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Post by SoTxCaiman on Dec 1, 2023 10:37:56 GMT -5
Looks like RDB is not just all Sun Belt. Seems we are expanding our talent search to the Missouri Valley Conference as well. 5' 9'' Speedy Wide Receiver |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 1, 2023 11:05:06 GMT -5
This is a good idea, we should roll with it and a recruiting thread or whereas we could combine the two which would be a deal. Right? Anyways, per multiple sources there's currently a bidding war for Etienne. Between our ace handling of Rashada, having a Heisman caliber player backing up a middle to late round back (best case), and his NIL value declining by 45k (see below) and him being the 5th highest valued guy on the team I feel really good about our chances of holding onto him. www.on3.com/db/trevor-etienne-115713/nil/On the good news front Wilson and James have shot down rumors that they were going into the Portal. Bad news is Etienne has made no such refutation. |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 1, 2023 11:36:49 GMT -5
RDB is nothing if not consistent. Gotta give him that. It's not a good thing. I have never seen a guy so capable of blowing past shitty results and doubling down on an approach that isn't working. I mean look at this: www.tampabay.com/sports/gators/2023/05/03/florida-gators-transfer-portal-billy-napier/Florida Gators coach Billy Napier understands fans’ critiques over his program’s approach to the transfer portal. In a process that moves quickly, the Gators do not. Napier isn’t budging — even if it means losing out on talented prospects. “I would gladly welcome that criticism …” Napier told a small group of reporters Wednesday night before a speaking engagement at the Art Ovation Hotel. “We’re going to keep doing what we do.” That you will William. That you will. www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/news/billy-napier-if-youre-on-the-fence-maybe-this-is-not-the-right-place/“I probably would say, if you’re on the fence, maybe this is not the right place for you,” Napier said. “It would be different if I didn’t have confidence in the experience of the scholar-athlete here. The player experience here, I think, is second to none.” Reserve offensive lineman Jordan Herman announced his plans to enter the portal on Sunday, joining defensive back Jadarrius Perkins as the second outgoing transfer from the 2023 team. Pssssssssst. Billy, come here, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, when you say shit like this publicly about guys who never play and/or recruits you consider inconsequential and it gets printed, the guys who have been busting their ass for you for 2 years and suffered through losing seasons get to read it. If you have a kid with options (the best players have the most options), let's randomly say he's a running back that every school in the country wants and you're using as a back-up, and they read it the wrong way or someone convinces them to read it the wrong way, your message could be construed as "get on board the Napier bus or kick rocks," not the message you want to send in this day and age. You'll lose your best players. If you can't win with your most talented guys you probably can't win when they're gone. |
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Post by SoTxCaiman on Dec 1, 2023 12:38:58 GMT -5
RBD's method for finding a needle in the proverbial portal haystack is to wait until the haystack has moved on elsewhere and then low and behold there is his needle, a 5' 9" "speedy" wide out from the Missouri Valley Conf.
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 1, 2023 13:06:35 GMT -5
RBD's method for finding a needle in the proverbial portal haystack is to wait until the haystack has moved on elsewhere and then low and behold there is his needle, a 5' 9" "speedy" wide out from the Missouri Valley Conf. Well to be fair we probably are losing a 5'9 speedy guy, so maybe we're in the market for a short guy who can back up a lesser player. Going to be a lot harder to find the lesser player is the only potential problem, but our approach of evaluating until the 11th hour, or in the case of the Spring visits window evidently the 13th hour, should help in that regard since all the guys that everybody wanted will be gone. |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 1, 2023 13:08:57 GMT -5
The bigger question is will rival fan bases be forced to change his nickname from Sunbelt Billy to Group of Five Billy? The Cajun Willie Taggert becomes the Cajun Gus Malzahn? We've got em on the run now boys! Whereas the process!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 1, 2023 13:32:26 GMT -5
Recruiting- down to 6 on 247 after falling to 12 on rivals. I wonder if we'll keep a top 10 class in any service.
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Post by gatordoll on Dec 1, 2023 13:52:51 GMT -5
This is a good idea, we should roll with it and a recruiting thread or whereas we could combine the two which would be a deal. Right? Anyways, per multiple sources there's currently a bidding war for Etienne. Between our ace handling of Rashada, having a Heisman caliber player backing up a middle to late round back (best case), and his NIL value declining by 45k (see below) and him being the 5th highest valued guy on the team I feel really good about our chances of holding onto him. www.on3.com/db/trevor-etienne-115713/nil/On the good news front Wilson and James have shot down rumors that they were going into the Portal. Bad news is Etienne has made no such refutation. I would think Etienne should go where he could get the most snaps. He's looking at future NFL draft $$. NIL is peanuts to him at this point in his career |
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Post by gatordoll on Dec 1, 2023 13:59:43 GMT -5
RDB has confidence in the student-athlete experince to override any concerns a recruit might have. Exactly what experince is he referring to?
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 1, 2023 14:57:33 GMT -5
This is a good idea, we should roll with it and a recruiting thread or whereas we could combine the two which would be a deal. Right? Anyways, per multiple sources there's currently a bidding war for Etienne. Between our ace handling of Rashada, having a Heisman caliber player backing up a middle to late round back (best case), and his NIL value declining by 45k (see below) and him being the 5th highest valued guy on the team I feel really good about our chances of holding onto him. www.on3.com/db/trevor-etienne-115713/nil/On the good news front Wilson and James have shot down rumors that they were going into the Portal. Bad news is Etienne has made no such refutation. I would think Etienne should go where he could get the most snaps. He's looking at future NFL draft $$. NIL is peanuts to him at this point in his career I agree for the most part although if you look at the top NIL value of the top kids in CFB I think peanuts is a stretch. There are kids on this list that will definitely make more money in college than they will see in the NFL. Remember NFL contracts aren't guaranteed and the rookie contract structure is not very good, so for a Running Back to forego 350k in comparison to a much lesser back (Etienne to the kid from ND that is 57th on this list at 617k) he's essentially betting not only his game translating to the next level/the ability to produce in the NFL (I don't think that's a factor for Etienne because he's not one of those that seems to live in that half step speed difference between NFL and big time CFB) but also staying healthy (much more of a roll of the dice for a kid who is listed at 5'9, 205). That said, it's pretty much the chicken or the egg with Etienne. His value is going to go up based on his opportunities/exposure both draft stock and NIL value. I don't know that people realize how good he had to be to average almost 6 yards a carry behind the UF offensive line and with a coach trying to prove that the RB who followed him from Louisiana was the superior player. There was (much) more to the ridiculousness of Johnson being the named starter and getting the majority of the carries and targets than just horrible evaluating and allocation of resources. Had to be unless he's really lazy and stupid. Couple examples beyond just the straight numbers which are telling in and of themselves: 1) McNeese State- Johnson 15 carries, Etienne 11, straight stat padding game 2) Charlotte- on the heels of Etienne going for 172 and basically winning us the Tennessee game (for some reason Mertz gets credit here despite throwing for 6 less yards than Etienne ran for) Johnson gets 16 carries to Etienne's 8 3) Vandy- Etienne sits to get healthy Johnson goes 18 for 135 (fwiw Webb goes for 70 on 4 carries) and Napier basically says "I told you so" which if I'm Etienne I wouldn't be thrilled with 4) On Paper this doesn't look as bad but I think it was probably the most telling, UGA SEC game of the week, Johnson goes for 82 yards on 9 carries and 2 receptions for 14 yards on 4 targets, Etienne only gets 7 carries for 42 and catches his 1 target for a 1 yard gain, he is also 0-1 passing but made a nice catch of a snap through a guys legs. Problem is this, and this was the rule not the exception, 48 of Montrell's yards came in garbage time against a prevent defense expecting a pass. Etienne would have scored on that play and as the big play threat should be getting those targets and carries because he can house them. Take that play away here and Montrell was 8-34 which is right on track. That was all season. In close games against good defenses Etienne played in the 4th quarter, against bad defenses and garbage time Montrell got the ball. There appeared to be a clear effort to close the disparity between their stats that were so lopsided in 22. Mission accomplished I guess. When the check comes due it's gonna be a bitch though. |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 4, 2023 9:29:32 GMT -5
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 6, 2023 12:53:02 GMT -5
No bueno.
Then there's this, the original tweet/X has been taken down but I am going to make an educated guess that it's more Etienne smoke:
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Post by SoTxCaiman on Dec 6, 2023 13:02:31 GMT -5
Ouch, that's going to leave a mark.......
30 minutes ago the UF Gator Athletics page had a story noting his post season awards and accolades. It has since been taken down.
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 6, 2023 13:10:31 GMT -5
Ouch, that's going to leave a mark....... 30 minutes ago the UF Gator Athletics page had a story noting his post season awards and accolades. It has since been taken down. He's a dead man walking. Question is how far down the program will be allowed to go under his and (probably more importantly) Stricklin's watch. I blame myself for texting my friends that the program wasn't all lollipops and rainbows. I just know that and social media posts from middle aged white guys that all recruits and portal entrees read before making any sort of decision are what's holding this regime back. Apologies Billy, you're a real one, and I love your hair. |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 6, 2023 13:39:38 GMT -5
longhornswire.usatoday.com/2023/12/05/texas-football-longhorns-recruiting-xavier-filsaime-florida-commit-2024-safety-visit/He said all the right things when Raymond was let go, but sometimes actions speak louder than words. Look for Princely and McLelland to follow Spencer (and his NFL ties) to Texas A&M. Those staff changes are really paying off, especially the strategy of not replacing them before Signing Day. "Just take my word for it and trust me" carries a ton of weight when you're 7-14 against Power 5 competition. Etienne is gone, he's just figuring out where before officially entering the portal. Maybe we hold onto Lagway but he knows he's a backup to Gutsy Graham the check down man. Maybe Filsaime winds up sticking and we only lose Williams which may be enough to keep us in the top 10, but it doesn't matter, We don't need to overthink this. When Pat Dooley's pumping sunshine has come to gems like this: gatorswire.usatoday.com/lists/florida-football-12-reasons-not-low-point-gators-pat-dooley/and you are more than likely going to lose your best player on either side of the ball plus 5-7 starters from a 5-7 team, things aren't real good
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 7, 2023 10:11:13 GMT -5
Etienne still not in the portal or stated that he's entering. Possible that we hold onto him? I don't want to get my hopes up but I am.
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 7, 2023 12:12:24 GMT -5
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Post by SoTxCaiman on Dec 7, 2023 12:58:00 GMT -5
When your teams best players don't think you can win what's left?
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Post by g8rfan on Dec 7, 2023 13:06:55 GMT -5
Saw this coming about 6 games into the season. What a joke this program has become. |
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Post by gatordoll on Dec 7, 2023 14:36:20 GMT -5
When your teams best players don't think you can win what's left? When a team's best players are not utilzed properly what can they expect? |
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Post by g8rfan on Dec 7, 2023 16:46:32 GMT -5
I just saw a list on another board that HALF of Billy’s first recruiting class is in the portal. I don’t know if this is the new normal and I don’t really have time to research other schools but that doesn’t seem like a great ratio. I’m pissed about Etienne leaving but not at him. At the guy that decided to platoon a star player with a back that he’s obviously better than. Scared money? How bout stupid money? What does stupid money do? What a clown car. I hope Etienne wins the GD Heisman next year. I really do.
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Post by Mojave Gator on Dec 7, 2023 19:41:00 GMT -5
I hope Etienne wins the GD Heisman next year. I really do. If he faces us, he will probably rush for 300 yards and four touchdowns. For context, Georgia has ten players in the portal. Alabama has four. |
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Post by Rock Gator on Dec 7, 2023 20:36:05 GMT -5
At UG and Bama, the portal is about PT. At Florida, right now anyway, it's much deeper than that. Much deeper.
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 7, 2023 21:04:59 GMT -5
As I ranted and raved in group text turning into “get off my lawn” guy when it comes to the new generation of Gator fans and sunshine pumping media 2 examples came to mind that really hit home. I’ll leave the 21 year old male students holding each other with tears in their eyes alone, but that actually happened, I used to drink too much but I don’t recall that 15-30 years ago but maybe I was in the wrong section. Anyways:
1) we had two similarly ranked prospects come into the program in 2020 and 21 respectively. One needed to add speed and strength and work on his technique. The other needed to lose 30-50 lbs of bad weight. Player A gained 15 lbs of muscle, was 2nd team all sec last year, had over twice as many QB pressures as anyone else on the team despite being the one guy opposing teams had to scheme for, and worked and played his way into a probable first round pick. Played B has actually gained anywhere from 60-90 lbs. and there’s no way in hell he will get even a camp invite because NFL teams don’t want to risk a lawsuit should he have a cardiac issue. One if a fan favorite while the other ones work ethic and discipline are being questioned. Also we fired the Dline coach with nfl experience and ties but kept the S&C staff intact. Nobody seems to see the ridiculousness of that.
2) “the offense is better with graham mertz because he is a Napier style QB” and “mertz is the 2nd best QB since Tebow!” Have become rallying cries. I’m sick of giving this disclaimer but mertz seems like a good kid who played about as well as he is capable of and I’m assuming that was the result of some hard work. Thats the fucking problem. He’s not coming back because of unfinished business, he’s coming back because he’s got nowhere else to go and he seems to love football. Not sure how the offense is better when I can’t find one yardage or scoring stat that improved and big plays disappeared to a historical low which is the anti-Florida football, but the fact that it’s even a discussion speaks volumes. Do you have any idea how bad your QB coach and OC have to be in: player development, adjusting to utilize their personnel’s strengths, game planning, and playcalling to get even comparable results out of graham mertz (who got benched at a mid-level big 10 school) and Anthony richardson (arguably the most physically gifted human to ever play QB)? That is literally like drag racing with a formula 1 Ferrari in one race, losing, and then coming back with a 1992 Toyota Corolla because “it’s a better fit for my style,” losing again but barely a tick slower. And the fanbase is saying “look the 92 accord is back, yeah it lost the best part of the engine but we’ve gotta see what it can do.” God forbid you mention that maybe we try a different driver or go looking for a better car because you might get called spoiled.
It’s unreal. It really really is.
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Post by Mojave Gator on Dec 7, 2023 23:05:55 GMT -5
Etienne would have had to be a total idiot not to hit the portal. Between him and Anthony Richardson, this program has squandered an amazing amount of offensive talent on the way to the bottom. BTW, I saw that Dooley took a swipe at FRZ - conveniently forgetting that Zook was demoted on the Gators staff and then given the head coach's job. He also misses that it gave fans a place to vent when places like Gator Country (which sent me packing in 2001 for daring to have a less-than-totally-optimistic opinion) were the only alternative. |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 8, 2023 10:16:01 GMT -5
When your teams best players don't think you can win what's left? Big Des and Gutsy Graham. Both seem to be good guys, but you have absolutely no chance of competing for championships with either playing significant time. Actually the more I think about it the more emblematic of this staff's shortcomings Big Des is. Set Mertz aside, he clearly puts in the work and seems like a smart guy (can't call a 23 year old guy going into his 6th year a kid). Desmond Watson is not a thing at a winning program. It's not personal, but at no successful program does a kid who came in at 380 and has consistently put on weight with surprisingly little fluctuation (remember when they celebrated him getting down to 415 and then he came back at 449?) stay on the roster, much less see the field. For all the talk about discipline and constant analysis and infrastructure, the proof is in the pudding (that Des ate). That sets a tone. The other parallel I draw is his confusion about why he continues to gain weight, at the start of the Spring I think he said "I've figured out that it might be my diet and I need to be more consistent in the offseason." It reminds me of Napier, they both seem to be good enough guys who are genuinely confused that they are gaining weight and losing games respectively. Unfortunately this epiphany was followed up by more weight gain, so should Napier realize that perhaps he should make changes I will not be fooled by any public proclamation. |
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Post by wahhappen on Dec 8, 2023 10:57:10 GMT -5
Finally we can get rid of some of the dead weight (not to be confused with half of Des’s body) on this roster and make way for some backs that can pass block and keep Mertz upright long enough to complete a screen pass on 3rd and 19 (would have been 3rd and 9 but got back-to-back substitution and false start penalties - probably because we are so young and in phase 1 of our rebuilding project). Good riddance. We want real Gators, not the ones interested in making money, getting drafted, playing time, and winning.
👆is how my Twitter feed has been reading as of late. Seriously.
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 8, 2023 11:06:55 GMT -5
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Post by SoTxCaiman on Dec 8, 2023 11:28:03 GMT -5
The portal takes, but the portal also gives. First a 5' 9" wide out from Missouri State was looking our way, now we are getting sniffs from a former All-Ivy leauge D-lineman from the Penn Quakers! The hits just keep on coming. Link - All-Ivy League Future Gator? |
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Post by tapsgator on Dec 8, 2023 12:19:15 GMT -5
ewwww I think I see the vision now, we are intentionally not hiring a Defensive Line Coach and instead recruiting Ivy League kids who can serve as player coaches. Since they're more smarter whereas the process of hearing a word will not be a confusing deal. Right?
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