So why is this different?

[Concrete Helmet]

Isn't every hire a "wait and see" hire?
I mean, I had no doubt Spurrier would succeed, but it wasn't foreordained.
Aside from the HBC, they've all been "wait and see."

Yeah I get that and SOS was from a time where coaches were given a much longer leash which he obviously did not need. Same with Meyer. I believe Foley would have given Meyer at least 4 or 5 years as long as he stayed above 7 or 8 wins. Most likely BN won't have that luxury and the troops are depleted unlike when Meyer showed up. He's got a helluva a job ahead of himself.

 

[jdh5484]

Isn't every hire a "wait and see" hire?
I mean, I had no doubt Spurrier would succeed, but it wasn't foreordained.
Aside from the HBC, they've all been "wait and see."

I was wait and see with Spurrier too. The only coach that I felt I knew what he would do was Charlie Pell. I lived in SC and was a huge Clemson fan back then (still am). I saw what Pell did and how he operated. I moved down to Florida the same year Pell came down. Naturally becoming a Gator fan. The 0-10-1 was to be expected. Everyone else was freaking out.
Hoping (blind hope probably) that Slingblade can be our Pell ( without probation but absolutely staying in the gray area with NIL)

 

[GatorCatsi]

Wrong I had no dog in this fight but was somewhat shocked we did not go for a superstar hire....in the end though it might not make a difference since as many of them seem to flop these days too. From what I've been told by someone in the coaching profession there was interest from several other big name coaches.

The names I heard were Riley and Kelly.
Probably could have gotten excited about Riley.
Hard pass on Kelly.

 

[GatorCatsi]

I was wait and see with Spurrier too. The only coach that I felt I knew what he would do was Charlie Pell. I lived in SC and was a huge Clemson fan back then (still am). I saw what Pell did and how he operated. I moved down to Florida the same year Pell came down. Naturally becoming a Gator fan. The 0-10-1 was to be expected. Everyone else was freaking out.
Hoping (blind hope probably) that Slingblade can be our Pell ( without probation but absolutely staying in the gray area with NIL)

Pell's first year was my freshman year.

 

[TaterGator]

I’m a fan of the hire but I don’t have a freaking clue how it will translate to wins and losses. What I do know is that UF has somehow managed several 10 win seasons recently with some of the worst coaching staffs ever, made even worse by receiving no support from the administration.

Napier is going to be working the trail harder and is going to have more support and help around him than any coach in UF history. His attention to every detail of the program is impressive. I have to think that’s going to translate to some sustained success.

^This Xs infinity

 

[jdh5484]

Yeah I get that and SOS was from a time where coaches were given a much longer leash which he obviously did not need. Same with Meyer. I believe Foley would have given Meyer at least 4 or 5 years as long as he stayed above 7 or 8 wins. Most likely BN won't have that luxury and the troops are depleted unlike when Meyer showed up. He's got a helluva a job ahead of himself.

I agree he has a steep uphill climb. But he also has a GREAT opportunity with NIL and the transfer portal. He can make both those areas #1 in the country ... and if he does ... sky's the limit.

 

[Theologator]

Four despite not being able to express my feelings and being unjustly labeled as a hater about the hire I have tried repeatedly to say I'm OK with it AS A PLAB B. but I always swing for the fences on the first pitch and would expect a historical giant in CFB to do the same.....he's here all I'm asking is why it is a instant HR to everyone else.

Who was your Plan A?

If it was Kiffin, as some assert, I’d want Mrs. Crete to rub your nose in his resume, smack you on the fanny and say, “NO! NO! NO!”*

If it was Brian Kelly, I’d say bad fit. Reilly and Kelly both shocked me. I did not expect apex programs to lose successful coaches. Reilly to USC is intriguing and he could be a success in competing for Pac12 titles. We would have had a splash with him, but I think the system is needed to compete consistently in the SEC. And why did OU let him go?

 

[jdh5484]

Pell's first year was my freshman year.

Was it painful? I was still in HS and went to Florida Junior College afterwards. I showed up on UF campus in 1984. Pretty good year to be there!

 

[GatorCatsi]

Was it painful? I was still in HS and went to Florida Junior College afterwards. I showed up on UF campus in 1984. Pretty good year to be there!

I coped by staying wasted.

 

[jdh5484]

I coped by staying wasted.

I celebrated by staying wasted!

Kids. :)

 

[Theologator]

How is different, his last name doesn't start with "M"...

 

[GatorCatsi]

I celebrated by staying wasted!

Kids. :)

That too!

 

[Concrete Helmet]

One more factor to consider in this discussion.
People bring up good points about Meyer and SOS turnarounds they might be glossing over the fact that those 2 were recruiting against FSU, UGA, UM primarily.....BN will have to get it done on the trail with those guys as well as Bama, Clemson, TAMU, OU, Texas, LSU, and so on.....My point is not that BN can't get it done BUT it isn't nearly as easy as SOS and Meyer had it in their time.....Their prior coaches also recruited very well.

 

[Concrete Helmet]

Who was your Plan A?

Anyone I list could likely have failed or succeeded as BN might. I am simply pointing out that we really didn't approach the coaching search any differently than the previous 3 hires as some have stated......Again I'm not saying Napier will fail as they did I just don't see the process being handled that much differently.
As far as Kiffin goes I would have accepted it as with any other hire and while there might be some baggage involved there most likely would be with 85% of any coach we hire....look what Meyer revealed(thank god mostly after he was gone) but I would have accepted him as the new again too.

 

[jdh5484]

I’m a fan of the hire but I don’t have a freaking clue how it will translate to wins and losses. What I do know is that UF has somehow managed several 10 win seasons recently with some of the worst coaching staffs ever, made even worse by receiving no support from the administration.

Napier is going to be working the trail harder and is going to have more support and help around him than any coach in UF history. His attention to every detail of the program is impressive. I have to think that’s going to translate to some sustained success.

Reasonable.

 

[Loogis]

I am simply pointing out that we really didn't approach the coaching search any differently than the previous 3 hires

Serious question here. I think you wanted Kiffin, or whoever you wanted, if Stricklin had hired him without going through the process, the same way he hired BN, would you still be as vocal as you are now about the lack of a process?

I’m fine with the way they processed this hire, mainly because what was evident to me is 1) Stricklin knew what we needed to build back a program, and 2) his homework pointed to Napier as the one who can do it. It’s the round peg in the round hole.

A splashy hire without vetting anyone would have bothered me.

 

[PastyStoole]

So trust everything that's written? Well since most writers know less than my left testicle about CFB and were pissing in their diapers while some of us were actually watching CFB 20 years ago I'll wait for the first signs of life....

I think you should continue listening to your left testicle, and keep posting what you're hearing from it. It's the kind of comedy gold most of us can truly appreciate.

 

[Avenger48c]

I don't expect a ton of wins next year, it's a pattern that the Alabama system-type coaches take a couple of years to get their process fully established and rolling.

Saban's 1st year at Bama, he went 7-6
Smart's 1st year at UGly, he went 8-5
Napier's 1st year at Louisiana, he went 7-7

We'll be somewhere between 6-8 wins next year, probably. The true tell if we're on the right track is next year's recruiting class and the 2023 season. We should see a massive jump from next year to the year after and then sustained success following. In their second years, Saban, Smart, and Napier went
12-2, 13-2, and 11-3 respectively.

 

[MidwestChomp]

I stand corrected......Crete is using disappearing, reappearing keyboards now!

 

[ThreatMatrix]

We still have enough talent to win 9 games next year. So that's the benchmark. First year coaches tend to lose a game or two they shouldn't. So 7-8 wins would be an average result. But 9 would be good. And 10 or more would be remarkable.