Impact of player losses/departures

[BMF]

The last 2 years we've lost a handful of players that one way or another has really hurt the team's progress (climbing out of the Will Muschamp hole), some - such as Grier - are obvious, some no fault of their own - Andrew Ivie (career ending injury). Other than the loss of Grier, who's loss really hurt our QB development, who are players that could have stayed (not entered the draft) or left for one reason or the other that have really hurt our roster/development as a team?

My list:

OL Tyler Moore - had he returned, he would have started on the 2015 line and was definitely a better option than what we went with last year. It would have also allowed some of our younger OLs to either redshirt, or gradually see playing time (vs. being thrown into starting roles when they weren't ready). He went undrafted....and never played a down in the NFL. Sad. Bad move on his part.

OL Rod Johnson - same as with Moore. Losing him was unexpected and he was literally an All-SEC candidate. Big, big loss. He would have been on this year's OL as well. He & Moore on the 2015 line would have been huge.

DT - Andrew Ivie - he would have been a redshirt freshman this year and, with the lack of depth....and recent injuries, would have gotten a lot of PT. With the losses we'll have on this year's DL, his loss will really be felt next year (hopefully that JUCO DT is ready to play).

DL - Gerald Willis - I know he had a bad attitude...but imagine if he was still here (with a better attitude). He's listed at 6'4 285lbs on the Miami roster. We could have definitely used that this year....and next (he's a redshirt sophomore).

What could have been.............

 

[CaribGator]

.

What could have been.............

Every decent recruit that this staff couldn't land due to being lousy recruiters, putting a piss poor product on the field,making the recruit want to play elsewhere, and not having a plan B when a player didn't sign (to fill the need)

 

[BMF]

Every decent recruit that this staff couldn't land due to being lousy recruiters, putting a piss poor product on the field,making the recruit want to play elsewhere, and not having a plan B when a player didn't sign (to fill the need)

Yes, not having a Plan B by this staff is piss poor. When the DT that signed w/ FSU bailed out (and he then didn't qualify) they should have had someone on the hook as a Plan B. No DT in a signing class is a disaster....and they lost A. Ivie.

 

[TheBigClaw]

Man Rod Johnson and Tyler Moore probably could've worked wonders for us last year as far as line play goes.... imagine if we had Grier for the whole year last year and those 2 guys on the line.... what could have been....

 

[soflagator]

I'm not a big "luck" guy. But it just seems like certain coaches have things generally go their way, while others seem to be almost snake bit. In the combined 18 seasons of Spurrier and Meyer here, I can't recall a single QB missing a game. The closest I can think of is Tebow's concussion, which was spared by the week off. It seems like Muschamp had 3-4 games a year with a QB issue due to injury or suspension. Mac has been no different. It's just odd.

Thinking back on Zook, he dealt with the epic Swindle in '03, hurricane Frances moving the 2004 opener/warm up game to midseason, the ut Baker/clock debacle, etc. It just felt like whatever we did, it failed.

Meanwhile, in Meyer's first year, they implement instant replay which helped prevent a critical TD in a close ut game, uga loses Shockley the week before Jax, etc. Even in '06 the new "clock starts running after kickoff" rule helped us run out games like ut that year, and they removed the rule after that one season.

Between the Grier-to-Treon situation last year, losing Johnson pre-season, and now a hurricane disruption that may very well derail this season, it just seems like he's one of the guys that has way more go wrong for him than right. That's not in any way dismissing his direct role in some of our struggles. It just seems like a guy that's almost not destined to win here. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[gingerlover]

Tyler Moore was always something that perplexed me. The guy was a turnstile here and turned pro early. I will never understand what scouts saw on tape that made him leave or he just didn't want to be here anymore.

It would be nice to still have Willis here. Good thing it prevented Morningwig from leaving by him getting kicked out.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

OL Tyler Moore - had he returned, he would have started on the 2015 line and was definitely a better option

He would have lost his job to the juco, a freshman, or even a walkon. He was a turnstile out there and had lost any interest in trying or playing. No loss. It was a shame we ever got in a position of being forced to put this kind of kid on the field.

OL Rod Johnson -

Huge loss. Probably the best lineman on the team THE YEAR BEFORE. It's inexplicable that he was not starting just because the coaches had promised playing time to others.

DT - Andrew Ivie -

What did Andrew weigh, 255? He was never going to play. He was hat tip legacy who was little more than walkon.

DL - Gerald Willis

Is he playing? Talented player but there wasn't much we could do.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Tyler Moore was always something that perplexed me. The guy was a turnstile here and turned pro early. I will never understand what scouts saw on tape that made him leave or he just didn't want to be here anymore.

Dude, he didnt turn pro. He quit. He was never getting drafted.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

it just seems like he's one of the guys that has way more go wrong for him than right.

You make your own luck. Mac has made his own luck through recruiting. If you have a bunch of great players, you get a lot more "lucky".

Creyer still gets lucky a lot. Even that idiot bandboy on Rockyflop is getting lucky these days.

 

[BMF]

He would have lost his job to the juco, a freshman, or even a walkon. He was a turnstile out there and had lost any interest in trying or playing. No loss. It was a shame we ever got in a position of being forced to put this kind of kid on the field.

Huge loss. Probably the best lineman on the team THE YEAR BEFORE. It's inexplicable that he was not starting just because the coaches had promised playing time to others.

What did Andrew weigh, 255? He was never going to play. He was hat tip legacy who was little more than walkon.

Is he playing? Talented player but there wasn't much we could do.

Andrew Ivie was listed at 6'1 305 on the 2015 roster. He was projected to be better than his brother (a starter this year) and was among the strongest kids on the team - he was a state weightlifting champion in HS. He would have played THIS year....and fought for a starting job in 2017.

Willis is playing for Miami. In fact, he ran his mouth off before the FSU game saying "it was personal".

I know Moore was bad...but I think he would have easily started on the 2015 OL. Not sure which JUCO you're talking about on last year's OL. Moore was a starter on the 2014 OL. I'm not saying he'd be All-SEC, but he'd have been one of the top 5 (sadly).

 

[Gator Fever]

Tyler Moore made Fred Johnson's play look good at times this year with how bad the quicker ends ran around him. I still remember that Missouri game where he literally got Murphy almost put in the E.R.

 

[GatorBart]

He would have lost his job to the juco, a freshman, or even a walkon. He was a turnstile out there and had lost any interest in trying or playing. No loss. It was a shame we ever got in a position of being forced to put this kind of kid on the field.

What did Andrew weigh, 255? He was never going to play. He was hat tip legacy who was little more than walkon.

I knew you would reply in kind RE Moore and I agree.

A. Ivie was listed anywhere from 264-285 when in HS - he was listed at 305 on the 2015 roster, bigger than his older brother - doubt he lost 50 pounds in a year. He was also a State weight lifting champ and was really strong and obviously knew a thing or two about leverage. I think losing him is a bigger deal than what you make it out to be, especially since we got shutout at DT last cycle.

 

[GatorBart]

Andrew Ivie was listed at 6'1 305 on the 2015 roster. He was projected to be better than his brother (a starter this year) and was among the strongest kids on the team - he was a state weightlifting champion in HS. He would have played THIS year....and fought for a starting job in 2017.

I know Moore was bad...but I think he would have easily started on the 2015 OL. Not sure which JUCO you're talking about on last year's OL. Moore was a starter on the 2014 OL. I'm not saying he'd be All-SEC, but he'd have been one of the top 5 (sadly).

Sorry, I didn't see your post before responding to Law, but we agree on Ivie.

Law was probably referring to Halter, the transfer from Fordham, which is essentially a JUCO with one year of eligibility. But I don't know if Halter was really any better than Moore. Interchangeable faulty pieces, IMO.

 

[rogdochar]

This thread is valid, but it "lives & breathes" much like "offseason talk" i.e. this team is not now producing the "good-stuff" to post about.? Traditionally, UF should be a powerful contender,
instead of just a notch above Vandy. We can only hope for the luck that LDR's knee is strong
and his QB play makes a 21-point difference. (i.e. we score 21 points more with LDR than
what we would have with QB AA.)

 

[BMF]

Tyler Moore made Fred Johnson's play look good at times this year with how bad the quicker ends ran around him. I still remember that Missouri game where he literally got Murphy almost put in the E.R.

Fred Johnson is Tyler Moore reincarnated....but I think having a redshirt senior Moore on the 2015 OL would have been a better option than any of those true freshman we played (Jordon, Ivey, and Johnson). Those 3 will all likely be MUCH better than Moore as they get older, but in 2015 Moore would have been a better option.

I'm still wish the coaching staff would move TJ McCoy over to the DL. He's 6'1 and 308....and riding the pine. He played DT in HS, but was always projected as a Center in college. Just to add some depth, like they did w/ Riles, I'd like to see him moved for the rest of this year. He could play upwards of 10 snaps a game and our DT depth is weak, at best.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Johnson isn't good but he's far better than Tyler Moore.

 

[BMF]

Johnson isn't good but he's far better than Tyler Moore.

Sure, as a sophomore....but not as a true freshman.

 

[Floridagator]

I'm not a big "luck" guy. But it just seems like certain coaches have things generally go their way, while others seem to be almost snake bit. In the combined 18 seasons of Spurrier and Meyer here, I can't recall a single QB missing a game. The closest I can think of is Tebow's concussion, which was spared by the week off. It seems like Muschamp had 3-4 games a year with a QB issue due to injury or suspension. Mac has been no different. It's just odd.

Thinking back on Zook, he dealt with the epic Swindle in '03, hurricane Frances moving the 2004 opener/warm up game to midseason, the ut Baker/clock debacle, etc. It just felt like whatever we did, it failed.

Meanwhile, in Meyer's first year, they implement instant replay which helped prevent a critical TD in a close ut game, uga loses Shockley the week before Jax, etc. Even in '06 the new "clock starts running after kickoff" rule helped us run out games like ut that year, and they removed the rule after that one season.

Between the Grier-to-Treon situation last year, losing Johnson pre-season, and now a hurricane disruption that may very well derail this season, it just seems like he's one of the guys that has way more go wrong for him than right. That's not in any way dismissing his direct role in some of our struggles. It just seems like a guy that's almost not destined to win here. Hope I'm wrong.

It has nothing to do with luck. Spurrier and Meyer are great coaches that can make even average players better and will have guys buy in or sit on the side and watch those that will. Meyer is probably the greatest coach of our generation. His on the road wins are record pacing, his major success at every program he has been too, his strength of using human psychology to get buy in and belief. We need to find that guy that has "it".

I really think if we could find "the" recruiter we need we could get into the thick of it.

Macks O is fine and will work we just need the horses.

 

[alcoholica]

SOS and Meyer neither had the sh8t storm that Mac or even Muschamp had to try to fix. They were better coaches by far though. There is no excuse for Muschamp, he took a bad situation and made it worse.

As for Mac, he is not a very seasoned HC, but I think he has a fairly high ceiling. Will he be SOS or Meyer? I kind of doubt it, but maybe he could get close. He has made some missteps. He was a cycle late on LB's, which we may get lucky that Johnson, Reese, and Moon can step up next year. The appear to be making strides, but we need 2 more that are dependable. We fell behind in DT recruiting, and that is getting fixed this cycle, but development can't be made up. The OL started great but only 3 last year and it's flimsy this cycle. He still has to address his assistants. Nord is not cutting it, Summers isn't much better, and neither coordinator is killing it by any means.

I'm not ready to throw Nuss away yet. He has a subpar OL, QB position is better but still shakey, and a young receiving corp. If next year isn't substantionally better, Mac could fire him at any point and take over play calling. As for Collins, I'd be happy for him to be gone. Even if that just means promoting Shannon (who was a good D coordinator at UM) and hiring a good young assistant who can recruit.

One thing is for certain, Mac needs to step up his game, but he has already exceeded expectations. We won the East and are in play to do it again.

 

[soflagator]

It has nothing to do with luck. Spurrier and Meyer are great coaches that can make even average players better and will have guys buy in or sit on the side and watch those that will. Meyer is probably the greatest coach of our generation. His on the road wins are record pacing, his major success at every program he has been too, his strength of using human psychology to get buy in and belief. We need to find that guy that has "it".

I really think if we could find "the" recruiter we need we could get into the thick of it.

Macks O is fine and will work we just need the horses.

Your opening statement is basically what I'm saying. I don't think it's luck. I think some people are winners and others just aren't, at least not to that extent. But as alcoholica said, beyond just being great, certain guys seem to have things generally go their way. Oddly enough, Mac seemed to almost have that through 6 games last year. Since then, it's obviously a different story.