UF fans did not know how lucky they were in 1989-90 or 2004-05

[InstiGATOR1]

In 1989, UF's coach who many liked was fired. UF record had declined under probation, the NCAA was back at the door and so UF needed a new football coach for 1990. The hire was a no brainer. Spurrier, a UF grad, was doing great things at Duke after doing well in the USFL and Georgia Tech. Spurrier was hired and the rest was history.

Similarly in 2004, UF coach was fired as the program was trending down after a divisive hire. Spurrier was available again and Meyer with connection with the then UF president was doing great things at Utah and was available too. I preferred Spurrier, but one could not argue that Meyer was not a really strong candidate. Meyer was hired and the rest for good or bad is history.

This just shows how great it is to have an obvious next choice when you must change coaches. UF did not have or could not get their first choice for 2002, 2011 or 2015. I think it was more there was not an obvious first choice each time as there is not this time, whether for 2018 or 2019.

 

[divits]

I agree that the timing then was fortuitous and we took full advantage of it. And as you say, it was pretty much a no brainer. But it's been shown that when there isn't a most obvious choice we tend to make the most head scratching choice.

 

[Double Gator Dad]

Unfortunately, the situation is significantly different now.

As stated there is no obvious target out there but what makes this worse is that we are no longer looking to hire "A guy to replace the guy that followed a legend." We are now two coaches removed from success which leads to us being perceived out there as more like Tennessee than we want to admit.
Jeremy whiffed twice and now we are in a bad place.

I hate to do this but to make it even worse........Jeremy would have say in selecting the third consecutive unsuccessful coach.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I hate to do this but to make it even worse........Jeremy would have say in selecting the third consecutive unsuccessful coach.

As long as that say is to veto Cousin Eddie, I'm fine with it.

Beyond that, Stricklin should hear Fooley's advise and then do exactly the opposite.

 

[gingerlover]

I don’t know if I’d necessarily call it lucky, but not rushing out to hire someone just to hire them and actually going after the right people.

 

[kepler]

I don't know about this. I was there in 1989 and I don't remember too many people liking Galen Hall. We all knew Spurrier was out there at Duke and were worried that Arnsparger didn't like him (which apparently turned out to be a falsehood).

 

[InstiGATOR1]

I don't know about this. I was there in 1989 and I don't remember too many people liking Galen Hall. We all knew Spurrier was out there at Duke and were worried that Arnsparger didn't like him (which apparently turned out to be a falsehood).

Well my memory is:

1. People did like Hall.

2. Arnsparger was a jerk who was going to do every thing his way and if he had to screw UF in the process so be it. That is why he went after football and basketball immediately to become the most powerful guy in the UAA. He wanted his acolyte Mike Archer over Spurrier but was presented with a fait accompli and so Spurrier became UF's coach. Not surprisingly Arnsparger took his ego elsewhere so after.

 

[Gator Fever]

I just hope Mullen doesn't end up here. That would probably guarantee that Corral would go somewhere else also.

 

[Zambo]

I liked Galen Hall.