I am NOT an insider. I have no worthwhile relationships with anyone of Gator significance. All I have is time to pretend I can come up with the best strategy to bring the Gators back to relevance.
This week, Stricklin said Napier will remain the coach of the Gators. Some people read into that as a “vote of confidence” or an effort to shore up recruiting. Message board posts ranged from anger to apathy.
Since the Miami game, Lane Kiffin has been thought of as the obvious choice that Florida would pursue. Kiffin has a savvy agent and was well aware of this.
My question is this: are things all that they seem? I would agree that the Gators HAVE shown improvement and the future looks promising, if this were year two instead of year three. (That’s the basis for a different thread.). Personally I’m okay with the decision to stay with Napier because I think his first year was nearly impossible to navigate through without guesswork. It was the opening days of the NIL/transfer portal Wild Wild West and nobody knew what to expect.
Back to the point: this week the vote of confidence comes out before the Texas game (a game we expected to lose) AND before Ole Miss plays Georgia (a game that could eliminate Lane Kiffin from the playoffs.)
Could the timing of the announcement been a strategic move by Stricklin? Was Kiffin (or his agent) asking for too much, knowing/thinking he held all the cards? We put out a statement that has no real long term commitment, and wait and see if Kiffin’s negotiating position is weakened with a loss to Georgia and an elimination from the playoffs. (?). Meanwhile, Florida plays Texas where nobody following college football expects a Florida victory. The timing is brilliant IF intentional.
Of course it could backfire, and that’s not the point. But if any of this is true, my respect for Stricklin goes up.
This week, Stricklin said Napier will remain the coach of the Gators. Some people read into that as a “vote of confidence” or an effort to shore up recruiting. Message board posts ranged from anger to apathy.
Since the Miami game, Lane Kiffin has been thought of as the obvious choice that Florida would pursue. Kiffin has a savvy agent and was well aware of this.
My question is this: are things all that they seem? I would agree that the Gators HAVE shown improvement and the future looks promising, if this were year two instead of year three. (That’s the basis for a different thread.). Personally I’m okay with the decision to stay with Napier because I think his first year was nearly impossible to navigate through without guesswork. It was the opening days of the NIL/transfer portal Wild Wild West and nobody knew what to expect.
Back to the point: this week the vote of confidence comes out before the Texas game (a game we expected to lose) AND before Ole Miss plays Georgia (a game that could eliminate Lane Kiffin from the playoffs.)
Could the timing of the announcement been a strategic move by Stricklin? Was Kiffin (or his agent) asking for too much, knowing/thinking he held all the cards? We put out a statement that has no real long term commitment, and wait and see if Kiffin’s negotiating position is weakened with a loss to Georgia and an elimination from the playoffs. (?). Meanwhile, Florida plays Texas where nobody following college football expects a Florida victory. The timing is brilliant IF intentional.
Of course it could backfire, and that’s not the point. But if any of this is true, my respect for Stricklin goes up.
