Pulse on Napier

[soflagator]

FTR - I think he’s a great coach and would have been my choice in an ideal world.

Not sure he stays put. The never ending Cowboys speculation we heard, and would hear, is probably not what we need trying to create stability. But yeah he’s a very good coach.

 

[MertzJay26]

The one thing I see being missed on a lot of these comparisons is that not all new coaches are in their position for the same reason. There is a huge difference between a previous coach leaving for a better opportunity after success and a previous coach being fired for failure. Teams who fire their head coaches are usually trending down already and need rebuilding.

So guys like Freeman at ND, Venables at OU and Lanning at Oregon who walked into great situations that were stable teams already don’t have the same issues to contend with.

The three main guys, outside of Napier, that followed a fired head coach are Cristobal, Riley and Kelly. Cristobal has been garbage and faced a far less difficult schedule. We talk about not seeing improvement at times here. The canes flat out quit on multiple occasions and were blown out again in the finale.

Kelly finished better than us, and did a decent job. But remember, Ed O wasn’t fired for his recruiting. He was fired because he had off field issues and isn’t a great gameday coach. Kelly’s new job was similar to Meyer/UF in 2005. Needed tweaks not an overhaul, and he still managed to get blown out twice and lose to the same team we lost to, but in a what amounts to a home game. Better year than Napier, but not by much.

Now, if Riley was available and we chose BN, we missed. He walked into a great job but one that needed a lot of work. That said, give him our schedule and I don’t see them ranked where they are. Still has been better thus far.

As I’ve said, Dykes at TCU is the lone exception, imo. I honestly can’t remember if Patterson was fired or stepped away. But regardless, SD has done a remarkable job.

I think it’s fine to be down on BN. It was a rough year. But most of these comparisons don’t work.

Kelly had a ton of dudes transfer out and their composite team recruiting rankings weren’t much better than ours.

What you did see Kelly do, is really develop Daniels. He was night and day better from Game 1 to now

 

[soflagator]

Kelly had a ton of dudes transfer out and their composite team recruiting rankings weren’t much better than ours.

What you did see Kelly do, is really develop Daniels. He was night and day better from Game 1 to now

Still think it was a better overall situation, but again, Kelly is a good coach.

On Daniels, not to keep beating a dead horse, but he was the #1 Dual QB in 2019, where AR was the 9th in his class. Offer lists aren’t even comparable either.

 

[MertzJay26]

Still think it was a better overall situation, but again, Kelly is a good coach.

On Daniels, not to keep beating a dead horse, but he was the #1 Dual QB in 2019, where AR was the 9th in his class. Offer lists aren’t even comparable either.

I don’t disagree there on first point.

Re: Daniels vs AR, Daniels was awful at ASU even with Pearsall and that basketball player playing WR for the Noles now. As for recruiting ranking, AR is now projected 1st rounder whereas Daniels is a late rounder at best. If we could have developed AR more, he would have been unstoppable.

Now that brings into question if he is developable…but I’d bet Kelly could get more out of him than Napier just based on track records alone. But maybe I’m wrong and AR is just all tools and that’s it, we’ll soon know

 

[soflagator]

I don’t disagree there on first point.

Re: Daniels vs AR, Daniels was awful at ASU even with Pearsall and that basketball player playing WR for the Noles now. As for recruiting ranking, AR is now projected 1st rounder whereas Daniels is a late rounder at best. If we could have developed AR more, he would have been unstoppable.

Now that brings into question if he is developable…but I’d bet Kelly could get more out of him than Napier just based on track records alone. But maybe I’m wrong and AR is just all tools and that’s it, we’ll soon know

Your last paragraph is where I’m at. Would it shock me if someone else could have gotten more out of him, or will in the future? No. I’m just not sure he’s developable thus far, beyond what we see. As you said, we’ll find out.

 

[MidwestChomp]

I’m not sure we ever had a chance with Riley. I don’t think he liked the idea of SEC. Plus, USCw has a much more compliant fan base.

Riley bolted for USC because he didn't want to be in the SEC. He'll dominate the Pac 12.

 

[SGG]

Riley bolted for USC because he didn't want to be in the SEC. He'll dominate the Pac 12.

Except they’re heading for the Big Ten

Edit: which is still “easier” than the SEC, don’t get me wrong

 

[-THE DUDE-]

100% on board…he had a complete **** show to fix. Let’s see what he does over the next 3 years when this roster is completely turned over.

Pretty fascinating that everyone bitched for 4 years about the awful recruiting Mullen did then hate on Napier because he didn’t win with said ****ty recruiting

 

[MidwestChomp]

@SGG You're right! Totally forgot about that. He'll dominate the Pac 12 for a year :)

 

[soflagator]

100% on board…he had a complete **** show to fix. Let’s see what he does over the next 3 years when this roster is completely turned over.

Pretty fascinating that everyone bitched for 4 years about the awful recruiting Mullen did then hate on Napier because he didn’t win with said ****ty recruiting

That’s where I’m at. I tend to get a little angry the day of bad games, and the one or two days that follow. And I was one of the primary ones saying our talent level was notably better than what some more forecasting. But he indeed has a mess to fix, and we had to know given we basically fired the last guy for his refusal to recruit (and for being a complete dbag with oversized pants).

That said, I’m hopeful that we see a near 180 the way he turned Louisiana around. Whether it’s AR coming back—which will be a great sign for his mentality—or a Spring with younger QBs challenged to take the spot, I could see is being good next year.

 

[gatormandan]

Agreed. Shirt should be a little more trendy as well. Also, let the hair grow and turn it over to SuperCuts. And while he’s at it, ditch the blazer for something a little more provocative for those hard to reach mom’s on the recruiting trail…

View attachment 51601

With all due respect, fvk a bunch of suits and ties.

 

[cover2]

With all due respect, fvk a bunch of suits and ties.

Spoken like a true North Floridian. I’m like Briscoe Darling about ties:

“Ever since I saw a hangin’ I been nervous about wearin’ one!”

 

[Egor's Assistant]

I know we're treading water, trying to stay positive after a very difficult year. I think the Utah win created huge expectations for the year and the rest has been a rollercoaster of disappointment. Now let me throw some shade...

This fortuitous statistic seems to me the result of long runs and other home run plays by AR and ETN. We averaged a gaudy YPP not because of any superior offensive scheming but because of several 1st round draft picks and physical freaks who will be gonzo next year. No AR and No Cybo means our offense will fall back down to earth. We'll be Muschamp 2.0 without our 1st round picks IMO. What talents can replace those two? Do we have another All-American linemen in the pipeline? Or even an All-SEC 2nd teamer on the line? I think ETN and Johnson will regress next year because of no Cy'bo or AR.

 

[soflagator]

I know we're treading water, trying to stay positive after a very difficult year. I think the Utah win created huge expectations for the year and the rest has been a rollercoaster of disappointment. Now let me throw some shade...

This fortuitous statistic seems to me the result of long runs and other home run plays by AR and ETN. We averaged a gaudy YPP not because of any superior offensive scheming but because of several 1st round draft picks and physical freaks who will be gonzo next year. No AR and No Cybo means our offense will fall back down to earth. We'll be Muschamp 2.0 without our 1st round picks IMO. What talents can replace those two? Do we have another All-American linemen in the pipeline? Or even an All-SEC 2nd teamer on the line? I think ETN and Johnson will regress next year because of no Cy'bo or AR.

On your first regarding the personnel being the difference, not the play calling, while that might be true, how many missed running opportunities did we misread, or how many wide open receivers did we fail to hit this season that perhaps another QB would not?

The opening possession of Q3 Friday is a perfect example. Napier gets the blame for not running it after we’d had so much success in the first half. But if you look at the play, even the announcers said had we completed the pass the receiver would still be running. He was open in large part because the noles were adjusting to try to stop the run. So the play call was actually perfect, just not executed. Another QB may not have the 70 yarder like we say against Utah and A&M, but how many other plays that were there would they have?

 

[Egor's Assistant]

On your first regarding the personnel being the difference, not the play calling, while that might be true, how many missed running opportunities did we misread, or how many wide open receivers did we fail to hit this season that perhaps another QB would not?

The opening possession of Q3 Friday is a perfect example. Napier gets the blame for not running it after we’d had so much success in the first half. But if you look at the play, even the announcers said had we completed the pass the receiver would still be running. He was open in large part because the noles were adjusting to try to stop the run. So the play call was actually perfect, just not executed. Another QB may not have the 70 yarder like we say against Utah and A&M, but how many other plays that were there would they have?

Agreed. My take will be offset by increased QB accuracy and decision making. Let's hope the next guy will make a huge leap in those areas. My concern is mainly with the run game. I don't remember EVER having such a dominate run game. Maybe the last time was Emmit Smith in 1989. Seems so much of our success in the ground game is running behind Cybo, rated the number one guard in the nation. I'm concerned about the impact of losing him. The line will regress and the run game will suffer. Also, we didn't give up many sacks this year. That will change next year also. In other words, doom. Maybe Watson can play both ways.... [insert joke here.]

 

[AuggieDosta]

Agreed. My take will be offset by increased QB accuracy and decision making. Let's hope the next guy will make a huge leap in those areas. My concern is mainly with the run game. I don't remember EVER having such a dominate run game. Maybe the last time was Emmit Smith in 1989. Seems so much of our success in the ground game is running behind Cybo, rated the number one guard in the nation. I'm concerned about the impact of losing him. The line will regress and the run game will suffer. Also, we didn't give up many sacks this year. That will change next year also. In other words, doom. Maybe Watson can play both ways.... [insert joke here.]

Line will be fine...we got TWO coaches for them! TWO I say!

 

[Theologator]

The one thing I see being missed on a lot of these comparisons is that not all new coaches are in their position for the same reason. There is a huge difference between a previous coach leaving for a better opportunity after success and a previous coach being fired for failure. Teams who fire their head coaches are usually trending down already and need rebuilding.

So guys like Freeman at ND, Venables at OU and Lanning at Oregon who walked into great situations that were stable teams already don’t have the same issues to contend with.

The three main guys, outside of Napier, that followed a fired head coach are Cristobal, Riley and Kelly. Cristobal has been garbage and faced a far less difficult schedule. We talk about not seeing improvement at times here. The canes flat out quit on multiple occasions and were blown out again in the finale.

Kelly finished better than us, and did a decent job. But remember, Ed O wasn’t fired for his recruiting. He was fired because he had off field issues and isn’t a great gameday coach. Kelly’s new job was similar to Meyer/UF in 2005. Needed tweaks not an overhaul, and he still managed to get blown out twice and lose to the same team we lost to, but in a what amounts to a home game. Better year than Napier, but not by much.

Now, if Riley was available and we chose BN, we missed. He walked into a great job but one that needed a lot of work. That said, give him our schedule and I don’t see them ranked where they are. Still has been better thus far.

As I’ve said, Dykes at TCU is the lone exception, imo. I honestly can’t remember if Patterson was fired or stepped away. But regardless, SD has done a remarkable job.

I think it’s fine to be down on BN. It was a rough year. But most of these comparisons don’t work.

The buzz on Patterson was he stepped away by “mutual agreement” because the program had slid and was at that point 3-5. He had become the focus of “the noise.”

SD has done an amazing job. I can’t recall his name being suggested by anyone on this board.

Also, Riley took his star QB with him. Huge advantage. That kid is great.

 

[Egor's Assistant]

The buzz on Patterson was he stepped away by “mutual agreement” because the program had slid and was at that point 3-5. He had become the focus of “the noise.”

SD has done an amazing job. I can’t recall his name being suggested by anyone on this board.

Also, Riley took his star QB with him. Huge advantage. That kid is great.

Billy brought an All-American lineman and an SEC caliber, tier 1 running back. He already had an NFL 1st Rounder at QB.

 

[Theologator]

Billy brought an All-American lineman and an SEC caliber, tier 1 running back. He already had an NFL 1st Rounder at QB.

Yes - I posted earlier about how his additions via x-fer and recruits were key to our offense: Johnson, Torrance, Pearsall & Etienne. Where would we have been without Torrance.

AR may go in the first round but he’s nowhere near the QB Williams was as a freshman or today. There’s no comparison between them. I think AR should take another year to hone his craft before going pro, but he can try to grab the big bucks now.

 

[Altitude Gator]

Yes - I posted earlier about how his additions via x-fer and recruits were key to our offense: Johnson, Torrance, Pearsall & Etienne. Where would we have been without Torrance.

AR may go in the first round but he’s nowhere near the QB Williams was as a freshman or today. There’s no comparison between them. I think AR should take another year to hone his craft before going pro, but he can try to grab the big bucks now.

AR-15 should grab the big bucks now. Another year of disappointing results will tarnish his "raw but talented" opportunity. From here, it looks like he is not getting better from this staff or whatever private coaching he has. He better strike while the iron is somewhat hot.