Does UF management really care to be champions?

[oxrageous]

I had this discussion on the phone yesterday with oxking, and figured I'd bring it up here. With the huge success our Gators have had in the past, everyone sort of assumed that championship football was the goal of the athletic department. However, I really wonder if they think things are fine and dandy the way they are. Everyone is making money, and we're winning "enough" games to stay competitive and play for a SEC title. If we lose, aw shucks, we'll get 'em next year.

For schools like Alabama and Michigan, we know that wasn't the case. They did whatever it took to get their man AND keep them. I read a while back how Alabama had basically given Saban a damn HOUSE - again, whatever it takes to keep him happy.

This is a frightening prospect. The Athletic Director and his minions around him don't see things the way we do. They probably think Mac is doing a wonderful job. The coffers are full, and the Gators are a "winning" team. And hell, the other sports are doing great!

What did it take to finally get rid of Chimp? Was it pressure from the Bull Gators, the boosters, the fans? Even a drop in stadium attendance doesn't seem to matter, as the TV money just keeps rolling in.

All I know is that this is a hopeless feeling.

Discuss.

 

[playzwtrux]

As sad as it may be, it sure looks that way.

The appearance is that there's no sense of urgency to get things fixed, or going back in the right direction. It's like a dog lying over a protruding nail on the porch: it hurts enough that he bellows out every once in a while, but not bad enough to get up and move.

I guess that's what you get when you hire a MWC coach.

I think it'll take the Boosters talk'n with their $$$$. I don't think they put up the funds for the facility upgrades to let them go to waste on a poor product on the field. Otherwise they wouldn't have ponied up the dough.

 

[Gator98MD]

we wont be a winning team once we are finished with our 0 for October run

 

[Okeechobee Joe]

I think it goes higher than the AD. The FSU president, John Thrasher is an FSU alum. He bleeds garnet and gold. T. K. Wetherell, a recent FSU President, was an FSU football player.

UF is a lot more worried about its ranking in the US News poll of the nation's best public universities than it is in its ranking in the AP football poll.

We will be competitive in SEC football because we are Florida and we will continue to rank at or near the top in the minor sports, but we don't have the drive from the top on down to be number one in football.

 

[gator1946]

It is very possible that the mindset has changed. I've wondered that for several years. If so, I doubt it's about the money. It's more likely a mater of perceived risk. I've said it before, we all know what goes on at some schools. In that environment if you pay multi-millions in salary and demand immediate performance, you are asking for trouble.

But, that doesn't mean you have to settle for a HC who can't get out of his own way. You have to find a competent guy who won't cheat. That might mean a bunch of 8-4 seasons, but at least the team would be watchable.

Edit: Just saw Joe's post. I completely agree. Ox I don't think the AD or our President could possibly be stupid enough to think Mac's doing a good job with the personnel he has. Last I checked they are not deaf, dumb, AND blind.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

No, apparently "Championship Experience" is good enough. Getting beaten by Trailerbammer and Clowntown 146-16 over two years is an experience after all.

The athletuc department said directly and clearly that they arent getting in an arms race. The pwraon in charge changed (sort of) but every single person is still there. Nothing has changed.

We see the results of that. We will continue this path to the bottom of the SEC.

We will have CUUF and Lake telling us how nice the Music City Bowl is soon enough.

 

[alcoholica]

I think money is a big issue. They practically run the entire sports program off football money. So I understand that money is a huge concern. I also understand they have to consider the long game in all of this. What coach would want to come here if they can get fired immediately after winning two division titles. I know most fans don’t see the division titles as meaningful, but that doesn’t mean future hires may not, especially later down the road.

So I understand that there are factors at play that we don’t consider and some we likely don’t know about. However, we stand here in the middle of year three, with no significant improvements on offense and a regression on talent on defense. I think the talent problem is being fixed. Corral is putting together a nice class but we’re short on OL, DT, and LB, so maybe some coaches need to be addressed concerning their recruiting (specifically DT and LB, I think the OL numbers will come in).

So the issue becomes the offense. Was Nuss supposed to be fired at the end of last year, and did Mac save his job? Either way Nuss needs to go. I don’t think there is a poster here that will disagree. Three years of subpar planning is cause enough, even though they had the perfect opportunity to not renew versus buyout now, but at least it’s only a two year deal. The problem is that there are other offensive coaches who should be helping with the game plan. So either Nuss isn’t listening or they have nothing to contribute.

In addition to Nuss, you have to question other assistants as well. Is Nord pulling his weight? Is Dixon worth keeping seeing how the WR are running routes with lack of separation. Is Rumph worth keeping despite his lack of recruiting. Skipper seems to be recruiting well, but i’m not liking his work with the young LBs.

Then the tough piece how much blame do the players get? Some just aren’t good or can’t adjust to the speed of the game. Still, we have three years with some of these coaches, moves need to be made.

As for Mac, he’s here next year. Maybe those calling for his firing are right, but I think keeping him is more about perception than anything.

 

[Gatorraid81]

Isn't it obvious by now, that they don't care.

 

[oxrageous]

Isn't it obvious by now, that they don't care.

Well, they cared enough to fire Chimp. The question is, what finally got them to that point? Even a 4-8 season didn't get him canned.

 

[GatorJB]

Well, they cared enough to fire Chimp. The question is, what finally got them to that point? Even a 4-8 season didn't get him canned.

I think we'll find out soon enough. A 4 or 5 win season is a realistic outcome for this year. If that happens and Mac is still here, then I think it'll be clear how much the administration actually cares. If they fire him but hire another coach for cheap that no one else wanted, then that's also a clear sign.

 

[kepler]

It wasn't so long ago that giving a coach less than 5 years was considered uncouth in the world of college football. In the end they care, and just like us that have businesses to run you have to balance what you got and what you can get at what cost. Will Mac pull a Larry Coker, fire everyone and buy another year? That's the question at the moment.

 

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

If they cared about being a Championship program they wouldn't keep hiring cheap ass coaches. There's a reason those guys we're at places they were at!

 

[oxrageous]

If they cared about being a Championship program they wouldn't keep hiring cheap ass coaches. There's a reason those guys we're at places they were at!

We didn't really pay Muschamp and Butters like "cheap ass coaches". They got/are getting top rates.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

I had this discussion on the phone yesterday with oxking, and figured I'd bring it up here. With the huge success our Gators have had in the past, everyone sort of assumed that championship football was the goal of the athletic department. However, I really wonder if they think things are fine and dandy the way they are. Everyone is making money, and we're winning "enough" games to stay competitive and play for a SEC title. If we lose, aw shucks, we'll get 'em next year.

For schools like Alabama and Michigan, we know that wasn't the case. They did whatever it took to get their man AND keep them. I read a while back how Alabama had basically given Saban a damn HOUSE - again, whatever it takes to keep him happy.

This is a frightening prospect. The Athletic Director and his minions around him don't see things the way we do. They probably think Mac is doing a wonderful job. The coffers are full, and the Gators are a "winning" team. And hell, the other sports are doing great!

What did it take to finally get rid of Chimp? Was it pressure from the Bull Gators, the boosters, the fans? Even a drop in stadium attendance doesn't seem to matter, as the TV money just keeps rolling in.

All I know is that this is a hopeless feeling.

Discuss.

1. When Spurrier left, I am convince that the UAA generally had the view, it was easy. They were the ones that set up the conditions for UF to be successful in football and they could hire any Zook and be successful. Spurrier did afterall win big year after year for over a decade.

2. After Meyer left, I am convinced that the UAA generally had they view they were tired of coaches getting all of the publicity. They still felt they in the UAA not the coach was responsible for UF's success and any lesser ego could do the job as well.

3. Remember in the case of UAL and UMich, each program had a prolonged period of not being very good before their athletic administration went out and hired a coach of stature. Maybe just maybe UF is reaching that point, but i doubt it.

 

[Marianna-FL_Gator]

We didn't really pay Muschamp and Butters like "cheap ass coaches". They got/are getting top rates.

They were cheap hires out the gate. So we're the garbage they brought in around them! Quinn is the only legitimate asst coach we've had at UF in the last 7 yrs.

 

[oxrageous]

Buckle up.

Actually, more and more people are unbuckling and leaping off the train to their deaths. In two years our Gators will be playing in an empty stadium.

 

[Gator Fever]

I've got bad news, but in the eyes of the administration, we are "champions." Mac is a two-time SEC East champ and we still control our destiny in terms of winning the east for a third time in a row. Mac is the product of timing, coaching in the SEC during a time when the east is at it's absolute worst. That being said, unless the wheels completely fall off this year, Mac will be around for the next two seasons, at a minimum. Buckle up.

Knowing Mac's luck we will get smoked by A&M and then pull the big upset on Georgia and then he will barely scrape by Missouri and SC before our offense gets shutout at home by FSU. Georgia will lose at Auburn also making Mac three for three in Eastern division championships prior to Bama beating the mess out of us again.

 

[GatorJ]

There is only one thing that will cause him to be canned. And that is boos. On national television. It has to create a stir and be embarrassing. That's what happened with Chump.

Empty seats can be hidden. Chants of Fire Mac and loud long boos when we are on offense cannot be hidden.

Although I would like that to happen at the next game itprobably will not happen until we lose several games in a row. So by the end of October the noise may become deafening.

 

[alcoholica]

Well, they cared enough to fire Chimp. The question is, what finally got them to that point? Even a 4-8 season didn't get him canned.

We may only have about 65 available Saturday. That excuse similar to Muschamp will buy him a year. And it’s a valid excuse to an extent, but we’re past that.

 

[T REX]

UF is a lot more worried about its ranking in the US News poll of the nation's best public universities than it is in it's ranking in the AP football poll.

.

I honestly don't have a problem with this. It's how it should be anyhow.

However, our UAA operates autonomously from the academic side. In fact, there have been many years surplus monies were given back to the university. There shouldn't be any type of conflict.

I see or feel that the other sports are getting way too much attention versus the football program. And it shows.

Foley outlived his usefulness a long time ago. His ego was too big to step aside. That not getting in an arms race was telling. It was prophetic. ANd sad.