I just want to be competitive against them first... then maybe get a win or two... the reality is right now their program is on auto-pilot. Jimbo is getting Top 5 classes every year and elite players all over the field. It is going to take time to get our talent to the level we can compete again. It isn't going to be a jump. It is going to be gradual... the question is if we as a fanbase have the patience for it...
I don't really think we do. I've said before in other threads that many people don't realize how far we had fallen under Muschamp. McElwain's recruiting has not been stellar, but it has improved... if he can show an offense and pull in a top 5 class the next couple years then we will finally be back in the title picture and really able to compete athletically with Bama/FSU...
It is sad, but true.
Can't argue w/ any of that. Good post.
Actually, I'll argue with most of it. If you or especially the Noles themselves, think their program is on auto pilot, with 3 ACC losses and 2 or 3 other near miss losses that they barely survived last season, then you just made my weekend. They are the most consistently overrated team year in year out. Jimbo is the master of doing less with more and lack of UF talent across the field that isn't able to match up with their elite players all over the field (as you put it) isn't why we've lost to them the past 2 years. A better coaching staff on the UF sideline wins at least one of the last 2 games, maybe both of them. A better UF staff with a decent QB wins both of the last 2 games and likely puts an azz whipping on them in at least one of those games. With the exception of a few positions like QB and O-line, we had enough talent to match up with them and win those games. At most positions on the D side of the ball we were better than them. Our problem has been a putrid offense and a staff that couldn't figure out how to fix that or work around it for a game. Hell, Muschamp went in to Tally with Jeff Driskel (no Joe Montana) and thumped them in 2012 and would have beat them again in 2014 with Freon at QB (definitely no Tom Brady), completing all of 12 passes for 165 yards, if our DB breaks right with the pick instead of cutting back to the middle. This was against their all world team heralded by Famous Anus Winston and a dozen or so other 5 star players that were on their 2 deep roster.
We shouldn't have to have an expectation that getting back to a competitive level against the Noles will be gradual and take time, nor do we need to believe that we need to have several years of top 5 recruiting classes to get close to their level of play. The only questions we should have are do we have a QB on the roster that can, at a minimum, be competent in running the offense and do Mac & Co. have the coaching chops create and execute a game plan that will deliver us a victory.