Sport Scene Interview with Scott Stricklin (1/8/23)

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Q: It is rumored that the UAA is not perfectly aligned which contributes to our lack of our FB success, like Foley still being there, Hocke’s buyout, is every one at the UAA “all -in” on the success of the FB program?

A: Everyone is all-in. The Hocke buy-out rumor is absolutely false. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Beware of what you read online and don’t get your medical advice from the internet.

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Art: Do you think you are worthy of your salary?

SS: I don’t spend a lot of time thinking on that.

Art: Why aren’t you more available to the media?

SS: I haven’t turned down any media requests.

Art: I get that, but the FB team is doing terrible and fans want answers.

SS: Thanks Art.

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DMill: Who controls the UAA if they're not doing enough. We have alot of old people that are still around the UAA like Foley, why are they still there if things are not getting done.

SS: Give me a specific example of things not getting done, don't talk about people, give me a specific example.

DMill: We are losing kids because of bad coaching, not because of NIL.

SS: (Chuckles) Huh. I appreciate your opinion. Thanks for calling in.

SS: Lemme say this. No one is happy when we're not winning FB games. If we are struggling, we are not happy about it. Where we have been in FB is a 15 year process. We have had a lot of variance in our results in the last 15 yrs. We have not been consistently successful they way we are in other programs. When Billy was brought in, there was an understanding that for us to get back to where we are winning consistently, we were gonna have to take a more patient approach, maybe go through some short term pain for some long term benefit. And that's what we've seen the last two years. We have taken some steps to set us up to be more successful in the future.

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Q: Why do we allow the opposing teams the first 6 rows or so behind their bench in our stadium when it's not reciprocated elsewhere?

SS: We have chosen to divide the 2000 lower bowl seats (per SEC rules) between the SE corner and those first few rows that aren't great seats. LSU does this as well.

(Didn't ask about the band!)

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Q: If Billy doesn't work out, do you think you get a shot at making the football hire?

SS: I believe in Billy and that he will be here a long long time.

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He is an abject failure, at hiring football coaches. I hope Napier turns it around. But, we all know, it's probably not going to happen. He's too stubborn, and just an all around bad in game coach.

Most likely there will be no O.C. Lagway told Edgar Thompson, at the Under Armour game, that Napier told him. He will still be calling plays. FWIW.

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He is an abject failure, at hiring football coaches

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The moment Dan Mullen was announced I knew it was a program killing hire. Fast forward, look where we are.

Napier is not a good coach either, or at least not a good coach for this level of competition while trying to rebuild a program that completely lost all its juice under Mullen.

I'll give Napier credit for trying to reinvigorate the program, but he does not seem to have the capability to successfully do it, and all the "New Coach Scent" and momentum that he had is gone. We are back to where we were at the end of the Mullen era, with a potentially game changing QB on the roster and not much else. Difference is, instead of mid-tier programs like Kentucky and Missouri starting to pass us, they are now starting to lap us.

At this point, looking at the whole picture (UAA, Strickland, etc.) I'd be shocked if Napier gets fired before the 2025 season even if he only wins a couple/few games next year.

I haven't given up all hope that Billy can start to turn things around, I've given up about 95% of hope but not all

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theCAW coming in hot!

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