UF Coaching Thread: Russ Callaway promoted to Co-OC

[Bushmaster]

So is this chit fake or what?? I have hammer cooked and need some confirmation before I pull the trigger.

 

[t-gator]

Mehhh.... I actually feel a lot more melancholy when I realize everyone else is finally sees what I saw from the beginning.

The right stance is "jump in... the water is fine".

I have far less patience with people who ignore obvious evidence (prior resume) vs those who just arent into X's and O's or believe it's impossible to understand.

I think pretty much anyone that watched his teams at ULL realized it wouldn't translate. Then most of us tried to convince ourselves otherwise after we hired him.

 

[RocketCityGator]

I think pretty much anyone that watched his teams at ULL realized it wouldn't translate. Then most of us tried to convince ourselves otherwise after we hired him.

It wasn't so much that we tried to convince ourselves. It was more, the hire is done, let's hope it works out.

I remember his first summer before his first season. Most people spoke well about his staff and he was doing well in recruiting. The one question was could he call plays and manage the games. I had not seen the Clemson film, whoa boy. But after a few games into his first season, it was obvious that he was out of his league.

 

[t-gator]

Again, gives us chance to see if Fisch is legit. I'd definitely wanna see more than one good year. And if urban's not coming out of retirement, there's not really a great pool of candidates. To me, it's Kiffin ( who's not leaving ole piss), Fisch, and Chadwell.

 

[RocketCityGator]

Again, gives us chance to see if Fisch is legit. I'd definitely wanna see more than one good year. And if urban's not coming out of retirement, there's not really a great pool of candidates. To me, it's Kiffin ( who's not leaving ole piss), Fisch, and Chadwell.

Holy $hit. What is this love affair with Kiffin? He tanked at USC, bailed on TN, and can't coach a defense to save his on arse at Ole Piss. He's not leaving Ole Piss because everyone knows his record.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

If our options are small school coaches put me all in on chadwell.

 

[Gatormac2112]

There’s no home run hire out there. It’s why A&M tried to hire Stoops and ended up with Elko. Imagine if we had done that. Would anyone here be excited other than to just be rid of Billy?

Hopefully next year there will be more potential home run hires available. I think after Billy they gotta go big.

 

[ted]

Holy $hit. What is this love affair with Kiffin? He tanked at USC, bailed on TN, and can't coach a defense to save his on arse at Ole Piss. He's not leaving Ole Piss because everyone knows his record.

Understand the doubts about Kiffin. However, He has one 10 games 2 years in a row in the SEC west and would have Ole Miss in the CFP if it was 2024. He has also grown to understand that competent assistant coaches are a must. Questions remain about his HS recruiting but his portal recruiting is top tier. Durkin and Golding have been his last two D coordinator hires and Jeff Lebby and Charlie Weiss Jr his last two OC. Way better coordinators than UF has had in a decade.

 

[Joegator96]

It wasn't so much that we tried to convince ourselves. It was more, the hire is done, let's hope it works out.

I remember his first summer before his first season. Most people spoke well about his staff and he was doing well in recruiting. The one question was could he call plays and manage the games. I had not seen the Clemson film, whoa boy. But after a few games into his first season, it was obvious that he was out of his league.

There was a lot to like before we teed up the first game. While I was turned off by the country bumpkin linguists I thought the message resonated. I went to his first appearance at the Lakeland Gator club and was impressed with what seemed to be excellent command of the job and his plan was clearly around development of quality young men. After several years of losing with losers I was ready for UF to put forth a competitive team of responsible young men who would either make the league or have successful professional careers in business. I will admit I did not deep dive into BN's past. He won at ULL and left as the champion. I was all in.

I purchased season tickets for the first time and kept them thru this season. The opening game against highly ranked Utah was thrilling, yet foretelling! The false promise of the opening game came crashing down against the Wildcats then confirmed against an overmatched USF team. At this point every single piece of evidence that BN isn't able to manage the game in real time was on full display. The first season was a disaster that many of us blamed on AR15, Mullen, Grantham, weak roster, blah, blah, blah!

Good recruiting class, a couple of pick-up (losses too) in the portal had me hoping the warts of season 1 were the leftovers of Mullen stench and not the foreshadow of BN stench. Damn we sucked balls all season. There is no rational reasoning to support enabling this hayseed to rearrange the deck chairs only to hit another iceberg.

At this point all hope is lost until, if ever, the leadership decides football is important and replaces the people who made the decision to hire BN and we close this chapter.

 

[Kevlo911]

So when we firing someone else

 

[soflagator]

There was a lot to like before we teed up the first game. While I was turned off by the country bumpkin linguists I thought the message resonated. I went to his first appearance at the Lakeland Gator club and was impressed with what seemed to be excellent command of the job and his plan was clearly around development of quality young men. After several years of losing with losers I was ready for UF to put forth a competitive team of responsible young men who would either make the league or have successful professional careers in business. I will admit I did not deep dive into BN's past. He won at ULL and left as the champion. I was all in.

I purchased season tickets for the first time and kept them thru this season. The opening game against highly ranked Utah was thrilling, yet foretelling! The false promise of the opening game came crashing down against the Wildcats then confirmed against an overmatched USF team. At this point every single piece of evidence that BN isn't able to manage the game in real time was on full display. The first season was a disaster that many of us blamed on AR15, Mullen, Grantham, weak roster, blah, blah, blah!

Good recruiting class, a couple of pick-up (losses too) in the portal had me hoping the warts of season 1 were the leftovers of Mullen stench and not the foreshadow of BN stench. Damn we sucked balls all season. There is no rational reasoning to support enabling this hayseed to rearrange the deck chairs only to hit another iceberg.

At this point all hope is lost until, if ever, the leadership decides football is important and replaces the people who made the decision to hire BN and we close this chapter.

I’m with you up until the last part. Our failures this go around have absolutely nothing to do with a lack of commitment. They sank tens of millions into all the things Napier asked them to, and gave him a virtual blank check. I do agree of course that Stricklin is the root cause, along with Foley’s continued involvement. I just don’t think they’d sink that type of money into football if they didn’t care. They do and expect a ROI, which is why Scott’s time is running out quickly.

 

[t-gator]

Holy $hit. What is this love affair with Kiffin? He tanked at USC, bailed on TN, and can't coach a defense to save his on arse at Ole Piss. He's not leaving Ole Piss because everyone knows his record.

This is isn't usc or Tennessee lane kiffin. There's a big difference between 32 and 48 years old. I'm not sure that he'd win a championship here or not but he'd definitely be in the 9-10 wins a year catoregory and we'd be watchable. His biggest flaw now is not being able to grind out the low scoring games. If his offense is shutdown they usually get blown out.

 

[t-gator]

I’m with you up until the last part. Our failures this go around have absolutely nothing to do with a lack of commitment. They sank tens of millions into all the things Napier asked them to, and gave him a virtual blank check. I do agree of course that Stricklin is the root cause, along with Foley’s continued involvement. I just don’t think they’d sink that type of money into football if they didn’t care. They do and expect a ROI, which is why Scott’s time is running out quickly.

I haven't seen any proof or heard anything of Scott stricklin being on the hotseat.

 

[soflagator]

I haven't seen any proof or heard anything of Scott stricklin being on the hotseat.

Generally when a coach has a disappointing season, then follows it up with a dumpster fire even worse than the prior campaign, and you have talk swirling all around national media that Napier is a dead man waking and will be lucky to see the leaves change color next fall, said coach’s AD comes out with the obligatory “vote of confidence” statement. Notice the complete silence from Stricklin. And several outlets have said that if Napier is in fact gone next year, no one gets a third swing after two failures, implying he wouldn’t be here. Wait until the Swamp has 12 people in it for some games next year. He’s toast.

 

[Gator CPA]

Holy $hit. What is this love affair with Kiffin? He tanked at USC, bailed on TN, and can't coach a defense to save his on arse at Ole Piss. He's not leaving Ole Piss because everyone knows his record.

Not really a Kiffin fan either. His defenses have been trash

 

[Joegator96]

Not really a Kiffin fan either. His defenses have been trash

yet they win 10 games per season, I will take that

 

[soflagator]

Not really a Kiffin fan either. His defenses have been trash

I actually have no real issue with his defense, because I do think he’s constantly undermanned and would have much better talent to work with at a better school. To me the biggest concern is that he has become known as sort of the class clown. I’m not sure he’s taken very serious, and that more than anything has affected his ability to recruit, as you have complete assassin’s like Smart and Saban who are all business. It’s fun to joke around, but I do think they use it against him, especially with families of recruits. Do you want a coach who’s developing your son for the NFL and winning, or do you want a coach looking for the next great meme to troll someone on Twitter?

I do think he could do well here, but he wouldn’t be my top choice.

 

[t-gator]

Generally when a coach has a disappointing season, then follows it up with a dumpster fire even worse than the prior campaign, and you have talk swirling all around national media that Napier is a dead man waking and will be lucky to see the leaves change color next fall, said coach’s AD comes out with the obligatory “vote of confidence” statement. Notice the complete silence from Stricklin. And several outlets have said that if Napier is in fact gone next year, no one gets a third swing after two failures, implying he wouldn’t be here. Wait until the Swamp has 12 people in it for some games next year. He’s toast.

After this season, I just don't see it. Next year's going to be ugly, no doubt. But if shcit that unfolded this year didn't get billy or stricklin fired, idk what will. The powers that be have left the fans hanging. Atleast the fans that expect a competent football team.

 

[soflagator]

After this season, I just don't see it. Next year's going to be ugly, no doubt. But if shcit that unfolded this year didn't get billy or stricklin fired, idk what will. The powers that be have left the fans hanging. Atleast the fans that expect a competent football team.

There’s still a stigma about giving coaches less than a third season. I think that’s what has kept Napier safe. We bought a story about the conditions he inherited and many are still on that narrative. Stricklin can’t really make that argument because he was an eyewitness to those conditions being created in the first place. At a minimu he was complicit. Now, a second straight failure and fresh lows for the program? Minus a huge season next year, they’re both gone. As you said, they left the fans hanging and that doesn’t get unnoticed. Even Fuchs was visibly pissed at the Samford game in ‘21 when like 25k showed up. I posted the picture of him in the box. Mullen was gone a week later. Many at the top may not like it, but they do understand that football is king. They just got away with neglect for too long without fans really revolting. I except next year to be a fraction of the attendance unless the team is wildly better, and that will force their hand.

 

[Joegator96]

I do think he could do well here, but he wouldn’t be my top choice.

So, if we brought in this guy who is a smartass, offensive savant, wears and throws a visor, runs up the score, beats top teams who have more talent, is stocked with pro style QB's, and normally wins 10 or so games a season and we allow him to hire BN quantity staffers and provide him all the perks of a top tier program. How do you think he would do? Who's your number 1 if not Lane Kiffen?