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Florida @ Utah - 8/31 @ 8pm...

I called it all the way back since the UK game last year(horrendous game decisions that became frequent AND incredibly bland/predictable play calling)...and only one other poster here agreed(forget who)...and there hasn't been anything to change my mind since, especially tonight. The penalties just fall on the coaching as well.

Napier is not the coach UF needs to get over this circling the toilet bowl status.

I fully expect my opinion to still not be warmly welcomed, but it will be....it will be....

For a "run the ball" coach to have 13 yards against an average, at best, Utah team(which definitely is not last year's team), this is inexcusable. No amount of new starters excuses that. A local community college from a small country town could put up more than 13 yards.
 
A lot of people making fun of Richardson but now see what we are with Mertz.
UF still being a bad team now, doesn't mean that AR was not a bad qb then. AR just got more flack than the other aspects of the team due to the prior year hype(which was based on mostly great explosive plays against lackluster teams). Maybe the NFL coaches can help him with his problems, but even if they do...........that doesn't mean that the problems didn't exist at the college level.
 
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We need to face reality this is a 6-6 type team.
To be honest, a 4 win season is not impossible. Playing @UK, USC, and Mizzou might be a 1-2 situation, maybe even 0-3.........but certainly not 2-1. That's the softer side of the schedule.

I see one win.

UF is not beating LSU in their own house. They aren't beating UGA. They aren't beating the Vols(maybe would have a chance later in the season). They aren't going to beat Arkansas's offense.

I see 0 wins

Mcneesse State, Charolette, Vandy, and FSU

Probably win against the creampuffs and split between vandy and fsu

I see 3 wins
 
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To be honest, a 4 win season is not impossible. Playing @UK, USC, and Mizzou might be a 1-2 situation, maybe even 0-3.........but certainly not 2-1. That's the softer side of the schedule.

I see one win.

UF is not beating LSU in their own house. They aren't beating UGA. They aren't beating the Vols(maybe would have a chance later in the season). They aren't going to beat Arkansas's offense.

I see 0 wins

Mcneesse State, Charolette, Vandy, and FSU

Probably win against the creampuffs and split between vandy and fsu

I see 3 wins

It's not going to be good. I think 7-5 is off the table now. 6-6 likely but there is a slim chance of 5-7. As far as Napier he needs year 3 and a QB to right this ship but it is on him we got Mertz and Miller in the portal and had no blue chippers from high school his first 2 classes.
 
I called it all the way back since the UK game last year(horrendous game decisions that became frequent AND incredibly bland/predictable play calling)...and only one other poster here agreed(forget who)...and there hasn't been anything to change my mind since, especially tonight. The penalties just fall on the coaching as well.

Napier is not the coach UF needs to get over this circling the toilet bowl status.

I fully expect my opinion to still not be warmly welcomed, but it will be....it will be....

For a "run the ball" coach to have 13 yards against an average, at best, Utah team(which definitely is not last year's team), this is inexcusable. No amount of new starters excuses that. A local community college from a small country town could put up more than 13 yards.
Lots of people have been complaining about Napier's play calling even before he had coached his first game here. I think it was Ocala, Paco or Sad, maybe Danny, that said they hated his boring play calling at Louisiana. I don't think you will find anyone that disagrees with you about his crappy play calling. He needs to hand over the offense to an OC so he can be CEO. But you are wrong about Utah being average. According to PFF they have 5 NFL locks on their defense, 2 on their Oline, QB and TE. Only teams on our schedule this year that will have more on D side of ball is GA and LSU. Utah will win 10 games this year. My concern is the stupid penalties. Two illegal formations on 3rd downs, two players with same number that gave ball back to Utah...lordy he has 5000 coaches over there and we can't get lined up right on crucial 3rd downs??? Someone can't see two #3's?
 
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Lots of people have been complaining about Napier's play calling even before he had coached his first game here. I think it was Ocala, Paco or Sad, maybe Danny, that said they hated his boring play calling at Louisiana. I don't think you will find anyone that disagrees with you about his crappy play calling. He needs to hand over the offense to an OC so he can be CEO. But you are wrong about Utah being average. According to PFF they have 5 NFL locks on their defense, 2 on their Oline, QB and TE. Only teams on our schedule this year that will have more on D side of ball is GA and LSU. Utah will win 10 games this year. My concern is the stupid penalties. Two illegal formations on 3rd downs, two players with same number that gave ball back to Utah...lordy he has 5000 coaches over there and we can't get lined up right on crucial 3rd downs??? Someone can't see two #3's?

Have we ever had a penalty for the same jersey numbers before. I don't remember that happening in the past. No excuse for something like that to happen.
 
Lots of people have been complaining about Napier's play calling even before he had coached his first game here. I think it was Ocala, Paco or Sad, maybe Danny, that said they hated his boring play calling at Louisiana. I don't think you will find anyone that disagrees with you about his crappy play calling. He needs to hand over the offense to an OC so he can be CEO. But you are wrong about Utah being average. According to PFF they have 5 NFL locks on their defense, 2 on their Oline, QB and TE. Only teams on our schedule this year that will have more on D side of ball is GA and LSU. Utah will win 10 games this year. My concern is the stupid penalties. Two illegal formations on 3rd downs, two players with same number that gave ball back to Utah...lordy he has 5000 coaches over there and we can't get lined up right on crucial 3rd downs??? Someone can't see two #3's?
You just successfully summarized a glaring problem called lack of accountability. Napier has TOO MANY assistants and "consultants" on his staff, which means he's got no coaching staff at all. They're all incompetent and can't manage. Napier just isn't that guy to handle this program. The ULL philosophy has become a stark failure.
 
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You just successfully summarized a glaring problem called lack of accountability. Napier has TOO MANY assistants and "consultants" on his staff, which means he's got no coaching staff at all. They're all incompetent and can't manage. Napier just isn't that guy to handle this program. The ULL philosophy has become a stark failure.

They will force an OC on Napier after we go 5-7/6-6 this year to appease the fans after the season ends. I do think he needs to go if we are 7-5 or worse in 2024 even with that schedule. You can't be going 6-6/7-5 three straight years at UF. Hopefully we keep this recruiting class together.
 
They aren’t going to get rid of Napier. But his playcalling has always been terrible. He will either make changes or stay stubborn like Scott Frost and eventually end with the same result.
 
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Special teams
—Opening kick off of course we catch it and return it to the 20. Fair catch it and it is on the 25. This is little but it bothers me.
—Punt shank
—Fielding a punt running toward the end zone. This should be covered every rep in fall camp. Do not go behind the 10!
—Missed FG it was not a difficult kick for a D1 kicker

Those 4 things are all mental issues that should be covered in camp and meeting rooms. Top programs do not make these mistakes. Our staff is not living up to the money and they make. High school coaches all over the nation make sure their teams don’t make those mistakes.
 
 
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Special teams
—Opening kick off of course we catch it and return it to the 20. Fair catch it and it is on the 25. This is little but it bothers me.
—Punt shank
—Fielding a punt running toward the end zone. This should be covered every rep in fall camp. Do not go behind the 10!
—Missed FG it was not a difficult kick for a D1 kicker

Those 4 things are all mental issues that should be covered in camp and meeting rooms. Top programs do not make these mistakes. Our staff is not living up to the money and they make. High school coaches all over the nation make sure their teams don’t make those mistakes.

The best one was the jersey numbers.How in the heck does that happen.
 
There is no comparison. Between Zook’s teams and this one. Zook recruited his ass off and had Zaunbrecker running a pretty good offense.

These guys are a damn mess. They can’t even line up and snap the ball. There was a point in that game, I believe when we got the formation penalty on the long run, where I was like this game is almost fireable.
 
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Lots of people have been complaining about Napier's play calling even before he had coached his first game here. I think it was Ocala, Paco or Sad, maybe Danny, that said they hated his boring play calling at Louisiana. I don't think you will find anyone that disagrees with you about his crappy play calling. He needs to hand over the offense to an OC so he can be CEO. But you are wrong about Utah being average. According to PFF they have 5 NFL locks on their defense, 2 on their Oline, QB and TE. Only teams on our schedule this year that will have more on D side of ball is GA and LSU. Utah will win 10 games this year. My concern is the stupid penalties. Two illegal formations on 3rd downs, two players with same number that gave ball back to Utah...lordy he has 5000 coaches over there and we can't get lined up right on crucial 3rd downs??? Someone can't see two #3's?

Paco was the main one arguing with me while the game was going on. The main contention I had was that he absolutely refused to acknowledge the bad game decisions and play calling....he put it 100% on the players. We were constantly getting stuffed on runs up the middle and you would think that was the only run play we had. That was just one of several problems.

It really frustrated me because it reminded me of arguing with a certain other poster who is rather infamous AND because while others disagreed or ignored my posts I didn't expect him to be as adamant considering what was seen was irrefutable. It was really bizarre.

Maybe Sad or Danny said as much during the game, but not both. I remember one person at that time.

If others said as much before the season? Fair enough....but I doubt Paco was in the mix.
 
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Paco was the main one arguing with me while the game was going on. The main contention I had was that he absolutely refused to acknowledge the bad game decisions and play calling....he put it 100% on the players. We were constantly getting stuffed on runs up the middle and you would think that was the only run play we had. That was just one of several problems.

It really frustrated me because it reminded me of arguing with a certain other poster who is rather infamous AND because while others disagreed or ignored my posts I didn't expect him to be as adamant considering what was seen was irrefutable. It was really bizarre.

Maybe Sad or Danny said as much during the game, but not both. I remember one person at that time.

If others said as much before the season? Fair enough....but I doubt Paco was in the mix.
We called back to back running plays that stretched the defense and one went for 7 yards and the other 6 yards. Then for some reason we decided to immediately abandon that and throw some weird screen play, sideline pass, and finally a swing pass. He quit on the run too easily. I do not think Napier is a good play caller.
 
I thought last year that CBN should dismiss @ 20 feel good Assistants and use the money to buy an OC,and A QB Coach.If it is ego,then I can imagine he will be in trouble. I'm too old for all the blah,blah,excuses.
 
Special teams
—Opening kick off of course we catch it and return it to the 20. Fair catch it and it is on the 25. This is little but it bothers me.
—Punt shank
—Fielding a punt running toward the end zone. This should be covered every rep in fall camp. Do not go behind the 10!
—Missed FG it was not a difficult kick for a D1 kicker

Those 4 things are all mental issues that should be covered in camp and meeting rooms. Top programs do not make these mistakes. Our staff is not living up to the money and they make. High school coaches all over the nation make sure their teams don’t make those mistakes.

Well we don’t have a on-field special teams coach, correct?
 
The strength of the Gator's offense was supposed to be the running game.

UF vs Utah

Yds Gained - 61 vs 137
Yds Lost - 48 vs 32
Attempts - 21 vs 30
Team YPC - 0.6 vs 3.5
Net Gain - 13 Yds - 105 Yds
TD's 0 - 2

Most carries in the game:
Mertz 8 for -3.6 YPC (5 were sacks)
Etienne 7 for 3.6 YPC
Johnson 3 for 2.0 YPC
Webb 1 for 3.0 YPC
Wilson 1 for 9.0 YPC
=====

Passing
UF---- 31 of 44, 70.5%, 333 Yds, 7.57 Yds/Att, 1 TD, 1 Int, Sacks 5
Utah - 15 of 23, 65.2%, 165 Yds, 7.17 Yds/Att, 1 TD, 0 Ints, Sacks 0, lost yds on 1 bad snap.

Total Off. - 65 Plays - 53 Plays
Ave/Play - 5.3 Yds - 5.1 Yds
Total Yds - 346 - 270
Penalties - 9 for 46 Yds - 5 for 37 Yds
FG's - 1/2 - 1/2

Red Zone Att/Scores - 1-3 - 1-1
Red Zone TD's - 0-3 - 1-1
Score - 11 - 24

All of the fan whining BS aside, you are what you put on film and on the scoreboard...

Note - Receiving


Ricky Pearsall ------------- 8 for 92 Yds, 0 TD's

Douglas/Burke/Wilson - 8 for 127 Yds, 1 TD

Ave Yds/Catch - Annoying Stat Cherry Picking by the iG:
WR Pearsall -- 11.5 Yds
TE Odom ------ 11.5 Yds
Fr WR Wilson - 12.0 Yds
WR Burke ------ 30.5 Yds

Napier is a GREAT HC
Pearsall is a GREAT WR
Mertz is a GREAT QB
I'm very happy and satisfied with their performance to begin the season.
8 sure wins with a good bowl to look forward to....
----

Team Sacks - 0 - 5
QBH's - Umanmielen 1, McClellan 1
Interceptions - 0 - 1
Austins New & Improved Defense Shines.
 
Patrick Mahomes would have been running for his life against Utah. O-line was really bad last night and coaching decisions werent much better.
 
The strength of the Gator's offense was supposed to be the running game.

UF vs Utah

Yds Gained - 61 vs 137
Yds Lost - 48 vs 32
Attempts - 21 vs 30
Team YPC - 0.6 vs 3.5
Net Gain - 13 Yds - 105 Yds
TD's 0 - 2

Most carries in the game:
Mertz 8 for -3.6 YPC (5 were sacks)
Etienne 7 for 3.6 YPC
Johnson 3 for 2.0 YPC
Webb 1 for 3.0 YPC
Wilson 1 for 9.0 YPC
=====

Passing
UF---- 31 of 44, 70.5%, 333 Yds, 7.57 Yds/Att, 1 TD, 1 Int, Sacks 5
Utah - 15 of 23, 65.2%, 165 Yds, 7.17 Yds/Att, 1 TD, 0 Ints, Sacks 0, lost yds on 1 bad snap.

Total Off. - 65 Plays - 53 Plays
Ave/Play - 5.3 Yds - 5.1 Yds
Total Yds - 346 - 270
Penalties - 9 for 46 Yds - 5 for 37 Yds
FG's - 1/2 - 1/2

Red Zone Att/Scores - 1-3 - 1-1
Red Zone TD's - 0-3 - 1-1
Score - 11 - 24

All of the fan whining BS aside, you are what you put on film and on the scoreboard...

Note - Receiving


Ricky Pearsall ------------- 8 for 92 Yds, 0 TD's

Douglas/Burke/Wilson - 8 for 127 Yds, 1 TD

Ave Yds/Catch - Annoying Stat Cherry Picking by the iG:
WR Pearsall -- 11.5 Yds
TE Odom ------ 11.5 Yds
Fr WR Wilson - 12.0 Yds
WR Burke ------ 30.5 Yds

Napier is a GREAT HC
Pearsall is a GREAT WR
Mertz is a GREAT QB
I'm very happy and satisfied with their performance to begin the season.
8 sure wins with a good bowl to look forward to....
----

Team Sacks - 0 - 5
QBH's - Umanmielen 1, McClellan 1
Interceptions - 0 - 1
Austins New & Improved Defense Shines.

Yep that type of passing isn't going to win any SEC games as it doesn't really matter much how many yards you get doing it. We only threw as far or farther than the first down marker on about 30% of the passes and that % would have you right at the very bottom of teams in the FBS.
 
"I would tell you the penalties in particular are surprising. You know, we play really clean football," Napier said after the loss. "Listen, the things that we can control, those are the things that are frustrating for a coach. Ultimately, too many of those in my opinion."

Execution falls under the category of fundamentals, as well. The team spent an entire off-season honing in on its offensive strengths and how to best utilize them schematically, but Florida simply failed to complete plays throughout the game despite the attention placed on those details throughout this year.

Whether it was passes missed by Mertz, a drop by receiver Ricky Pearsall that popped up into an interception, offensive linemen missing assignments in both run blocking and pass protection, abandoning a formerly acclaimed rushing game instead of trying to mend it, Napier calling well-too-short play designs on long conversion downs, or something else, fundamental football is no way to describe what Florida's offense put on display in Salt Lake City.


For the iG, the defining difference in that game? While Florida squandered the bulk of its opportunities, the Utes capitalized on theirs.

For the rest of the story, use the link...


 
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What several of us here expected to see in Utah.
Fill the box to stop the run, forcing the Gators to win with passing.

Forced Mertz to win with passing, then pressured with the blitz on the (49 sacks) QB.
Result = 31 net rushing yards, 0 TD's, added to 1 passing TD with 1 Int plus 5 Sacks....
 
What several of us here expected to see in Utah.
Fill the box to stop the run, forcing the Gators to win with passing.

Forced Mertz to win with passing, then pressured with the blitz on the (49 sacks) QB.
Result = 31 net rushing yards, 0 TD's, added to 1 passing TD with 1 Int plus 5 Sacks....

What were his passing stats?

Guess you missed that.
 
"I would tell you the penalties in particular are surprising. You know, we play really clean football," Napier said after the loss. "Listen, the things that we can control, those are the things that are frustrating for a coach. Ultimately, too many of those in my opinion."

Execution falls under the category of fundamentals, as well. The team spent an entire off-season honing in on its offensive strengths and how to best utilize them schematically, but Florida simply failed to complete plays throughout the game despite the attention placed on those details throughout this year.


Whether it was passes missed by Mertz, a drop by receiver Ricky Pearsall that popped up into an interception, offensive linemen missing assignments in both run blocking and pass protection, abandoning a formerly acclaimed rushing game instead of trying to mend it, Napier calling well-too-short play designs on long conversion downs, or something else, fundamental football is no way to describe what Florida's offense put on display in Salt Lake City.

For the iG, the defining difference in that game? While Florida squandered the bulk of its opportunities, the Utes capitalized on theirs.

For the rest of the story, use the link...



That interception wasn't on Pearsall as the ball was thrown early and not where it was supposed to go. He maybe could have fought more once it popped up in the air though to make it just incomplete.
 
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"I would tell you the penalties in particular are surprising. You know, we play really clean football," Napier said after the loss. "Listen, the things that we can control, those are the things that are frustrating for a coach. Ultimately, too many of those in my opinion."

Execution falls under the category of fundamentals, as well. The team spent an entire off-season honing in on its offensive strengths and how to best utilize them schematically, but Florida simply failed to complete plays throughout the game despite the attention placed on those details throughout this year.


Whether it was passes missed by Mertz, a drop by receiver Ricky Pearsall that popped up into an interception, offensive linemen missing assignments in both run blocking and pass protection, abandoning a formerly acclaimed rushing game instead of trying to mend it, Napier calling well-too-short play designs on long conversion downs, or something else, fundamental football is no way to describe what Florida's offense put on display in Salt Lake City.

For the iG, the defining difference in that game? While Florida squandered the bulk of its opportunities, the Utes capitalized on theirs.

For the rest of the story, use the link...


Mertz played way better than I expected. Pearsall stunk it up early but played better late. The O-line was overmatched. We started to get the run game going but Napier gave up on it too quickly in my humble opinion. Defense was outstanding in 2nd half. Only gave up 50 yards and 7 points and that was after the int gave utes very short field.
 
1 TD - 1 Int - 5 Sacks,,,,, MAR-VEL-OUS.... 🙄
True...our shitty run game was Mertz's fault too, as were all the drive killing penalties, I saw him on the sideline intentionally putting a #3 jersey on a 2nd Gator player...goodness. Can't even give a guy his props.....
 
Billy is a Great HC, maybe the best in history.
Mertz is a Great QB, maybe the best in history.
Pearsall is a Great WR, maybe the best in history.

Everything is as it should be, so don't change a single thing.
I'm looking forward to having the Greatest season in history....
Happy now?
😁
 
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