Take Five: The Next Steps

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Please Read: Welcome to the new-look Inside the Gators

• Take Five: The Napier Era Ends
• Parental Perspective: Florida Football Parental RoundTable
• Parental Perspective: Four-star’s father talks about the process and the UF staff
• OTM: Five-Game Stretch Should Determine Napier’s Future

Five Realities in Making a Hire

• What are the realistic expectations of the next coach? With college football basically being open free agency with no salary cap, there’s so much movement that hurts depth, that a 10-12 year run as a dynasty is likely out of the question. However, in the 12-team CFB Playoff Era, it isn’t unreasonable for UF to expect to be in the playoff conversation in 7-8 of 10 years, and actually in the playoffs in 5-7 of the 10 years.
• You absolutely have to inquire, but go forward based on Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Curt Cignetti, Marcus Freeman, Dan Lanning, and Ryan Day not being available. With that in mind, my list would be tilted toward who has the highest ceiling rather than the highest floor.
• Florida doesn’t need to make a ‘splash’ hire. There hasn’t been a single sign of fan falloff or apathy. UF has sold out 16 straight during Billy Napier‘s subpar reign. If the Gator Nation will show up in force for that type of substandard product featuring an unimaginative offense, they will certainly support whoever the next coach is. The Gators don’t need to win the press conference; they need to find the right fit.
• Florida is still a top-tier program based on location, the fanatical fanbase, recruiting base, facilities, and conference affiliation. However, it isn’t as attractive a destination as it was 20 years ago. Can it return to being a top-five type of college job? Absolutely, but it’s important to be realistic as to where it currently stands. LSU also has all of the above, but without as much competition for in-state prospects. For example, LSU has commitments from six of the top seven in-state prospects in the 2026 cycle, and in the previous three cycles, it landed 13 commits (out of a possible 30) ranked in the in-state top 10. This cycle, UF has zero commits from the in-state top 10, and in the previous three cycles had but five commits ranked in the top 10 (out of a possible 30). When it comes to Florida, LSU, and Penn State, it’s more about the preferences of each individual candidate. I can see where a coach would pick any of the three. Also, and I don’t pretend to be an NIL guru, but of the three, where as LSU might have been last a couple of years ago, based on what each was able to do in the Portal, they seem to be at the head of the class at this point.
• I believe, and I think it proved true in the first year of the 12-team playoff, that top contenders are built primarily through high school recruiting and then utilizing the Transfer Portal to supplement the roster. Therefore, having a head coach who is capable of building relationships and being a top-end recruiter is still important to a degree, but programs are less dependent on that in the NIL era. Look at Texas Tech. Over the next two cycles, they have three prospects committed who are ranked among the top 20 in the nation (Florida has zero). Are you under the impression that Red Raiders’ head coach Joey McGuire suddenly became a super recruiter? Of course not, a billionaire booster bought those top prospects. Money matters!

My Top Five Replacement Candidates

Jeff Brohm

• Why he isn’t mentioned more prominently has me a bit confused. He has a better overall resume than three of the last four Florida head football coaching hires. Although he has an offensive background, his teams typically feature solid defenses. What is really impressive is that while at both Purdue and Louisville, he has not only won the games that he is supposed to, but he is the upset king, knocking off several top 10 opponents. Even what some may consider his bad losses – Sanford in 2024 and Boston College in 2022 – those weren’t two teams with a lot less talent according to the rankings, but were just having bad years.
  
  Based on his results at Purdue and Louisville, he would have Florida in the playoff hunt on a yearly basis.

Ryan Grubb

• Starting in 2020, while teaming up with Kalen DeBoer, for four straight years between Fresno State and Washington, Grubb was the offensive coordinator of a Top 20 offense. In 2024, in his lone season in the NFL, he led Seattle to the No. 14 offense in the league, the No. 8 passing offense. He reunited with DeBoer this season at Alabama, where his offense is only ranked No. 53 overall, but is No. 16 in passing offense, and he has Ty Simpson playing like a Heisman candidate.
  
  They may not have as big a name brand, but hiring a proven coordinator has worked extremely well here lately.

Lane Kiffin

• There is no question that Kiffin is the most obvious replacement candidate. From the success that he has had on the field at Ole Miss, to his offensive prowess, to the striking similarities that he bears towards Gator great Steve Spurrier, he would be by far the biggest fish UF could realistically land.
  
  To most, there is but one major drawback to his candidacy. His record against Top 25 opponents.
  
  I’m of the mindset that you have to put a coach’s record against ranked teams into perspective. Lane Kiffin’s record against the AP Top 25 may be poor, but Ole Miss is consistently going up against the likes of Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, and Georgia. Programs that historically have had built-in advantages, including access to talent, that the Rebels certainly don’t have. To put it plainly, Kiffin has the OM winning at a much higher percentage (73% to 48%) than they had under the previous four head coaches (the five-year Hugh Freeze era isn’t included because they had to vacate those wins due to NCAA violations).
  
  To me, and perhaps it’s just me, I’m not a fan of a grown man ‘Trolling’ to the extent that he does. That is a personal opinion, though, and doesn’t impact his results.

Rhett Lashlee

• This list is presented alphabetically, but if it were ranked, he would be fifth out of the five names on here. I was actually tempted to go with either Brent Key or Jon Sumrall here, but Lashlee has been a bit more impressive. He doesn’t have any huge wins, but he also doesn’t have any big losses. He has played to his talent level and done what he’s supposed to do. If you can do that at Florida, nine and 10-win seasons are all but a given.

Lincoln Riley

• When you look at Riley, you have to wonder, are you getting the Oklahoma version or the Southern Cal version? He was great in Norman, winning 10 or more games in four of his five seasons and being an absolute quarterback whisperer. In his down year, he only won nine games and the Cotton Bowl. Out west, though, his teams have progressively gotten worse, going from 11-3 his first year to 7-6 last year. They have rebounded somewhat this season to be 5-2.
  
  I honestly attribute his USC issues to it simply being a bad fit. He doesn’t belong out there, and USC certainly doesn’t belong in the Big 10. Despite his overall 31-16 record with the Trojans (which doesn’t look bad when compared to what Billy Napier did in the same time frame), he has still produced a fun and exciting style of play – ranking No. 3, No. 10, No. 23, and No. 1 in total offense over the last four seasons.
  
  If he were to hire the right defensive coordinator, he would be a steal for some program.

Five Candidates I’m Not as High On

Lea Clark

• Give Clark and Vanderbilt credit; they are having a hell of a season. That, though, doesn’t necessarily mean he should be mentioned as a legitimate candidate for an opening such as Florida. Take away this season and he is 16-33 in Nashville, with an atrocious 5-27 SEC record – including two separate 0-8 records in conference. Let him follow up this season with one or two more, and then come back and see me.

Eli Drinkwitz

• I’ve honestly had to ask myself several times, ‘What am I missing here?’ Drinkwitz is a coach who was so-so in his first three years at Missouri (17-19), and while he has turned it around record-wise over the last two and a half years, much of that can be attributed to playing the SEC’s easiest schedule over the last year and a half.
  
  This season, the Tigers have played two teams with a pulse (Alabama and Vanderbilt), losing to both. They are 1-5 over the last year and a half against ranked teams. He won’t be playing the Sisters of the Poor week in and week out at Florida.
  
  The idea of Mizzou being an offensive juggernaut is skewed by its schedule. They have scored 42 or more points in each out-of-conference game, but have only scored above 24 points once (29 against South Carolina) in four conference games.
  
  While UF doesn’t need a ‘Splash’ hire, this would be the total opposite.

Jedd Fisch

• He has an impressive resume in that he has experience at both the college and NFL levels, as a head coach and offensive coordinator. Fisch has also shown, in limited returns, that he is a program builder, going from 1-11, to 5-7 to 10-3 at Arizona and then 6-7 his first year at Washington (where which he had 21 new starters on his opening day roster) to six wins this season with five more opportunites to add to that. The problem is, he hasn’t been anywhere long enough to establish his ability to build and maintain a program with legs. He is another coach who needs to put a couple of more good seasons at one program under his belt.

James Franklin

• In 12 of the 16 seasons prior to Franklin, PSU won at least seven games, in nine of the 16 seasons, they won nine or more games. There has been a slight uptick (to 69% from 64%) in winning percentage, but not enough to make you sit up and take notice. What is probably most bothersome is his abysmal record against ranked teams. Unlike Ole Miss and Kiffin above, PSU has the resources to compete against the best of the Big 10 on a year to year basis and has failed miserably in doing so. Are you under the impression he would do better playing the top dogs in the SEC year in and year out?
  
  Now, would Franklin have UF in the playoff hunt more often than not? Probably. Would he be the head coach you would want to rely on to lead you to winning it all? Probably not. That’s why he’s no longer at PSU.

Alex Goelish

• If you are Scott Stricklin, you aren’t basing your choice on what happened during a single weekend of play, but having said that, Alex Goelish‘s resume took a big hit with last weekend’s loss to Memphis. Mostly because of the fashion in which the loss took place. There were too many mistakes (game mismanagement). It feels like he needs a couple more years of seasoning before he is ready for a stage as bright as UF.

Five Who Should Play More Down the Stretch

• Alfonzo Allen Jr.: Because of his game-saving interception, Michai Boireau was the defensive hero of the win over Mississippi State (as he should have been), but don’t let that overshadow the incredible performance turned in by Allen Jr. He was a tackling machine, who was not only a sure tackler, but brought some heat. UF has been lacking a physical presence in the secondary. He brings just that. Allow him to show what he has over these final five games.

• KD Daniels: After the way he finished out the 2024 season and how much Jabbar Juluke raved about him in the spring, it was a bit confusing to see Duke Clark get the nod over Daniels. However, Daniels proved his worth with seven carries for 43 yards (6.1 avg.) and a touchdown in the last two games. He and Clark should see increased actionn going forward.

• J’Vari Flowers: Other than in the season opener, he mostly played special teams before his breakout performance in the win over Mississippi State. Looking at him, he isn’t the biggest cornerback, but he makes plays thanks to his closing speed. His two pass breakups in that game equal the amount that Cormani McClain and Dijon Johnson have in 10 games between the two of them.

• Aidan Mizell: Yes, he has been banged up, but he should have at least had double the usage to this point in the season, if not more. There has never been a good reason to have two tight ends on the field, while he is on the sidelines (okay, I concede he needs a breather now and then).

• Tramell Jones Jr.: This isn’t a plea to bench DJ Lagway, but instead it would be nice to see what Jones Jr. can do under fire in a series or two in a competitive game, or perhaps even more in a blowout. The plus side is that it would give the new coach a better understanding of where his quarterback room stands. The downside is that it would give the vultures an opportunity to see what he is capable of and perhaps lure him away.

Five Who Should Play Less Down the Stretch

• Jordan Castell: It’s hard to pick on the safeties, considering their last two coaches had little experience coaching the position (yes, I know Will Harris was listed as the secondary coach, but every practice I went to in 2024, it was Austin Armstrong coaching safeties). Having said that, it is hard to overlook the fact that three years in and he is still a liability in coverage and comes off as though he dislikes contact.

• Hayden Hansen: I absolutely hate putting his name up here. From the first time we all met him face to face when he granted us an interview at the airport as he was leaving his Florida official visit, he and his family have been nothing but class acts. By all accounts, he is a great leader and a damn good guy. He, however, isn’t a starting-caliber tight end on a contending type of SEC program. He isn’t the plus blocker you would expect from someone his size, and there is no reason whatsoever he should ever be lined up out wide. It is beyond ridiculous for the coaches to believe he adds something out there above what one of the speedy receivers brings to the table.

• Jaden Robinson: I am not at all saying that he should be benched, but the 59 snaps he played against Mississippi State are too many with as much young talent as Florida has at linebacker. With the season going nowhere fast, as soon as the Gators are eliminated from bowl eligibility, ease in the younger players and see what they have to offer.

• Bryce Thornton: See Castell above…

• Eugene Wilson III: With only six catches combined over the last five games, you can make the case that he is already seeing less action. Maybe a different approach from the revamped offensive staff invigorates him and gets him more involved in the action, or perhaps what we’ve seen is what he is capable of. He doesn’t look like the same player coming back from his 2024 injury.

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