**The end is not near, for Billy Napier at Florida**

I have my thoughts on BN and the staff but one thing is clear the players haven’t quit on them. I think I’m going to refrain from piling on until the end of the season.

 

He's referring to the "fanbase" on this board.

If you can call them "fans". trolls mostly.

 

Just curious…why do you say lsu isn’t that much? They are currently ranked 8th and playing really well.

 

I don’t look at them as really any better than Tennessee. Eight and four maybe nine and three. Definitely beatable.

 

Tennessee may be beatable but we didn’t beat them and they are 6-1 and just beat Alabama. I think LSU is going to be very difficult. They boat raced us last year. I know their quarterback is gone but they are still very good. They recruit extremely well.

 

Did we just start practicing harder during the bye week? Something changed and I wouldn't immediately think that the light bulbs finally turned on for the players.

 

There might be a handful of rival fans posing as Gators, but the tour-de-kaka we've experienced for much longer than Napier has been here wears on people, trolls and fans alike. Most negativity comes from real, true gator fans.

 

I’m seeing it as a negative the fan base (wherever they are) shifting to keep Billy because we blew out Kentucky.

 

No idea.

 

Does anybody like the Indiana Coach as a repalcement if we let BN go?

 

You mean the guy that's been brought up multiple times and some on this board have expressed as their leading candidate to replace Billy? Never heard of him.

 

Cignetti- he’s good . But his resume is almost EXACTLY Billy’s. I think guys like him, Kleinman, Leipold are all good-great coaches but are “blue collar” program builders not guys that give you a schematic edge on gameday which is probably the route we need to go imo

 

It really isn't. Billy's tendency to play teams close even with a talent advantage was noted by some on other boards. I didn't pay attention to it then but in hindsight Billy is consistent with what he has been. Cignetti is blowing teams out. Don't care about Indianas schedule either because what he is doing there is unprecedented for them regardless of schedule. They haven't had many average years at all let alone good years.

 

Wrong thread. Being widely discussed in Tilly's "Buzz" thread though.

Edit: They even talked about your fellow statesman, Dinkowitz, for a short time, I think.

 

I don't think their resumes are more than modestly similar. Cignetti has taken three head coaches jobs, starting off at a lower level and working his way up. And he's made an instant difference at each school, winning immediately and consistently with inferior talent in comparison to his peers. Billy had one previous head coaching job and began to consistently win there after he built a team with more talent than its peers. I'm not trying to be provocative, but the better Gator analog for Cignetti's track record isn't Billy. It's Urban.

 

Except Cignetti is doing it at the power 5 level which Billy never did.

 

Oldest college football coaches in 2024. Kyle Wittingham is stepping down at the end of the year. Figure Mack Brown is also. Depending on any others retiring/stepping down, Cignetti could be in the top 5 of this list next year at 64.

Mack Brown North Carolina 73 (Aug. 27, 1951)
Kirk Ferentz Iowa 69 (Aug. 1, 1955)
Don Brown UMass 69 (July 31, 1955)
K.C. Keeler Sam Houston 65 (July 26, 1959)
Kyle Whittingham Utah 64 (Nov. 21, 1959)
Willie Fritz Houston 64 (Apr. 2, 1960)
Biff Poggi Charlotte 64 (June 6, 1960)
Curt Cignetti Indiana 63 (June 2, 1961)
Kevin Wilson Tulsa 62 (Oct. 23, 1961)
Brian Kelly LSU 62 (Oct. 25, 1961)
Jeff Tedford Fresno State 62 (Nov. 2, 1961)
Jim Mora UConn 62 (Nov. 19, 1961)
Sam Pittman Arkansas 62 (Nov. 28, 1961)
Jim McElwain Central Michigan 62 (March 1, 1962)
Jay Norvell Colorado State 61 (March 28, 1963)
Rich Rodriguez Jacksonville State 61 (May 24, 1963)

Ranking Oldest College Football Coaches in 2024 | BetMGM

 

Jeez. This list makes me feel old as I remember many of these names being young up and comers what seems like just a few years back.

 

I think realistically for Billy to salvage the recruiting class and turn this around for the long term he has to:

1. Upset UGA or Texas
2. Beat ole miss or lsu at home and be competitive in both
3. Beat FSU at Tallahassee

This would solidify his job status and maybe he could turn 2 or 3 high profile recruits at the end.

 

The only thing I heard that was different is they were being more “competitive” in practice. They were making teams and keeping score with a winner and loser. This was a staple during the Meyer era.