Russ Callaway is a very good and very experienced offensive coordinator. Just read this:
Callaway arrived in Gainesville after spending the 2021 season with the New York Giants, serving as an offensive assistant, and the 2020 season as a senior offensive assistant and analyst at LSU. His resume also includes stints at Alabama and Samford. He spent five seasons at Samford where he served as the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2016-19.
As a unit in 2018, Samford's offense led the FCS in passing yards per game (392.7). The offense also ranked fourth in the FCS in total offense (515.9 ypg.), and eighth in both red zone offense (.898) and in first downs (298).
In 2017, the Bulldogs' offense led the SoCon and ranked fifth in the FCS in passing yards per game (33.4 ypg.).
In 2016, Callaway's offense ranked third among all FCS schools in passing offense, averaging 349.4 passing yards per game. They also ranked sixth in the FCS in red zone offense (90.2%), 11th in team passing efficiency (155.24), 12th in scoring offense (35.1 ppg.) and 14th in total offense (446.2 ypg.).
Callaway's QB at Samford those 3 seasons was Devlin Hodges, who earned the Walter Payton Award for the top offensive player in all of FCS football in 2018. Hodges passed for an FCS-record 14,584, breaking the old record set by Steve McNair.
I don't care what division you are in... when you are the BEST out of 100+ offensive coaches in that division, you know your stuff.
Halfway through the 2023 season, Callaway started getting involved in the Gators' game-planning and play scheming. He was active in scripting the first series of plays every game starting with the Georgia game... and anyone who watched Gator football knows that our opening drives were FANTASTIC.
Georgia - TD
LSU - TD
Missori - TD
FSU - Redzone FG (with Max Brown at QB)
When Mertz was healthy and playing in the games where Callaway was involved, we scored an average of 31 points per game against FOUR strong SEC defenses. If Mertz stays healthy, we beat Mizzouri and FSU no questions asked... and the entire 2023 season would have had a different ending.
So, here are the two options facing Napier and UF right now as we head into a DO-or-DIE 2024 season in which we start the schedule with SEVEN WINNABLE games:
Bring in a brand new OC who would change up all the plays, all the play calls, all the terminology, who doesn't know the players, who would need some time to gel, who would need some time to work with his new assistants (none of whom are coming with him since UF would keep all of the other assistants)...
OR JUST ROLL WITH CALLAWAY and hope that the DEFENSE can improve enough in 2024 to give our improved offense the chance to win those games.
One of the biggest advantages in college football is to have a good experienced returning QB who knows everything. That's MERTZ -- unless you bring in a new OC and start all over.
In addition, DJ Lagway has been working with O'Hara for MONTHS on Zoom to learn the playbook and calls... so that would also all be wasted if you bring in a new OC.
It all boils down to Offensive Line play.
Let's be real. No OC in the world was going to succeed with last year's OL pass protection. We need to pick up as many OL in the portal as we can, and we need to hope that Westphal is as good as advertised so that he can get into the 2-deep immediately. Cam Waites is healthy again. George to guard or bench. Harris is a star who need to get in the mix. Barber will get stronger and better. A new strength program will only help these guys. Point being: If we can get an OL together that can give our QB's time to pass... we now have TWO QB's who can light it up. And Callaway has proven above that he is GREAT at setting up a high powered passing offense.
We now have solid RB's and fast WR's. I don't care if they are young... they are ready to play.
I truly believe that our best chance of having a winning record in 2024 is NOT to start from scratch. It is simply to let Callaway have free reign of the offense so that he can call 100% of the plays and put points on the board.
The Defense will then have to do its part, which it has NOT for a few years now. That's a whole 'nother conversation.
Callaway arrived in Gainesville after spending the 2021 season with the New York Giants, serving as an offensive assistant, and the 2020 season as a senior offensive assistant and analyst at LSU. His resume also includes stints at Alabama and Samford. He spent five seasons at Samford where he served as the Bulldogs' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2016-19.
As a unit in 2018, Samford's offense led the FCS in passing yards per game (392.7). The offense also ranked fourth in the FCS in total offense (515.9 ypg.), and eighth in both red zone offense (.898) and in first downs (298).
In 2017, the Bulldogs' offense led the SoCon and ranked fifth in the FCS in passing yards per game (33.4 ypg.).
In 2016, Callaway's offense ranked third among all FCS schools in passing offense, averaging 349.4 passing yards per game. They also ranked sixth in the FCS in red zone offense (90.2%), 11th in team passing efficiency (155.24), 12th in scoring offense (35.1 ppg.) and 14th in total offense (446.2 ypg.).
Callaway's QB at Samford those 3 seasons was Devlin Hodges, who earned the Walter Payton Award for the top offensive player in all of FCS football in 2018. Hodges passed for an FCS-record 14,584, breaking the old record set by Steve McNair.
I don't care what division you are in... when you are the BEST out of 100+ offensive coaches in that division, you know your stuff.
Halfway through the 2023 season, Callaway started getting involved in the Gators' game-planning and play scheming. He was active in scripting the first series of plays every game starting with the Georgia game... and anyone who watched Gator football knows that our opening drives were FANTASTIC.
Georgia - TD
LSU - TD
Missori - TD
FSU - Redzone FG (with Max Brown at QB)
When Mertz was healthy and playing in the games where Callaway was involved, we scored an average of 31 points per game against FOUR strong SEC defenses. If Mertz stays healthy, we beat Mizzouri and FSU no questions asked... and the entire 2023 season would have had a different ending.
So, here are the two options facing Napier and UF right now as we head into a DO-or-DIE 2024 season in which we start the schedule with SEVEN WINNABLE games:
Bring in a brand new OC who would change up all the plays, all the play calls, all the terminology, who doesn't know the players, who would need some time to gel, who would need some time to work with his new assistants (none of whom are coming with him since UF would keep all of the other assistants)...
OR JUST ROLL WITH CALLAWAY and hope that the DEFENSE can improve enough in 2024 to give our improved offense the chance to win those games.
One of the biggest advantages in college football is to have a good experienced returning QB who knows everything. That's MERTZ -- unless you bring in a new OC and start all over.
In addition, DJ Lagway has been working with O'Hara for MONTHS on Zoom to learn the playbook and calls... so that would also all be wasted if you bring in a new OC.
It all boils down to Offensive Line play.
Let's be real. No OC in the world was going to succeed with last year's OL pass protection. We need to pick up as many OL in the portal as we can, and we need to hope that Westphal is as good as advertised so that he can get into the 2-deep immediately. Cam Waites is healthy again. George to guard or bench. Harris is a star who need to get in the mix. Barber will get stronger and better. A new strength program will only help these guys. Point being: If we can get an OL together that can give our QB's time to pass... we now have TWO QB's who can light it up. And Callaway has proven above that he is GREAT at setting up a high powered passing offense.
We now have solid RB's and fast WR's. I don't care if they are young... they are ready to play.
I truly believe that our best chance of having a winning record in 2024 is NOT to start from scratch. It is simply to let Callaway have free reign of the offense so that he can call 100% of the plays and put points on the board.
The Defense will then have to do its part, which it has NOT for a few years now. That's a whole 'nother conversation.
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