re: What do you expect the Gators 2023 record to be post Spring game...?

Yep we would need a pretty good QB to go 8-4 probably. Our main issue is almost all the games you would say we have a chance those teams have a QB that has played better than Mertz.

Napier is the one who didnt sign one blue chipper QB recruit his first 2 classes and he brought Miller and Mertz in so he owns the situation. He better get a proven one year portal QB for 2024. People arent going to be happy with some 7-5 type record in year 3.

I never count anybody who doesn't make it to spring or camp. Mullen had a bunch of those while he was here and even more when you consider ones that were only here a month or two.

You forget Trask?

True - Mullen leaving Franks in there so long drove me crazy.

@Utah: L - Toss Up - Just think altitude and 1st game jitters on the road cost us.

McNesse: W

Tenn: L - Toss Up - If our defense is really improved, anything could happen at night in The Swamp. We lost to their best team in decades by 5 on the road last year with the ball in our hands and a chance to win...

Charlotte: W

@UK: W - Toss Up - We have no business losing to Kentucky in football.

Vandy: W

@SC: L - Toss Up - Just feel like something funky may happen in this one. Spencer Rattler is still overrated.

UGA: L

Ark: W - Toss Up - Have to win this one or I'll never hear the end of it living in Fayetteville. KJ Jefferson is good, but as much as they use him he might be banged up by this point.

@LSU: L - Just don't think we get it done in Death Valley. Don't think our talent has caught up and it seems like Brian Kelly has gotten LSU back on track, despite how much I can't stand that goober.

@MO: W - Game of attrition in the cold in November.

FSU: W - Toss Up - That game could have gone either way last year on the road. If we can stay healthy, then anything can happen in The Swamp. I will never admit that I think we'll lose to these clowns.

(7-5, 4-4) with a W against SMU or Memphis or somebody in the Birmingham Bowl to get us to 8 wins.


Ultimately, I have no expectations for this season, and it feels kind of good. I like Billy as a coach and I think he's bringing in some good talent, but I don't know if he's got what it takes to meet the expectations of this fanbase or to win enough in general.

As for the Spring Game - I don't think you can use the Spring Game as the gauge for how the season goes. Spring Games are really for the fans. I didn't watch the game after hearing the uproar about the score, but I'm sure the playbook and schemes were very vanilla.

As for the the QB situation, I don't know what to think of Mertz. He wasn't overly impressive at Wisconsin, but I wouldn't say he was bad either. He doesn't have the arm AR did, but he can still zip it in there. Good Mertz has touch, can thread the needle, and makes good decisions. Bad Mertz throws behind his receivers, tries to force passes into double coverage, and doesn't take what the defense gives him. Then again, you could insert about half the QB's in the SEC into that statement. It's just about consistency.