Napier’s first full offseason thread

[oxrageous]

Nobody can talk themselves into 9-10 wins with a 6 win roster quicker than this group

You really think we have a 6-win roster?

 

[Gatormac2112]

You really think we have a 6-win roster?

Until I see a difference on the field from the last two 6 win rosters.....yes.

 

[oxrageous]

Until I see a difference on the field from the last two 6 win rosters.....yes.

I expected more from you.

 

[Gatormac2112]

I expected more from you.

The roster looks improved, but it can still be a 6 win roster and our last 2 seasons did have....6 wins. I'm very hopeful for 8 this year though.

 

[Egor's Assistant]

The roster looks improved, but it can still be a 6 win roster and our last 2 seasons did have....6 wins. I'm very hopeful for 8 this year though.

8 wins would be a 33% improvement over last year. 8 wins is a reasonable expectation for next season. And unless Lagway is a baller right out of the box, we're probably not truly competitive until 2025 season. But if DL and OL recruiting hold up like they are now, we could be a formidable opponent in 2024. We'll see. Expectations for 2023 are low, low, low. 8-4 ceiling, 6-7 repeat as the floor.

 

[abefroman]

Happens every year.

They'll talk themselves into 11-1 as feasible by the time the Utah game gets close.

Afterwards?

View attachment 54352

Last year’s ambitious predictions would be justifiable if AR actually rushed

 

[abefroman]

If Mertz can hit a check down routinely I think our offense will be better

 

[Silverback Gator]

I am liking this off season business. It's been 6 weeks since we lost a game. Not bad.

 

[SGG]

You really think we have a 6-win roster?

I didn’t think last year’s roster was a 6 win one, but it was.

 

[jdh5484]

Last year’s ambitious predictions would be justifiable if AR actually rushed

... and forgetting about the 107th ranked defense.

 

[TN G8tr]

I seem to also remember reading they didn’t do much play action - which seems really odd for a team running that much.

Correct. Wisky only went play action 9 plays last year. Mertz was 6 of 9 on those. Got that off the GB podcast and they stated his completion % was so much better with the P.A. Ran on 1st & 2nd down exclusively and left him is some really bad 3rd and long situations.

With an improved OL, WR's, and with ETN/Johnson all he will need to do is manage a game and not make stupid mistakes (if possible). And if it is not too much to ask how about a simple pass to the RB out of the backfield with it being shot like a missile.

 

[Lucius]

Given the quality of the incoming class and transfers, UF should jump Michigan and USCw to 12th on the 2023 247 Talent Composite.

There is no reason why the 12th most talented team in the country should win only 6 games. I think a 7-5 regular season is a bare minimum next year to avoid deafening noise in the system.

8-4 with with improvement and momentum towards the end would be better, 9-3 is probably the ceiling with a lot of luck given the current limitations at QB, OT, DT, and LB.

Anything better than that would require transfer help in the spring. Maybe a stud QB becomes available (Grayson McCall graduating or a guy coming in 2nd in a talented QB room).

Also, I think the OL needs to be 2-deep at every position to withstand a full season of possible injuries and 1 or 2 guys being benched for performance.

Right now at OG: Richie Leonard, Mazzccua, Farmer, and hopefully Kearney provide 4 quality guys to rotate
at OT: Barber and George are proven with Goodwin as a question mark, but the potential is there. They will all have to perform due to numbers. David Connor is also an unknown.
at OC: Eguakun is a proven starter, hopefully Knijeah Harris's years of experience starting OC at IMG will have him prepared to be a capable backup

So, I think to have a near 2-deep OL that can lose a few with minimum drop-off over a season, we need 1 more stud OT transfer in the spring.


In an ideal world, in the spring portal, UF has another 4-5 non-performers transfer out, and then brings on a stud QB, stud OT and stud DB to complete roster turnover.

If all these things happen (a lot of ifs), expectations could be raised and UF could have a special season.

 

[jdh5484]

Given the quality of the incoming class and transfers, UF should jump Michigan and USCw to 12th on the 2023 247 Talent Composite.

There is no reason why the 12th most talented team in the country should win only 6 games. I think a 7-5 regular season is a bare minimum next year to avoid deafening noise in the system.

8-4 with with improvement and momentum towards the end would be better, 9-3 is probably the ceiling with a lot of luck given the current limitations at QB, OT, DT, and LB.

Anything better than that would require transfer help in the spring. Maybe a stud QB becomes available (Grayson McCall graduating or a guy coming in 2nd in a talented QB room).

Also, I think the OL needs to be 2-deep at every position to withstand a full season of possible injuries and 1 or 2 guys being benched for performance.

Right now at OG: Richie Leonard, Mazzccua, Farmer, and hopefully Kearney provide 4 quality guys to rotate
at OT: Barber and George are proven with Goodwin as a question mark, but the potential is there. They will all have to perform due to numbers. David Connor is also an unknown.
at OC: Eguakun is a proven starter, hopefully Knijeah Harris's years of experience starting OC at IMG will have him prepared to be a capable backup

So, I think to have a near 2-deep OL that can lose a few with minimum drop-off over a season, we need 1 more stud OT transfer in the spring.


In an ideal world, in the spring portal, UF has another 4-5 non-performers transfer out, and then brings on a stud QB, stud OT and stud DB to complete roster turnover.

If all these things happen (a lot of ifs), expectations could be raised and UF could have a special season.

Nice post.

You started off at 7-5 and then talked yourself into 9-3 (or better) as your comments went on.

I dont think the composite ranking is very predictive when the coaching staff is new and/or the overall team is really young.

We (I) have no idea what to expect from the defensive coaches or the "special teams" coaches. We (I) didn't see anything from either units coaches that made me hopeful for the future.

I think 6-6 isn't out of the realm of possibility with a new OL and DL. We have a lot more talent at WR and DL but they are young.

I would expect a much better team at the end of the year than at the start. We (I) didn't see that type of improvement last year.

I would guess 7-5 maybe 8-4 or 6-6. The main thing I want to see is improvement in all units from game to game.

And ... beat the Leghumpers.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

We're not beating the dwags any time soon. But I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to beat fsu, Kentucky, tenn or lsu. If we don't win at least two of those 4 you can go ahead and purchase the burial plot for this staff.

 

[Silverback Gator]

Correct. Wisky only went play action 9 plays last year. Mertz was 6 of 9 on those. Got that off the GB podcast and they stated his completion % was so much better with the P.A. Ran on 1st & 2nd down exclusively and left him is some really bad 3rd and long situations.

With an improved OL, WR's, and with ETN/Johnson all he will need to do is manage a game and not make stupid mistakes (if possible). And if it is not too much to ask how about a simple pass to the RB out of the backfield with it being shot like a missile.

Let’s roll. Two RB sets aren’t illegal.

 

[Silverback Gator]

You started off at 7-5 and then talked yourself into 9-3 (or better) as your comments went on.

I dont think the composite ranking is very predictive when the coaching staff is new and/or the overall team is really young.

We (I) have no idea what to expect from the defensive coaches or the "special teams" coaches. We (I) didn't see anything from either units coaches that made me hopeful for the future.

I think 6-6 isn't out of the realm of possibility with a new OL and DL. We have a lot more talent at WR and DL but they are young.

I would expect a much better team at the end of the year than at the start. We (I) didn't see that type of improvement last year.

I would guess 7-5 maybe 8-4 or 6-6. The main thing I want to see is improvement in all units from game to game.

And ... beat the Leghumpers.

Agreed. Staff HAS to look like they can coach, and manage.

 

[jdh5484]

We're not beating the dwags any time soon...

 

[oxrageous]

We're not beating the dwags any time soon. But I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to beat fsu, Kentucky, tenn or lsu. If we don't win at least two of those 4 you can go ahead and purchase the burial plot for this staff.

I agree with you. Frankly, we should be running off another 31-game win streak against Kentucky. They need to be returning to joke status starting this season.

 

[Durty South Swamp]

I agree with you. Frankly, we should be running off another 31-game win streak against Kentucky. They need to be returning to joke status starting this season.

they never left. we and a couple other teams just joined them. that better change fast.

 

[jdh5484]

Miller - played with a bone fracture in his foot this season. (imagine how much worse the D would have been if he had stayed out the 6-8 weeks for it to heal)