If You Were Tasked With the Rebuild...

[cover2]

...how would you go about it? I know, it's all hypothetical at this point (but maybe academic as well), but what would your process be to begin the journey back to competitive relevance? Here's what I'm thinking (and please add):

• The program begins and ends with the HC in my opinion. There might be some who would wait for next year to come and go before pulling the plug (or reaffirming, though it's difficult to see that at this point), but given the downward trend of the last 7-8 years, I have to believe that the time is now (really past, but we have no reverse in this mechanism). I was a Foley fan for may years until it became clear that many of his decisions, while appearing to be good on the surface, have turned out to be bad to disasterous in the aftermath, but one thing he said that I believe is sound is that "what should be done eventually should be done immediately. Two East titles notwithstanding, time to find better than what we currently have. It may mean hiring someone young or unheralded if we can't find that splash guy immediately, but one thing is for certain, he would have to have the ability to walk in and re-establish the state HS connections that appear to be damaged so that we can get the in-state talent first and he would have to be able to build a staff of solid coaches and recruiters. After that, he has to be a better PR guy with both boosters/contributors as well as the media and be influential with the president and others who run the school. His role should be as CEO/ambassador for the program as much as the head football guy and it's alright for him to gladhand a little, but that can't be his dominant trait. He has to be taken seriously and that is what has lacked in 3 of the last 4 HC's we've had in my opinion.. If the guy we've got now as AD is worth a damn and the right one, he is either formulating or has such a plan ready to institute.
• Part of the brand historically (beginning with SOS and interrupted a few years back) has been a potent, exciting offense. Thus, hiring an OC that can put such an offense together has to be a priority (and it would certainly help if the HC is bent in this direction, but if he's not, he has to get a guy that can get it done). Of late, defense has been the bell cow and while it is hard to find programs that have both of these groups functioning equally well, it should nonetheless be a goal, so hiring a good defensive mind would be 1a in this process and maintaining our defensive status quo has to be important. The assistants have to be competent in their position and within the unit in which they fall and did I mention that they have to be great recruiters? Special teams don't necessarily have to have their own HC, but whoever it is has to have the time and the priority of making this unit both sound and consistent.
• Facilities and other such frills are important and nice, but until the process gets to where they will be remodeled or built to competitive standards (if ever), what will have to carry us is a program in place that wins the games they are supposed to, takes a few that they aren't, and is at least in the race year in and year out for the conference championship and in the conversation for the playoff and NC. the players want nice things, but i believe that they will come to a winning program even if it means sleeping on a cot. Mac has pretty much won most of what he should, but has fallen far short in beating better teams...and he seems satisfied. Not acceptable.

You can probably flesh this plan out even further, but in my mind, these three bullets are the most integral and of them, again, I believe the road to greatness begins and ends with the HC. It will take a combination of research, laying of a foundation, and more money than we currently spend to make the appropriate change. But if football is as important as I still think it is, we can't afford to not pony up and do the due diligence. We have glimpsed the future if we don't change our thinking and our process and it is unfathomable. Again, please add. I'm curious as to not only what others think, but what and who they would prioritize.

 

[ATXGator]

1. I would focus on finding the "next" coaching candidate, but I wouldn't fire McElwain until I knew who that was and had an agreement. I think he needs a year 3 to prove that he is definitely a failure. I know many won't like that statement, but it is the reality of the coaching world. You have to give somebody at least 3 years. The key thing here is that there is no room for another bad hire. Since Spurrier we have had 4 coaches. Obviously Urban was successful, but not without leaving the program broken when he did leave.

2. I would focus on raising money from boosters to pay for coach and for facilities (I think they are doing this). I would move to make the football facility not average or slightly above average, but I would want to make it the best there is. I would focus on finding innovative ways to support the players and make them more successful. Advanced training, etc... as well as providing entertainment and enjoyment (video games, virtual reality, whatever...)

3. I would hire a full support staff to give the HC as much support as possible when recruiting and building the program. This would be an investment as the success of the program would pay for the expense.

4. I would schedule more prominent non-conference games (like Michigan) at the beginning of the season. Similar to what Bama does. I would want UF football in the spotlight as much as possible. Even if you are losing you are playing in the big games and if the program is being built right, we will eventually win.

I would take down any banner or recognition of anything less than a full SEC title. Expectations at Florida are SEC Championships and National Titles... everything else is just a participation trophy.

 

[Detroitgator]

Agreed... but honestly, at this point, I'd settle for a HC that even looked and acted like a HC, especially on the sidelines... pacing up and down the sidelines with ones arms tightly crossed on ones chest while chewing gum with ones mouth open is a step down from the last HC we had who also did not look and act like a HC...

 

[Gator Fever]

Crazy Foley talked about how he heard the fans and Mac would bring back the offensive punch we had been missing in recent years and Mac talking about our offense would once again be something to behold. Its something to behold alright.

 

[playzwtrux]

in before full derailment...

 

[Durty South Swamp]

 

[MidwestChomp]

 

[NVGator]

 

[NVGator]

 

[MidwestChomp]

Well I guess the first thing you do is permanently show Foley the door.

 

[ChiefGator]

I agree with a lot of what has been said, but if players know their plays and don't execute properly what is the solution. Some new coach that can better coach them, one that can convince them no matter what? I don't know how to get such, perhaps Mac is not the answer but can't we or rather his boss get improvements?

 

[ATXGator]

I agree with a lot of what has been said, but if players know their plays and don't execute properly what is the solution. Some new coach that can better coach them, one that can convince them no matter what? I don't know how to get such, perhaps Mac is not the answer but can't we or rather his boss get improvements?

A coach who does a better job preparing his players and better players.

 

[LagoonGator68]

Who is holding all these assistants and analysts and GA's and myriad support staff accountable now? I would say no one. Hell, we can't even keep recruits happy with follow up.

A process without organization and accountability is no process at all. These fck offs need to be run out of town on a rail. The website for mobile is a primary example of the incompetence from UAA.

This is 2017....the things you put on audio and video are forever. Baffle them with bullshiit is no longer an option.

 

[AlexDaGator]

Retake control of Florida recruiting.

That means hiring a HC and assistants who are proven recruiters. Remember Meyer's staff? Almost every assistant coach was the recruiting coordinator at their previous school. They were all studs on the recruiting trail.

Focus on in-State recruiting. Build relationships with the local high schools and their coaches. That means camps and clinics, lots of them and all over the state. When you do these camps and clinics, you roll out the red carpet. Get corporate sponsors if you need to, but make sure the experience is top notch.

Devote resources. You know how many "analysts" Bama is paying? We need those, and we need talented administrators to coordinate and schedule stuff. The experience needs to be first class. We need people sending kids letters (handwritten is nice), following them on social media, interacting with them. If a coach isn't good at social media, he needs an assistant (not assistant coach, an assistant) who pretends to be the coach on social media for him.

We don't have Gator Getters anymore. So maybe we can't put hotties in orange cowboy hats and call them Gator Getters, but we can put hotties in cute sundresses have them help with events, checking people in, directing them, etc. We need them to see eye candy while they are there.

Try to get a Gator head coach at IMG. IMG is freakin' killing us.



Oh, and install an exciting offense. The rest will take care of itself.

Alex.

 

[GatorBart]

Retake control of Florida recruiting.
Alex.

I would hire T-Rex as my recruiting coordinator. He is relentless.

 

[rogdochar]

Very good master-plan cover2.

a) ... as an add-on = Have the AD + HC push our pre-med & medical depts to launch studies/research projects
on preventing injuries, you know, all that kinesiology stuff. UF offers degrees in that.

b) ... in conjunction with the above "field" combine kinesiology career with strength & conditioning career =
grow our own experts.

c) ... form a think-tank of experts from medical hypnosis folk, with motivational psychologists, etc. for the
express purpose of helping competitive football players ... errr and coaches too.

d) ... recruiting must begin with "standouts" while they are sophomores.

e) ... all football staff should always be reading a football book that instructs.

As for right now, AD Stricklin should pull out all the stops in a search for our Mac-replacement HC-- now!
Question: Is it allowable for Stricklin to send a complimentary e-mail to "upcoming" HCs? No offer, just
Stricklin being magnanimous?

 

[divits]

I'd think a little outside the box.

One thing I'd do, besides hire a HC who can connect with players and has a good football acumen, is hire someone who has had a very successful career in sales and sales management to be my recruiting co-ordinator. Someone from one of the top companies in America. They should have a good understanding of college football but it doesn't have to be too in-depth. They wouldn't be a talent evaluator, their are plenty of football guys available for that, but rather someone who organizes and strategizes a precise plan on how we will go after the top talent in the country and sell them on Florida. Because in the end, much of getting a kid to pick your university depends on the sales job you do. I've seen some very talented guys who can devise a plan to sell anything to anyone. We need one of those guys.

 

[BMF]

I'd make sure the bagman had a heavier bag than all the other bagmen.

 

[GatorJB]

A lot of good things have been said already, but one thing I'd like to add is that in order for Florida to rebuild quickly, they have to hire a coach that's already a household name. I'm assuming most of the recruits in Florida had to Google McElwain's name after he was hired here. This next hire needs to be somebody that recruits already know about and will be intrigued by as soon as his hiring is announced.

 

[ChiefGator]

A coach who does a better job preparing his players and better players.

Yes of course but which coach and can we acquire them? And it would seem that the AD should be working with the HBC to improve his public persona at least.