The fan base always takes a "where are we right now" look at the program, but the UF brass
takes a more measured look at things. If the administration were forced to take a vote of
Confidence/No Confidence at this moment, what would they look at?
2015: Mac comes in as the new HBC late in the recruiting process and somehow
manages to salvage a respectable class. He goes on to to win the SEC East, finishes the
season with a 10 & 4 record. He also loses to FSU (at home) 'Bama, and Michigan in the bowl game.
2016: Mac pulls in a better recruiting class, and starts off great guns with Grier under center. Grier takes
one too many trips to GNC and gets benched on PED charges. Mac (for reasons still clouded in mystery)
decides Grier is no longer in the Gator's future and goes all in on his replacement, Franks. Exit Will Grier.
UF wins the SEC East for the second year in a row, a feat no other new head coach at UF has ever done.
The season ends with loses to FSU and 'Bama, but does win it's bowl game, ends the season with a respectable
9 & 4 record.
2017: Mac records his best ever recruiting class, then opens the season with irritating loss to Michigan.
He then continues the streak against Kentucky's Kitty Cats, avenges last year's loss against the Vols, and shows
Vandy that they ain't all that. Puts up a good fight against hated LSU, but watches the game slip away when
the PAT sails off the mark.
So now the Gators sit at 3 & 2. What does the administration do? Uf still has a chance to win the SEC East,
if they can continue the mastery against Georgia. They probably expect the Gators to end up 7 & 3 or 8 & 4,
and end up in some mid-tier bowl somewhere. They also look at 2018's recruiting class and are pleased to
see the current rankings. My guess is that they see no need to panic following this season and gives Mac
an "Atta Boy". Mac is entrenched at least through the 2018 season and probably longer.
Although nearly every point you made here is flawed to say the least, I fear that you are right on target with what the gutless administration is thinking.
1. Yes, he has won the East two years in a row but we all know that qualifies us as the "smartest kid in the dumb class"
2. I wonder how 2016 would have gone with Grier at QB for the back half of the season
3. Yes, he had his best class last year but his best is not the standard for UF. Compare his classes to the first 3 from all previous coaches. Not pretty.
4. Yes, he has a strong class lined up but it is October. Recruiting is nothing more than The National Enquirer of football until signing day
5. As to the game last Saturday, I didn't see the "good fight" you referenced. I saw a team that looked lost for much of the game and continued to get into its own way most of the time.
6. Mac has turned over nearly his entire coaching staff yet the two weakest members (Nord and Nuss) remain on the staff with raises.
As I said, the bad news is that you are probably 100% correct in your assessment. The AD does not want to rock the boat until Foley tells him it is okay and we know how aggressive Foley is when it comes time to make a change. I expect Mac to get a two year extension in December.
Meanwhile, Miami and Georgia are getting better by the week and will dominate recruiting in the next few years.
Our saving grace is that we will have all the BBQ sauce we could ever want.
