Well said, Kevin. Count me in the camp to keep Muschamp. As I was leaving the stadium after the Vandy game last Saturday (yes, I was there!), some Gators behind me were discussing who our next HC would be, as if it was a done deal. I am comforted to know/think/hope that cooler heads will prevail in Foley et al regarding any coaching changes.
Off to make Frogmore Stew, a South Carolina dish (we always theme our food around our opponent). Go Gators! Beat USC! Stacey Sent from Gator Goddess' iPad > On Nov 16, 2013, at 6:39 AM, Kevin Dickey <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi everyone, > > > > It’s been literally years since I posted so first just a hello to everyone. I > have mostly been reading here all along, with a one year gap last year when I > left my company and changed my email. Lately I’ve been reading digests, those > of you that tolerated THFGT back in its heyday know I posted there sometimes. > Haven’t been as much of an internet poster due to life changes (three kids > did change the time equation, a bit). But I have continued to enjoy your > conversation over the years – thanks for that. > > > > It’s time to weigh in. I remember, sadly, the bitter argument on this list > over Zook and now here we are again, with a program seemingly at the > precipice and people screaming for the coach’s head. But as someone who knew, > deep down, that Zook was a disaster from the moment he arrived (Grossman was > switching to Fun & Gun plays in the huddle by middle of the first season – > Zook just couldn’t fill those boots and who could have), I just want to > contrast the two situations a little. > > > > Despite the injuries, there is a legitimate case against Muschamp. He arrived > as a defensive coordinator, and the offense at UF has been simply awful since > he arrived. The entire scheme has been to make no mistakes, hold the ball, > and play defense. In fact, I think you could draw a parallel between > Muschamp’s approach to offense and SOS’s situation with the defense circa > 1992-1995. Clearly one side of the ball was there to serve the other. > > > > And even more damning (and breaking, somewhat, with the SOS comparison), the > recruiting appears to have gone the same way. We have a defense stocked with > future NFL players, and an offense (particularly an offensive line) that > would have problems in the Big East (and now problems with the kicking game, > as well). And frankly our offense didn’t change at all when we changed OC’s. > The biggest concern, for me, about CWM is that he came in as a great > defensive coordinator, but so far, that’s all he seems to be, now that he’s a > head coach. That is a problem. > > > > So now let me give you the other side – which is, IMO, far, far stronger. And > let’s just, for the sake of argument, accept that the argument against CWM is > 100% true, that he’s a defensive genius who still has a lot to learn about > offense. > > > > And, let’s continue the SOS comparison. Let’s ask the question: Are > Muschamp’s first three years more like SOS’s, or more like Zook’s? The > premise being, CWM is to defense what SOS was to offense. > > > > In terms of overall program happiness and W-L record, obviously, he’s more > like Zook. But since we’re trying to decide whether we want him back NEXT > year, the W-L record is what it is, but it’s in the past, and irrelevant to > the decision, unless we feel that the W-L record is so bad that it demands > his firing on moral grounds. Which it isn’t. He won 11 games last year, and > this year was hopeless given the injuries and the brutal schedule. When the > press is listing all of our injuries, always remember the one they forget to > mention: Andre DuBose. He was set to have his breakout season. What would a > deep threat have done for us against Miami or Missouri? He never played a > down. > > > > Everything we remember about SOS is through rose-tinted glasses. There are > some fundamental advantages that he had that skews the comparison with Zook. > First, when SOS’s great offensive system worked, you beat the lower SEC teams > like Kentucky 55-7. When CWM’s system works, you win that game 17-3. Second, > SOS had great timing, in that his system arrived in an era that was ripe for > change. For a few magical seasons, he was able to overwhelm people with shock > and awe. It was a revolution in the SEC and he got a bunch of early wins > against good teams because of it, that he couldn’t get in 1995-2011 and > doesn’t get at South Carolina. Third, SOS had much better luck. > > > > Luck, I say? You’re damn right. Compare each coach’s difficult third season. > In 1992 UF lost to Tennessee and Miss. St. early on and were 1-2. The Gators > skated on thin ice all year, beating LSU 28-21, Louisville 31-17, Southern > Miss. 24-20, South Carolina 14-9 (all at home), and in the luckiest win of > the SOS era, beat a far superior Georgia team 26-24 that featured UGa drive > killing penalties, horrific play-calling by Ray Goff, and a total collapse by > Garrison Hearst. Then, we got to the SEC championship game because Tennessee > – who had beaten us 31-14 – lost their last two conference games against USC > and Arkansas, both with losing records. > > > > That alone doesn’t mean the team was LUCKY, mind you, but I ask you this > question: Given those results, what would the season have looked like if > Florida had lost Shane Matthews, Errict Rhett, Jack Jackson, Jason Odom, > Reggie Green, Kevin Carter, Ben Hanks, and Carlton Miles to injury? Because > those are the players who played the positions of the players that Muschamp > lost in 1992. > > > > I actually think that 1992 and 2013 are a lot alike. I also think last year > and 1991 were a lot alike. 1991 saw us do everything, but fall short due to > one mistake-filled game that we still could have won. We almost won the UGa > game last year even though we’d had four fumbles – the fifth one at the goal > line killed us. When Muschamp had a healthy team, his system did work, and it > didn’t require the offense to make NO mistakes (five was just too many – just > as giving up all of the long TDs was too much that afternoon in Syracuse). > Each season was the early test case for the system, each resulted in a > one-loss season and a bowl blowout. > > > > The truth is that good offensive teams are prettier to watch…at least in > wins. But the losses sure are a whole lot uglier. SOS’s early losses – UT and > F$U in 1990, Syracuse in 1991, Miss St and UT in 1992 – were all really, > really, ugly featuring QB changes, interceptions, and horrific defensive > play. We tended to win big or get blown out. Even in 1993-94, when we were > closer, the losses to Auburn and a certain tie in Tallahassee had an air of > absurdity about them, as our defense disappeared completely in crucial fourth > quarters despite being loaded with talent. We were scoring too quickly and > blitzing to try to get the ball back, and we were exhausted in the fourth > quarter. Why? Because the defense was there to serve the offense – our coach > was a great offensive coordinator. And let’s not forget the Fiesta Bowl > against Nebraska – the doubting was so bad the SOS took an NFL job and then > changed his mind just before the press conference. > > > > I remember the talk show callers in the early 90’s, before it was at all > certain we would ever win the NC. SOS will never win unless he does something > about the defense, they said. He needs a defensive coordinator and he needs > to get out of the way. He’s a great offensive coordinator but not a great > head coach. Then SOS hired Bob Stoops and the rest is history. > > > > Spurrier coached FOUR full seasons before he found the right approach to > defense. Yes, he won 2 (really 3) SEC titles in those years, but again, it > was a very different SEC. LSU and Georgia were not at their best. Auburn had > some good teams but then imploded over Terry Bowden’s exit. Alabama won the > NC in 1992 but never came close again in the 90’s. South Carolina was barely > on the radar. The only other really solid team in the SEC throughout the 90’s > was Tennessee. Compare that to now, when four different schools have won NCs > in the last decade and teams like USC, Missouri, TAMU, Arkansas, and others > represent a real threat – you know, when you aren’t playing LSU, Alabama, > Georgia, and Auburn. > > > > UF has got some problems on the offensive side of the ball, both in > recruiting and in coaching. We have recruited some decent young playmakers > and redshirted some people. CWM is going to have to do something to shore up > the offense and I think that we are going to have to go out and spend some > big money to get an up and coming OC who will get us playing better and also > attract some of the many great offensive players that the state produces. > > > > But the situation is more akin to Spurrier’s early struggles than the train > wreck that was Ron Zook. You put SOS in today’s SEC and give him the injuries > that have been dealt to Muschamp, and 2013 looks a lot like 1992, maybe > worse. On the other hand, there is not the lunacy about older boosters not > sitting down at practice, the inability to communicate, the weird decisions > that we saw with Zook. I don’t see a train wreck; I see a good football > coach, in a tough situation, who also needs to get the offense fixed, and > quick. > > > > And for those who want to get rid of Muschamp, I also point out that there is > no Urban Meyer waiting in the wings for us this time. More than anything, our > program needs CWM to succeed. He needs our support. > > > > Just remember, the world of college football has changed a lot since I first > posted to this list in 2000. The other teams are a lot better. UCF is a win > away from a BCS bowl – just think about that. We’ve still got a program > that’s the envy of college football. We’ve been dealt a tough hand this year, > but if we can all stick together – and hopefully get a new OC – I think > brighter times are ahead of us. We were #3 just a year ago…keep the faith in > our Gators. > > > > Go Gators! All the best to everyone. > > > > Kevin > > -- > -- > GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! > 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions > 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions > 2008 National Football Champions | > Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), > Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "GatorTalk" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. -- -- GATORS: ONE VOICE ON SATURDAY - NO VOICE ON SUNDAY! 1996 National Football Champions | 2006 National Basketball Champions 2006 National Football Champions | 2007 National Basketball Champions 2008 National Football Champions | Three Heisman Trophy winners: Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996), Tim Tebow (2007) - Visit our website at www.gatornet.us --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "GatorTalk" group. 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