After Thursday night's loss, and then reading texts, tweets, and message boards, I am convinced I am the most positive Gator I know. Maybe it is because I want Billy to succeed as much as I do. Maybe it is because I believe in his vision so much. Maybe it is because I come from a coaching background and have had to turn programs around before (albeit on a much smaller scale). Here are some of my thoughts that literally no one asked for lol.
Billy looked me right in the eyes after a practice a few weeks ago and said "We just need 1 more class to get in here before I start feeling more comfortable, need to trim some fat". He truly was handed a bad, slow, roster. A roster that could not compete at the top level. Should he have hit the portal harder and faster? Yes. But I also like the fact of not building through the portal, and maybe just finding some stop gaps until younger guys get older.
I'll get the negatives out of the way early:
Penalties- ALL OF THEM ARE FIXABLE. I don't remember seeing any personal foul stuff that would lead me to believe that it would we have bad character or undisciplined kids.
Special Teams- COUCH NEEDS TO GO
Offensive Play calling- Open it up more, sense of urgency, but... players need to execute.
OFFENSE
-Youth AND Inexperience- whether it be inexperience playing college football, or inexperience with this scheme, there is a ton of it on this roster.
Of the 11 starters on offense:
1 Redshirt Senior- Zanders, who should not be a SEC TE, (Mullen Recruit)
1 Senior- Pearsall, (CBN Portal)
1 Redshirt Junior- Mertz, (CBN Portal)
3 Juniors- Johnson (CBN Portal), Mazzccua (CBN Portal), Leonard (Mullen Recruit)
3 Redshirt Sophomores- Barber (Mullen Recruit), Slaughter (Mullen Recruit), George (CBN Portal)
1 Sophomore- Douglas (CBN Recruit)
1 Freshman- Livingston (CBN Recruit)
Other Contributors:
EW3- Freshman
Burke- Redshirt Sophomore (very little experience)
Jackson- Redshirt Sophomore (very little experience)
Eteinne- True Sophomore (Very experienced)
Of all those guys, Pearsall and Montrell Johnson are the only 2 that have not only on field experience, but also experience with Billy's scheme, and I think we can agree that other than Pearsall's tipped ball into the INT, they both played well. I thought Mertz played well too, he could have probably thrown it away a few times, but I would rather have the sack than to throw the INT. The line was bad after the first 2-3 series, no two ways around it. Of all of our glaring weaknesses on that side of the ball, I see potential coming and I hate to pass the buck, but its from the prior coaches miscues that we are still paying.
I know people hate the play calling, but after watching the game again, I think the plays could work. They could ABSOLUTELY work, if players executed. Having said that, I wouldn't mind seeing an OC at the end of the year, and some dynamic passing schemes. I liked when we went 4 wide. I think Mertz liked it as well.
The procedural penalties all looked to be on the wide receivers. Again, inexperience with the young guys, AND, inexperience with Billy Gonzales inside of Billy Napier's offense. The two practices I watched both had referees, and I didn't see them call that stuff.
DEFENSE
Other than the first play, and then the touchdown where we didn't react fast enough near the goal line with Barnes running it in. Thought it was ok. Armstrong needs to get the plays in faster. I think that will be cleaned up in the next two weeks.
Let's look at the inexperience from the starting 11 from the released depth chart
0 Redshirt seniors
0 Seniors
2 Redshirt Junior- Jalen Kimber (Mullen recruit) did he start or Moore, Hill (Mullen Recruit)
3 Juniors- Jackson (CBN Portal), Umanmielen (Mullen Recruit), Marshall (Mullen Recruit)
2 Redshirt Sophomores- Sapp (Mullen Recruit), Williams (Mullen recruit)
2 Sophomores- James (CBN recruit), Mitchell (CBN recruit)
1 Redshirt Freshman- Banks (CBN Recruit)
1 Freshman- Casteel (CBN Recruit)
None of these guys have had experience in Armstrong's scheme, and some of these older guys have had 3 DC's in 3 years. The bright spots are the young kids. Casteel, Banks, Shemar, Moore, Jackson, Searcy, Collins.
Both with the offense and Defense, 95% of our brightest spots are with Napier's guys. WE HAVE TO LET HIM GET HIS KIDS IN. WE HAVE TO.
I think we will learn what this team is about in the next 14 days. We did not have the pleasure of opening up with Middle Tennessee State, or Tennessee Martin, or even Virginia. We played maybe the best team west of the Mississippi River, with a staff that has been there 17 years. I whole-heartedly believe we can clean this stuff up against McNeese State, and then turn around and punch Tennessee right in their toothless mouth. IF, and that is a big IF, we still look like this on 9/16, and I am not even talking about winning, I am talking about looking like a well coached team, I may start to have some reservations. But I still 1000% believe that Billy is the right guy and in two years we will be in the College Football Playoffs.
Thank you for reading my rant with my O&B Glasses firmly on lol.
Billy looked me right in the eyes after a practice a few weeks ago and said "We just need 1 more class to get in here before I start feeling more comfortable, need to trim some fat". He truly was handed a bad, slow, roster. A roster that could not compete at the top level. Should he have hit the portal harder and faster? Yes. But I also like the fact of not building through the portal, and maybe just finding some stop gaps until younger guys get older.
I'll get the negatives out of the way early:
Penalties- ALL OF THEM ARE FIXABLE. I don't remember seeing any personal foul stuff that would lead me to believe that it would we have bad character or undisciplined kids.
Special Teams- COUCH NEEDS TO GO
Offensive Play calling- Open it up more, sense of urgency, but... players need to execute.
OFFENSE
-Youth AND Inexperience- whether it be inexperience playing college football, or inexperience with this scheme, there is a ton of it on this roster.
Of the 11 starters on offense:
1 Redshirt Senior- Zanders, who should not be a SEC TE, (Mullen Recruit)
1 Senior- Pearsall, (CBN Portal)
1 Redshirt Junior- Mertz, (CBN Portal)
3 Juniors- Johnson (CBN Portal), Mazzccua (CBN Portal), Leonard (Mullen Recruit)
3 Redshirt Sophomores- Barber (Mullen Recruit), Slaughter (Mullen Recruit), George (CBN Portal)
1 Sophomore- Douglas (CBN Recruit)
1 Freshman- Livingston (CBN Recruit)
Other Contributors:
EW3- Freshman
Burke- Redshirt Sophomore (very little experience)
Jackson- Redshirt Sophomore (very little experience)
Eteinne- True Sophomore (Very experienced)
Of all those guys, Pearsall and Montrell Johnson are the only 2 that have not only on field experience, but also experience with Billy's scheme, and I think we can agree that other than Pearsall's tipped ball into the INT, they both played well. I thought Mertz played well too, he could have probably thrown it away a few times, but I would rather have the sack than to throw the INT. The line was bad after the first 2-3 series, no two ways around it. Of all of our glaring weaknesses on that side of the ball, I see potential coming and I hate to pass the buck, but its from the prior coaches miscues that we are still paying.
I know people hate the play calling, but after watching the game again, I think the plays could work. They could ABSOLUTELY work, if players executed. Having said that, I wouldn't mind seeing an OC at the end of the year, and some dynamic passing schemes. I liked when we went 4 wide. I think Mertz liked it as well.
The procedural penalties all looked to be on the wide receivers. Again, inexperience with the young guys, AND, inexperience with Billy Gonzales inside of Billy Napier's offense. The two practices I watched both had referees, and I didn't see them call that stuff.
DEFENSE
Other than the first play, and then the touchdown where we didn't react fast enough near the goal line with Barnes running it in. Thought it was ok. Armstrong needs to get the plays in faster. I think that will be cleaned up in the next two weeks.
Let's look at the inexperience from the starting 11 from the released depth chart
0 Redshirt seniors
0 Seniors
2 Redshirt Junior- Jalen Kimber (Mullen recruit) did he start or Moore, Hill (Mullen Recruit)
3 Juniors- Jackson (CBN Portal), Umanmielen (Mullen Recruit), Marshall (Mullen Recruit)
2 Redshirt Sophomores- Sapp (Mullen Recruit), Williams (Mullen recruit)
2 Sophomores- James (CBN recruit), Mitchell (CBN recruit)
1 Redshirt Freshman- Banks (CBN Recruit)
1 Freshman- Casteel (CBN Recruit)
None of these guys have had experience in Armstrong's scheme, and some of these older guys have had 3 DC's in 3 years. The bright spots are the young kids. Casteel, Banks, Shemar, Moore, Jackson, Searcy, Collins.
Both with the offense and Defense, 95% of our brightest spots are with Napier's guys. WE HAVE TO LET HIM GET HIS KIDS IN. WE HAVE TO.
I think we will learn what this team is about in the next 14 days. We did not have the pleasure of opening up with Middle Tennessee State, or Tennessee Martin, or even Virginia. We played maybe the best team west of the Mississippi River, with a staff that has been there 17 years. I whole-heartedly believe we can clean this stuff up against McNeese State, and then turn around and punch Tennessee right in their toothless mouth. IF, and that is a big IF, we still look like this on 9/16, and I am not even talking about winning, I am talking about looking like a well coached team, I may start to have some reservations. But I still 1000% believe that Billy is the right guy and in two years we will be in the College Football Playoffs.
Thank you for reading my rant with my O&B Glasses firmly on lol.