Are the Gators of the 80's?

[NCOGator]

There are a lot of similarities. For example in 1988 we started off 5-0 then with a series of injuries we end up 6-5. In 1989 we started off 6-1 then lost our starting QB (Kyle Morris) for Gambling, and we all know what happened with Grier. We were known for having a bad ass secondary with Adrian White, Louis Oliver, and Jarvis Williams to name a couple. We had a couple of WRs that were damn good in Chris "Cadillac" Collinsworth, Ricky Nattiel, Dwayne Dixon, and Ray McDonald to name a couple. We had a head coach that did "just enough" but not enough to win it all (or an outright SEC title due to sanctions) in Galen Hall.

Yes there are a lot of things we don’t have that we had in the 80's like Emmitt Smith, Wilber Marshall, Kerwin Bell, Wayne Peace (although we had a Pease), "The Great Wall", and I don’t see the NCAA infractions coming our way. However our records are very similar. In the famous words of Ox...."Discuss"

 

[MidwestChomp]

The big difference is Spurrier ain't walking through the door to save us this time.

 

[NCOGator]

The big difference is Spurrier ain't walking through the door to save us this time.

Yeah but maybe Fedora will?

 

[LagoonGator68]

There are a lot of similarities. For example in 1988 we started off 5-0 then with a series of injuries we end up 6-5. In 1989 we started off 6-1 then lost our starting QB (Kyle Morris) for Gambling, and we all know what happened with Grier. We were known for having a bad ass secondary with Adrian White, Louis Oliver, and Jarvis Williams to name a couple. We had a couple of WRs that were damn good in Chris "Cadillac" Collinsworth, Ricky Nattiel, Dwayne Dixon, and Ray McDonald to name a couple. We had a head coach that did "just enough" but not enough to win it all (or an outright SEC title due to sanctions) in Galen Hall.

Yes there are a lot of things we don’t have that we had in the 80's like Emmitt Smith, Wilber Marshall, Kerwin Bell, Wayne Peace (although we had a Pease), "The Great Wall", and I don’t see the NCAA infractions coming our way. However our records are very similar. In the famous words of Ox...."Discuss"

You seem conflated...

 

[diehardg8r]

The bigger difference is that SOS walked in to a program that hadn't really ever had national prominence and took it to the top of the mountain. So those that have come after including Foley have now sunk us back to where it was, or close to it before SOS took over. Inexcusable.

 

[InstiGATOR1]

Yeah but maybe Fedora will?

Now that is funny.

 

[NCOGator]

You seem conflated...

Why? There are a lot of similarities. We had decent records and a few decent players, but couldn't win the big one. Kind of like what we got now.

 

[stephenPE]

The 80s were so great/horrible.............great players great teams and the hammer of the NCAA.............hammered us totally. The loss of TV was the worst part along with bowl bans, restricted scholarships (we got some great walkons back then) and the sec saying NO title in 84.......SOS didnt so much of save us as he did awaken the monster we could become.............we had the fans the stadium the weather and Fla talent. Sometimes you just have to appreciate the great players as much as the hardware. Emmitt was so damned fun to watch. Every play you knew he could do something great. That mofo could use a hit to gain momentum. THEY KNEW he was getting it and still struggled to stop him. He plays in that SOS offense his Sr year and he averages 10 yds a carry. But he needed to go and it worked so well as he was a huge cowboy fan and avoided injuries...............

 

[rogdochar]

Spurrier brought the Gator Spirit & confidence that never was before.

 

[TheDouglas78]

Spurrier walked into a loaded roster of talent, and put in the schemes and desire to exploit that talent. He is also one of the best in game play callers in College football history. The best we have ever had. The next guy isn't going to have a roster to make that next jump.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

The 80s were so great/horrible.............great players great teams and the hammer of the NCAA.............hammered us totally. The loss of TV was the worst part along with bowl bans, restricted scholarships (we got some great walkons back then) and the sec saying NO title in 84.......SOS didnt so much of save us as he did awaken the monster we could become.............we had the fans the stadium the weather and Fla talent. Sometimes you just have to appreciate the great players as much as the hardware. Emmitt was so damned fun to watch. Every play you knew he could do something great. That mofo could use a hit to gain momentum. THEY KNEW he was getting it and still struggled to stop him. He plays in that SOS offense his Sr year and he averages 10 yds a carry. But he needed to go and it worked so well as he was a huge cowboy fan and avoided injuries...............

I still resent the fact that we endured the wrath of God for violations in the 80's yet today schools lawyer up and/or stall to the point where they receive the proverbial hand slap. That probation not only set our program back 8-10 years, it simultaneously took FSU over the top in the state.
Yes, SOS came in and saved the day but he was facing a juggernaut in Tally that was created by the NCAA.

 

[AugustaGator]

The 80s were so great/horrible.............great players great teams and the hammer of the NCAA.............hammered us totally. The loss of TV was the worst part along with bowl bans, restricted scholarships (we got some great walkons back then) and the sec saying NO title in 84.......SOS didnt so much of save us as he did awaken the monster we could become.............we had the fans the stadium the weather and Fla talent. Sometimes you just have to appreciate the great players as much as the hardware. Emmitt was so damned fun to watch. Every play you knew he could do something great. That mofo could use a hit to gain momentum. THEY KNEW he was getting it and still struggled to stop him. He plays in that SOS offense his Sr year and he averages 10 yds a carry. But he needed to go and it worked so well as he was a huge cowboy fan and avoided injuries...............

We had the fans.

 

[Slevin]

The 80s were so great/horrible.............great players great teams and the hammer of the NCAA.............hammered us totally. The loss of TV was the worst part along with bowl bans, restricted scholarships (we got some great walkons back then) and the sec saying NO title in 84.......SOS didnt so much of save us as he did awaken the monster we could become.............we had the fans the stadium the weather and Fla talent. Sometimes you just have to appreciate the great players as much as the hardware. Emmitt was so damned fun to watch. Every play you knew he could do something great. That mofo could use a hit to gain momentum. THEY KNEW he was getting it and still struggled to stop him. He plays in that SOS offense his Sr year and he averages 10 yds a carry. But he needed to go and it worked so well as he was a huge cowboy fan and avoided injuries...............

This.

You have to remember 84 was voted national champion by twice the publications BYU was. 85 got a NC vote too by a small paper. It's like the 80s were wiped out of the gator memory bank. I really wish we'd honor those two teams if anything

 

[Chomper]

Charlie Pell was the real deal and had the Gator program headed to the top but for whatever reason he got impatient with the process and bent the rules. NCAA sanctions were devastating and took us years to recover. I see today's situation as being more pre-80's toward the end of Doug Dickey's tenure when the program was in a deep funk. Not sure there is a savior out there who can help with our current mess. I think it will take someone, like Spurrier, who bleeds Orange & Blue.

 

[GatorStud]

1982: 8-4-0 Coach: Charley Pell
1983: 9-2-1 Coach: Charley Pell
1984: 9-1-1 Coach: Charley Pell + Galen Hall
1985: 9-1-1 Coach: Galen Hall

Yeah, I like to hang out in the early 80s when I think of that decade. Interesting though, I guess we can say the 2 yr sanctions around what was it `84-85ish kind of act like Macs recruiting classes in low star power... several years down the road, yikes. Maybe a stretch but something to muse.

1986: 6-5-0 Coach: Galen Hall
1987: 6-6-0 Coach: Galen Hall
1988: 7-5-0 Coach: Galen Hall
1989: 7-5-0 Coach: Galen Hall + Gary Darnell



1990: 9-2-0 Coach: Steve Spurrier (healed)

 

[78]

Spurrier walked into a loaded roster of talent, and put in the schemes and desire to exploit that talent. He is also one of the best in game play callers in College football history. The best we have ever had. The next guy isn't going to have a roster to make that next jump.

No offense, D-78, but that's not entirely accurate. Aside from Emmitt, Hall was a crappy recruiter, which is why our record went from sterling immediately after recruiter extraordinaire Pell's ouster to what it was five years later.

I'm not saying we were devoid of talent; we weren't. But SOS virtually had to perform magic to get what he got out of the 1990 team, esp at QB.

 

[Alagator]

LOL... MY Dad had that sticker up on the cabinet above his work bench in our garage... Don't ask me why, but I can remember it like it was yesterday.

 

[stephenPE]

No offense, D-78, but that's not entirely accurate. Aside from Emmitt, Hall was a crappy recruiter, which is why our record went from sterling immediately after recruiter extraordinaire Pell's ouster to what it was five years later.

I'm not saying we were devoid of talent; we weren't. But SOS virtually had to perform magic to get what he got out of the 1990 team, esp at QB.

SOS said himself that team was loaded with talent. It had good def. players and his offensive magic was all it needed. He just understood offense so well it and took Ernie Mills (below ave. talent from all we had seen earlier) to an NFL WR.

 

[TheDouglas78]

No offense, D-78, but that's not entirely accurate. Aside from Emmitt, Hall was a crappy recruiter, which is why our record went from sterling immediately after recruiter extraordinaire Pell's ouster to what it was five years later.

I'm not saying we were devoid of talent; we weren't. But SOS virtually had to perform magic to get what he got out of the 1990 team, esp at QB.

Hall gave us talent, he wasn't the recruiter Pell was... Pell created the environment, and Hall was repping the benefits of the system Pell put into place. The roster had talent, Hall didn't always put the best talent out there. Spurrier was a better talent evaluator and game day coach.