All of us, to varying degrees, are processing the events of Kentucky and are making proclamations on all sides from "I told you so", "the staff is terrible", "...terrible over-reaction", "Mullen was better than we thought", Napier inherited a mess, ad infinitum.
I have gone through some range of all of these both in the game and after.
I have been on this site or similar (Scout, 2005) for approaching 20 years. I, like many of us, have seen the development and resulting fan emotional arc of Zook, Urban, Muschamp, Mac and now Mullen.
I have also come through this time to appreciate, a bit more, "the wisdom of collective". The board does not always get it right, but more often than not it does. The opinion has to overcome the usual slings and arrows of, "trust the staff", "you have not coached a day in your life", "I can tell you the coaches don't care....", etc. etc. We have heard them all.
With all of that, the one item that I see immediately is that Napier needs an OC and to bring in, with the new QB who will start in 23 (if AR can get drafted and get first round money with performances like last night, he is an idiot not to leave, get $20M of money, etc. even if he washes out in three years).
People last night repeated the same. It was striking. They said, "Did you watch the ULL tape?' "Did you expect anything different? Really?" Comments were all in that vein.
it was telling. it shows that Napier has it in his DNA to some extent and change will not be easy. But if he can, what should he do?
Bring in a young, top mind. Top Billin' always referred to Mullen as "The Hacker". We do not need Mullen back, per se, but we need that strategic innovation and competitive edge.
What is very clear on Napier's strengths is that he does bring a CEO mindset. Note that I am not a Billy N. fan per se, but I can step back and appreciate what he does very well. He has done a beautiful job of energizing and mobilizing investment and in turn, creating relationship magic with the high school coaches.
Being an OC is actually a double edged problem for Napier. First of all, it is not his best strength. He can easily hire for better. Further, and more importantly, is that time he invests there is time he is not spent recruiting and being a CEO - time that Mullen, absolutely failed on.
Now, this gets to the #1 issue we have seen with each of those five coaches: Stubborness and it's corollary: Loyalty. We can all cite the examples. It is part of our Gator Religion. Let's start with Mullen:
Holding onto Grantham, Hevesy, and too many overpaid and underperforming coaches. McIlwain had his crew including Nord. I will let others fill in the other examples as they wish.
So what to do for Napier. Start, quietly, NOW looking for a new OC and a hot transfer QB to bring in. It will be year 2 in the program; he has set the new standard. If Rob Sale gets mad and leaves, then so be it. (and I do not see, and cannot imagine, that Rob is the guy) Rob cannot, at this point, face off against the Bill O'Brien, Todd Monken and other elite minds in the game.
But will Napier make this move? If not, the reasons will be all too familiar: Stubborness and Loyalty.
Let's see how it plays out. Tough loss for sure. Hoping for the best moving forward - regardless of the specific "how".
I have gone through some range of all of these both in the game and after.
I have been on this site or similar (Scout, 2005) for approaching 20 years. I, like many of us, have seen the development and resulting fan emotional arc of Zook, Urban, Muschamp, Mac and now Mullen.
I have also come through this time to appreciate, a bit more, "the wisdom of collective". The board does not always get it right, but more often than not it does. The opinion has to overcome the usual slings and arrows of, "trust the staff", "you have not coached a day in your life", "I can tell you the coaches don't care....", etc. etc. We have heard them all.
With all of that, the one item that I see immediately is that Napier needs an OC and to bring in, with the new QB who will start in 23 (if AR can get drafted and get first round money with performances like last night, he is an idiot not to leave, get $20M of money, etc. even if he washes out in three years).
People last night repeated the same. It was striking. They said, "Did you watch the ULL tape?' "Did you expect anything different? Really?" Comments were all in that vein.
it was telling. it shows that Napier has it in his DNA to some extent and change will not be easy. But if he can, what should he do?
Bring in a young, top mind. Top Billin' always referred to Mullen as "The Hacker". We do not need Mullen back, per se, but we need that strategic innovation and competitive edge.
What is very clear on Napier's strengths is that he does bring a CEO mindset. Note that I am not a Billy N. fan per se, but I can step back and appreciate what he does very well. He has done a beautiful job of energizing and mobilizing investment and in turn, creating relationship magic with the high school coaches.
Being an OC is actually a double edged problem for Napier. First of all, it is not his best strength. He can easily hire for better. Further, and more importantly, is that time he invests there is time he is not spent recruiting and being a CEO - time that Mullen, absolutely failed on.
Now, this gets to the #1 issue we have seen with each of those five coaches: Stubborness and it's corollary: Loyalty. We can all cite the examples. It is part of our Gator Religion. Let's start with Mullen:
Holding onto Grantham, Hevesy, and too many overpaid and underperforming coaches. McIlwain had his crew including Nord. I will let others fill in the other examples as they wish.
So what to do for Napier. Start, quietly, NOW looking for a new OC and a hot transfer QB to bring in. It will be year 2 in the program; he has set the new standard. If Rob Sale gets mad and leaves, then so be it. (and I do not see, and cannot imagine, that Rob is the guy) Rob cannot, at this point, face off against the Bill O'Brien, Todd Monken and other elite minds in the game.
But will Napier make this move? If not, the reasons will be all too familiar: Stubborness and Loyalty.
Let's see how it plays out. Tough loss for sure. Hoping for the best moving forward - regardless of the specific "how".
