Truth Takes: Arkansas Review 2023

[Durty South Swamp]

This is rich coming from you, the guy who built his brand way back on GatorSports by doing everything you're now refusing to do and feigning surprise about with regards to Zook. Hell Zook's been fired for almost 20 years now and you STILL resort to personal vitriol while "making crap up" about him. This lack of self-awareness is truly astounding.

It's even more amazing as you start to peel the layers back, Napier has more in common with Zook than any of our other failed coaches since the 2000's. He works hard and is a relentless recruiter who's bringing in the kind of talent that can win championships, but can't coach for crap. The fact that he looks like he fell off the same pickle truck that Zook did is just the cherry on top. The worst part of it? Out of UT, LSU, UGA, and F$U, Zook beat them all at least once and even managed a winning record over Georgia. He also never had a losing season and finished his Gators tenure 5-4 against top 10 competition. Napier makes Zook look like a good coach; not an easy feat!

So I'll ask it again.. how can you be surprised that anyone on this board is taking shots at Napier when it's simply a reflection of the reputation the board's owner built and continued to cultivate beginning over 20 years ago? Mindboggling to say the least.

 

[oxrageous]

This is rich coming from you, the guy who built his brand way back on GatorSports by doing everything you're now refusing to do and feigning surprise about with regards to Zook. Hell Zook's been fired for almost 20 years now and you STILL resort to personal vitriol while "making crap up" about him. This lack of self-awareness is truly astounding.

It's even more amazing as you start to peel the layers back, Napier has more in common with Zook than any of our other failed coaches since the 2000's. He works hard and is a relentless recruiter who's bringing in the kind of talent that can win championships, but can't coach for crap. The fact that he looks like he fell off the same pickle truck that Zook did is just the cherry on top. The worst part of it? Out of UT, LSU, UGA, and F$U, Zook beat them all at least once and even managed a winning record over Georgia. He also never had a losing season and finished his Gators tenure 5-4 against top 10 competition. Napier makes Zook look like a good coach; not an easy feat!

So I'll ask it again.. how can you be surprised that anyone on this board is taking shots at Napier when it's simply a reflection of the reputation the board's owner built and continued to cultivate beginning over 20 years ago? Mindboggling to say the least.

You forgot to take a swipe at my mother in all of this, or at least add I should "die in a fire". Yeesh.

This is the second time you've made it clear what you think of me personally in the last few months. I will say again perhaps you should leave the board instead of supporting a person like me by contributing to this site. After all, how can you look your daughters in the face knowing you prop up someone with no integrity?

 

[Gator98MD]

 

[GatorJB]

In reality, I think that if he was going to change things, we would have seen and heard by now.

I don't think this is accurate. Billy has large structural changes he needs to make to his staff and "process." Big changes to any system, including responsibility changes, are not easy to implement when you also have a lot of other stuff going on (i.e., game prep, etc.) I think he, his staff, and his players are in a routine, and Billy is concerned that major changes to that routine will become an extra distraction. I'm speculating here, but so is everyone else. That said, I think it's fair to say that it's much more manageable to reorganize/restructure everything in the off-season than during.

I've said this before, but I think it's still true. What Billy does in the off-season between years 2 and 3 will determine if he has a future here in 2025 and beyond. The last 3 coaches doubled-down on their mistakes after year 2, and it cost them (and us). Everyone here assumes Billy will do the same. I don't know what he'll do. But I agree that if he doubles down on his process for next year, then we'll be going through a coaching search in Dec. 2024.

 

[Silverback Gator]

I don't think this is accurate. Billy has large structural changes he needs to make to his staff and "process." Big changes to any system, including responsibility changes, are not easy to implement when you also have a lot of other stuff going on (i.e., game prep, etc.) I think he, his staff, and his players are in a routine, and Billy is concerned that major changes to that routine will become an extra distraction.

You may be on to something. I would just like him to show some contrition and assure the world that he's aware and going to make some changes. It's not that difficult to do. He acts like there's nothing wrong, and that losing is okay. He really does. I wish it were within our abilities as fans to know which of his coaches need to do better, or move on. When so many units seem uncoordinated and out of sync, it's hard to say. For fuche sakes, even our secondary under Raymond seems less than buttoned up.

 

[gatorev12]

Maybe.

But if Billy is clean the reply will be pound sand and pay me the $36M.

I'm sure there's something. There always is.

Frankly, it shocks me that universities don't hire a PI when stuff starts going bad as insurance to negotiate a lower buyout. It's standard practice in every Personal Injury case when the verdict is usually in the 10k-1M range...and **definitely** done in any case involving an amount over $1M...so you'd think it'd be done in cases like this when the amount that could be downsized ranges in the tens of millions.

 

[oxrageous]

Schools don't like to weasel out of buyouts because they think it will scare away the next prospect they want. The buyout is the biggest effing factor in these contracts. If a good coach thinks a school won't pay it, they'll move on.

 

[g8r.tom]

I'm sure there's something. There always is.

Frankly, it shocks me that universities don't hire a PI when stuff starts going bad as insurance to negotiate a lower buyout. It's standard practice in every Personal Injury case when the verdict is usually in the 10k-1M range...and **definitely** done in any case involving an amount over $1M...so you'd think it'd be done in cases like this when the amount that could be downsized ranges in the tens of millions.

Not really. Sometimes there just isn't a real reason to fire someone. Billy strikes me as that sort of person (not that I know him).

Hiring a PI to get out of paying a coach might be a wise decision once. It may not work out as well in the long run for UF.

 

[Silverback Gator]

Schools don't like to weasel out of buyouts because they think it will scare away the next prospect they want. The buyout is the biggest effing factor in these contracts. If a good coach thinks a school won't pay it, they'll move on.

How did it get to a point where unproven coaches can be hired and guaranteed $30 million even if they don't perform? No performance conditions, apparently, nothing.

 

[gatorev12]

Not really. Sometimes there just isn't a real reason to fire someone. Billy strikes me as that sort of person (not that I know him).

Hiring a PI to get out of paying a coach might be a wise decision once. It may not work out as well in the long run for UF.

This is likely one of those times.

Let's face it: the guy can't coach. There's enough data points to support that conclusion at this point and that'll be driven home over the remainder of the season. Vis a vis other coaches who've started at the same time at comparable-caliber programs, he's regressed in almost every single way and looks like the worst hire. Kelly took over at the exact same time and had more turnover than we did...look at how he did last year and is doing this year.

Whatever the PI finds can be put into an NDA and everyone stays mum about it. Napier probably would want to quietly take whatever negotiated settlement we put; and while others in the industry might hear of generally, it's not going to materially affect anyone from taking the job.

Let's face it: we're a high-profile, premier job in college sports even with our recent suckitude. We have a top 5 public school to sell on top of a top 20 most winningest college program. We have a wealthy donor base and alumni support and can afford to pay good money for a good coach. Most importantly: the resources are in-place to win and win quickly. Many coaches would still jump at the opportunity to come here, especially if the money's right.

What we really need to do is hire a PI, use that to lower the buyout, fire Stricklin shortly afterwards (who amply deserves it), and then that way the new A.D. doesn't have the "stench" of using the PI. Is it a little dirty? Probably. But if we can't afford to cut ties and buy him out now, that's the fastest and cleanest way to clean house, which is what we need. This is a business at the end of the day and you sometimes need to be ruthless to get ahead--or in this case, get back to where we were.

 

[TN G8tr]

This is rich coming from you, the guy who built his brand way back on GatorSports by doing everything you're now refusing to do and feigning surprise about with regards to Zook. Hell Zook's been fired for almost 20 years now and you STILL resort to personal vitriol while "making crap up" about him. This lack of self-awareness is truly astounding.

It's even more amazing as you start to peel the layers back, Napier has more in common with Zook than any of our other failed coaches since the 2000's. He works hard and is a relentless recruiter who's bringing in the kind of talent that can win championships, but can't coach for crap. The fact that he looks like he fell off the same pickle truck that Zook did is just the cherry on top. The worst part of it? Out of UT, LSU, UGA, and F$U, Zook beat them all at least once and even managed a winning record over Georgia. He also never had a losing season and finished his Gators tenure 5-4 against top 10 competition. Napier makes Zook look like a good coach; not an easy feat!

So I'll ask it again.. how can you be surprised that anyone on this board is taking shots at Napier when it's simply a reflection of the reputation the board's owner built and continued to cultivate beginning over 20 years ago? Mindboggling to say the least.

 

[Silverback Gator]

What we really need to do is hire a PI, use that to lower the buyout, fire Stricklin shortly afterwards (who amply deserves it), and then that way the new A.D. doesn't have the "stench" of using the PI. Is it a little dirty? Probably. But if we can't afford to cut ties and buy him out now, that's the fastest and cleanest way to clean house, which is what we need. This is a business at the end of the day and you sometimes need to be ruthless to get ahead--or in this case, get back to where we were.

Re Stricklin, I read that the coaches he's hired at UF in other sports, have performed poorly, like a losing record combined. I wonder if that is true. I recently looked up our Cup performance and if I was reading correctly, we finished top 5, which is about where we normally finish.

 

[oxrageous]

How did it get to a point where unproven coaches can be hired and guaranteed $30 million even if they don't perform? No performance conditions, apparently, nothing.

Easy. You have a hot coach. Several different schools want him. You have a bidding war. Precedent is set, and here we are.

 

[Silverback Gator]

Easy. You have a hot coach. Several different schools want him. You have a bidding war. Precedent is set, and here we are.

Schools are rich, and it's not their(the AD's) money they are spending. It probably makes the AD feel pretty cool.... Nonetheless, why did you let this happen, AGAIN! ???

 

[gatorev12]

Re Stricklin, I read that the coaches he's hired at UF in other sports, have performed poorly, like a losing record combined. I wonder if that is true. I recently looked up our Cup performance and if I was reading correctly, we finished top 5, which is about where we normally finish.

I'm not sure about all the sports, but certainly in the big ones of football and basketball.

I mean, we used to win national titles or be competitive in multiple sports under Foley...now, we're waaay down the Director's Cup standings.

 

[Silverback Gator]

I'm not sure about all the sports, but certainly in the big ones of football and basketball.

I mean, we used to win national titles or be competitive in multiple sports under Foley...now, we're waaay down the Director's Cup standings.

This is the most recent I could locate, through June 2023. Final22.23Standings (PDF) - National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics

 

[cover2]

I don't think this is accurate. Billy has large structural changes he needs to make to his staff and "process." Big changes to any system, including responsibility changes, are not easy to implement when you also have a lot of other stuff going on (i.e., game prep, etc.) I think he, his staff, and his players are in a routine, and Billy is concerned that major changes to that routine will become an extra distraction. I'm speculating here, but so is everyone else. That said, I think it's fair to say that it's much more manageable to reorganize/restructure everything in the off-season than during.

I've said this before, but I think it's still true. What Billy does in the off-season between years 2 and 3 will determine if he has a future here in 2025 and beyond. The last 3 coaches doubled-down on their mistakes after year 2, and it cost them (and us). Everyone here assumes Billy will do the same. I don't know what he'll do. But I agree that if he doubles down on his process for next year, then we'll be going through a coaching search in Dec. 2024.

Fair enough. The next three games, how they are played, and the outcomes will tell us more. For the record, I would be ecstatic if Billy turns things around or at least eliminates the same mistakes that have been occurring.

 

[Silverback Gator]

For the record, I would be ecstatic if Billy turns things around or at least eliminates the same mistakes that have been occurring.

100%. If a coach is going to blame execution on their players, they need to execute their responsibilities well.

 

[GatorFL]

Schools don't like to weasel out of buyouts because they think it will scare away the next prospect they want. The buyout is the biggest effing factor in these contracts. If a good coach thinks a school won't pay it, they'll move on.

Meh, just off the top of my head Texas Tech got rid of Leach and Tennessee canned Pruitt, no buyout and neither school seemed to suffer.

 

[LagoonGator68]

Schools don't like to weasel out of buyouts because they think it will scare away the next prospect they want. The buyout is the biggest effing factor in these contracts. If a good coach thinks a school won't pay it, they'll move on.

Meh, just off the top of my head Texas Tech got rid of Leach and Tennessee canned Pruitt, no buyout and neither school seemed to suffer.

GatorFl forgets or is unaware of how this works with the coaches agents. The main agent for most good coaches being JIMMY SEXTON of Creative Artists Agency-Sports. Get on Jimmy‘s bad side by not living up to your contractual obligations with his client means Jimmy doesn’t get paid and will likely never help you hire a football coach in the future.
Sexton has represented every coach we have hired since Spurrier resigned. We inquire with him if coach x might be interested in UF and he acts as a go between with that coach to find out if there is possible interest. This avoids public embarrassment for both sides in case of no interest. Football coaches don’t come with guarantees. Get on Sexton’s shiit list and you’re dead in the water for finding a new college football head coach. Simple.