SDS: Realistic set of expectations for Dan Mullen's first year at Florida

Swamp Donkey

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Spurrier went to the Taxslayer (Gator bowl) in 1992, beating NC State.
Yeah you got me. Gator Bowl isnt bad. Thought Taxslayer was in Shreveport or Memphis. Cant remeber what those shytholes are called now.

Id be ok w Gator Bowl.
 

Swamp Donkey

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Mullen only has a winning record against one team, UK. I really like our odds vs them.
 
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Swamp Donkey

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I start with expecting our team to be tougher & higher effort. There’s no doubt the loss of Scarlett & Callaway and others hurt badly in terms of X’s & O’s, but maybe worse in terms of team chemistry.
You think Scarlett was much better? unlikely, IMO. Incremental at best--Im pretty sure Davis is better-- and Scarlett was a disaster at blocking.

X and Os was the problem, and the OL. Anyone can stop your offense when they know EXACTLY what is coming.

I don’t expect much from the xfers even if they are cleared to play.
Grimes is the most talented receiver we have had in a long, long time. A legit 5 star, not a Deonte Thompson hybrid smurf.

Not sure how he will work in this O however. He is more of a down the field threat.
 
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Theologator

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You think Scarlett was much better? unlikely, IMO. Incremental at best--Im pretty sure Davis is better-- and Scarlett was a disaster at blocking.

X and Os was the problem, and the OL. Anyone can stop your offense when the knoe EXACTLY what is coming.


Grimes is the most talented receiver we have had in a long, long time. A legit 5 star, not a Deonte Thompson hybrid smurf.

Not sure how he will work in this O however. He is more of a down the field threat.

There were oodles of problems. My point is that 4-7 had several contributing factors beyond talent and scheme, starting with the suspensions. I don’t think we’re starting entirely from scratch.

You may be right about Grimes. He & Jefferson could be great additions. I’m just not assuming it because there are lots of factors that cause kids to transfer beyond measurables & even talent. It’s a new era with transfers so hopefully they are great fits here.
 

GatorJ

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You think Scarlett was much better? unlikely, IMO. Incremental at best--Im pretty sure Davis is better-- and Scarlett was a disaster at blocking.

X and Os was the problem, and the OL. Anyone can stop your offense when the knoe EXACTLY what is coming.

Grimes is the most talented receiver we have had in a long, long time. A legit 5 star, not a Deonte Thompson hybrid smurf.

Not sure how he will work in this O however. He is more of a down the field threat.

Best receiver prospect since Debose.
 

GatorJB

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If we're just talking about wins/losses, then 8 wins minimum is a very reasonable and obtainable goal. 9 or 10 wins is still possible. This team isn't completely devoid of talent.

But along with those 8 wins, we need to see some points scored. I'm sick of us having an offense on the far left of the bell curve. This year we need to be at least in the middle, but we need to be back to the right of the curve, consistently, and soon. We used to be known for having a dominating offense. It's time to get that reputation back.
 

MJMGator

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W- Charleston Southern
Toss- Kentucky
W- Colorado State
W- @ Tennessee
L- @ Mississippi State
L- LSU
L- @ Vanderbilt
L- Georgia (Jax)
W- Missouri
W- South Carolina
W- Idaho
L- @ FSU

I see 6-6 to at best 8-4.
We beat Vandy and the Dwags.
 

MJMGator

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I think we beat em. They’re gonna lose about 4 games next year. Wouldn’t be surprised if the Cawks take the East in 2018.
 

BMF

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Agree. We aren't going on the road and beat Miss State next year. They return 17 starters, including their QB....plus they have the motivation factor (beating their old coach/coaches). Additionally, we usually crap the bed big-time vs. our west opponents. And UGA lost a lot, but they have a much more talented roster....plus return their QB. We don't even know who the F our QB is going to be and people are making blanket statements "we're going to win that game - book it!" Like it's a matter of fact. I'm hoping MSU doesn't roll our asses!

We also go on the road to UT early on. I'm expecting an 8-4 season, because that's what Mullen is (an 8-4 coach). I expect him to improve on that over time, as he was an 8-4 coach w/ MSU talent. I expect he wins no less than 9 after next season (I hope)...
 

LagoonGator68

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Suffice it to say, Mullen has his work cut out for him with this bunch of mostly stragglers other than RB.
 

78

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LSU's got as many issues as we do. That's by no means a guaranteed loss.
 

Renard904

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W- Charleston Southern
Toss- Kentucky
W- Colorado State
W- @ Tennessee
L- @ Mississippi State
L- LSU
L- @ Vanderbilt
L- Georgia (Jax)
W- Missouri
W- South Carolina
W- Idaho
L- @ FSU

I see 6-6 to at best 8-4.
What were you basing these picks off of? LSU is gonna be trash this year. I know historically that has been a tough game for us, but they'll be extremely inexperienced on offense and not to mention Ogre's still their coach. I actually think we beat them big this coming season. Vandy? C'mon man... We may very well lose to them, but I can't picture a world in which Vandy is favored over UF. The talent disparity is too pronounced. I'm also not understanding the MSU pick either. A non traditional power school won't be favored because of the lack of talent. As I stated above, I'm well aware that less talented teams win sometimes, but you can't predict that. That's why they're called upsets.

I think 8-4 is the absolute basement for the season. 9-3 is my predicted record. 10+ wins would signify a premature Gator resurgence.
 

BMF

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What were you basing these picks off of? LSU is gonna be trash this year. I know historically that has been a tough game for us, but they'll be extremely inexperienced on offense and not to mention Ogre's still their coach. I actually think we beat them big this coming season. Vandy? C'mon man... We may very well lose to them, but I can't picture a world in which Vandy is favored over UF. The talent disparity is too pronounced. I'm also not understanding the MSU pick either. A non traditional power school won't be favored because of the lack of talent. As I stated above, I'm well aware that less talented teams win sometimes, but you can't predict that. That's why they're called upsets.

I think 8-4 is the absolute basement for the season. 9-3 is my predicted record. 10+ wins would signify a premature Gator resurgence.

Agree w/ all of this except the MSU comments. There's a reason they are in practically every pre-season top 25 and we aren't. Plus, when's the last time we went on the road and beat our non-regular West opponent? They return 17 starters, plus their QB. They are at home vs. their old coach (extra motivation to beat Mullen and their old coaches). They have a proven starting QB returning....we don't know who our starting QB is going to be. I could go on and on. But if you want to put that kind of pressure on our new coaching staff, fine. Hey Dan!! You BETTER beat your old team, on the road....eve though we went 4-7 last year and have no QB to run your offense!!! DAMMIT!
 

bayou gator

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For the last 8 years, we have looked like we were still trying to learn the first page of the playbook in November. That was a result of $#!+ coaches accepting mediocre players, and mediocre results. That MUST change immediately. I want to see progression EVERY WEEK. When was the last time we saw them actually get better as the season progressed? We always got worse, because our coaches sucked, the training sucked, the practices sucked, etc. Everything about the program sucked. From Foley down to the equipment managers, we sucked.
Another reason why we always regressed, was as the season went, the rest of our opponents improved, and we had nothing to offer that surprised anyone with regards coaching or scheme (don't remind me, I realize Mullen's history... and I am very concerned. I am hoping he evolves, or our new recruits come in and shock the world).
I just want to see our continuous regression reversed this year. I'm not expecting many wins, but I do expect to see a tougher, hungrier, more disciplined, and IMPROVING team as the season progresses. Do we have top-tier elite talent all over the roster? No. But we do have enough talent to make major improvements, and compete with just about any other team. If I see that, I will feel like we are finally on the right track. We should know something definitive by the bye week.
 

LagoonGator68

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For the last 8 years, we have looked like we were still trying to learn the first page of the playbook in November. That was a result of $#!+ coaches accepting mediocre players, and mediocre results. That MUST change immediately. I want to see progression EVERY WEEK. When was the last time we saw them actually get better as the season progressed? We always got worse, because our coaches sucked, the training sucked, the practices sucked, etc. Everything about the program sucked. From Foley down to the equipment managers, we sucked.
Another reason why we always regressed, was as the season went, the rest of our opponents improved, and we had nothing to offer that surprised anyone with regards coaching or scheme (don't remind me, I realize Mullen's history... and I am very concerned. I am hoping he evolves, or our new recruits come in and shock the world).
I just want to see our continuous regression reversed this year. I'm not expecting many wins, but I do expect to see a tougher, hungrier, more disciplined, and IMPROVING team as the season progresses. Do we have top-tier elite talent all over the roster? No. But we do have enough talent to make major improvements, and compete with just about any other team. If I see that, I will feel like we are finally on the right track. We should know something definitive by the bye week.


Injuries....we are dangerously thin at every position except RB, plus former incompetence, of course.
 

bayou gator

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Injuries....we are dangerously thin at every position except RB, plus former incompetence, of course.

Oh, there's no doubt that we are thin all over the place. LB really scares the hell out of me. But, a good coach can "coach 'em up" and get them ALL ready to play. Our starters haven't been ready in years.
Losses because we were thin at LB and couldn't stop the run are one thing. Losses because our head coach is a pb&j obsessed retard, the staff has no f'n clue of what anyone is doing, and the players have been playing video games, smoking weed, and doing jumping jacks with the local yoga instructor for S&C is a completely different story.
 

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