UF Coaching Thread: Russ Callaway promoted to Co-OC

[G8trwood]

Man he has more jobs than that dynamic ambiguous duo has given

 

[GatorJ]

Good list. Wonder if Napier has a clue though. But why give Armstrong more responsibility when it's not clear he is capable DC? Reminds me of our situation with Napier- too much on his plate. If you thought Armstrong should be demoted- even if not possible- that seems to make more sense.

He has coached inside linebackers previously.

I don’t think he has too much on his plate as a DC. I think he has no experience. A better question is why has Napier not brought in experienced defensive playcalling analysts to help him?

 

[TheDouglas78]

He has coached inside linebackers previously.

I don’t think he has too much on his plate as a DC. I think he has no experience. A better question is why has Napier not brought in experienced defensive playcalling analysts to help him?

He likes to be the teacher in the group, he needs some experienced assistance. Not a knock on him, but good leaders bring in people with knowledge to help where their expertise is lacking.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

I know I’m in the minority, but I think the team struggled so badly this year because it was so young. And Covid had kids staying for 6 or 7+ years. So we were playing a bunch of teams that had grown men on them.

The kids got a lot of experience and we’re gonna be much better next year.

But, he could’ve had a much better year without stupid on the field decisions and organizational decisions like not having a special teams coach.

I also don’t have a problem with the offense. I have a problem with his playcalling. He doesn’t have a natural feel for it and it routinely stymies the offense.

Here’s what he needs to do IMO

1. Get another WR in the portal. Dike has speed but barely any production.

2. Get Tarquin back. Then both OT positions will be secured. We had no tackles on this team until we got our recent transfer. Only Barber can play it somewhat okay.

3. Move Armstrong to also coach ILBs.

4. Have Harris over CBs and safeties.

5. Hire an OC.

6. Hire a DL coach (should be happening sometime in the next week).

7. Bring in an elite CB from the portal.

8. Assign a coach to special teams.

I agree with all except number 8.
It should read…..Napier names himself the new special teams coordinator. Maybe he has a process for it.

 

[Kevlo911]

What's Charlie Strong up to? I think he could help the defense

 

[Yankeetown]

1. Get another WR in the portal. Dike has speed but barely any production.

from the Gator press release:

Dike "caught 70 passes for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 with Mertz at quarterback."

For comparison, Ricky Pearsall's receiving stats in 2023:
- 65 for 965 and 4 YD. (+2 running TDs.)
I'd argue Ricky's stats were hurt by the team's inability to give Mertz time to run long patterns. Plus the playing-calling, which was arguably also hampered by the protection.

I don't recall having seen Dike, but the record says he was productive in 2022. With Mertz specifically.

So he may be pretty good pickup. Here's hoping!

 

[MidwestChomp]

from the Gator press release:

Dike "caught 70 passes for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 with Mertz at quarterback."

For comparison, Ricky Pearsall's receiving stats in 2023:
- 65 for 965 and 4 YD. (+2 running TDs.)
I'd argue Ricky's stats were hurt by the team's inability to give Mertz time to run long patterns. Plus the playing-calling, which was arguably also hampered by the protection.

I don't recall having seen Dike, but the record says he was productive in 2022. With Mertz specifically.

So he may be pretty good pickup. Here's hoping!

What press release is that? In 4 years at WI he caught 97 passes for 9 TDs and about 1400 yards. 2022 was his best year where he caught 47 passes and 6 TDS. If he can duplicate 2022 with Mertz that would be nice.

 

[neteng]

I know I’m in the minority, but I think the team struggled so badly this year because it was so young. And Covid had kids staying for 6 or 7+ years. So we were playing a bunch of teams that had grown men on them.

The kids got a lot of experience and we’re gonna be much better next year.

But, he could’ve had a much better year without stupid on the field decisions and organizational decisions like not having a special teams coach.

I also don’t have a problem with the offense. I have a problem with his playcalling. He doesn’t have a natural feel for it and it routinely stymies the offense.

Here’s what he needs to do IMO

1. Get another WR in the portal. Dike has speed but barely any production.

2. Get Tarquin back. Then both OT positions will be secured. We had no tackles on this team until we got our recent transfer. Only Barber can play it somewhat okay.

3. Move Armstrong to also coach ILBs.

4. Have Harris over CBs and safeties.

5. Hire an OC.

6. Hire a DL coach (should be happening sometime in the next week).

7. Bring in an elite CB from the portal.

8. Assign a coach to special teams.

I agree...but...the way we lost the games we lost has a lot more to do with strategy and game planning as well as discipline. I think for Napier to win he is going to have to out recruit his flaws and so far that doesnt look like its going to well. This class falling apart isnt going to change much for him. Furthermore, we are having such a mix up in the staff on D again its like they can never get set. I like the Chatman hire but replaceing Bateman with cantrememberhisnamecareerintermguy is a loss. The offense looked really good at times but just looked like crap whenever we would play a D with a good DL and like you mentioned would get stymied by dumb play calls as well. To me, Napier is a poor man's Kirby Smart...has to totally out talent whoever he is coaching against...but is a few years too late because our program was a dumpster fire after other teams we are recruiting against got their acts together.

 

[fischerwood]

From here , all the support staff does is draw a paycheck (see unqualified, peter principle, in way over their heads, etc.)all these dudes & dudettes need to be replaced with bona fide coaches with a real resume! IMHO

 

[cover2]

He likes to be the teacher in the group, he needs some experienced assistance. Not a knock on him, but good leaders bring in people with knowledge to help where their expertise is lacking.

If you’re gonna wear the robes of a savant you better be a savant. I’m not convinced Billy has that capacity, particularly with regard to oversight of the defensive side of the ball. Armstrong may well grow into a coveted DC, but given some of the adjustment issues (specifically the lack of in coverage schemes to go along with very poor technique(s) and fundamentals), the impression left on me is that he was overwhelmed at times and in close ballgames, the margin for error is micro-thin. Add to that a 30 year old with no appreciable collegiate experience at the SEC level is both named coordinator and given a position group that, if I understand correctly, he has not coached (Safeties), the odds for a struggle if not disaster are greatly exacerbated. And I think this is what we saw as the season progressed.

The SEC in particular is not a place for OJT. The optics of the situation regarding Billy and the aforementioned aspects of his staffing to go along with his entire approach, if you want to be honest, is amateurish at best. Could he turn things around? Possibly, but there are so many areas that need attention YESTERDAY that the odds are likely not optimal. In order, I think he has to fix the following areas foremost if there is to be even a modicum of a chance:

• Hold on to the commits in the ESD class / get your missing staff pieces secured
• Hire competent experienced staff (problematic for a program that has just endured its third consecutive losing season, second under Billy, and is staring down a very, very tough schedule for the season upcoming)
• Bring in more players capable of being difference-makers at the SEC level from the Portal (the slow play / late start might also be problematic)
• Keep recruiting the unsigned high school players that can possibly become SEC caliber players
• Billy must become more self aware and honest with himself regarding his “Process” and the myriad of shortfalls that have been exposed and attend to them post haste; frankly, even then there is no guarantee he will succeed, but continuing as is will guarantee that he won’t

Billy’s road that lies immediately ahead is arduous, to say the least. But he signed up for it and the high expectations that are attached. If he fails, then it should also be viewed as an administrative failure, necessitating a wipe to include HC and AD(s). The key to this scenario, if I understand how things should work, will involve Sasse at some point. Even with a full plate on the academic side of things, it would be hard for me to believe he hasn’t heard the rumblings, much less seen for himself on most Saturdays since his tenure began.

 

[Tunaboat]

When you hate your coach, suddenly every other team and coach are dynamos. USF are world beaters and Lane Kiffin is Vince Lombardi.

'Ol Tunaboat is so eaten up with hate he can't think rationally.

Ol' Ox needs to climb back on his high rocking-horse and ignore what is happening with the Gators and other teams like USF. Is USF the greatest? No. Would USF whip us right now? Yes. It doesn't matter what happened earlier in the season. And for the record Oh Great One, I'm pro-Gator all the way. I want to see the Gators get back to the top. Think Nape can do it for us? I don't, but wish him the best in his next job. He won't be here one year from now.. Did you even watch USF's bowl against Cuse last night? I was shocked at how good they looked. Better than we have looked all season.

 

[TLB]

1 hole filled many more to go

TWSS

(Insert mom joke)

 

[Yankeetown]

What press release is that? In 4 years at WI he caught 97 passes for 9 TDs and about 1400 yards. 2022 was his best year where he caught 47 passes and 6 TDS. If he can duplicate 2022 with Mertz that would be nice.

Gators Football - National Signing Day

Official Signing Day updates from the Florida Gators

nsd.floridagators.com

From the UPDATE, not the Bio. Could be wrong. But that's what it says.

Gators Sign Veteran Badgers WR Dike​

Gators quarterback Graham Mertz will have a familiar target in 2024: his former Wisconsin teammate Chimere Dike.
The Gators signed Dike from the transfer portal on Wednesday afternoon, their fourth addition from the portal.
Dike is a 6-foot, 184-pound receiver who played in 44 games at Wisconsin, including 31 starts.
Dike caught 97 passes for 1,478 yards for the Badgers and earned honorable mention on the All-Big Ten Team in 2022 when Mertz was Wisconsin's starting quarterback.
He caught 70 passes for 1,032 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022 with Mertz at quarterback.
Dike is a Wisconsin native who grew up in Waukesha and starred at North High School. He served as a team captain last season.

 

[Silverback Gator]

He has coached inside linebackers previously.

I don’t think he has too much on his plate as a DC. I think he has no experience. A better question is why has Napier not brought in experienced defensive playcalling analysts to help him?

Good question. Do you mean experienced and in the booth during games?

 

[Yankeetown]

If CBN has "re-assigned" the top S&C guy, as reported, maybe it's crossed his mind that if the right guy hove into sight, he could re-assign the 30-year old DC to gain more seasoning. e.g., a Durkin or someone of that level.

(No info, no rumors, just thinking.)

 

[GatorJ]

Good question. Do you mean experienced and in the booth during games?

I would think so. And I would think definitely somebody who can help him game plan.

Shane Matthews has routinely blasted Napier for not having experienced analysts on this team. He said all of them are young people. He said you need a bunch of old seasoned guys helping the young coaches.

He talked at length at how Bama does it.

 

[oxrageous]

Did you even watch USF's bowl against Cuse last night?

Christ no. You actually watched that trash?

I read about it. Not only had Syracuse given up after their coach got canned, they had a backup TE playing QB. If you are on the "USF is on the rise" train, that game certainly wasn't the one to use as an example.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Is our former S&C the guy Scares Money did not fire but will reassign to another multi hundred thousand per year job?

beats paying him 750k to vacation with Dan.

hell, make him clean the equipment. maybe he will quit and we can force his next job to pay a buyout.

 

[TN G8tr]

I would think so. And I would think definitely somebody who can help him game plan.

Shane Matthews has routinely blasted Napier for not having experienced analysts on this team. He said all of them are young people. He said you need a bunch of old seasoned guys helping the young coaches.

He talked at length at how Bama does it.

That's a fact about Bammer. They have plenty of experience in the (RCC) recycled coaches committee @ Ala'bamuh.

 

[Mobtowngator]

Since this (I thought) a UF coaching thread and I had not seen it on here yet...