I can’t speak to responsibility, but I can speak to what I observed on the field: - Special Teams was awful last year and it was not a talent issue. Must be fixed with coaching change(s). - Defense - how do you have access to Florida/southeast athletes and not be able to cover or fill a hole? We do not have UGA talent but we do have talent > than UK/Utah/Arky etc. Secondary/LB coverage bad. Dline weak. Coaching needed to change (and has, it appears). - Offense - slow play calls coming in, not spreading the field (passes to backs and quick plays to mask our weak line and lean on Mertz’s intelligence), and lack of early down field passing game are main complaints from me (talent aside). Would sack or move off field one of the OL coaches and get a QB coach co-offensive coordinator. Billy is HC - how he thinks he can do that 90 hour/week job, be QB coach, OC, and make in game adjustments while overseeing the entire operation is beyond me. Indeed, it is either blindly arrogant as to his ability or he can’t/won’t hire/trust talented coaches (and it is rumored that BN likes “yes” men, which is deeply concerning). - Strength and conditioning - again, we have access to FL athletes, but we got pushed around way too often last year. Change needed, change made. I think getting somebody who BN values/trusts on offense to help with scheming/play calling/QB handling would be invaluable, but the rest seems addressed (how well remains to be seen).
It won’t be enough if all Billy does is move Stapleton off the field into an analyst position, imho. Sale needs to be moved out of Gville. It’s mind boggling that he is making $1mil a year here, Billy could do so much better with that position, if he wants to.
Going into the third year and relying on incoming freshman for leadership? Not a good situation at all. Plus, what is this hot seat she speaks about?
Per Billy today: “Napier said there could be one or two additions to his staff to help on offense but said Florida has or will extend all four coaches whose contracts were set to expire on Jan. 31, meaning any hires will be off field and and offensive role changes will involve in-house coaches.” What a pisser, I can’t believe he’s giving Rob Sale another 2yr multi-million $$$$ contract, but I should not be surprised though, it’s his BFF, and he doesn’t run his buddies. Here’s what another buddy is now doing at UF for $750k. Napier says Mark Hocke is "in the player-development space...a lot of things we do relative to learning and teaching, we do a number of tests with the rookies when they arrive...also helping me from a messaging standpoint, motivation, themes throughout the offseason. Things that he's really talented in."
i feel ya. The only coaches he has canned were the only two coaches he didn’t have a prior relationship with (Ray,one and Chaos). By all statistical measures, the worst performing units on defense were LB and secondary, d line was by far rated the highest. LB coach was recruiting great this past season and had little to work with and was retained but left on his own. Raymond had a better rep than nearly all secondary coaches in the country - but unit underperformed and recruited poorly year 2. So I get that. Chaos recruited well until season fell apart and guys jumped ship and his unit graded out better than all. And yet. He and Raymond get canned. those are the only changes Napier instigated on field. The two guys he didn’t know well prior to UF. he hires a new Strength coach but keeps his friend Hocke on staff. He hired a new special teams coach but keeps his buddy Couch on staff. He gives Armstrong a 20% raise. Deserved? In my opinion- no way. he keeps two o line coaches who have been the worst recruiting unit for his two seasons at UF and that is not even debatable. Their unit was also rated like 132 out of 135 in blocking in 2023- which is horrible. And yet they both keep their jobs. in being objective with Napiers staffing- he is pretty much mirroring Mullens stubborness in retaining coaches due to relationships/ friendships while inky making where he doesn’t have a buddy coaching. maybe it works out for him. Hope it does as a gator fan. But I find it frustrating. I want my coach to be able to adapt and do what is best for UF. Not what may be best for he and his friends.
Rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic is such a relatable phrase right now. Oh well. Let's hope we get some kind of results out of this whole thing.
