Buddy Martin
Urban Endorses Retaining Billy. Thinks CFB Season Is ‘Fantastic.'
Scott Stricklin is showing loyalty and I’m very happy for that coach because I am a Gator fan.’
They have tried to sack you a number of times, but you keep escaping the
Guillotine, coming back like a bad penny. In Las Vegas, they keep saying you are a dead man walking, but here you are again, back in the news, fighting for your job, dodging bullets and trying to find a path to go forward.
And then one day you get a lifeline. And you’re back!
Sound familiar?
No, not Donald Trump, but Billy Napier. Come to think of it, they both escaped the hatchet this week. Billy Napier is still the Florida head coach. And Donald Trump is your president. Even if you’re not happy with either, or both. So, let’s move forward.
Because there is no crying in college football, there is no “I” in the word t-e-a-m. and there shouldn’t be any Quit in The Swamp, even if you’re not happy with your new football coach.
CFB today is like what Jim Valvano once said about March Madness: “Survive and advance.”
For the rest of this Gator season, it’s about survival. Texas, LSU and then Ole Miss, with Turkey Day vs FSU sandwiched in at the end. We shall see next season about any advancement.
Some call it “Demolition Derby Season.”
People like Urban Meyer and I love it, because we’re both huge CFB fans, as we discussed Friday on SEC Sidelines/The Buddy Martin Show.
“I’m blown away,” Meyer said. “One of the greatest things that ever happened to college football is the playoffs. There are 25 teams involved and hundreds of players. But it’s much more that because there’s hope. I can’t imagine it being better. I think it’s fantastic.”
Urban feels maybe there’s not enough emphasis put on strength of schedule and that “some of these three-loss SEC teams” aren’t getting enough credit. He expects teams that didn’t play a ranked team could even be in the playoffs. If they are in the mix at the end and get a crack at higher ranked teams “we know how that would turn out.”
On the other hand, he’s still riding with Ohio State as a top contender and favorite because of their remarkable depth of talent and smack-you-in-the-mouth physicality, as it showed in last week’s big win over Penn State.
Urban also addressed Florida’s decision to bring Billy Napier back in 2025.
“I will say this about Coach Napier – I thought they were done. I don’t know really, but there really must be a decent culture because of the way they are playing. A third string quarterback and they’re spreading out against Georgia. I just hope they don’t just accept those losses.
“Scott Stricklin is showing loyalty and I’m very happy for that coach because I am a Gator fan.”
Urban agrees extending Napier was the proper play, one that had the fingerprints of super-agent Jimmy Sexton all over it.