What Should Determine Napier's Success?

What's acceptable for Napier's first 3 years?

  • National Championship

    Votes: 7 11.7%
  • SEC Championship

    Votes: 21 35.0%
  • College Play-off

    Votes: 8 13.3%
  • Top 5 Recruiting

    Votes: 16 26.7%
  • Exciting Football...What ever that means?

    Votes: 4 6.7%
  • Disciplined Football with a good shot at the Play-offs

    Votes: 28 46.7%
  • Champions of life

    Votes: 2 3.3%

  • Total voters
    60

GatorTruth133

Alethea
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Oct 5, 2017
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Can’t believe I missed this thread. This is exactly what bothers me when people preach “patience” or “they didn’t/won’t get enough time”, most people using those blanket phrases refuse to define their terms. I think it is important for us to look at what our definitions are so we can determine how to fairly judge or at least have fair conversations with each other.

Standard at UF is Championships. This isn’t Bear Bryant’s “sleeping giant” many of you grew up with. This is the giant that was awakened by Steve Spurrier. Dude then won the SEC (probation) in year one. Now, a lot has changed so I do think that while possible (anything is possible, though likelihood changes) it is not reasonable as an expectation in year one for Napier.

Recruiting: Doesn’t look like he’s going to do what many successful (and some unsuccessful) coaches have done and pull a top 5 bump class. He MUST, however, salvage a top 10 class. We can talk out of both sides of our mouths about relationships with high schools and kids while praising the breaking of “the IMG curse” in weeks to make excuses for missing so much this year, but we still have to have some standard. Can’t use this excuse for 2024.

Starting next year, top 5 classes are a must regardless of the transfer portal.

On the field: 8-4 is the floor for this season and most years the record shouldn’t touch 8-4 going forward. Yes, every so often you might have a 2007, but you better have lots of young guys playing like they did. Don’t know who needs to hear this, but LOSING SEASONS ARE UNACCEPTABLE AT UF.

Needs an SEC Title by Year 5 (if everything else shows we are heading in the right direction. Repeat after me, no coach, none, 0, zip, zilch, nada, zero have won a National Title in at least the last 50 years in the SEC without winning the SEC by year 5. And only 1 coach, Phil Fulmer, took that long. Most in 3 years or less. I know, some might be reacting right now w/ “but this coach will defy all those odds”. Heard that with Champ, Mac, and Mullen, not going to entertain that. You’ll know where we are by then. The goal is to get back to National Titles, first step is the SEC.

Other notes:

Can’t have losing records to rivals within 5 years. No 0-5, 2-3, or 1-4 against UGA, UT, FSU, LSU. I’ll give this one caveat, IF it’s 2-3 and you were 0-3 (won’t be happy), but those last 2 are multiple score wins showing a changing of the guard, I’ll bite. Have to beat Miami every time. No losses to non-power 5 teams/Vandy’s of the world. No worse than 4-1 against the UK, Carolina, and Mizzou’s. We are better, act like it.

Year One: 8-4 floor
Year Two: TBD, could Billy do what Kirby did and get a ton of guys to not go pro? This is the big question as if yes, we could be special, if no, this could be the down year.
Year Three: 10 win regular seasons need to start/need some wins against teams finishing top 5 by this point (if we face some).
Year Four/Year Five: Atlanta and at least one SEC Title.
 

gatorev12

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Aug 17, 2018
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In Year 1, success will be defined by doing better than the predictions. Going 9-3 and winning a bowl game will likely put us in the Top 10 at the end of the year with a 10 win season. I'd take that, so would everyone else. It means we won the games we were favored in and pulled at least one upset on a team we weren't favored over. It's what Mullen did in Year One and if Napier is as good a coach as he wants to be, that is easily attainable with our roster and schedule.

More importantly, that'll show all the recruits that he can coach. Napier is already a better recruiter and program manager than Mullen ever was (or Butters or Muschump); so showing guys on the fence that he's not just all talk will help close some undecideds and possibly a surprise flip at the end of the year. Probably not top 5, but solidly in the top 10 for 2023 recruiting.

In Year Two, it's putting things together. Going 9-3 or 10-2 is somewhat a must to show Year 1 wasn't a fluke. Bettering our Year 1 recruiting class with the benefit of more time to build rapport and relationships with recruits. This is the year to beat UGAy and make the SEC Championship game.

Do THAT and things should start taking care of themselves in Year 3 and beyond. Recruits will continue to follow, more talent will keep winning percentages high, etc. Sooner or later, titles will follow too.

That's the roadmap, at least; but so far, Napier's been pretty aware of the expectations. He's built a competitive coaching staff, shown the right effort on the recruiting trail, and built a great recruiting staff on top of that. Start showing on the field you can deliver as a coach on the field, and everything will fall into place.
 

Concrete Helmet

Hook, Line, and Sinker
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Jul 29, 2014
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It's hard to say and I'll admit my expectations aren't pie in the sky for the first few years. Let me explain...
People talk about recruiting like it's some god given right that UF should be granted a top 5 class every year.....Recruiting is about great recruiters but it's also about relationships and we've had 4 different staffs in the last 9 recruiting cycles.....HS coaches take time to warm up to new people walking through their doors unless their name is Dabo or Saban(I know there are a handful of others)...I'm not saying this guy CAN'T get us into the top 5 but let's be realistic it's going to take 3or 4 years of hard work most likely.

System.....it takes at least 2-3 seasons to mold existing players and recruit enough players to fit your system as a new coach. There also will likely be some shake ups with a new staff. Again, it usually takes a few years to line up all the pieces here and even when you do the parts are always moving(leaving) from time to time.

Level of competition in our conference. This applies not only to winning games but also recruiting and for new coaches to find out the lay of the land so to speak (learning other coaches' tendencies, players, stadiums and so on)

I know some of you are jumping up and down right now screaming about SOS and Urban......Look SOS was our greatest coach and only won 1 NC. Yes I know he won the SEC frequently but seriously there is NO comparison between this conference then and now.....Well what about Urban? Urban was only 2 years removed from our greatness with SOS. The winning attitude and recruiting/talent level were still very close to the top......Napier is 13 YEARS removed from that 2009 team that lost to Bama(our last great team).....big differences.

As others have mentioned beat the Mizzou's, UK's, USCe and such on a yearly basis, put well coached/disciplined players in a position to win against the top teams we play and show continual improvement in player development and recruiting. Realistically that's all we can ask for at this point.
 

abefroman

Sausage King
Lifetime Member
Oct 3, 2019
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It's hard to say and I'll admit my expectations aren't pie in the sky for the first few years. Let me explain...
People talk about recruiting like it's some god given right that UF should be granted a top 5 class every year.....Recruiting is about great recruiters but it's also about relationships and we've had 4 different staffs in the last 9 recruiting cycles.....HS coaches take time to warm up to new people walking through their doors unless their name is Dabo or Saban(I know there are a handful of others)...I'm not saying this guy CAN'T get us into the top 5 but let's be realistic it's going to take 3or 4 years of hard work most likely.

System.....it takes at least 2-3 seasons to mold existing players and recruit enough players to fit your system as a new coach. There also will likely be some shake ups with a new staff. Again, it usually takes a few years to line up all the pieces here and even when you do the parts are always moving(leaving) from time to time.

Level of competition in our conference. This applies not only to winning games but also recruiting and for new coaches to find out the lay of the land so to speak (learning other coaches' tendencies, players, stadiums and so on)

I know some of you are jumping up and down right now screaming about SOS and Urban......Look SOS was our greatest coach and only won 1 NC. Yes I know he won the SEC frequently but seriously there is NO comparison between this conference then and now.....Well what about Urban? Urban was only 2 years removed from our greatness with SOS. The winning attitude and recruiting/talent level were still very close to the top......Napier is 13 YEARS removed from that 2009 team that lost to Bama(our last great team).....big differences.

As others have mentioned beat the Mizzou's, UK's, USCe and such on a yearly basis, put well coached/disciplined players in a position to win against the top teams we play and show continual improvement in player development and recruiting. Realistically that's all we can ask for at this point
FL recruiting: Napier is already establishing relationships within high school programs (north/mid-FL). No concerns

System: It doesn’t take more than a year for players to adapt to a new scheme, their average 70 IQ-level intelligence should impress you. Ball coach will have them ready

Staff excitement: Inexact comps (new generation)

BL: This team will surprise you in the Fall
 

aka

Founding Member
I Deliver
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Jun 22, 2014
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Whatever the people who actually pay him think.
 

Theologator

Enchanter
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Aug 11, 2015
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Edit: Literally got that after the thrilling 1994 SECCG featuring Doering’s double pass and Danny’s “injury”/ Kresser pass. We went to the Marriott’s Champions sports bar after the game. There was a classic, pretty blonde Bammer girl on the pay phone saying, “Momma, I can’t believe we lost!” Such a happy memory.
 
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oxrageous

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Jun 5, 2014
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What a bunch of losers. 50% just want Napier to play nice. :facepalm:

I see the new forum software was worth the price. That poll adds up to 145.7%
Evidently you can't read. It says "multiple votes are allowed" at the bottom. Why the OP would create a poll like this I don't know.
 

Theologator

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It’s a much heavier task than any of our previous coaches have faced, but history says it’s the best indicator to a coach’s long term success here. To me it’s an indication that they understand the magnitude of the game as well as the implications of what it means for the season. Spurrier and Meyer both got it and put an emphasis on that game to set the tone for their tenures. Even Zook coached lights out in 2002. McElwain got Richt on his way out and a walk-on safety making his first start at QB for uga, but sure, he technically won. WM and Mullen both lost and it was the biggest black eye of their seasons. There simply can’t be a great season that includes a loss in Jax. It killed 2012, rained on Tebow’s Heisman year, likely keeps Spurrier awake at night thinking of ‘97, and has been the official death blow for several coaches.

As I said, it’s a different animal and I don’t mean to imply that BN would be in trouble for losing to this brand of uga, especially this season. But a win would put him in a unique category, and a loss would hurt.

To the initial question, there is no one thing that will define success for him, and certainly not this season. If he’s building the program, and signs are visible, I’m good.
So true. And Spurrier said it all the time. Job #1 is Beat Georgia. It’s the gateway to everything else we hope to achieve.
 

Concrete Helmet

Hook, Line, and Sinker
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Jul 29, 2014
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System: It doesn’t take more than a year for players to adapt to a new scheme,
Maybe if you're walking into top 5 classes, if not you're getting mid tier talent that won't be able to overcome better talent that is locked into a system. See results over the last 13 years for proof....
 
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jdh5484

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Just Beat UGa
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Jun 30, 2014
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So true. And Spurrier said it all the time. Job #1 is Beat Georgia. It’s the gateway to everything else we hope to achieve.
Steve spurrier pointing GIF by Florida Gators
 
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