Has the offseason changed your opinion of coach Napier

[Titletown]

I know we had a bad finish to the season and what counts the most is winning games on Saturdays.

I know all that but what I am saying though is that since the end of the Florida State game everything that's happened since then has given me more confidence that coach Napier can win here.

From getting rid of bad coaches to getting the late recruits to how great we did in the transfers portal I feel like he's building something here.

Has anyone else changed their mind about him in the off season?

 

[Termigator]

Yes. He has done what has been needed to succeed. From Firing and hiring new coaches, running off players who haven't bought in, to a successful recruiting season with quality players from HS and the Portal, we are on the right track. One last thing remains; he has to be 6-0 going into the Jacksonville game, be at least competitive against the Leghumpers, and then pull off a couple of upsets during the last half and I will be 100% behind him.

 

[1gator4life]

I love everything about coach Napier except his offensive philosophy, wish he wasn’t so conservative. I think he needs to be more aggressive in the passing game.

 

[From the Swamp]

I love everything about coach Napier except his offensive philosophy, wish he wasn’t so conservative. I think he needs to be more aggressive in the passing game.

I think he needs to have a better feel for when to be aggressive, when to use timeouts, setting up plays with other plays.

Besides that we have had a good last 4 or 5 months.

 

[Napier's Army]

I'll be a believer when we see it on the scoreboard.

 

[BD489]

My biggest concern about Napier thus far has been in game coaching/prep. What he has done outside of gameday has been great. Hopefully the latter leads to better in game play!

 

[Go Gators TJ]

I'll be a believer when we see it on the scoreboard.

This is where I'm at with him. We need to start winning during the season. Until then I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic.

 

[JDCO96]

If you don't feel better about our team today than you did at the end of last season it's because you don't want to and you choose to be negative.

We are better.

Bring on the season.

 

[Mark Wheeler]

This is a talent acquisition business. You have to have the Jesses and Joes to go head to head with the Georgias, Ohio States, and Alabamas of the CFB world. I do think Florida has had a good offseason to date - especially when compared to their on the field results - it really looks better than you would expect.

However, speaking of 'on the field' - that is where the rubber meets the road.

The weakest part of Florida football the last two years has been Billy Napier on game day.

I'm not a positive type person, or a negative type, I like to think I'm pragmatic. UF currently stands here based on what? Discounting your hopes and dreams why should we expect better results until Napier has proven he can deliver them on Saturdays? He simply hasn't been a good game day coach to this point. He has to change that narrative if he wants to change the projection of Florida football.

 

[JayM]

I would say Coach Napier has been inconsistent on Gameday. He's had some games where the game plan was great, the team looked organized and well coached and we won. He's also had some games with bad penalties, special teams gaffs, etc. He has to have more good games and fewer bad ones.

Both Tennessee games and Utah in The Swamp were good games. The South Carolina game was good, we were good against LSU and FSU too but just got beat by a QB we couldn't get on the ground.

He was bound to have a steep learning curve given his experience prior to this job. He had never had this kind of responsibility prior. Hopefully he's learning, and I think he is learning.

Those complaining about a bumpy start for first time major college football coach should be pointing the finger at the person who hired him.

 

[JayM]

I love everything about coach Napier except his offensive philosophy, wish he wasn’t so conservative. I think he needs to be more aggressive in the passing game.

I think the reason for being conservative in the passing game is because he knows our QBs won't be given enough time for those routes to develop. If we can pass block better, I am sure that is coming.

He's actually a pretty good play caller but I think all the time spent on that is a take away from running a big time program. He's going to have to delegate eventually to be successful.

 

[UFgator52-20]

I would say Coach Napier has been inconsistent on Gameday. He's had some games where the game plan was great, the team looked organized and well coached and we won. He's also had some games with bad penalties, special teams gaffs, etc. He has to have more good games and fewer bad ones.

Both Tennessee games and Utah in The Swamp were good games. The South Carolina game was good, we were good against LSU and FSU too but just got beat by a QB we couldn't get on the ground.

He was bound to have a steep learning curve given his experience prior to this job. He had never had this kind of responsibility prior. Hopefully he's learning, and I think he is learning.

Those complaining about a bumpy start for first time major college football coach should be pointing the finger at the person who hired him.

Having an inconsistent coach is worse than having an consistent player.

 

[BD489]

I would say Coach Napier has been inconsistent on Gameday. He's had some games where the game plan was great, the team looked organized and well coached and we won. He's also had some games with bad penalties, special teams gaffs, etc. He has to have more good games and fewer bad ones.

Both Tennessee games and Utah in The Swamp were good games. The South Carolina game was good, we were good against LSU and FSU too but just got beat by a QB we couldn't get on the ground.

He was bound to have a steep learning curve given his experience prior to this job. He had never had this kind of responsibility prior. Hopefully he's learning, and I think he is learning.

Those complaining about a bumpy start for first time major college football coach should be pointing the finger at the person who hired him.

we’re not usually hiring for huge programs to lead the gators
Spurrier-duke
Zook- special teams coach
Meyer- Utah (before pac 12)
Muschamp- DC
Mac- Colorado State
Mullen- Miss state
We didn’t move the goal posts for those coaches and say they should be able to make huge errors the first few years as they’re new to major program football. A lot of fans have made excuses for Napier’s missteps and I can’t understand why. He took a major job, with major pay and major expectations. He hasn’t lived up to his pay and hopefully with all the new coaches he can do so this year.

 

[Dan the Man]

Nope.

We have good news followed by bad news.

 

[drumlin]

we’re not usually hiring for huge programs to lead the gators
Spurrier-duke
Zook- special teams coach
Meyer- Utah (before pac 12)
Muschamp- DC
Mac- Colorado State
Mullen- Miss state
We didn’t move the goal posts for those coaches and say they should be able to make huge errors the first few years as they’re new to major program football. A lot of fans have made excuses for Napier’s missteps and I can’t understand why. He took a major job, with major pay and major expectations. He hasn’t lived up to his pay and hopefully with all the new coaches he can do so this year.

Right ... but how many of those coaches you listed had to deal with NIL (no rules) and the transfer portal in their first year?

 

[BD489]

Right ... but how many of those coaches you listed had to deal with NIL (no rules) and the transfer portal in their first year?

Every coach had the exact same NIL experience. It’s just an excuse some use to excuse napiers performance. People are already making excuses for him this year because the schedule is hard. In year 3 a coach should have either won big in year 2 or have the team starting in the top 15. He didn’t take over a great situation but he hasn’t shown much in the way of being a good game day coach. That has nothing to do with NIL.

 

[Termigator]

I hate the schedule "Woe is me" arguments. It wasn't too many years ago that when we were on someone's schedule they said, "Woe is me".

 

[Napier's Army]

This is where I'm at with him. We need to start winning during the season. Until then I'm trying to be cautiously optimistic.

The on3 writer said today that coach is saying the same things at the spring meetings this year that he said last year.

 

[drumlin]

Every coach had the exact same NIL experience.

Oh?
In your opinion Spurrier, Zook, Meyer, Muschamp, McElwain dealt quite successfully with NIL and the transfer portal?

 

[Titletown]

Every coach had the exact same NIL experience. It’s just an excuse some use to excuse napiers performance. People are already making excuses for him this year because the schedule is hard. In year 3 a coach should have either won big in year 2 or have the team starting in the top 15. He didn’t take over a great situation but he hasn’t shown much in the way of being a good game day coach. That has nothing to do with NIL.

NIL wasn't around until Mullen.