“What the heck are we doing?”
Carries a lot of weight when SOS says it out loud. But be honest…who HASN’T said that during these past two seasons? And if we’re really being honest you’ve done it in multiple games, multiple times during those games most likely. This also holds true with the majority of the head-scratching cavalcade of staff moves and assignments/not assignments.
Whether or not Billy is a good man and a hard worker is simply immaterial at this point after two losing seasons. To quote a line from Band of Brothers…”That Dog ain’t gonna hunt!” No way, no how. And as much as we wanted Billy to succeed from the outset, two plus years of doing the same things that led to the two losing records doesn‘t spell MIRACULOUS TURNAROUND to the majority. Failing to learn about and implement a plan to successfully take greater advantage of positions of dire need from the portal can’t be accepted as just another “that’s on US to get this fixed“ moment, especially when our rivals and/or conference members are leaving us in the dust. All that’s just too hard to swallow…again.
If there’s a caveat remaining, and how big a one depends on your individual balance of hope and reality, but that’s the potential impact Lagway can have. I think physically and from a “follow my example” standpoint, he can be a difference-maker. But to what extent when the OL has been problematic to say the least? When a horizontal passing attack has been a dominant offensive feature. When the schedule for the upcoming season is HARD AS HELL! When one of his biggest weapons, his legs, can lead him into contact opportunities that have a high chance of a negative cumulative effect as the season progresses. When the defense hasn’t been able to tackle or stop opponents consistently. That’s asking a lot even for a great high school player, yet there is a possibility. I, like every other Gator wants DJ to not only be successful, but also to stick around. For those things to happen, Billy has got to at some point really soon say “What the heck am “I” doing?” And then stop trying to drive his square pegs into the round holes, clean up the mistakes EVERY game and play to SCORE offensively and shti-can this ball/clock control fantasy that is not as important in the modern game, especially with an overall D that leaks like a sieve. It’s POSSIBLE, but I remain unconvinced until Billy stops doing what Billy has done CONSISTENTLY.