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Stick it out with Billy or cut bait?
Posted on 11/4/24 at 9:09 am
Posted on 11/4/24 at 9:09 am
OK, we all know the UF administration and football operations are in shambles. No president lined-up, ergo no changes to AD for the near future, ergo no meaningful movement on a decent head coach because who in the hell would take a job where you know your new boss will want to replace you!
So here are your choices:
Upvote: Keep Napier, let him make his stupid mistakes, but continue to recruit and have continuity around the face of Florida Football for a few more years.
Downvote: Tell Billy it is time to part ways, and search for a new coach. Expect to get turned down by at least 1 or 2 prime targets (i.e. Kiffin), and probably end up with some re-tread who had some modest success a decade back, but hasn't been good lately.
Probably the same mediocrity either way, but in one we can say "just wait until he gets his players in there!" and in the other we can high five for not paying Napier a ton of money to sit on the couch.
Also, I think the next HC will be an older established coach especially given how Muschamp, Napier, McElwain fared giving the keys to the big show and failing miserably.
So here are your choices:
Upvote: Keep Napier, let him make his stupid mistakes, but continue to recruit and have continuity around the face of Florida Football for a few more years.
Downvote: Tell Billy it is time to part ways, and search for a new coach. Expect to get turned down by at least 1 or 2 prime targets (i.e. Kiffin), and probably end up with some re-tread who had some modest success a decade back, but hasn't been good lately.
Probably the same mediocrity either way, but in one we can say "just wait until he gets his players in there!" and in the other we can high five for not paying Napier a ton of money to sit on the couch.
Also, I think the next HC will be an older established coach especially given how Muschamp, Napier, McElwain fared giving the keys to the big show and failing miserably.
5
Posted on 11/4/24 at 9:24 am to TDFreak
its kind of a double edge sword, and the question is, "are we about to turn a corner with billy?", i.e. finally start winning?
it's hard to say. if we're about to turn the corner, do we risk shutting it down before it has the opportunity to come to fruition?
or do we risk 2 recruiting classes to be in the 50+ range (2025/2026 classes) and wait to fire billy next season if we don't win?
after this 2025 class, there's going to be a major talent gap between classes. that's depth we're missing out on.
if we're giving napier another year, the boosters need to come out and lay the peckers on the table and buy the players that need to be bought. period. otherwise, we're handcuffing napier and the team by not doing what's necessary.
either fire him and put all financial backing into the new coach/team
or
keep billy and use the buyout that was raised for a top 10 class.
keeping him would be cheaper i would think, but i'm not the one writing the checks.
it's hard to say. if we're about to turn the corner, do we risk shutting it down before it has the opportunity to come to fruition?
or do we risk 2 recruiting classes to be in the 50+ range (2025/2026 classes) and wait to fire billy next season if we don't win?
after this 2025 class, there's going to be a major talent gap between classes. that's depth we're missing out on.
if we're giving napier another year, the boosters need to come out and lay the peckers on the table and buy the players that need to be bought. period. otherwise, we're handcuffing napier and the team by not doing what's necessary.
either fire him and put all financial backing into the new coach/team
or
keep billy and use the buyout that was raised for a top 10 class.
keeping him would be cheaper i would think, but i'm not the one writing the checks.
Posted on 11/4/24 at 9:39 am to finchmeister08
How confident is anyone that Napier would turn a top 10 recruiting class into a championship team? I don't believe he has that in him.
If it were up to me he'd be gone ASAP, move on, hope for better.... but with the state of the UF administration I wouldn't be surprised if they fumbled the next hire. That's no reason to keep someone that you think won't ever be a championship coach.
If we end up keeping Napier, he should definitely be shown the respect and given all the tools he needs to succeed, NIL money, etc. I'd love to be wrong about the guy, he seems genuine and like a decent guy, just don't think he's that great of a coach.
If it were up to me he'd be gone ASAP, move on, hope for better.... but with the state of the UF administration I wouldn't be surprised if they fumbled the next hire. That's no reason to keep someone that you think won't ever be a championship coach.
If we end up keeping Napier, he should definitely be shown the respect and given all the tools he needs to succeed, NIL money, etc. I'd love to be wrong about the guy, he seems genuine and like a decent guy, just don't think he's that great of a coach.
Posted on 11/4/24 at 8:11 pm to TomSpanks
My thing is if you fire Napier then you have to have the guy you want because signing day is early December. You can not wait till after the playoffs to get your guy.
You have to have your guy signed Sealed and delivered the day after you let Napier go!!!
So he can have a meeting with all the players and then they can all make their decisions on staying or leaving!!!!!
You have to have your guy signed Sealed and delivered the day after you let Napier go!!!
So he can have a meeting with all the players and then they can all make their decisions on staying or leaving!!!!!
Posted on 11/5/24 at 1:21 am to AlbinoGator
Cut bait with that filthy looking POS.
However, UF can't fire him.
They have to keep him until they hire a president and an eventual AD.
However, UF can't fire him.
They have to keep him until they hire a president and an eventual AD.
This post was edited on 11/5/24 at 1:22 am
Posted on 11/5/24 at 5:07 am to TDFreak
Gee, when you put it that way...
I don't think Napier will ever do anything special even if he can finally string together a winning season. Why keep a coach that will keep you mired in mediocrity?
I don't think Napier will ever do anything special even if he can finally string together a winning season. Why keep a coach that will keep you mired in mediocrity?
Posted on 11/5/24 at 10:16 am to TDFreak
I can't believe I'm going to say this, but we need to stick with Napes, at least for one more year.
Two reasons:
-This group is the most team-focused of any group in the last few years. No major drama or issues and they have done a really good job of focusing inward despite all of the noise. I don't know if it is despite Napes or because of him, but that resiliency is a major ingredient for future success.
-For the sake of continuity, we need to stick with him. We will never get back to the top by replacing coaches every three years, and we certainly will not attract a top-tier coach with such a short leash.
Two reasons:
-This group is the most team-focused of any group in the last few years. No major drama or issues and they have done a really good job of focusing inward despite all of the noise. I don't know if it is despite Napes or because of him, but that resiliency is a major ingredient for future success.
-For the sake of continuity, we need to stick with him. We will never get back to the top by replacing coaches every three years, and we certainly will not attract a top-tier coach with such a short leash.
Posted on 11/5/24 at 10:26 am to Gator5220
Sorry but can't agree, his record alone is grounds for termination. Secondly, the continued faults without improvement in his coaching, discipline, play calling, special teams are grounds for termination. Thirdly, he has been a failure in recruiting, the 2025 class is falling apart as did the 2024 class, again grounds for termination. And the last reason that he needs to be fired is that he has lost the Gator Nation, even fans like me that traditionally support a coaching staff until the bitter end have given up on Napier. Cut bait, hire a home run coach and the players and wins will come.
Go Gators.
Go Gators.
Posted on 11/5/24 at 10:47 am to Jorts R Us
quote:
Why keep a coach that will keep you mired in mediocrity?
For that off chance that - with enough dice rolls - he comes up making a playoff berth or winning a SEC title. Dunno. Just keep rolling the dice that the players learn the playbook inside/out and the coaches strike paydirt. Probablility? Extremely low.
Posted on 11/5/24 at 3:56 pm to TDFreak
He's more than proven that he is a horrible gameday coach. We currently sit somewhere in the 50's in recruiting rankings. We still have a special teams blunder almost every game. We currently have no offensive linemen in the 2025 class. Yet, we have 2 O line coaches. If he's the coach next season, we're most likely fighting to be .500. The UAA, the AD, aren't serious about winning anymore, so he'll be the coach next seaon. Apathy will set in, and it'll be even more difficult to dig out of the hole we're in.
Posted on 11/5/24 at 5:07 pm to TDFreak
There's nothing to look forward to anymore. "Almost" winning games for nearly $20M a year. At least Boom, Mac, and Mullen had 10 win seasons during their time here.
This post was edited on 11/5/24 at 5:08 pm
Posted on 11/6/24 at 10:13 am to TDFreak
Fire his fricking arse
Also what's up with this general narrative, not just the Billy Bot "UF" fans on twitter and stuff, of people talking about the "improvement" he's made.
Yes we have improved from the Miami-A&M games, I'll concede that is true.
But we were absolutely terrible in those games. It's not hard to improve to bad from absolutely terrible, which is what we did.
We're still losing but instead of losing by 3-4 TDs at home, we're losing by 1-2 TDs now.
Fire his arse.
Also what's up with this general narrative, not just the Billy Bot "UF" fans on twitter and stuff, of people talking about the "improvement" he's made.
Yes we have improved from the Miami-A&M games, I'll concede that is true.
But we were absolutely terrible in those games. It's not hard to improve to bad from absolutely terrible, which is what we did.
We're still losing but instead of losing by 3-4 TDs at home, we're losing by 1-2 TDs now.
Fire his arse.
Posted on 11/6/24 at 10:51 am to Partha
quote:
We're still losing but instead of losing by 3-4 TDs at home, we're losing by 1-2 TDs now
But next year we can keep him and only lose by a TD to a single point. Its all coming together now. Scared money don't make money
Posted on 11/6/24 at 10:54 am to Partha
Billy should have been fired after the first few games of the season. Showing up that unprepared to play is a travesty.
As it becomes more and more apparent that the people in charge are ok with mediocrity and unwilling to pull the trigger, the fans have no other hope but to cope.
I think, at this point, focusing on the "improvements" is a coping mechanism by looking at the trees and not the forest. It at least makes supporting the players and team on a weekly basis more palatable.
I think and hope most fans can be honest though and say Billy built a good (not great) roster and culture...but he's not the guy to lead the charge any further. Personally, I don't think he has the killer instinct to win SEC/National Championships.
Maybe they're giving him till the end of the season out of respect for the little good he has done. For some reason though, I think he'll be here next year.
As it becomes more and more apparent that the people in charge are ok with mediocrity and unwilling to pull the trigger, the fans have no other hope but to cope.
I think, at this point, focusing on the "improvements" is a coping mechanism by looking at the trees and not the forest. It at least makes supporting the players and team on a weekly basis more palatable.
I think and hope most fans can be honest though and say Billy built a good (not great) roster and culture...but he's not the guy to lead the charge any further. Personally, I don't think he has the killer instinct to win SEC/National Championships.
Maybe they're giving him till the end of the season out of respect for the little good he has done. For some reason though, I think he'll be here next year.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 9:25 am to Supakat1986
Compared to this year's gauntlet, our SOS can only go but down in 2025. Billy probably wins 7 next year if the SEC throws us a bone and gives us a favorable conference slate.
7 wins. Some fans and boosters mildly appeased. Mediocrity continues for another 2-3 years.
7 wins. Some fans and boosters mildly appeased. Mediocrity continues for another 2-3 years.
Posted on 11/7/24 at 9:48 am to TDFreak
quote:Not really.
Compared to this year's gauntlet, our SOS can only go but down in 2025.
Conference schedule is the same but home-away reversed. So we get to play at Death Valley, at Ole Miss, at Kentucky, at A&M but get UTx, UT, and Miss State at home.
OOC play @ Miami, a cupcake, FSU at home (while I don't think they'll be where they were in 22-23, they probably will be better than the 1-8 team they have this year), and instead of UCF we have USF which might actually be harder because Golesh seems to be a pretty good coach compared to the dumpster fire Gus has in Orlando.
Posted on 11/8/24 at 9:48 am to Partha
Will all the contract buyout money going to NIL, will we have some studs that can get us at least 7 wins next year?
Posted on 11/8/24 at 10:25 am to TDFreak
quote:Maybe. We'll need to spend a lot to keep the guys we have.
Will all the contract buyout money going to NIL, will we have some studs that can get us at least 7 wins next year?
You know real programs are tampering and offering money to EW3, Lagway, etc.
Posted on 11/8/24 at 10:57 am to TDFreak
7 wins?! Napier needs to be fired if we can't win 9+ next year.
Posted on 11/8/24 at 10:58 am to Supakat1986
quote:Is "improvement" in the boosters and UAA's eyes
7 wins?
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