Go Gators!

[spenser1058]

15 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

that LSU game...it turns out Johnson the QB is Brad's (FSU) kid.  I bet he gave him an edict since he was a kid to make sure he beats the O&B at all costs.  The kid plays lights out against UF for two years in a row now...  but they still fired Coach O...I guess beating UF doesn't have as much luster anymore in the bayou as it once did...

I guess everyone has ups and downs. Look at Tennessee - long before Phil Fulmer and Johnny Majors, General Neyland was a colossus in the SEC. While Heup is making it look like the drought is over, it wasn’t long ago they were losing to Georgia State. I think the Gators need to stop acting like Auburn, learn a little patience and it will be fine (even if DeStupid’s stooges running UF as administrators and as the head of the Board of Trustees seem to be hellbent on destroying the state’s flagship university). Also, until the program stops hiring rogues like Charley Pell and Urban Liar, the rest of us will just laugh when a coach talks about the “Gator Standard”. No more of those, please.

Edited December 7, 2021 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

I watched a highlight vid of UF vs Samford.  I already saw the compressed game version; this one had commentary and analysis.  I noticed all of the celebrating by UF players every time their pulse went up even a little.  I saw Mullen's post game just now.  Based on how he answered questions from the reporters, it added to the reasons why he should have been given an opportunity to coach elsewhere or commentate at ESPN.

I wanted to throw up.  

I get that Grantham had been fired and the defense was in disarray- well...pretty consistent...they also gave up 40+ vs SoCar...

He lost control of the team.  I heard him say a win is a win and downplayed the 70-50 score (+/-).  He actually said the D improved at halftime in only allowing 10pts in the 2nd half.  Technically true... but he did a bad job of preparing them pregame.  Maybe he saw the writing on the wall once Grantham et al was fired.

He should've stayed in Stark-Vegas.  He did a good job in 2018 and 2019, but still, in 2018 after losing to UGA he didn't get the team focused vs Mizzou.  In 2019, his guy Franks tried to throw the game vs Miami.  We were losing to UK before Franks got hurt.  Had he not gotten hurt, UF would have probably lost to UK.

In 2020, I gave Grantham a pass b/c of the whole league-wide no-contact offseason leading to poor tackling phenomenon that even affected Bama.  But, Mullen mouthed off after A&M and pissed off the admin.  He then dressed as Vader...They blew it against LSU...etc...and...he made excuses about the OU loss...it's an exhibition game...or whatever...

At least Napier is a serious guy and doesn't make excuses.  

MacElwain got a tough break with the loss of Grier in 2015 and injuries to Del Rio..  But, he also chased away Grier and Harris after 2015.  Mullen probably did locker room control by starting Franks over Trask in 2018/19.  The proof was in the pudding I think when Franks opted to transfer once everyone saw how good Trask really was; it was so obvious the timing of it all.  So, Mullen was left with Trask and Jones in 2020, and Jones & AR in 2021.  Depth was hurt by Franks leaving when he did.

Greenard I think made up for IR's to other players on the D and Grantham's bad defensive schemes.  He was a sack specialist and major disruptive force.  Once he left that was it for the pass rush.  Done.  No depth b/c of lackluster recruiting.

Mullen is still "The Hacker" of defenses when he has a "Trask" but poor recruiting also resulted in E Jones being what UF was left with at QB once he replaced Trask.  And as a result, not much of a "hacker" in 2021.  Who's fault is that?  Well, it starts and stops with the HC.  I am not against loyalty to a team player, but, you coach a team and represent the team.  It's like with Penn St (I think) years ago when they didn't have names on the jerseys (or was it ND?) because it was about the team not the player.

Loyalty to Jones and Grantham and company did him in, and he was a little flippant about it.  He's not a Gator; SOS was.

So, after seeing that postgame, it is good that he's gone because I didn't see or hear anything that I liked.

Glad Knox got them ready to play FSU.  Hopefully they get up for UCF and Gus too.

[spenser1058]

2 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

I watched a highlight vid of UF vs Samford.  I already saw the compressed game version; this one had commentary and analysis.  I noticed all of the celebrating by UF players every time their pulse went up even a little.  I saw Mullen's post game just now.  Based on how he answered questions from the reporters, it added to the reasons why he should have been given an opportunity to coach elsewhere or commentate at ESPN.

I wanted to throw up.  

I get that Grantham had been fired and the defense was in disarray- well...pretty consistent...they also gave up 40+ vs SoCar...

He lost control of the team.  I heard him say a win is a win and downplayed the 70-50 score (+/-).  He actually said the D improved at halftime in only allowing 10pts in the 2nd half.  Technically true... but he did a bad job of preparing them pregame.  Maybe he saw the writing on the wall once Grantham et al was fired.

He should've stayed in Stark-Vegas.  He did a good job in 2018 and 2019, but still, in 2018 after losing to UGA he didn't get the team focused vs Mizzou.  In 2019, his guy Franks tried to throw the game vs Miami.  We were losing to UK before Franks got hurt.  Had he not gotten hurt, UF would have probably lost to UK.

In 2020, I gave Grantham a pass b/c of the whole league-wide no-contact offseason leading to poor tackling phenomenon that even affected Bama.  But, Mullen mouthed off after A&M and pissed off the admin.  He then dressed as Vader...They blew it against LSU...etc...and...he made excuses about the OU loss...it's an exhibition game...or whatever...

At least Napier is a serious guy and doesn't make excuses.  

MacElwain got a tough break with the loss of Grier in 2015 and injuries to Del Rio..  But, he also chased away Grier and Harris after 2015.  Mullen probably did locker room control by starting Franks over Trask in 2018/19.  The proof was in the pudding I think when Franks opted to transfer once everyone saw how good Trask really was; it was so obvious the timing of it all.  So, Mullen was left with Trask and Jones in 2020, and Jones & AR in 2021.  Depth was hurt by Franks leaving when he did.

Greenard I think made up for IR's to other players on the D and Grantham's bad defensive schemes.  He was a sack specialist and major disruptive force.  Once he left that was it for the pass rush.  Done.  No depth b/c of lackluster recruiting.

Mullen is still "The Hacker" of defenses when he has a "Trask" but poor recruiting also resulted in E Jones being what UF was left with at QB once he replaced Trask.  And as a result, not much of a "hacker" in 2021.  Who's fault is that?  Well, it starts and stops with the HC.  I am not against loyalty to a team player, but, you coach a team and represent the team.  It's like with Penn St (I think) years ago when they didn't have names on the jerseys (or was it ND?) because it was about the team not the player.

Loyalty to Jones and Grantham and company did him in, and he was a little flippant about it.  He's not a Gator; SOS was.

So, after seeing that postgame, it is good that he's gone because I didn't see or hear anything that I liked.

Glad Knox got them ready to play FSU.  Hopefully they get up for UCF and Gus too.

I like Billy a lot so far. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes for him.

[jrs2]

On 12/7/2021 at 5:35 PM, spenser1058 said:

I like Billy a lot so far. I’m looking forward to seeing how it goes for him.

so the O& B had a couple of decommits.  One was that 4star QB.  I don't want to say anything negative about him, but I gotta tell ya...back about four months ago, they had him on an online show where they interviewed him and him mom about coming to UF.  I know he was highly touted but I felt uneasy about him.  I can't put my finger on it tho; it's like a feeling of whether he was as good as his rating.  I come to find out on another talk show that he was like maybe Mullen's 4th or 5th choice of QB.  Wow.  And what's interesting, is that if Mullen sucked as bad of a recruiter as they say he was (also based on stats), then all of the other schools they say wanted him, just how bad did they want him if he was Mullen's 4th or 5th choice?  Because if they did want him, then he would have gone there before Mullen came a calling.  Make sense?

So apparently, Billy went over there and met with the fam and the next day he decommitted.  I think Billy may have given him that brutal truth speech or something.  Maybe Billy flushed out a poser and the recruit realized it.  I know Billy like a qb committed to LSU and a couple others...dunno.

So, the theme here is that I'm not broken up about it.  

[jrs2]

I've been hearing also about taking back scholarship offers from the Mullen regime.   

UF hired Corey Raymond from LSU.  Solid hire.. rRecruiting coordinator and recruited and coached many DBU players there.  Two DB commits just decommitted  because he left...

I feel for LSU, but I heard there was drama about his salary and Kelly didn't help matters.

As for UF, that is extending the solid coaching nucleus a lot...

[jrs2]

...so Billy hired a few new staff members the past few days...

...a few analysts with good experience;  OL coach from ULL...

so there's been a some coaching moves, and more on the way...

I don't plan on seeing anything monumental tomorrow recruiting-wise; rather, I think he can make some good headway by national signing day in February. 

[jrs2]

so...Napier and staff hauled in a recruiting class listed at No.30 with only 9 players signed.  I think ESPN has it listed at No.50.  Regardless, on early signing day and only being there for a week and a half, and with an incomplete staff, they did a really good job thus far.  They got the kid from IMG, and flipped another from Naples, and became a thorn in UGA's side- pretty soon, probably gonna become the whole thorny bush to UGA.  This guy's a madman.

So EJ is entering the transfer portal but he's playing in the bowl vs UCF.  I am assuming these players and staff are using the effort in the bowl game as a 'resume builder" and won't just tank.  We'll see.  Maybe Napier will give them a talk leading up to the game to let them know he's watching...

[jrs2]

he hired the director of recruiting from UGA who he used to work with at ULL, Katie Turner.  Under her management those respective recruiting classes were either Top 5 in the country or tops in their conference (Sunbelt).  Can't hurt...

I'd be curious to know what kind of staff Mullen had...  at this point I don't care.

I think UF signed their 10th player since NSD...

[jrs2]

...still hiring staffers; IT guy as well... reaching out to 2023 recruits also...

Gator BB is a mixed bag of...a team that looks like when they're on they're on...and when they're off, they suck...

[jrs2]

...are their collective heads in this game and the preparations for it?  it better be...

[jrs2]

I am glad Emory Jones is in the transfer portal.  Gus is a good coach.  When you don't have an HC, OL coach, or DC, and the players just kind of by default fall to their habits, you get these results- WR's overthrown; safeties playing out of position; personal foul calls for stupid plays.  

I for one am ecstatic that Jones is gone.  He proved that he is the prototypical pre-Spurrier QB that can only run well.  Any blind squirrel can get lucky on a long pass 25% of the time- he couldn't even do that with open WR's.

Napier knows.  He was a QB himself.   I think the Gators may have done better if Jones opted out of the game.  

Nobody from that interim coaching staff will be retained I don't think.  And now, since the FSU win, losing to UCF will help justify Napier's probable non-retention of whomever he may have been considering retaining before the game.

Can't fault Knox too much.  He himself said Jones needs to tuck it and run when his first and second options aren't there.  Jones did that a couple of times but then he wasted 3rd and manageable on poorly thrown bombs.  An analyst said he went through his progressions soundly, but when the game is in dispute, you go for the first down high percentage pass; you do the layup not shoot a three.  And that shows his poor judgment.  And it is likely a result of Mullen sleeping on the job in...2021...2020...2019.

And for that, and based on how UF has lost the game it has lost the past couple seasons, he deserved to be given his freedom to expand his coaching horizons.

The ball that he started rolling was going to roll this way regardless if he was still HC or not.  I predicted this loss and I hate being right.  But when you break down a game and a squad and trends, you can only be objective about the truth of a matter.

UF beat FSU b/c of homefield advantage coupled with the opponent.  UF lost to UCF because when they had opportunities to keep the drive alive, their QB did not have what it took to do that; Jones had open WR's close in that were open.  Ask Copeland; ask any of them.  It's ridiculous.

Wow.  USC punked Meyer when one of their less used RB's transferred and we thought we got one up on Pete Carroll.  Texas punked Foley ala the CIW phenomenon fueled by Jimbo's success ala Muschamp.  And, TOSU punked Mullen (maybe Meyer himself) with Emory Jones.  If they didn't cry much in losing that recruit it was for a reason.  And it is Mullen's fault.  I blame him, not Emory.

Congrats to UCF for executing Malzahn's game plan when his opponent was struggling and not playing down to that dismal level. 

I am certain Napier will not tolerate that type of gameplay in the spring and 2022.  I wouldn't be surprised if more Gators enter the portal after they get their talking to.

Go Gators!

[jrs2]

UF broke the bad QB cycle when Will Grier started in 2015 (redshirted in 2014).  But when he got suspended for 12 mos b/c of PED's and then transferred to WVU, I told everyone that this would affect the football program for at least three seasons.  Well, UF tanks the remainder of 2015- Treon took over (had started a few games in 2014).  Treon transferred at the end of 2015. 

So heading into 2016, the two QB's with experience dating back two seasons were both gone.  Enter Luke Del Rio;  Injury prone.  Backup?  Was it Applebee?  That was 2016. 

Then true FR Franks gets thrown into the mix in 2017 when Del Rio goes down again (sounds like a punchline to a joke).  Trask had been recruited but not sought after at all by anyone b/c he was a HS backup.  ND transfer Zaire gets thrown in as well; he's one and done.   Mac gets fired after loss to UGA.  I called out Mac for chasing out Treon and Grier in favor of Del Rio in hope of kissing up to his dad for an NFL job opportunity.

In 2018, Dan takes over.  He recruits Emory Jones I think over Matt Corral.  There was no other QB recruited in 2018 and/or other than Jones.  Not even a transfer???

He retools Franks to the tune of 10 wins in 2018. 

In 2019, Dan recruits Jalon Jones who transfers out immediately.  NO REPLACEMENT QB RECRUIT???  Luke Matthews walks on/ redshirted.

The 2019 season begins and Franks is playing poorly and gets a season ending injury.  Trask replaces him and finishes 2019 with Jones as the backup.

In 2020, Dan recruits Richardson. He is the only QB recruit in 2020.  Matthews is a redshirt FR walk on.

During 2020, Trask is a Heisman finalist.  All the credit goes to Mullen (and he was Mac's recruit).  Jones is the backup and Richardson is 3rd string but sees very little playing time.  They assume if Mullen can "quarterback whisper" Trask then he can do the same for Jones. 

In 2021 Dan recruits Kitna and Carlos Del Rio.   For the first time at UF, Dan recruits 2 QB's in the same recruiting cycle.  Both are available freshmen for 2021.

2021 progresses and Jones (eggs in one basket) proves to be very inconsistent passing the ball.  Richardson gets some playing time as backup; gets several injuries during season; surgery.  The other two QB's are Del Rio and Kitna.  Dan begins to recruit the kid from TX for 2022, Evers.

I think the key here was the debacle with Jalon Jones, in the 2019 recruiting cycle.  So when Jalon Jones transfers in 2019, Dan doesn't recruit anyone else for 2019 cycle.  When AR was on the sidelines tweeting in 2020, Jalon Jones (or his replacement recruit) would have been there as well with one year already under his belt.  Dan figured it out too late- he waited on the Del Rio recruitment to mature for 2021 (from back in 2019) and added Kitna.  That's two new eligible QB's for the first time in one season since being there.  He only had one in Emory Jones in 2018.  He had ZERO in 2019.  He had one in RIchardson in 2020.  So, there were 4 QB's on the roster in 2021- only one with any experience.  There were 4 QB's on the roster in 2020- one was a walk-on, the other was Richardson who took just a few snaps all season.  There were 3 QB's on the roster in 2019 and 3 QB's on the roster in 2018.

The numbers just do not work and because Jones didn't pan out, that gamble was a serious bust for Dan because Richardson was injury prone in 2021 with 2 true freshmen behind him.  Had he followed up his 2018 recruitment of Emory with 2 QB's in 2019, UF would be in a better predicament for 2021.  Instead, he recruited ZERO QB's in 2019 (because Jalon Jones transferred).

That was devastating for 2021.  Hence, 6-7.  

Lack of depth at QB over the past 15 years:

In 2021, there were 4 QB's on the roster. (first time there were 4 bona fide recruits on the roster at same time under Mullen)

In 2020, there were 4 QB's on the roster. (Matthews R-FR walk on)

In 2019, there were 4 QB's on the roster. (Franks was hurt 3rd game and transferred mid season; Matthews walk on FR)

In 2018, there were 3 QB's on the roster. (Mullen year one-maybe blame MacElwain for no early commits re-committing under Mullen?)

In 2017, there were 6 QB's on the roster. 

In 2016, there were 5 QB's on the roster. 

In 2015, there were 8 QB's on the roster.  (MacElwain year one)

In 2014, there were 7 QB's on the roster.   

in 2013, there were 8 QB's on the roster. 

In 2012, there were 6 QB's on the roster.

In 2011, there were 8 QB's on the roster. (Muschamp year one)

In 2010, there were 6 QB's on the roster.

In 2009, there were 4 QB's on the roster.

In 2008, there were 5 QB's on the roster.

In 2007, there were 7 QB's on the roster.

In 2006, there were 5 QB's on the roster.

In 2005, there were 5 QB's on the roster. (Meyer first year)

In 2004, there were 6 QB's on the roster. (Zook's final year)

Wow.  It took him four seasons to have four actual high-higher level QB recruits on the team at same time and he's a "QB whisperer".    Matthews was filler in 2020 and 2019.  And we only had 3 QB's on the squad in 2018.  OMG.  We were lucky Franks didn't get hurt in 2018.  I get that a lot of those guys are/were walk-ons.

Mullen did an extremely piss poor job recruiting QB's en masse or just in building a roster.  We had no QB depth.  and it bit us in the ass in 2021.  Jones sucked as a decision maker; Richardson kept getting hurt, and CDR and Kitna were true freshmen with no experience, so you keep Jones in whether he deserved to keep playing or not.  We were lucky Trask didn't get hurt in 2020.  Franks got hurt in 2019 and we were lucky Trask was a good QB.  Nobody got hurt in 2018.  But Del Rio got hurt in 2017 and they threw in FR Franks.

For being a QB guy, Mullen did a horrible job of building depth at QB.  And as a result, there were less options if the plan went awry.

Edited December 29, 2021 by jrs2

[jrs2]

based on my prior post, Napier will have Richardson, Kitna, Del Rio, and Miller III on the roster at QB to begin his tenure, unless he targets yet another QB prior to NSD.  He's still ahead of where Mullen was in 2018.

I still can't believe it took Mullen four seasons to have four scholarship QB's on the roster at the same time.  Yeah yeah, he'll blame the transfer portal dynamic I'm sure.

Here's an article on the hires Napier has made thus far.  He is building an army:

https://247sports.com/college/florida/Article/Florida-Gators-Football-Braxton-Morris-hired-as-quality-control-staffer-on-defense-179404832/

Edited December 30, 2021 by jrs2

[jrs2]

So, UGA handled Michigan.  Rematch with Bama.

Until Kirby proves the entire country wrong, I pick Saban over the Dawgs...again.

Whoop-dee-doo that UGA did something different or maybe didn't do something different vs Mich as opposed to Bama in the SECCG.  Maybe they're just better than Michigan in a vacuum.

Now they're fans are talkin' again.

Give UGA the title: Bragging title; Recruiting title; Trash Talking title; pre-game hype game prediction title.  If the Gators had half a quarterback who could throw, that game would have gone differently.

Saban is no chump.  

[jrs2]

Gayterz got a dozen HS players planning to be on campus in a couple weeks.  Also, chatter about transfer portal players they are targeting.  got a month to wait and see it all crystalize. 

[spenser1058]

Thank goodness, DeSantis’ toadie UF President Fuchs is retiring. Of course, his replacement could be even worse. Here’s hoping FSU grad Charlie Crist can win and save the Gators!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/education/os-ne-uf-president-steps-down-20220105-ftbqzyhxabaj7edys2zzemnedq-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 

[spenser1058]

Coach Billy speaking at a Gator basketball game: “…We are going to do things with class. We are going to do things with integrity. We are going to build young me of character.”

He is the Anti-Urban! Here’s hoping it sticks.

From The Sentinel 

Edited January 6, 2022 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

Highly coveted tailback Trevor Etienne commits to Gators - Orlando Sentinel
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/florida-gators/os-sp-gators-football-recruiting-trevor-etienne-0109-20220108-e4uf6zlmnnapllpkz3sqnle6di-story.html

[jrs2]

Etienne may not be the end all be all RB, but that is a huge grab when considering he went up against LSU and Dabo.  Great momentum keeper...

[jrs2]

I just heard that, during his tenure, Mullen pretty much told SOS to keep his opinions to himself...

If true, then wow...fans don't care about Mullen's ego; they only care about winning.  I wouldn't be surprised if SOS told Mullen to have Jones run more and Mullen had him pass more just to prove SOS wrong.  It just didn't seem like Mullen was having Jones consistently use his strengths at times when the defense least expected it.  But the way he did it, the defenses realized he would take too long with reads and they played the run and dared him to pass.  It's like Mullen told him to pass at all costs even if the lane is there b/c that's what it seemed like in a lot of games this year.

[spenser1058]

18 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

I just heard that, during his tenure, Mullen pretty much told SOS to keep his opinions to himself...

If true, then wow...fans don't care about Mullen's ego; they only care about winning.  I wouldn't be surprised if SOS told Mullen to have Jones run more and Mullen had him pass more just to prove SOS wrong.  It just didn't seem like Mullen was having Jones consistently use his strengths at times when the defense least expected it.  But the way he did it, the defenses realized he would take too long with reads and they played the run and dared him to pass.  It's like Mullen told him to pass at all costs even if the lane is there b/c that's what it seemed like in a lot of games this year.

It’s best summed up by saying who is remembered in the hearts of Gators and will be 50 years from now. It ain’t Urban Liar and it sure won’t be Dan Mullen.

And anyone who thinks SOS had past his prime should remember what he did with almost nothing with the Apollos.

[jrs2]

Rob Sale was officially hired as OC/ OL coach.

[jrs2]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/billy-napier-florida-football-add-181841038.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9kdWNrZHVja2dvLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAANtU9oki8mNKSJfuwc2jBGL9qT1GdpVNddeSNSCFIaCeiGwA4rsuKaSDqlPc1DEQM5arZmj3hS7kI1qjpoL0h4OyHHk4aMLARfMoXUPzejwoH-bOTs79iw_o7yXw19_unS9m3lAyHprsqw7Zmy8XBz0V9Fv7SQAs1AAWNBkMUl1A

not sure how to shorten that link.  Ugh...

But that ULL RB transferred to UF.  It adds to the depth chart and he is probably going to see a lot of playing time b/c of his experience.  So they added him via Portal, Etienne ala recruiting, and it adds two back to the three that are still there, with David and Bowling Ball going pro.  That's good.  LSU wanted him.

[jrs2]

https://gatorswire.usatoday.com/2022/01/16/florida-football-sean-spencer-co-defensive-coordinator-hire/

if he can bring in recruits and can coach, then I'm on board.

[jrs2]

https://www.si.com/college/florida/football/florida-gators-report-hiring-jay-bateman-linebackers-coach

ILB coach from UNC