|
|
Post by tapsgator on Mar 31, 2023 11:14:54 GMT -5
It's Mertz time baby. And the offense is gonna be better. Just ask Nap-Dog's BFF Joe who knows him the best and says he's gonna get shit done because he's a shit doer. gatorswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/31/florida-football-billy-napier-offensive-expectations/"Ironically, the biggest offensive question mark for next season is at quarterback. If Napier is confident that 2023 will be an offensive improvement from 2022, whoever is leading the huddle will be a big reason why." This is awesome analysis because it reminds me of the Alanis Morissette song from back when I had a flowing head of hair and was a semi-star athlete. The biggest question mark heading into year 2 being "who will be our QB and how will he perform better than the most physically gifted guy to play QB at UF?" isn't ironic, it just kinda sucks. Like if it rains on your wedding day. “(Graham Mertz’s) approach since the first day he’s been here is what you would want from a quarterback,” he said. “It’s almost as if you’re acquiring a free agent in the National Football League that’s an experienced, veteran player, he’s learning the new system. His approach has been what you would want.” BOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mertz time. It's like we got a free agent from the NFL..................................who got benched and then cut by the Wisconsin Badgers because he got progressively worse year after year. But that experience. Man. It's a lot of experience. You don't even know. That's a deal right there man. You don't, we can't. So. Listen to the bell Kirby. It tolls for thee. |
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on Apr 12, 2023 12:04:04 GMT -5
The Graham Mertz Heisman campaign officially kicks off tomorrow night at 7:30pm! Not sure if the Orange and Blue game was moved to Thursday night to replicate the Sunbelt atmosphere since they are used to playing during that time slot.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Apr 12, 2023 14:45:24 GMT -5
The Graham Mertz Heisman campaign officially kicks off tomorrow night at 7:30pm! Not sure if the Orange and Blue game was moved to Thursday night to replicate the Sunbelt atmosphere since they are used to playing during that time slot. Word on the street is that Shemar James is going to be a beast and Xavier Henderson seems to elevating into a legit SEC receiver. They're probably keeping how great Mertz has looked a secret, even going so far as to have him tank during sessions open to the media. Smart. |
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Apr 14, 2023 13:55:32 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on Apr 14, 2023 22:05:47 GMT -5
He certainly is playing the role well, indeed. It is reminiscent of when legendary QB transfers such as Luke Del Rio and Appleby (don’t even care to look up his first name) held the reins of the offense. Can’t wait when we spring the trap in week one against Utah. In all seriousness though, who in their right mind chases and selects a QB from Wisconsin out of all the portal options out there? I mean, that alone should be a red flag… the guy chose to play QB at Wisconsin. That’s pretty much like saying “I suck at throwing the ball so why not get drunk on the regular while I hand the ball off 40 times a game.” |
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on Apr 17, 2023 5:47:21 GMT -5
Napier has indicated to the media that they intend on adding another QB to the roster via portal. Do you think he is going after Emory Jones?
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Apr 17, 2023 10:24:47 GMT -5
Napier has indicated to the media that they intend on adding another QB to the roster via portal. Do you think he is going after Emory Jones? He's probably torn. On the one hand, he did have his best run (outside the Sunbelt) as a play caller and OC his one year as a Sun Devil: After a four-year stint as Alabama's WR coach including a second national championship in January 2016, he was hired by Todd Graham to become offensive coordinator at Arizona State.[14] In Napier's first season back at OC since being fired as Clemson's OC back in 2010, his offense led Arizona State to finish with a 7–5 record and a Sun Bowl trip. Arizona State fired head coach Todd Graham after the 2017 season and brought in former NFL coach Herm Edwards, who stated publicly that Napier would be able to continue in his role as OC if he would like. However, Napier declined the opportunity to remain at ASU as the offensive coordinator.[15] Also, Sun Devil and Sun Belt both have the word Sun in them and that's a good thing right? The Sun is warm and vitamin D is part of the process okay? On the other hand there is really no substitute for Sun Belt experience and Arizona is very far from Louisiana. So there's plenty of geographic challenges and variable that may cause some bumps in the road, but scared money don't make money and meticulous attention to details. So it could go either way, but if you ask anybody who likes him, they'll tell you that he is gonna get it done. P.S. After reading the resume and really thinking about it, he has to either be an ego-maniac or afraid that he'll be hiring his replacement to not have an OC and QB coach. Nothing about his resume indicates that he doesn't need help in those areas. The one successful coach (and his buddy) that let him coach QBs and be OC fired him after 2 years and "a steep reduction in Clemson's offensive output led to Napier's termination at the end of the 2010 season." |
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on Apr 17, 2023 11:00:10 GMT -5
Napier has indicated to the media that they intend on adding another QB to the roster via portal. Do you think he is going after Emory Jones? He's probably torn. On the one hand, he did have his best run (outside the Sunbelt) as a play caller and OC his one year as a Sun Devil: After a four-year stint as Alabama's WR coach including a second national championship in January 2016, he was hired by Todd Graham to become offensive coordinator at Arizona State.[14] In Napier's first season back at OC since being fired as Clemson's OC back in 2010, his offense led Arizona State to finish with a 7–5 record and a Sun Bowl trip. Arizona State fired head coach Todd Graham after the 2017 season and brought in former NFL coach Herm Edwards, who stated publicly that Napier would be able to continue in his role as OC if he would like. However, Napier declined the opportunity to remain at ASU as the offensive coordinator.[15] Also, Sun Devil and Sun Belt both have the word Sun in them and that's a good thing right? The Sun is warm and vitamin D is part of the process okay? On the other hand there is really no substitute for Sun Belt experience and Arizona is very far from Louisiana. So there's plenty of geographic challenges and variable that may cause some bumps in the road, but scared money don't make money and meticulous attention to details. So it could go either way, but if you ask anybody who likes him, they'll tell you that he is gonna get it done. P.S. After reading the resume and really thinking about it, he has to either be an ego-maniac or afraid that he'll be hiring his replacement to not have an OC and QB coach. Nothing about his resume indicates that he doesn't need help in those areas. The one successful coach (and his buddy) that let him coach QBs and be OC fired him after 2 years and "a steep reduction in Clemson's offensive output led to Napier's termination at the end of the 2010 season." There is a certain ambassador for the university who would be a great resource he wouldn’t have to pay. I also doubt he’s looking to take his job |
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on Apr 17, 2023 11:00:22 GMT -5
I really do feel awful that I have turned so negative so quickly on this staff. In all honesty, I genuinely want Napier to succeed and get things turned around. My heart wants to believe he will after one more disappointing season in year two (I just don’t see any way possible we have a successful season in 2023), but my gut tells me we have seen this story before. He just seems to be way out of his league (literally) with no signs of positivity. If anything, we have negative momentum. It has become comical trying to understand what the plan is.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Apr 18, 2023 8:53:56 GMT -5
I get that and am kind of in the same boat. It's almost worked backwards, usually I'm in wait and see mode with coaches, but Napier seemed like such a good fit and like he "got it." I think Foley has jack-knifed the program too bad to get THE guy absent a new president with a pre-existing relationship with a proven head coach, but we can still get a guy, and after Riley who got money whipped I thought Napier was the best option. The planning phase seemed to go well with him getting funding to improve facilities and a huge support staff budget. I think I got over my skis.
The last calendar year has felt like regression. Hell I'll say it, it has been regression, on (the performance has been awful but the preparedness has been worse and a real issue) and off the field (recruiting class, NIL, assistant turnover). So, now I've gone from really optimistic, to skeptically optimistic, to wait and see mode. The reason I'm trending towards cynicism has been that he keeps saying the same things (which make sense) but then doing the same things (which don't) and there's a loose relationship (at best) between the two.
Now, onto some more positive stuff because it's Spring and hope should start eternal:
1) The 2024 class is off to a helluva start including a QB that everybody wants and is supposedly recruiting for us per multiple objective sources. 4 of our 7 are in the Rivals 100 with 3 in the top 50. All 4 are top 50 on 24/7. Our average recruit grade is #1 in the country and that usually winds up being the best indicator of success. Amazing what recruiting outside of recruiting season can do. If we continue to recruit at this level, and most importantly hold on to those 4 kids this could just wind up being a traditional Florida class.
2) We've got a new collective with new management. This was absolutely necessary for us to have any hope of success. Contrary to what Gator Country and its brethren would have you believe, we don't have to operate under different rules than any other school in the nation. NIL may wind up being the most important thing to a program's success, doesn't matter whether that's a good or bad thing or realistically a bit of both, it is what it is and you either get on-board or left behind/run over. Playing victim at the University of Florida is laughable.
3) The fact that recruiting is even good much less very good/borderline great in the face of what wasn't exactly an attractive product between the lines actually gives more room for hope. Maybe the new facilities, more diligent and consistent approach, relationship with high school coaches, and fact that we could have 2 fitrarst rounders including a probable top 10 QB have swung momentum in our favor. On the last one, I doubt seriously anybody that is objective is giving Napier a ton of credit for Richardson being a freak, but you're talking about 16 year old kids, most aren't gonna do a deep dive and Napier and Co. should use that. At any rate since recruiting is improving without any ostensible reason like a new offensive approach or coordinator, it gives hope that the behind the scenes stuff is in better shape that Napier's first two classes and the transfer portal movement would have you believe.
4) Last and least, and I'm really hesitant to give any credit here, but, at least Napier recognizes that we need to look at any and all options for a post-Spring transfer at QB. He's putting a little too much lipstick on the pig in a lot of areas, including acting like pulling Graham Mertz out of the transfer portal was some sort of coup, but at least he's not doubling down (like he does with staff hires, particularly coordinators) by pretending there's no problem.
5) Desmond Watson is noticeably skinnier. Okay that one is a throwaway but everybody loves talking about Big Des.
Anywhoot, Go Gators.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mojave Gator on Apr 19, 2023 22:20:07 GMT -5
He certainly is playing the role well, indeed. It is reminiscent of when legendary QB transfers such as Luke Del Rio and Appleby (don’t even care to look up his first name) held the reins of the offense. Can’t wait when we spring the trap in week one against Utah. In all seriousness though, who in their right mind chases and selects a QB from Wisconsin out of all the portal options out there? I mean, that alone should be a red flag… the guy chose to play QB at Wisconsin. That’s pretty much like saying “I suck at throwing the ball so why not get drunk on the regular while I hand the ball off 40 times a game.” Interesting that Austin Appleby came up. I just watched the highlights of a game that Purdue played at Marshall while Appleby was at Purdue. AA threw four picks, two returned for touchdowns by the same guy. |
|
|
|
Post by Mojave Gator on Apr 19, 2023 22:33:23 GMT -5
I had heard that Watson had dropped a bunch of weight, but thought that he could just as easily have gained it all back.
I have no idea who they had conversations with quarterback-wise in the portal. I know that they went hard after the kid from Coastal Carolina, but he ultimately decided to return to the Chanticleers. Mertz may have been their fallback candidate. It was clear that they had to sign someone, because they couldn't go into spring practice with Jack Miller as their only quarterback.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Apr 20, 2023 8:16:20 GMT -5
I think they probably went after everybody ahead of Mertz and maybe even some behind him on this list plus kids that were ahead on this list but withdrew from the portal like McCall. Also probably did/should have looked at underclassmen that were behind Mertz since he's a one year solution at best. It's very strange to me the schools that are beating us on these kids leading us to take a kid who will turn 23 in December and ranked anywhere from 11-20: www.on3.com/transfer-portal/top/football/2023/?position=qbI wonder how they came up with these NIL values, because if it's actually right and we could have gotten better and/or younger players for less money it's even worse than I thought. Here's what we have to pull from as of now since we're probably definitely getting another kid from the portal: athlonsports.com/college-football/college-footballs-best-quarterbacks-transfer-portal-2023Any of the options with actual write-ups would have a better than 50% shot at winning the job. Personally I think we should go with Willie Taggart Jr. if for nothing more than shits and giggles. Given that Billy G hire maybe we would have an in since they're both owls. |
|
|
|
Post by Mojave Gator on Apr 20, 2023 13:13:12 GMT -5
It was odd signing a guy who is going into his senior year. Reminds me of the one-and-done wonders of the Jim McElwain era. Seemed like he was always bringing in graduate transfers.
|
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on Apr 28, 2023 12:43:12 GMT -5
I don't know how to feel about this. On one hand I even said that the General should play the high draft pick card in recruiting QBs, because 17 year old kids aren't renowned for their research skills. On the other, if he didn't actually research this at a bit higher level and actually believes it and is basing a decision on it, it's probably fair to question his intelligence. www.on3.com/teams/florida-gators/news/billy-napiers-development-of-anthony-richardson-an-eye-opener-to-5-star-qb-dj-lagway/The best thing that Napier and (primarily) Mullen actually did for Richardson's draft stock was ensuring that NFL decision makers having absolutely no regard for their ability to utilize and develop QBs. If they thought Richardson had been coached up and the play calling was even decent, he doesn't go in the first round based on his level of play much less 4th overall. In any event, Lagway needs to stick, and you can bet some rival coaches will be pointing out the above in a more hostile way (think "the league knows he's over his head at any conference beyond the Sunbelt, we would have had Richardson at 1/1, a Heisman, and a National Championship, maybe 2") all day, every day until the ink dries on the LOI (then it'll slow down a bit but with the portal he's still gonna be hearing it). If Lagway falls out of this class I think he'll take even more with him than Evers did when the dynamic AD duo allowed Mullen to stay in place to keep poisoning the well. |
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on May 16, 2023 12:24:55 GMT -5
So lost in the shuffle of the whole UGA getting Riola, 5 star QB and top player in the 2024 class, was this little pearl: www.saturdaydownsouth.com/florida-football/florida-lands-transfer-commitment-from-in-state-ol-with-starting-experience/Huge get and big win for Nap dawg not only flipping him from South Florida but also holding off some other really high profile schools that were sniffing around: "Hudson entered the NCAA transfer portal in March as a graduate transfer. In addition to UF and USF, he was also recruited by Houston, App State, Temple, UAB, Texas Tech and others." Talk about blue chip athletes: "Listed at 6-7, 320 pounds, Hudson is rated 3-stars, the No. 52 offensive tackle and No. 600 player overall in the transfer portal, according to 247Sports." I just hope we get to face App State in a bowl game to show them what they missed out on. The General said he wasn't done and done he was not. Next up? Who knows, but this roster is scary for all the other teams in the Sunbelt I'll tell you that much. |
|
|
|
Post by tapsgator on May 16, 2023 12:29:57 GMT -5
We are moving to the Sunbelt right? Since we're recruiting Sunbelt level kids and hiring almost exclusively Sunbelt coaches? That's gotta be part of the 10 year plan I would think. Can you imagine when we roll into the glorified high school stadiums and run the best roster the Sunbelt has seen in at least 3 years onto the field? It's gonna be demoralizing. And that's a deal right there. Right?
|
|
|
|
Post by wahhappen on May 16, 2023 17:48:17 GMT -5
I just hope we get to face App State in a bowl game to show them what they missed out on. The General said he wasn't done and done he was not. Next up? Who knows, but this roster is scary for all the other teams in the Sunbelt I'll tell you that much. Are you serious? There is no way we make as good of a bowl game as Ap State this year. |
|
