- Oct 5, 2017
- 2,306
- 6,270
Before I begin, I apologize for a long absence while I finished law school, studied for the Bar, and began working. I look forward to another fun season on the boards. In writing title of the thread, I see that I had a birthday thread and that BMF posted my post-Michigan Truth Takes commentary from the Gas. I read the thread and was floored by the response and BMF thinking highly enough of it to post it here. BMF did invite me and he deserves a special shout out.
To get started, I have been thinking about posting this for months, but am just getting around to it for reasons listed above. A story in three parts, Coaching, Players, and Schedule. As Itraz knows, I like to start every season as a pumper, and this season is no different. I quickly succumb to reality, but being a different situation that perhaps this could be reality. I do believe that there is a possibility of a 10-win season. I am not saying that it will happen, just reasons why I think it's even in the realm of possibility. Yes, we could fall on our face and go 0-12 as well, but I think 10 wins has a higher possibility.
Coaching
As I've said during the coaching search, Dan Mullen wasn't even in my top-10 or at least top-7 choices for head coach. I think he has done a lot of good so far and plenty of things, like recruiting, where he needs to step up his game. I stand by what I've said that until he wins an SEC Title, I'm not going to say it was a great hire. However, coaching is much more than the head coach(see Auburn '10, Arky '06), so I'm going to analyze coaching through the lens of the last staff vs. the new staff. I'll be somewhat brief with each.
Head Coach- Upgrade
I think besides what we've seen so far in recruiting (full judgment withdrawn on this issue until February) I already like what I've seen more than Mac. More open with the fans, energetic, bringing in a better set of assistants (IMO), and I think coming in with a better head coaching resume in doing the best at #failstate than anyone has ever done is better than a few years in the Mountain West.
Offensive Coordinator-Upgrade
Mullen, Gonzales, and Hevesy, and probably some Brian Johnson, will split duties. Will we need the Dan Mullen spinner? Maybe. Is the spinner less predictable than Nuss? Yes. I did watch the offense of #failstate against LSU and UGA on Youtube in the last few weeks. Saw more creativity in that little sample than I could find in 3 years of Nuss. A good amount runs are based on running two different directions and reading the defense. I watched a read option from the LSU game for UF (Toney/Davis) and watched what appeared to be a scheme for both to hit the same hole. That's what happened and looked like the offense set that up. The read is supposed to either get the defense to commit to the wrong runner or at least get the defense to pause for a split second, which could be deadly. Not to mention rub routes, getting players in space, quick plays, things we didn't see under Nuss. Could you imagine Toney, Cleveland, Davis, Grimes, and others getting the ball in space and being allowed to use it?
Defensive Coordinator-Upgrade
Yes, I'm going with upgrade despite the whole "3rd and Grantham" thing. Still, I haven't stopped trolling UF official twitter every time I get a chance to bring up the choke debacle. #failstate was #10 in total D last year. I don't remember whether it was Bill Sikes, Will Miles, or David Waters, but one of them had a good write up (or set of tweets) about the improvement Grantham has shown over the past few years of his career. Plus, the vanilla that was Randy Shannon makes this an upgrade.
QB Coach-Upgrade
Obviously, Nuss was awful. Did his OC duties and failures hamper QB growth or did his failure to develop QB's hamper the offense? Yes. Brian Johnson joins our staff after a year as OC at Houston. A top-40 offense after the loss of star QB Greg Ward and a change from Tom Herman I'd say that isn't awful. Furthermore, somebody developed Dak Prescott, either Mullen or Johnson or both. I think we can see improvement in our QB's under his watch. How much in year one remains to be seen, but anything is better than Nuss.
Running Backs Coach-Downgrade
Knox had done some good things as a RB coach, good things as a WR coach in the past, but Seider was probably just as good on the field and looks like he may have been more important off the field. Time will tell. The upside to Knox here is plenty of talent to work with.
Tight Ends Coach- Upgrade
Behind Nuss, I don't know if there was a coach less liked by the base than Nord. I didn't see any tight end improvement, not tight end blocking, no nothing. Larry Scott helped develop Ethan Wolf, one of the best TE's in UT history. Again, hard to judge long term effectiveness, but comparatively, a coach vs. a broomstick is an upgrade. I think guys like Lewis, who was failed by Nord, could find success under Scott.
O-Line Coach-Upgrade
The interior of our O-Line was great during Hevesy's first stint. Yes, he handled TE, but also assisted with interior line. I don't know if I could totally fault Davis for the O-line's poor performance last year (he still gets plenty of blame, but with slow developing plays like Nuss loved, he wasn't helped), but Hevesy is a known quantity that I like. How much of a difference is made this year? Debatable. In a year or two? Total and complete upgrade.
Wide Receivers Coach- Upgrade
Honestly, did you see any receivers develop under Kerry Dixon? Did Callaway actually get better over the two seasons or was he just using the same talent he had. Hammond and Swain weren't exactly sure handed last year. Watch the UAB game to see several drops between the pair. Meanwhile, between 1990 and 2009 UF had only two WR coaches and developed as much receiver talent as anyone. Gonzales developed Harvin, Caldwell, Murphy, Nelson, and Cooper into multi-year NFL players. Taking his '08 squad of Harvin, Cooper, Nelson, and Murphy as the top 4 receivers he had an average recruit rating of 147.7. This season with the top 4 receivers (ignoring Toney to use receiver recruit rankings) of Cleveland, Grimes, Jefferson, and Hammond he has an average recruit rating of 86.5. That's a big difference. Sure, there isn't a high like Harvin, but they are all also more dynamic than Nelson. I like what he could potentially do.
D-Line- Draw
Rumph was a great recruiter, but Sunseri has an impressive background has developed some great players.
Linebackers- Error- File Not Found
I don't know if I can fully blame Skipper for the poor performance at LB last year as he was forced to play walk-ons significant chunks of time. I can't absolve him though as players like Vosean disappointed. Meanwhile, Robinson walks in with his first position group assignment. He does have SEC linebacker experience if we are looking for a plus. It was at UGA if we are looking for a loss.
CB- ?
The secondary seems to be where Mullen is using the extra assistant schools have beginning this season.
I don't know how to judge Corey Bell. He had the entire Secondary last year, had to play two true freshman at corner in the nickel last year. Yes, they struggled at times, like true freshman can do, but they weren't helped by the non-attacking style of Shannon and Marcell Harris' injury moving Chauncey to safety (thank God that's over). I don't know enough about Warren to say which is better.
Safeties- Upgrade
I know enough about Ron English to give him the upgrade nod. He has an uphill task, but if he's up to it, I like our defenses chances.
Special Teams- Upgrade
See my previous comments on Nord. To add for special teams, I'll simply ask the following question: How many times did you see punt returners fielding punts inside the 20? This illustrates the lack of attention to detail shown on special teams as a whole. That has changed. One does not need to look far to see that Knox did a great job with special teams at #failstate. Again, Miles, Sikes, Waters, perhaps all three had great articles, and/or tweets worth looking up on the subject. #failstate lead the SEC in blocked kicks in the span of the last 4 years when Knox oversaw Special Teams. Credit to Nick De La Torre on a quick tweet search for that last tidbit.
Strength & Conditioning- UPGRADE
There is not one thing so far that I think Mullen has done better than bringing in Nick Savage. Don't take my word for it, let's look at what First Round Draft Pick Taven Bryan said under the old regime about his dad's workouts being tougher (many chalked this up to his dad being military and insane initially) to how impressed he was with Nick Savage, "I would have been swole" and speaking of how they went from pillsbury doughboys to being "swole". Jordan Scarlett put on 11 pounds of muscle in between January and March. Mike Kent had people going to private gyms for workouts. To say that S&C is night and day is not saying enough. I bring up Scarlett because with that strength and conditioning change he gets the first down against UT in '16 on the first drive of the second half he missed by an inch. A first down drains clock, doesn't give the momentum that 3 and out did, wears down a D, breaks the fragile spirit of the home crowd. Yes, sometimes a change in S&C, especially this significant, can change something so small, but yet, has a great impact. Maybe, it means nothing, but I don't think having bigger, faster, stronger, and better conditioned players means nothing. I think we see more than one player that isn't the same player we remember solely because of Nick Savage.
So, overall I would say this staff is an upgrade over the previous one. Now, that could be a jump from dumpster fire to average. Average doesn't get you to 10 wins. At least Hevesy, Gonzales, and Savage are above average.That's why, if permitted, I have 2 more parts that when combined lend to the possibility of a 10 win season. Again, before people go nuts, I'm not saying it will happen, but I think the possibility is better than many expect.
To get started, I have been thinking about posting this for months, but am just getting around to it for reasons listed above. A story in three parts, Coaching, Players, and Schedule. As Itraz knows, I like to start every season as a pumper, and this season is no different. I quickly succumb to reality, but being a different situation that perhaps this could be reality. I do believe that there is a possibility of a 10-win season. I am not saying that it will happen, just reasons why I think it's even in the realm of possibility. Yes, we could fall on our face and go 0-12 as well, but I think 10 wins has a higher possibility.
Coaching
As I've said during the coaching search, Dan Mullen wasn't even in my top-10 or at least top-7 choices for head coach. I think he has done a lot of good so far and plenty of things, like recruiting, where he needs to step up his game. I stand by what I've said that until he wins an SEC Title, I'm not going to say it was a great hire. However, coaching is much more than the head coach(see Auburn '10, Arky '06), so I'm going to analyze coaching through the lens of the last staff vs. the new staff. I'll be somewhat brief with each.
Head Coach- Upgrade
I think besides what we've seen so far in recruiting (full judgment withdrawn on this issue until February) I already like what I've seen more than Mac. More open with the fans, energetic, bringing in a better set of assistants (IMO), and I think coming in with a better head coaching resume in doing the best at #failstate than anyone has ever done is better than a few years in the Mountain West.
Offensive Coordinator-Upgrade
Mullen, Gonzales, and Hevesy, and probably some Brian Johnson, will split duties. Will we need the Dan Mullen spinner? Maybe. Is the spinner less predictable than Nuss? Yes. I did watch the offense of #failstate against LSU and UGA on Youtube in the last few weeks. Saw more creativity in that little sample than I could find in 3 years of Nuss. A good amount runs are based on running two different directions and reading the defense. I watched a read option from the LSU game for UF (Toney/Davis) and watched what appeared to be a scheme for both to hit the same hole. That's what happened and looked like the offense set that up. The read is supposed to either get the defense to commit to the wrong runner or at least get the defense to pause for a split second, which could be deadly. Not to mention rub routes, getting players in space, quick plays, things we didn't see under Nuss. Could you imagine Toney, Cleveland, Davis, Grimes, and others getting the ball in space and being allowed to use it?
Defensive Coordinator-Upgrade
Yes, I'm going with upgrade despite the whole "3rd and Grantham" thing. Still, I haven't stopped trolling UF official twitter every time I get a chance to bring up the choke debacle. #failstate was #10 in total D last year. I don't remember whether it was Bill Sikes, Will Miles, or David Waters, but one of them had a good write up (or set of tweets) about the improvement Grantham has shown over the past few years of his career. Plus, the vanilla that was Randy Shannon makes this an upgrade.
QB Coach-Upgrade
Obviously, Nuss was awful. Did his OC duties and failures hamper QB growth or did his failure to develop QB's hamper the offense? Yes. Brian Johnson joins our staff after a year as OC at Houston. A top-40 offense after the loss of star QB Greg Ward and a change from Tom Herman I'd say that isn't awful. Furthermore, somebody developed Dak Prescott, either Mullen or Johnson or both. I think we can see improvement in our QB's under his watch. How much in year one remains to be seen, but anything is better than Nuss.
Running Backs Coach-Downgrade
Knox had done some good things as a RB coach, good things as a WR coach in the past, but Seider was probably just as good on the field and looks like he may have been more important off the field. Time will tell. The upside to Knox here is plenty of talent to work with.
Tight Ends Coach- Upgrade
Behind Nuss, I don't know if there was a coach less liked by the base than Nord. I didn't see any tight end improvement, not tight end blocking, no nothing. Larry Scott helped develop Ethan Wolf, one of the best TE's in UT history. Again, hard to judge long term effectiveness, but comparatively, a coach vs. a broomstick is an upgrade. I think guys like Lewis, who was failed by Nord, could find success under Scott.
O-Line Coach-Upgrade
The interior of our O-Line was great during Hevesy's first stint. Yes, he handled TE, but also assisted with interior line. I don't know if I could totally fault Davis for the O-line's poor performance last year (he still gets plenty of blame, but with slow developing plays like Nuss loved, he wasn't helped), but Hevesy is a known quantity that I like. How much of a difference is made this year? Debatable. In a year or two? Total and complete upgrade.
Wide Receivers Coach- Upgrade
Honestly, did you see any receivers develop under Kerry Dixon? Did Callaway actually get better over the two seasons or was he just using the same talent he had. Hammond and Swain weren't exactly sure handed last year. Watch the UAB game to see several drops between the pair. Meanwhile, between 1990 and 2009 UF had only two WR coaches and developed as much receiver talent as anyone. Gonzales developed Harvin, Caldwell, Murphy, Nelson, and Cooper into multi-year NFL players. Taking his '08 squad of Harvin, Cooper, Nelson, and Murphy as the top 4 receivers he had an average recruit rating of 147.7. This season with the top 4 receivers (ignoring Toney to use receiver recruit rankings) of Cleveland, Grimes, Jefferson, and Hammond he has an average recruit rating of 86.5. That's a big difference. Sure, there isn't a high like Harvin, but they are all also more dynamic than Nelson. I like what he could potentially do.
D-Line- Draw
Rumph was a great recruiter, but Sunseri has an impressive background has developed some great players.
Linebackers- Error- File Not Found
I don't know if I can fully blame Skipper for the poor performance at LB last year as he was forced to play walk-ons significant chunks of time. I can't absolve him though as players like Vosean disappointed. Meanwhile, Robinson walks in with his first position group assignment. He does have SEC linebacker experience if we are looking for a plus. It was at UGA if we are looking for a loss.
CB- ?
The secondary seems to be where Mullen is using the extra assistant schools have beginning this season.
I don't know how to judge Corey Bell. He had the entire Secondary last year, had to play two true freshman at corner in the nickel last year. Yes, they struggled at times, like true freshman can do, but they weren't helped by the non-attacking style of Shannon and Marcell Harris' injury moving Chauncey to safety (thank God that's over). I don't know enough about Warren to say which is better.
Safeties- Upgrade
I know enough about Ron English to give him the upgrade nod. He has an uphill task, but if he's up to it, I like our defenses chances.
Special Teams- Upgrade
See my previous comments on Nord. To add for special teams, I'll simply ask the following question: How many times did you see punt returners fielding punts inside the 20? This illustrates the lack of attention to detail shown on special teams as a whole. That has changed. One does not need to look far to see that Knox did a great job with special teams at #failstate. Again, Miles, Sikes, Waters, perhaps all three had great articles, and/or tweets worth looking up on the subject. #failstate lead the SEC in blocked kicks in the span of the last 4 years when Knox oversaw Special Teams. Credit to Nick De La Torre on a quick tweet search for that last tidbit.
Strength & Conditioning- UPGRADE
There is not one thing so far that I think Mullen has done better than bringing in Nick Savage. Don't take my word for it, let's look at what First Round Draft Pick Taven Bryan said under the old regime about his dad's workouts being tougher (many chalked this up to his dad being military and insane initially) to how impressed he was with Nick Savage, "I would have been swole" and speaking of how they went from pillsbury doughboys to being "swole". Jordan Scarlett put on 11 pounds of muscle in between January and March. Mike Kent had people going to private gyms for workouts. To say that S&C is night and day is not saying enough. I bring up Scarlett because with that strength and conditioning change he gets the first down against UT in '16 on the first drive of the second half he missed by an inch. A first down drains clock, doesn't give the momentum that 3 and out did, wears down a D, breaks the fragile spirit of the home crowd. Yes, sometimes a change in S&C, especially this significant, can change something so small, but yet, has a great impact. Maybe, it means nothing, but I don't think having bigger, faster, stronger, and better conditioned players means nothing. I think we see more than one player that isn't the same player we remember solely because of Nick Savage.
So, overall I would say this staff is an upgrade over the previous one. Now, that could be a jump from dumpster fire to average. Average doesn't get you to 10 wins. At least Hevesy, Gonzales, and Savage are above average.That's why, if permitted, I have 2 more parts that when combined lend to the possibility of a 10 win season. Again, before people go nuts, I'm not saying it will happen, but I think the possibility is better than many expect.
