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Post by g8rfan on Jan 5, 2024 11:46:54 GMT -5
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 5, 2024 12:32:01 GMT -5
This could very well be the most preposterous thing I've read all offseason and that's a very high bar to clear. To say he doesn't get it at this point doesn't really do justice to how bass ackwards his approach has become. Initially it was just a flawed approach in that he tried to copy what he perceived to be the Saban/Smart system, but as it turns out the information you can glean as a dim-witted coffee boy who works his way all the way to wide receivers coach and the 10th most important guy in the building only takes you as far as Sun Belt Division champs and 1.5 Sun Belt Championships. As time has gone on and the approach has proven wildly ineffective he has continued to tweak it, somehow in all the wrong ways, creating an amalgamation (that would be a good word of the day for RDB to try to work into 90% of his press conferences without using the word properly not even once) that falls somewhere on the spectrum in between farcical imbecility and pathological lunacy. I am going to try to set aside my fandom unless and until at least one of RDB and/or Stricklin (whose termination may well be a condition precedent to returning to any sort of relevancy in the big 2 sports) is no longer posing as a Gator in an effort to accept and enjoy the pure, unadulterated nonsense that is our football program at the moment.
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 5, 2024 12:38:30 GMT -5
I'm calling it now, this reduction in the budget will be the reason we either don't hire or vastly underpay an offensive coordinator and/or a special teams coach. Plus, as the article correctly points out we will now be paying Hocke his salary to do "something he has always been interested in." I shit you not. This is an absolute pearl:
“We’ve been in an evaluation mode,” Napier said. “I do anticipate some different leadership there, different approach there. You guys all know Mark. Mark’s an unbelievable leader, person. He’s done an unbelievable job for me personally for six years. I can’t compliment him enough in terms of character and loyalty. One of the things that Mark and I have always talked about is what’s next for him in his career?
“Ultimately we’re going to try to help Mark with that, and he’s going to be doing different things for our organization, a lot more upstairs, kind of making some of that transition into the coaching element,” Napier continued. “He’s always had aspirations to do those things, and I think that presents an opportunity for us to bring new leadership from a strength and conditioning standpoint.”
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Post by g8rfan on Jan 5, 2024 14:06:55 GMT -5
It’s like the football version of Monty Python. There are layers to the absurdity and if you go back and start from the beginning new jokes present themselves.
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Post by wahhappen on Jan 5, 2024 17:54:24 GMT -5
 This would be my general question to every single part of our football program from the AD down to the player with the secret special teams code word. |
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Post by wahhappen on Jan 5, 2024 17:57:07 GMT -5
Seriously. Why are we bringing in another “evaluator.” Don’t we already have people on staff that already get paid to do that? More specifically, isn’t that what the head coach and AD are supposed to be doing?
But he does seem like a real high character guy, so I’m sure it will all work out if given enough time.
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Post by g8rfan on Jan 5, 2024 23:36:55 GMT -5
I always thought running the football team is the HCs job but I’ve been wrong before.
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Post by Mojave Gator on Jan 6, 2024 0:06:55 GMT -5
One of the things that Mark and I have always talked about is what’s next for him in his career? “Ultimately we’re going to try to help Mark with that, and he’s going to be doing different things for our organization, a lot more upstairs, kind of making some of that transition into the coaching element,” Napier continued. “He’s always had aspirations to do those things, and I think that presents an opportunity for us to bring new leadership from a strength and conditioning standpoint.” So we're trying to help a bad coach to resurrect his career, and you guys act like that is a bad thing. Heartless bastards. |
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 6, 2024 13:57:52 GMT -5
One of the things that Mark and I have always talked about is what’s next for him in his career? “Ultimately we’re going to try to help Mark with that, and he’s going to be doing different things for our organization, a lot more upstairs, kind of making some of that transition into the coaching element,” Napier continued. “He’s always had aspirations to do those things, and I think that presents an opportunity for us to bring new leadership from a strength and conditioning standpoint.” So we're trying to help a bad coach to resurrect his career, and you guys act like that is a bad thing. Heartless bastards. Oh no it’s much worse than that, he’s referring to mark hocke the s&c guy who brought us Desmond Watson and the two slowest DBs at the 23 NFL combine. You see Cajun Willie is helping him change careers out of the S&C field where he was underqualified but at least had experience (including sunbelt of course) into the coaching field where near as I can tell this “associate head coach” role is his first rodeo and came with a guaranteed contract from Starkville Scotty too hotty. As CWT summarizes: ““I do think that we’re right in the middle of that process,” Napier said. “But I can’t compliment Mark enough relative to the work he’s done for us. We wouldn’t be here without Mark Hocke. I’m excited about helping Mark pursue some of the things that he and I have always discussed.” He’s so damn genial and magnanimous. What a guy. Right? |
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Post by Mojave Gator on Jan 6, 2024 14:08:19 GMT -5
So we're trying to help a bad coach to resurrect his career, and you guys act like that is a bad thing. Heartless bastards. Oh no it’s much worse than that, he’s referring to mark hocke the s&c guy who brought us Desmond Watson and the two slowest DBs at the 23 NFL combine. You see Cajun Willie is helping him change careers out of the S&C field where he was underqualified but at least had experience (including sunbelt of course) into the coaching field where near as I can tell this “associate head coach” role is his first rodeo and came with a guaranteed contract from Starkville Scotty too hotty. As CWT summarizes: ““I do think that we’re right in the middle of that process,” Napier said. “But I can’t compliment Mark enough relative to the work he’s done for us. We wouldn’t be here without Mark Hocke. I’m excited about helping Mark pursue some of the things that he and I have always discussed.” He’s so damn genial and magnanimous. What a guy. Right? He helped Des get to where he is today. That's all that I need. |
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 6, 2024 14:45:45 GMT -5
Again, i have to question his intelligence when Napier says shit like “we wouldn’t be where we are today without Mark” as if it’s a good thing. He legit thinks that everybody is good with the current standing and direction of the program. I can’t fathom how, but he has convinced himself this is all going to plan.
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Post by g8rfan on Jan 8, 2024 19:07:49 GMT -5
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Post by Mojave Gator on Jan 8, 2024 19:50:52 GMT -5
He’s gettin the band back together. Ragin' Cajuns, baby! |
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 9, 2024 10:13:54 GMT -5
If you'll forgive me I will temporarily suspend my ban on taking these idiots (CWT and SS) seriously and ask: 1) How exactly are we going to hire an on-field special teams coach and a QB coach/OC if we are using our staff allotment and budget (where you can also include adding Mark Robinson who failed as an associate AD working with Jimbo and unlimited NIL money plus hiring a new S&C coach while continuing to pay the old S&C coach to start doing random acts of coaching and kindness because whereas the process) on a co-DC and have not eliminated any staff positions from last year? All the "insiders" say Cajun Willie plans to make said hires so it must be true, he's probably just rocket evaluanalyzing. That's evaluating and analyzing at the same time in outer space because he's an astronaut too. That's a deal man. 2) Call me crazy, but wouldn't it make more sense to have Tits McJiggles back to linebackers coach where he was actually going to work for Saban and just name this guy DC? Since he has actual experience? We could go really crazy and have Will Harris coach the entire secondary because he has experience coaching both safeties and CBs because that's how normal staffs are constructed with only 1 position coach per position group. Or should we continue having TMJ coaching the safeties despite the fact that he has exactly 0 experience as a position coach other than LBers because Patrick Toney (the old DC and his doppelgänger) coach safeties, and go with the co-DCs and splitting up CBs and DC duties? Okay after evaluanalysis let's do the latter because 2 is a bigger number than 1. Good talk CWT. 3) This isn't a question so much as a celebration of brilliance and flat out good luck deals, but I remember watching this play and thinking: "Man, if we could get the DC who designed and called this Defense and team him up with Austin Fucking Armstrong, that would be a lightning in a bottle type deal. Enjoy: We just hired that guy. So that's a thing that happened. And it's hilarious. |
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Post by wahhappen on Jan 9, 2024 14:17:19 GMT -5
If you'll forgive me I will temporarily suspend my ban on taking these idiots (CWT and SS) seriously and ask: 1) How exactly are we going to hire an on-field special teams coach and a QB coach/OC if we are using our staff allotment and budget (where you can also include adding Mark Robinson who failed as an associate AD working with Jimbo and unlimited NIL money plus hiring a new S&C coach while continuing to pay the old S&C coach to start doing random acts of coaching and kindness because whereas the process) on a co-DC and have not eliminated any staff positions from last year? All the "insiders" say Cajun Willie plans to make said hires so it must be true, he's probably just rocket evaluanalyzing. That's evaluating and analyzing at the same time in outer space because he's an astronaut too. That's a deal man. 2) Call me crazy, but wouldn't it make more sense to have Tits McJiggles back to linebackers coach where he was actually going to work for Saban and just name this guy DC? Since he has actual experience? We could go really crazy and have Will Harris coach the entire secondary because he has experience coaching both safeties and CBs because that's how normal staffs are constructed with only 1 position coach per position group. Or should we continue having TMJ coaching the safeties despite the fact that he has exactly 0 experience as a position coach other than LBers because Patrick Toney (the old DC and his doppelgänger) coach safeties, and go with the co-DCs and splitting up CBs and DC duties? Okay after evaluanalysis let's do the latter because 2 is a bigger number than 1. Good talk CWT. 3) This isn't a question so much as a celebration of brilliance and flat out good luck deals, but I remember watching this play and thinking: "Man, if we could get the DC who designed and called this Defense and team him up with Austin Fucking Armstrong, that would be a lightning in a bottle type deal. Enjoy: We just hired that guy. So that's a thing that happened. And it's hilarious. 1.) We are not supposed to ask these types of questions. Just have faith that things are going to plan and have patience. More staff = more resources for players. We can always have a player in charge of sending in plays. Also, no need for a QB coach because Graham Mertz is back and he is the best quarterback we have had since Tebow. Mertz will also be in charge of developing Lagway - the best thing to happen to DJ for his long term career. 2.) Did you not see the part where we have NFL coaches now? In addition, we have an associate AD that is pretty much the same as a GM in the NFL. So really we are almost an NFL team now while all of the other SEC pretenders are trying to compete as college teams. Problem solved. 3.) This looks just like our defense, so I see that guy as a perfect fit for our system. We may have lost a coach, but we won't miss a beat with his replacement. We will continue to be a well-oiled, high-octane, bend-and-then-break machine. On a side note, how long do you think that announcer had that "Bond, Isaiah Bond" call in his back pocket? I hate people sometimes. |
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Post by gatordoll on Jan 10, 2024 17:17:25 GMT -5
I have heard from a source that Freeze was going to fire Roberts but gave him a chance to find other employment. This gives him a job while still on the Auburn contract money. Meanwhile what an insult to Armstrong that RDB had to hire a guy to share the DC duties with. Given the dumpster fire we have going I can't imagine any decent coach would be coming over to UF anticipating the head coach would probably be gone by mid season. |
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 10, 2024 21:07:51 GMT -5
2.) Did you not see the part where we have NFL coaches now? In addition, we have an associate AD that is pretty much the same as a GM in the NFL. So really we are almost an NFL team now while all of the other SEC pretenders are trying to compete as college teams. Problem solved. The best part is we don't actually hire coaches with NFL experience (unless you count Will Harris's one year of coaching with an all-time bad San Diego (Spanish for whale's vagina) so much as we fire them (Spencer). We try to stay true to the Sunbelt when it comes to hands-on coaching. S&C people on the other hand? NFL all the way. Makes a lot of sense because the needs for 40-45 full grown men who have generally been working with a multimillion dollar S&C department for at least 3 years and proven they have the discipline and drive to reach the most elite level of football are the exact same for 100 18-22 year olds coming in with great genetics and a rudimentary at best knowledge of serious strength training unless they went the IMG route (which we have largely avoided by not signing many kids and none of the top ones from the single most fertile recruiting school in the country when we're located 154 miles away, the only closer schools with D1 programs are USF and UCF). Don't get me wrong, an NFL S&C guy like Fitzgerald is far more likely to be successful than Cajun Willie's S&C guy at Louisiana in Hocke who appears to have been training football players for a 400 per Princely. He called it track training but from the sounds of it there was a clear endurance component that sprinters would never do (makes sense if you look at our 40 times from the last combine other than Richardson who is king freak and doesn't count). The good news is that as much of a train wreck as Hocke was as an SEC strength guy (our conditioning other than our morbidly obese guys who I'll be kind and not put on him was never really a problem) he should be exponentially worse as a football coach since he has zero experience doing that at any level, but he and CWT have been talking about it for years and Starkville Scotty guaranteed his contract so giddy the fuck up. I ain't mad at any of it, I've moved past denial and anger into acceptance with a chuckle, although looking up IMG kinda pissed me off, it's just amusing that the company line is "we're bringing in NFL guys" and the only NFL experience we've brought in is in the one place where NFL experience has the least carryover. Oh yeah and the guy who will be filling a "NFL GM type role?" What bullshit. Here's his work history: ATHLETICS WORK HISTORY 2003-07: Texas A&M (Asst. Dir. of Football Operations) 2008-12: Arkansas (Dir. of Football Operations) 2013-17: Florida State (Assistant Athletics Director for Football) 2018-23: Texas A&M (Associate Athletics Director for Football) He's Jimbo's bitch boy. Since Jimbo no longer requires a bitch boy to collect his buyout he had to find a new home. If you were actually appointing an NFL GM role I'd think maybe some sort of experience in the NFL or a front office of a professional sport might be a good idea, but what the Hell do I know? |
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Post by gatordoll on Jan 10, 2024 21:50:25 GMT -5
Fitzgeralds actual title is "Director of Football Performance". Ah ha! Problem solved!
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Post by wahhappen on Jan 10, 2024 22:23:29 GMT -5
Fitzgeralds actual title is "Director of Football Performance". Ah ha! Problem solved! Isn’t that just another way of saying “Head Coach?” So I’ll ask again, what exactly is Napier’s role? It appears he is the offensive coordinator with hiring and firing ability for positions that perform (very poorly) the other head coaching duties. I challenge anybody to list one thing he does well. |
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Post by tapsgator on Jan 11, 2024 13:35:29 GMT -5
Fitzgeralds actual title is "Director of Football Performance". Ah ha! Problem solved! Isn’t that just another way of saying “Head Coach?” So I’ll ask again, what exactly is Napier’s role? It appears he is the offensive coordinator with hiring and firing ability for positions that perform (very poorly) the other head coaching duties. I challenge anybody to list one thing he does well. Insults rational thinking objective people's intelligence. He is pretty damn good at that. The law of unintended consequences. He has someone in charge of football performance and another guy in charge of football operations and like 3-4 executive head coaches. That frees him up to recruit worse than Mullen, develop worse than McGoober, and call plays and manage the clock more poorly than Zook. I don't know what measuring stick doesn't result in him being the worst head coach of the Florida Gators (excluding interim) since Raymond Wolf from 1946-49 although to be fair to Ray it was tough to account for WWII returnees. It's seriously unbelievable that this man has a job. And hilarious. Can't forget hilarious because I refuse to backslide into taking this shit seriously until we have someone running the show who deserves to be taken seriously. I also don't find him likable at this point. I liked the idea of having a guy who cares about the kids (that one I'll give him as seemingly true), is accountable (absolutely not), understood how to build a sustainable program (only in the Sunbelt unless we are talking about sustaining an ongoing decline in talent and logical planning), and most all was capable of changing the approach both on and off the field as circumstances require (he refuses to change, much less evolve/grow). He constantly spouts nonsense, uses words that I truly do not think he knows the definition of, and now has started the habit of asking for examples after being asked a straight forward question (oftentimes responding to a reporter/question identifying an example that shows the problem). His pushback is confusing and infuriating..............I mean hilarious. "You had 2 punt coverages where there were only 10 guys on the field. Why do you guys keep not having 11 players on the field?" What are we talking about here? Can you kind of give me an example? "Do you think letting go of Raymond and Spencer led to the 5-6 D-line men and/or DBs that de-committed in the last two weeks?" Well I don't think we lost anybody and if we did lose somebody which we didn't it was maybe 1 guy but he's not real he's made up because it goes back to what I said about being all in, but we didn't lose anybody and with regards to the guys that we didn't lose we were okay losing them, it was kind of our idea, because they are bad kids and will probably go to Hell for leaving but they didn't leave, they were just never here. While absurd and hilarious I don't find that particularly likable or as the sunshine pumpers might say "genial." |
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