It’s interesting to note that of our previous five failed head coaches(I’m including Napier for the time being), Zook was probably the least qualified to be the head coach of Florida. Others had at least been HC’s elsewhere or were in line to become one. Ron was a STs coordinator who woke up one day to a phone call, and was instantly not only a head coach, but the head coach of a powerhouse program. Yet if we look back, he probably delivered more high moments than just about any of the others and also never bottomed out. Let’s remember, he entered 2004 on a hot seat because back to back 8 win seasons weren’t going to cut it at a place like UF. Even his worst year he won 7. You could maybe argue that perhaps we weren’t heading demonstrably higher, but we also weren’t staring at 4-6 wins if he’d stayed. The question is why? How did the seemingly least equipped guy deliver at least modest success and not completely implode, while each of Muschamp, McElwain, Mullen and now Napier either have or appear to be headed that direct. To me at least, the answer lies in the very fact that he was so unqualified, and was therefore humble enough to just do the basics right. He brought in OCs that were known(even if I wasn’t an EZ fan), he grabbed Strong and brought him back, retained longtime WRs coach Dwayne Dixon, and immediately made his priority keeping Rex and/or Berlin. In short, he didn’t have any areas where he bucked the system and arrogantly felt his plan was better. Even in failure, it at least looked normal.
Compare that with the others. WM comes in and immediately wants to upend the UF culture, make us something we’re not and try to win every game by scoring 14-21 points and having no margin for error. McElwain convinced himself he doesn’t need talent because he’s just going to coach up 2-3*’s and win with no conditioning. Mullen wastes no time bringing in wildly unpopular assistants, refuses to hold them accountable and has similar views to JM about the need for recruiting. Now Napier enters the picture and has his own “I know better” approach with the OC/QB roles, the double OL coach thing and having STs handled by committee. Some of those quirks were visible even in his first class as he took more of a scorched earth approach than was probably necessary.
It’s infuriating that we’ve had to stand by and watch as UF football is used as an experiment of theory, being drug through hell in the process, all on our dime. It’s simply not that hard to just do normal things in a logical way and let the chips fall where they may. As much as I get coaches wanting to have their own stamp that distinguishes their approach from others, it doesn’t mean being a total outlier on the basics. Guys like Saban, Smart, Day, Riley don’t do outlandish things to separate themselves. They do the same thing as everyone else—they just do them better. That’s what we need. I don’t care who it is. I’m just sick of the same stale “I know best” routine while we have to watch a dumpster fire unfold in front of our eyes. If Napier gets it and truly is a winner he makes wholesale changes to almost everything tomorrow. If not, there will be a 4th name added to the “previous coaches hate” thread very soon.
