A few thoughts to jump start your Monday morning:
NO ARM TWISTING WAS NEEDED FOR NAPIER TO GET WHAT HE NEEDS
“These jobs will chew you up and spit you out if you let them,” Billy Napier said as he stood off to the side of the podium where he had been introduced as the new head coach at the University of Florida.
This is, he says, the reason he comes to Gainesville with an entire infrastructure plan that he is already in the process of implementing. It will involve what he calls hiring “an army of people” as everything from the personnel department to on campus recruiting to creative media to NIL and even more is addressed in a detailed, methodical and organized method. It is a comprehensive approach that has its roots in Nick Saban’s “process” at Alabama.
It will cost money. Lots of it. But, when he first sat down with Napier to negotiate what it would take to bring him to the University of Florida, athletic director Scott Stricklin simply listened. The more he listened to Napier describe in graphic detail his vision of what it will take to bring the Gators up to the championship level of Alabama and Georgia in the Southeastern Conference, the more he knew he had found the exact coach he needed.
“The more he went into detail about what he wanted and needed, it was an easy decision to give him what he needs,” Stricklin said following the Sunday afternoon press conference in which Napier was introduced as Florida’s new football coach.
It’s not necessarily a blank checkbook, but it is what Napier will need to turn Florida into what he described as a machine that wins on the field, in the classroom and in preparing players for life after football. To build a program that could go 40-12 in four years at Louisiana, Napier sold athletic director Bryan Maggard on infrastructure that is unprecedented in the Sun Belt Conference and probably for 90-95 percent of the teams in the Group of Five. For that level, Napier’s Ragin Cajuns became a machine.
At Florida and in the Southeastern Conference, it will take a lot more people than Napier had at Louisiana to fully staff the strength and conditioning, personnel, recruiting and analyst roles that it will take to compete. As he outlined what he felt was necessary, Stricklin sat across from the table and didn’t bat an eye.
“I think in today’s era, in this college football dynamic that we compete in, it’s truly an organization,” Napier said. “We’re talking about a very specific plan and all these different areas that affect your ability to compete and in this league, you know the proof’s in the pudding. I think the two that played for the championship game last night, there’s evidence relative to the way that they’ve created their organization.
“So we’re going to increase the manpower if that makes sense. We’re going to create very specific plans in personnel, recruiting, development, nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports science, the training room, name, image and likeness, our journey program which we’re going to build from the ground up. We’ve got a very specific plan here. Their wiliness to create those resources and put the finances that need to be in place to do that … so that combined with the salary pool, they were willing to do what we wanted to do.”
And what did Stricklin and the University Athletic Association do?
“So they didn’t flinch, and certainly I think when all is said and done, we’re going to put together a truly elite group of people here that will impact the players,” Napier said.
He knows exactly what he’s getting into. He knows fully well from his own observations and conversations that Florida does chew up and spit out coaches on a regular basis. Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen all had winning records. They were all fired and at the heart of their dismissal is one essential fact – they didn’t win enough.
This is not a job for the faint of heart. Because the expectations are what they are here, it’s also not a job for someone who doesn’t have the resources it will take to reshape the program into what it will have to be. Facilities are in full upgrade mode. Now the support staff that it will take to run a championship-level operation are about to be put in place.
Billy Napier isn’t a rock star like Lincoln Riley, who leaves the Oklahoma flatlands for Tinseltown and Southern Cal, where it will be far easier to make the College Football Playoff than it will be in the Southeastern Conference. Billy Napier’s southern accent is also genuine, as is every ounce of his demeanor. He won’t have to try to thrill people with a phony Southern accent and come across like a clown like Brian Kelly did when he was introduced to the LSU crowd at the Maravich Center.
All Billy has to do is to be Billy. It’s working out pretty well so far.
The College Football Playoff poll: 1. Alabama 12-1; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Georgia 12-1; 4. Cincinnati 13-0; 5. Notre Dame 11-1; 6. Ohio State 10-2; 7. Baylor 11-2; 8. Ole Miss 10-2; 9. Oklahoma State 11-2; 10. Michigan State 10-2; 11. Utah 10-3; 12. Pittsburgh 11-2; 13. BYU 10-2; 14. Oregon 10-3; 15. Iowa 10-3; 16. Oklahoma 10-2; 17. Wake Forest 10-3; 18. North Carolina State 9-3; 19. Clemson 9-3; 20. Houston 11-2; 21. Arkansas 8-4; 22. Kentucky 9-3; 23. Louisiana 12-1; 24. San Diego State 11-2; 25. Texas A&M 8-4
The Associated Press Top 25 poll: 1. Alabama 12-1; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Georgia 12-1; 4. Cincinnati 13-0; 5. Notre Dame 11-1; 6. Baylor 11-2; 7. Ohio State 10-2; 8. Ole Miss 10-2; 9. Oklahoma State 11-2; 10. Utah 10-3; 11. Michigan State 10-2; 12. BYU 10-2; 13. Pittsburgh 11-2; 14. Oklahoma 10-2; 15. Oregon 10-3; 16. Louisiana 12-1; 17. Iowa 10-3; 18. North Carolina State 9-3; 19. Clemson 9-3; 20. Wake Forest 10-3; 21. Houston 11-2; 22. Arkansas 8-4; 23. Texas A&M 8-4; 24. Texas-San Antonio 12-1; 25. Kentucky 9-3
The Coaches Top 25 poll: 1. Alabama 12-1; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Georgia 12-1; 4. Cincinnati 13-0; 5. Notre Dame 11-1; 6. Baylor 11-2; 7. Ohio State 10-2; 8. Ole Miss 10-2; 9. Oklahoma State 11-2; 10. Michigan State 10-2; 11. Utah 10-3; 12. Pittsburgh 11-2; 13. Oklahoma 10-2; 14. BYU 10-2; 15. Oregon 10-3; 16. Iowa 10-3; 17. Louisiana 12-1; 18. North Carolina State 9-3; 19. Wake Forest 10-3; 20. Kentucky 9-3; 21. Houston 11-2; 22. Clemson 9-3; 23. Texas A&M 8-4; 24. Arkansas 8-4; 25. Texas-San Antonio 12-1
SEC BOWL MATCHUPS
Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, TX, December 22): Army (8-3) vs. Missouri (6-6)
Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, December 23): FLORIDA (6-6) vs. UCF (7-5)
Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, AL, December 28): Houston (11-2) vs. Auburn (6-6)
Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN, December 28): Texas Tech (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)
Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, NC, December 30): North Carolina (6-6) vs. South Carolina (6-6)
Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN, December 30): Purdue (8-4) vs. Tennessee (7-5)
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, December 31): Wake Forest (10-3) vs. Texas A&M (8-4)
Outback Bowl (Tampa, January 1): Penn State (7-5) vs. Arkansas (8-4)
Citrus Bowl (Orlando, January 1): Iowa (10-3) vs. Kentucky (9-3)
Texas Bowl (Houston, January 4): Kansas State (7-5) vs. LSU (6-6)
New Year’s Six
Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, January 1): Ole Miss (10-2) vs. Baylor (11-2)
CFP Semifinals
Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens) December 31): No. 2 Michigan (12-1) vs. No. 3 Georgia (12-1)
Cotton Bowl (Arlington, TX December 31): No. 1 Alabama (12-1) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0)
YOU CAN’T TELL THE COACHES WITHOUT A PROGRAM
Louisiana stayed in house to replace Billy Napier. Getting the promotion was Michael Desormeaux, who coached tight ends and was the co-offensive coordinator. As a quarterback at Louisiana during his collegiate playing days, Desormeaux threw for 3,893 yards and 23 touchdowns while running for 2,843 yards and 16 more TDs. He’s a native of nearby New Iberia.
Oklahoma has replaced Lincoln Riley with Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who spent 15 years working at OU under Bob Stoops. Contract details aren’t available yet, but considering he was making more than $2.5 million as Dabo Swinney’s DC at Clemson, expect Venables to be paid somewhere in the $6 million range.
Things are getting messy at Miami. Manny Diaz is still the coach and is out on the recruiting trail. There is no athletic director in place although there are reports that The Ewe is willing to spend $3 million to lure Dan Radakovich away from Clemson. There are also reports that The Ewe is willing to give Mario Cristobal a 5-year, $40 million deal to leave Oregon to come home to his alma mater. Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated is reporting that Mario has until noon Monday or the offer is off the table. A sticking point for Mario might be the fact that any deal to land Radakovich might not be finalized until AFTER Mario makes his decision.
Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long is expected to be named the OC at Georgia Tech.
Lane Kiffin’s new deal at Ole Miss will pay $7.5 million per year. Under Mississippi State law, Kiffin can’t get a contract longer than four years.
GATORS TRY TO GET BACK ON WINNING TRACK TONIGHT AGAINST TEXAS SOUTHERN
The Gators (6-1) expect to resume their winning ways tonight (6 p.m., SEC Network+) against Texas Southern (0-7), coached by former LSU head coach Johnny Jones. The Gators suffered their first loss of the season on the road last week against Oklahoma (74-67), the first time this season UF has allowed 70 or more points in a game.
Mike White will be hoping the Gators can clean up their sloppy play that was so costly against Oklahoma. UF committed 16 turnovers that Oklahoma converted into 19 points. UF also had its worst shooting game from the 3-point line, hitting only 4-24 (16.6 percent). The Gators also had only seven assists in the game for a negative assist-to-turnover ratio that has to be improved before conference play begins.
Colin Castleton continues to lead the Gators in scoring (14.7 points), rebounds (10.1) and blocked shots (3.0). Phlandrous Fleming Jr. (11.9), Tyree Appleby (11.3) and Myreon Jones (10.9) also average scoring in double figures.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The College Football Playoff is set with four teams, two (Alabama and Georgia) from the Southeastern Conference, one from the Big Ten (Michigan) and one from the Group of Five (Cincinnati). SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, who is perfectly fine with the playoff remaining at four teams, is pleased to have half the teams. The ones who shouldn’t be happy are the so-called “alliance” (Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12) who have been moaning and groaning about SEC dominance and opposing expansion of the playoff to 12 teams under the plan that was put forward back in the summer. The ACC and Pac-12 are shut out of the playoff as is the Big 12, which isn’t a member of the “alliance” and is scrambling to simply remain a power conference.
If we had a 12-team playoff under the proposal from this past summer, the ACC and Pac-12 would have their champions in. Here is what the playoff would look like:
Automatic qualifiers (Six highest rated conference champions): 1. Alabama (SEC); 2. Michigan (Big Ten); 4. Cincinnati (AAC); 7. Baylor (Big 12); 11. Utah (Pac-12) and 13. Pittsburgh (ACC).
At-large (six): 3. Georgia (SEC); 5. Notre Dame (Independent); 6. Ohio State (Big Ten); 8. Ole Miss (SEC); 9. Oklahoma State (Big 12); and 10. Michigan State (Big Ten).
First round matchups would be: 13. Pittsburgh at 5. Notre Dame; 11. Utah at 6. Ohio State; 10. Michigan State at 7. Baylor; and 9. Oklahoma State at 8. Ole Miss.
The SEC would have three teams, the Big Ten three, the Big 12 two, independents one, Pac-12 one, ACC one and AAC one. Everybody would make a lot more money than they will make under the current 4-team format.
But perhaps that’s a bit too difficult for the three commissioners who lead “the alliance” to grasp.
NO ARM TWISTING WAS NEEDED FOR NAPIER TO GET WHAT HE NEEDS
“These jobs will chew you up and spit you out if you let them,” Billy Napier said as he stood off to the side of the podium where he had been introduced as the new head coach at the University of Florida.
This is, he says, the reason he comes to Gainesville with an entire infrastructure plan that he is already in the process of implementing. It will involve what he calls hiring “an army of people” as everything from the personnel department to on campus recruiting to creative media to NIL and even more is addressed in a detailed, methodical and organized method. It is a comprehensive approach that has its roots in Nick Saban’s “process” at Alabama.
It will cost money. Lots of it. But, when he first sat down with Napier to negotiate what it would take to bring him to the University of Florida, athletic director Scott Stricklin simply listened. The more he listened to Napier describe in graphic detail his vision of what it will take to bring the Gators up to the championship level of Alabama and Georgia in the Southeastern Conference, the more he knew he had found the exact coach he needed.
“The more he went into detail about what he wanted and needed, it was an easy decision to give him what he needs,” Stricklin said following the Sunday afternoon press conference in which Napier was introduced as Florida’s new football coach.
It’s not necessarily a blank checkbook, but it is what Napier will need to turn Florida into what he described as a machine that wins on the field, in the classroom and in preparing players for life after football. To build a program that could go 40-12 in four years at Louisiana, Napier sold athletic director Bryan Maggard on infrastructure that is unprecedented in the Sun Belt Conference and probably for 90-95 percent of the teams in the Group of Five. For that level, Napier’s Ragin Cajuns became a machine.
At Florida and in the Southeastern Conference, it will take a lot more people than Napier had at Louisiana to fully staff the strength and conditioning, personnel, recruiting and analyst roles that it will take to compete. As he outlined what he felt was necessary, Stricklin sat across from the table and didn’t bat an eye.
“I think in today’s era, in this college football dynamic that we compete in, it’s truly an organization,” Napier said. “We’re talking about a very specific plan and all these different areas that affect your ability to compete and in this league, you know the proof’s in the pudding. I think the two that played for the championship game last night, there’s evidence relative to the way that they’ve created their organization.
“So we’re going to increase the manpower if that makes sense. We’re going to create very specific plans in personnel, recruiting, development, nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports science, the training room, name, image and likeness, our journey program which we’re going to build from the ground up. We’ve got a very specific plan here. Their wiliness to create those resources and put the finances that need to be in place to do that … so that combined with the salary pool, they were willing to do what we wanted to do.”
And what did Stricklin and the University Athletic Association do?
“So they didn’t flinch, and certainly I think when all is said and done, we’re going to put together a truly elite group of people here that will impact the players,” Napier said.
He knows exactly what he’s getting into. He knows fully well from his own observations and conversations that Florida does chew up and spit out coaches on a regular basis. Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and Dan Mullen all had winning records. They were all fired and at the heart of their dismissal is one essential fact – they didn’t win enough.
This is not a job for the faint of heart. Because the expectations are what they are here, it’s also not a job for someone who doesn’t have the resources it will take to reshape the program into what it will have to be. Facilities are in full upgrade mode. Now the support staff that it will take to run a championship-level operation are about to be put in place.
Billy Napier isn’t a rock star like Lincoln Riley, who leaves the Oklahoma flatlands for Tinseltown and Southern Cal, where it will be far easier to make the College Football Playoff than it will be in the Southeastern Conference. Billy Napier’s southern accent is also genuine, as is every ounce of his demeanor. He won’t have to try to thrill people with a phony Southern accent and come across like a clown like Brian Kelly did when he was introduced to the LSU crowd at the Maravich Center.
All Billy has to do is to be Billy. It’s working out pretty well so far.
The College Football Playoff poll: 1. Alabama 12-1; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Georgia 12-1; 4. Cincinnati 13-0; 5. Notre Dame 11-1; 6. Ohio State 10-2; 7. Baylor 11-2; 8. Ole Miss 10-2; 9. Oklahoma State 11-2; 10. Michigan State 10-2; 11. Utah 10-3; 12. Pittsburgh 11-2; 13. BYU 10-2; 14. Oregon 10-3; 15. Iowa 10-3; 16. Oklahoma 10-2; 17. Wake Forest 10-3; 18. North Carolina State 9-3; 19. Clemson 9-3; 20. Houston 11-2; 21. Arkansas 8-4; 22. Kentucky 9-3; 23. Louisiana 12-1; 24. San Diego State 11-2; 25. Texas A&M 8-4
The Associated Press Top 25 poll: 1. Alabama 12-1; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Georgia 12-1; 4. Cincinnati 13-0; 5. Notre Dame 11-1; 6. Baylor 11-2; 7. Ohio State 10-2; 8. Ole Miss 10-2; 9. Oklahoma State 11-2; 10. Utah 10-3; 11. Michigan State 10-2; 12. BYU 10-2; 13. Pittsburgh 11-2; 14. Oklahoma 10-2; 15. Oregon 10-3; 16. Louisiana 12-1; 17. Iowa 10-3; 18. North Carolina State 9-3; 19. Clemson 9-3; 20. Wake Forest 10-3; 21. Houston 11-2; 22. Arkansas 8-4; 23. Texas A&M 8-4; 24. Texas-San Antonio 12-1; 25. Kentucky 9-3
The Coaches Top 25 poll: 1. Alabama 12-1; 2. Michigan 12-1; 3. Georgia 12-1; 4. Cincinnati 13-0; 5. Notre Dame 11-1; 6. Baylor 11-2; 7. Ohio State 10-2; 8. Ole Miss 10-2; 9. Oklahoma State 11-2; 10. Michigan State 10-2; 11. Utah 10-3; 12. Pittsburgh 11-2; 13. Oklahoma 10-2; 14. BYU 10-2; 15. Oregon 10-3; 16. Iowa 10-3; 17. Louisiana 12-1; 18. North Carolina State 9-3; 19. Wake Forest 10-3; 20. Kentucky 9-3; 21. Houston 11-2; 22. Clemson 9-3; 23. Texas A&M 8-4; 24. Arkansas 8-4; 25. Texas-San Antonio 12-1
SEC BOWL MATCHUPS
Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, TX, December 22): Army (8-3) vs. Missouri (6-6)
Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, December 23): FLORIDA (6-6) vs. UCF (7-5)
Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, AL, December 28): Houston (11-2) vs. Auburn (6-6)
Liberty Bowl (Memphis, TN, December 28): Texas Tech (6-6) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)
Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, NC, December 30): North Carolina (6-6) vs. South Carolina (6-6)
Music City Bowl (Nashville, TN, December 30): Purdue (8-4) vs. Tennessee (7-5)
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, December 31): Wake Forest (10-3) vs. Texas A&M (8-4)
Outback Bowl (Tampa, January 1): Penn State (7-5) vs. Arkansas (8-4)
Citrus Bowl (Orlando, January 1): Iowa (10-3) vs. Kentucky (9-3)
Texas Bowl (Houston, January 4): Kansas State (7-5) vs. LSU (6-6)
New Year’s Six
Sugar Bowl (New Orleans, January 1): Ole Miss (10-2) vs. Baylor (11-2)
CFP Semifinals
Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens) December 31): No. 2 Michigan (12-1) vs. No. 3 Georgia (12-1)
Cotton Bowl (Arlington, TX December 31): No. 1 Alabama (12-1) vs. No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0)
YOU CAN’T TELL THE COACHES WITHOUT A PROGRAM
Louisiana stayed in house to replace Billy Napier. Getting the promotion was Michael Desormeaux, who coached tight ends and was the co-offensive coordinator. As a quarterback at Louisiana during his collegiate playing days, Desormeaux threw for 3,893 yards and 23 touchdowns while running for 2,843 yards and 16 more TDs. He’s a native of nearby New Iberia.
Oklahoma has replaced Lincoln Riley with Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who spent 15 years working at OU under Bob Stoops. Contract details aren’t available yet, but considering he was making more than $2.5 million as Dabo Swinney’s DC at Clemson, expect Venables to be paid somewhere in the $6 million range.
Things are getting messy at Miami. Manny Diaz is still the coach and is out on the recruiting trail. There is no athletic director in place although there are reports that The Ewe is willing to spend $3 million to lure Dan Radakovich away from Clemson. There are also reports that The Ewe is willing to give Mario Cristobal a 5-year, $40 million deal to leave Oregon to come home to his alma mater. Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated is reporting that Mario has until noon Monday or the offer is off the table. A sticking point for Mario might be the fact that any deal to land Radakovich might not be finalized until AFTER Mario makes his decision.
Former Notre Dame offensive coordinator Chip Long is expected to be named the OC at Georgia Tech.
Lane Kiffin’s new deal at Ole Miss will pay $7.5 million per year. Under Mississippi State law, Kiffin can’t get a contract longer than four years.
GATORS TRY TO GET BACK ON WINNING TRACK TONIGHT AGAINST TEXAS SOUTHERN
The Gators (6-1) expect to resume their winning ways tonight (6 p.m., SEC Network+) against Texas Southern (0-7), coached by former LSU head coach Johnny Jones. The Gators suffered their first loss of the season on the road last week against Oklahoma (74-67), the first time this season UF has allowed 70 or more points in a game.
Mike White will be hoping the Gators can clean up their sloppy play that was so costly against Oklahoma. UF committed 16 turnovers that Oklahoma converted into 19 points. UF also had its worst shooting game from the 3-point line, hitting only 4-24 (16.6 percent). The Gators also had only seven assists in the game for a negative assist-to-turnover ratio that has to be improved before conference play begins.
Colin Castleton continues to lead the Gators in scoring (14.7 points), rebounds (10.1) and blocked shots (3.0). Phlandrous Fleming Jr. (11.9), Tyree Appleby (11.3) and Myreon Jones (10.9) also average scoring in double figures.
ONE FINAL PITHY THOUGHT: The College Football Playoff is set with four teams, two (Alabama and Georgia) from the Southeastern Conference, one from the Big Ten (Michigan) and one from the Group of Five (Cincinnati). SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, who is perfectly fine with the playoff remaining at four teams, is pleased to have half the teams. The ones who shouldn’t be happy are the so-called “alliance” (Big Ten, ACC and Pac-12) who have been moaning and groaning about SEC dominance and opposing expansion of the playoff to 12 teams under the plan that was put forward back in the summer. The ACC and Pac-12 are shut out of the playoff as is the Big 12, which isn’t a member of the “alliance” and is scrambling to simply remain a power conference.
If we had a 12-team playoff under the proposal from this past summer, the ACC and Pac-12 would have their champions in. Here is what the playoff would look like:
Automatic qualifiers (Six highest rated conference champions): 1. Alabama (SEC); 2. Michigan (Big Ten); 4. Cincinnati (AAC); 7. Baylor (Big 12); 11. Utah (Pac-12) and 13. Pittsburgh (ACC).
At-large (six): 3. Georgia (SEC); 5. Notre Dame (Independent); 6. Ohio State (Big Ten); 8. Ole Miss (SEC); 9. Oklahoma State (Big 12); and 10. Michigan State (Big Ten).
First round matchups would be: 13. Pittsburgh at 5. Notre Dame; 11. Utah at 6. Ohio State; 10. Michigan State at 7. Baylor; and 9. Oklahoma State at 8. Ole Miss.
The SEC would have three teams, the Big Ten three, the Big 12 two, independents one, Pac-12 one, ACC one and AAC one. Everybody would make a lot more money than they will make under the current 4-team format.
But perhaps that’s a bit too difficult for the three commissioners who lead “the alliance” to grasp.
