Which Would You Rather?

[2ndAmend]

Struggling on the field would not be conducive to great recruiting... winning, winning and more winning will only fix UF football ills.

 

[rockinchair]

Would you rather have a pretty spouse who won't have sex or an ugly spouse who is crazy in bed? It's a silly dichotomy.

Nothing about signing a mediocre class (by SEC standards) suggests we are in for some special year. One of the major reasons teams like aTm and Tinerc are mediocre is because they sign classes like the one we just signed.

You seem impressed with two 10 win seasons. It could mean we are on the right path if we follow up with a monster recruiting class (basically impossible unless we run off some of our Trash) or it could mean we hired version of Mark Richt who can't recruit. I know "ten wins" used to be the standard for a good year, but its been really watered down by the two additional games they have added (cupcakes for us) over the last 15 years. A 10-4 season today is an 8-4 season in the 90s.

Agreed it's a silly dichotomy. Like I said, I should have worded the post as a "would you rather." The point was which would be more indicative of the direction of the program. A strong season and disappointing class (Mac can coach, can't recruit), or an average to above season (our roster indicates that this is likely), and strong class (Mac has the program heading in the right direction).

Trust me, 10 wins does nothing to impress me. I'm from Virginia, and have had to listen to Va Tech fans for the last 15 years claim they're a "premiere" program because they'd go 10-4 every year, play for the ACC title, and usually lose in a BCS bowl. That, to me, is the epitome of mediocrity. It drives me nuts and I hate it.

2015 was a fun season for the most part. We won 10 games, and got to ATL. Party. But I'm firmly in the camp that we're the Gators and we should be dominating the East, and winning SEC Championships and competing for National Titles.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Sep 3, 2016 Massachusetts (Gainesville, Fla.)
Sep 10, 2016 Kentucky (Gainesville, Fla.)
Sep 17, 2016 North Texas (Gainesville, Fla.)
Sep 24, 2016 at Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Oct 1, 2016 at Vanderbilt (Nashville, Tenn.)
Oct 8, 2016 LSU (Gainesville, Fla.)
Oct 15, 2016 Missouri (Gainesville, Fla.)
Oct 22, 2016 Open
Oct 29, 2016 Georgia (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Nov 5, 2016 at Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Nov 12, 2016 South Carolina (Gainesville, Fla.)
Nov 19, 2016 Presbyterian (Gainesville, Fla.)
Nov 26, 2016 at Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.)

December 3, 2016 SEC Championship (Atlanta, Ga.)

We open with three games at home. Then we travel to Tennessee for what will be a critical game re: our mood for the rest of the season. Then a big fat trap game against Vandy before we get the Corndogs at home. Hopefully we will be on fake FG alert. Missouri at home should be no problem. And then a week off before Grier comes back (j/k).

It's been so long since we faced UGA without Richt. Normally I'd give us a 90% chance but who knows now. So after the WLOCP are we 6-3? 9-0? If we are 6-3 Arkansas suddenly becomes a big deal. Then the Fightin' Muschamps come to town. I'm looking forward to that. The Swamp is going to be rocking. Then Presby before we head to F$U for some revenge.

It's going to be a challenging year.

 

[crosscreekcooter]

LSU returns Fournette and 7 other starters on offense, 8 on the defensive side. They come to the Swamp. Hopefully we don't get embarrassed again. Tough pick, I say we don't do it. We have every chance to be 10-1 when we get to Clowntown and a return trip to Atlanta. Our offense will be much improved. We are a year away from competing with the West and the Clowns.
Edit: I want both 10+ and a top 5 class.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

To answer your question though we need to have a strong recruiting class next year. Winning convincingly in the second half of the season will go a long way to helping that. Beating F$U is paramount. If we have a functional passing game next year and lose a couple of close games early in the season I think we will be okay. I can live w/o winning the East if everything else is in place. But we absolutely need a stellar 2017 class.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Sep 3, 2016 Massachusetts (Gainesville, Fla.)
Sep 10, 2016 Kentucky (Gainesville, Fla.)
Sep 17, 2016 North Texas (Gainesville, Fla.)
Sep 24, 2016 at Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Oct 1, 2016 at Vanderbilt (Nashville, Tenn.)
Oct 8, 2016 LSU (Gainesville, Fla.)
Oct 15, 2016 Missouri (Gainesville, Fla.)
Oct 22, 2016 Open
Oct 29, 2016 Georgia (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Nov 5, 2016 at Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
Nov 12, 2016 South Carolina (Gainesville, Fla.)
Nov 19, 2016 Presbyterian (Gainesville, Fla.)
Nov 26, 2016 at Florida State (Tallahassee, Fla.)

December 3, 2016 SEC Championship (Atlanta, Ga.)

We open with three games at home. Then we travel to Tennessee for what will be a critical game re: our mood for the rest of the season. Then a big fat trap game against Vandy before we get the Corndogs at home. Hopefully we will be on fake FG alert. Missouri at home should be no problem. And then a week off before Grier comes back (j/k).

It's been so long since we faced UGA without Richt. Normally I'd give us a 90% chance but who knows now. So after the WLOCP are we 6-3? 9-0? If we are 6-3 Arkansas suddenly becomes a big deal. Then the Fightin' Muschamps come to town. I'm looking forward to that. The Swamp is going to be rocking. Then Presby before we head to F$U for some revenge.

It's going to be a challenging year.

9 wins should be a cakewalk with that schedule. In fact, if we're not 9-2 or 10-1 going into Tally then my guess is that Collins sh!t the bed without last years defensive players....

 

[t-gator]

This is just depressing

 

[gardnerwebbgator]

I'll beat the dead horse again, but we traditionally play like **** against Vandy after the WLOCP every season. We can't this year, it will be November, and Arky will have their traditional good play late in the year when they've already blown the West in September.

 

[ThreatMatrix]

Good news is that Vandy is supposed to be extra sucky next year.
But UTenn is returning Dobbs and company. LSU us returning Fournette and company. UGA will have Chubbs back and F$U is simply ahead of us. Eight games may be a cake walk but the other four are going to be battles. As per usual Kentucky will play us like their lives depend on it. 'Chump will probably play us dirty. Arky should be a cakewalk though - Beilema sucks.

 

[Floridagator]

10 wins lays they foundation for better recruiting.

I'd be ecstatic with ten with a ? At QB

 

[Homer J]

Good news is that Vandy is supposed to be extra sucky next year.
But UTenn is returning Dobbs and company.

I am sure tackling will be emphasized before this game. If we could have made tackles last year, this game would not have been close.

 

[alcoholica]

I agree with Law about next years class. We'll only have 12 spots open + attrition. We may not even have 20 spots open unless we seriously run some kids off.

 

[TLB]

I know "ten wins" used to be the standard for a good year, but its been really watered down by the two additional games they have added (cupcakes for us) over the last 15 years. A 10-4 season today is an 8-4 season in the 90s.

That's a good point, and one that's often overlooked. Last year did feel more like 8-4 than 10-4. Since the SOS era, I've felt like 10 wins was a good season...I just didn't consider the additional cupcake games propping that up.

As to how we move forward....I expect the staff will start turning the screws to squeeze out any under performers, making more spots available for the upcoming class. While I'm a bit loyal in wanting guys who committed to us to make it all the way through to success, I admit there have been misses in past classes and to get better we need to let them find a new course in life while we invest the training reps with someone who can raise the performance of the team. Cut dead wood, bring in new blood, let the best rise and the rest either develop for the future or be replaced. I do expect attrition, primarily through guys figuring out they are too deep on the depth charts and it's time to move on. I expect fewer JUCOs, but that door won't ever be closed. I expect the average star rating on a class to rise, as we have fewer spots and need to be more selective on who we get....which in turn means the staff is busting their collective ass harder on the top prospects we need to get. I expect things will continue to improve, and that my sunshine pump will never get rusty.