post of the concerns I have. The only thing I really disagree with is the very first part. We have tried chunk plays we just miss them, almost every time. The lack of flow however is spot on and a huge problem along with the rest of your points.

 

Say what?????

 

I've noticed this, even though I really don't spend hours studying film. But his tendencies are pretty obvious. He tends to flush from the pocket when he needn't, and then almost inevitably flushes to the right. I think this has been why Napier rolls him right by design.

 

Good. Win/win.

 

Is “escape goat” still a thing after more than a decade ? Funny, because it’s a legitimate term.

 

It’s not Mertz’s fault.

 

I thought I would wait a while until I posted this. I didn’t know when to post, with all the post-game vitriol. Anyways, to give you the “Executive Summary”, this season team’s makeup is what it is. And all the caterwauling won’t change that fact. It has some significant missing pieces.

First, Kentucky’s Davis has got to be the best RB in the SEC. Yes, he just played against our beloved team and so we think anyone better than ours is clearly all-world. But if you saw the way he ran – the stops and quick starts, the speed and then the power – he has skills that our RBs and running game just does not have. Kudos to him and Kentucky. Contrast that to when Etn got the ball and ran left and a LB or safety caught him from behind around the LOS. He does not have that gear. And he is better than Johnson. It is what it is.

Contrast Leary and Mertz. In that context only, I would take Mertz each and every time. And I would expect that most of the Kentucky faithful would say the same. THE issue was that Mertz had to win that game and Leary had to not lose it. Advantage Kentucky. Mertz isn’t transcendent.

Someone who coached at UF – and can not see over the steering wheel in a clown car – said that the SEC is a line-of-scrimmage league. This was a prime example of that fact. Kentucky owned the LOS. As I posted in the post-game thread after the Charlotte game, I am not sure which I am more disappointed, the O-line or the D-line. I would say that...both are limited, less-than-fully motivated (ie, immature) or both. To be determined. I will add that I am not sure there is a good mix of quality players and leadership types on either side of the line. Again, it is what it is.

Now to what I think is what we are all focused upon: The State of the Program. What do I think of what is Billyball and his “system”. Until further notice, Napier is the HC and he will get 4 years. If I may opine (if I haven’t done so yet), next year will be THE story of whether he has what it takes to turn the corner or whether he is...again...a coach who has hit his ceiling HARD. The remaining part of the season will be to get the players focused like they are not, find the ones who have not played much but are ready for real auditions, and to let each and every assistant coach know that they are on double secret probation. If they can’t stand the heat then they need to get out of the kitchen. And to that, he has to find an OC for next year and fire the ST coach. Anything less than that will be THE definition of Napier and this level. “Staying the course” has left the building. It is time to go to Plan B or C.

How can I describe this game? I will give you this: it was not a bad loss but it WAS sobering. Kentucky played at home with a good crowd and at 11a (the team’s internal clock time) and was truly motivated. I just did not see enough “oomph” from our team to say we can win a game in this kind of situation. Tennessee was a win at home and Kentucky was a loss away. It feels like the level of this team. It is what it is.

I think this team is capable of being 7-5 with a potential win (depending on the opponent) in a bowl. Nothing more than that. And if it falls short, then heaven help this program and how it is going to handle the noise. Just please don’t ask me which teams they beat to get there. Methinks that Kentucky is going to win the SECe this year. It depends on how motivated UGa will be for their game.

And to that, Stoops has been at Kentucky since 2013. Napier has been at UF for less than 1 1/2 years. This will take some time. Thanks Mullen (aka, “Dumbo”). Do we have the patience to get him to where he is destined before we jettison him?

As I said above, next year is going to be THE year for Napier. The questions that need to be asked before then – and can be worked on this season – is:

1. O-line recruiting and development. Can it turn the corner this year?
   
   
2. D-line recruiting and skill. Anyone capable of sacking a damn QB???
   
   
3. Passing/WRs. I saw passes I have not. Why now? Get it done Napier.
   
   
4. Etn is better than Johnson and needs to be the starter. Not that he is Davis but if Napier plays favorites, this team is going to go DOWN. But if we don’t find capable O-line players, it is all for naught.
   
   
5. It would be SO nice to find some ball hawking DBs. As of now, we don’t have any. Let's not pretend that it is all about the rush. That was the Tennessee game INT. I am plainly talking about giving a damn about covering your guy and occasionally intercepting the ball. We don’t have it. Marshall is losing a TON of money this season. I have to think it is going to be addition by subtraction next year.
   
   
6. Um, the LBs are nice but they aren’t Kentucky’s...or they aren’t coached like them. It is what it is.

Okay, Napier’s honeymoon is officially over. He HAS to do what he needs to do or else he WILL be dead man walking next year (and obviously the next after that). Find an OC and get rid of the damn ST coach (or coaches). If he does not, his seat is going to be hot as H__L. That IS the way it is. Time to earn your paycheck, Napier.

 

If you're a Gator, I understand the disappointment, but don't make up things like no presser.

 

Well, for all intensive purposes, they were not honed in. Case and point and bare with me here, they should of won all fazes of the game.

 

This was a sad day for the Gator program...

 

It felt like we were in a prevent defense most of the game... feckless and docile.

 

burn one for willy Nelson