What's It Gonna Take?

[DRU2012]

I'll be the first to ask it. It is 1 minute since Henry missed wide right, as EXPECTED (I don't fault him, or ANY of the Gator players--though I'm sick of Thompson blowing every meaningful pass, yet remains our "No.1 Receiver"!).
It is ENTIRELY a COACHING breakdown, a continuation of the same one we've watched developing, deepening for some time.
This game shouldn't have been close, talent-wise--and yet we didn't deserve to be IN IT at the end. All of the program's ills were on display today. Yes, we continue to see injuries pile up, and I'm sure the Head Coach will allude to that in his otherwise secretive manner in post-game comments--but all teams face injuries, and isn't it always the teams in turmoil that start to have more and more things going wrong, every where you look? One could well ask, why we are running power options with a speed team? Why the power option with our "pure pocket passer" (you know, the one we "preferred" to that now suddenly "fine young man" and "Heisman Candidate" Cam Newton)? What happened to "tailoring the offense to Brantley"? What about "stretching the field"? Not one long pass tonight.
I could go on (and ON), but what's the point? These questions have been piling up since the start of the season. Even putting aside the argument that the problem stretches back to LAST season, to Tebow's mis-use, that failure-to-launch-offense that he made work anyway, if haltingly so, to the unfulfilled dreams and promise of that supremely talented squad, there can be little doubt by now about THIS year's team--or rather its COACHING.
It's a bad job, pure and simple. That's a poor product they're putting out there each week, and there's no damn excuse for it. I can't listen to any more of the Head Coach's bland post-game comments/excuses.
I don't know what else to say about it, only ask you all: What happens now? Is anyone else as desperate to bring drastic change to our beloved program as I am? What can we do about it? How do we get through to Foley, if he isn't already there himself?

 

[Leakfan12]

Talent doesn't mean much unless their used properly.

 

[The Zooker]

What's it going to take?

A loss to Mississippi State at home for Homecoming.

Oh wait . . .

 

[Ufgatorfan]

hate to say it but Meyer looks like a jack ass right now. He has stooped down to Zooks level at this point. Get ready folks its gonna be a long ride up.

 

[DRU2012]

That's exactly what I'm afraid of--have been for some time. Anyway to short-circuit the process? Are we assuming that the necessary change won't happen, not in any timely fashion, or that it wouldn't be enough, even if Foley were to actually "pull the trigger"?

 

[The Zooker]

It will happen. I guarantee. You don't get to lose three in a row, two at home, with the last one being a Homecoming loss to Miss State where you only managed seven points. There has to be consequences. Foley will step in if necessary. Loeffler will be calling the plays from now on. At the end of the season Meyer will evaluate the situation and either keep Loeffler as the Offensive Coordinator or make an outside hire.

 

[Escambia94]

It will happen. I guarantee. You don't get to lose three in a row, two at home, with the last one being a Homecoming loss to Miss State where you only managed seven points. There has to be consequences. Foley will step in if necessary. Loeffler will be calling the plays from now on. At the end of the season Meyer will evaluate the situation and either keep Loeffler as the Offensive Coordinator or make an outside hire.

As much as I like Urban Meyer, does he escape this year unscathed, without blame and accountability? Is Addazio the only guy that gets punished? What about our horrid defense? Whose head rolls over that? With potential losses against FSU and, well, everybody, what makes Meyer above being fired?

 

[Ufgatorfan]

It will happen. I guarantee. You don't get to lose three in a row, two at home, with the last one being a Homecoming loss to Miss State where you only managed seven points. There has to be consequences. Foley will step in if necessary. Loeffler will be calling the plays from now on. At the end of the season Meyer will evaluate the situation and either keep Loeffler as the Offensive Coordinator or make an outside hire.

in my opinion i don't think foley should over step meyer. i will never except a AD overstepping a coach. on that note i do feel if he believes meyer is not making the right decisions for the future of the program or he feels Meyer is not the right fit no more Id rather see him let meyer go. If meyer is that blind to see that this offense is that bad two years in a row then there is a problem with the head coach. I read that Florida has only gained over 400 total yard against a sec school 3 times in the last two years and you can bet Kentucky accounts for two of them that is sad.

 

[Leakfan12]

As much as I like Urban Meyer, does he escape this year unscathed, without blame and accountability? Is Addazio the only guy that gets punished? What about our horrid defense? Whose head rolls over that? With potential losses against FSU and, well, everybody, what makes Meyer above being fired?

ONE BAD YEAR and you want TO FIRE MEYER?

 

[Ufgatorfan]

ONE BAD YEAR and you want TO FIRE MEYER?

program above any one. not calling for his job unless we see the same crap we have seen all year and he tries to bring back this coaching staff. if that happens then yes i truly think it may be time to say bye bye meyer. Meyer is paid millions to do one thing that is win period. Yea they are supposed to encourage them to graduate and blah blah blah but college degrees don't bring in the money, wins do .

 

[DRU2012]

UFGatorfan--That's the AD's JOB! He's the one that hired the head coach, and it falls to him to FIRE that individual too, if/when that becomes necessary. Be easier (and better for the program) if he were to step aside voluntarily, maybe announce his "retirement" pending the end of the regular season; as I've said elsewhere, this would give Foley room to maneuver, give him his best shot at his preferred from among the prime candidates.
I'm with Escambia94 on this: it isn't just about Addazio anymore (if it ever WAS just about him). Meyer put him there, keeps him there, refuses to move him out of the duties for which he is completely over-matched.
Leakfan12--this isn't about "one bad year" (but it IS interesting that you are calmly accepting THAT). This is about where his loyalty, honor and sense of commitment now lies, as I have made clear. This is about taking responsibility for failure, never accepting mediocrity. This is about the good of the program, and its long term health and fate.

 

[castawaygator]

program above any one. not calling for his job unless we see the same crap we have seen all year and he tries to bring back this coaching staff. if that happens then yes i truly think it may be time to say bye bye meyer. Meyer is paid millions to do one thing that is win period. Yea they are supposed to encourage them to graduate and blah blah blah but college degrees don't bring in the money, wins do .

ridiculous! 2 NC titles so quickly has you and several gator fans blinded from near constant success. this is clearly a rebuilding year with several key players injured or suspended for stupid texting and a lot of young talent that are under performing. also have a different D coordinator a head coach that is trying to delegate more power to other coaches and some crappy play calling. Brantley is probably a good QB but not for the gators, in our case he is a square peg in a round hole.Dont get me wrong, the gators are playing sloppy and appear to be an embarrassment. Although the SEC east as a whole is having a bad year except for USC.
BTW i recall UM stating that the gators were not looking good back before this year started.

 

[Ufgatorfan]

UFGatorfan--That's the AD's JOB! He's the one that hired the head coach, and it falls to him to FIRE that individual too, if/when that becomes necessary. Be easier (and better for the program) if he were to step aside voluntarily, maybe announce his "retirement" pending the end of the regular season; as I've said elsewhere, this would give Foley room to maneuver, give him his best shot at his preferred from among the prime candidates.
I'm with Escambia94 on this: it isn't just about Addazio anymore (if it ever WAS just about him). Meyer put him there, keeps him there, refuses to move him out of the duties for which he is completely over-matched.
Leakfan12--this isn't about "one bad year" (but it IS interesting that you are calmly accepting THAT). This is about where his loyalty, honor and sense of commitment now lies, as I have made clear. This is about taking responsibility for failure, never accepting mediocrity. This is about the good of the program, and its long term health and fate.

I understand it is foley job to fire the head coach if he is not living up to Florida standards. What I said was he should not step over Meyer and try ti fire Addazio. That is a head coaches job not a AD. An AD job is to put the right coach in place. The head coach picks what coaches he would like to have running parts of his program. For him to over step Meyer and fire Addazio would be over stepping his responsibility in my opinion. If he wants to fire the head coach then I would not have a problem with a AD doing that. He has no business saying who can and cant run a offense or defense or any other part of the team. His sole job is to put the right head coach in place period. As much as I would like to see Addazio go it it not Foleys place to fire him its Meyers.

 

[Ufgatorfan]

ridiculous! 2 NC titles so quickly has you and several gator fans blinded from near constant success. this is clearly a rebuilding year with several key players injured or suspended for stupid texting and a lot of young talent that are under performing. also have a different D coordinator a head coach that is trying to delegate more power to other coaches and some crappy play calling. Brantley is probably a good QB but not for the gators, in our case he is a square peg in a round hole.Dont get me wrong, the gators are playing sloppy and appear to be an embarrassment. Although the SEC east as a whole is having a bad year except for USC.
BTW i recall UM stating that the gators were not looking good back before this year started.

Blind Eye???? I am not calling for Meyer to be fired. This is a rebuilding year? I some what question that. We have seniors juniors and sophomores starting on offense and that is worst part of out team. I understand were we are young on defense and thats why I do not blame them as much. We have young line backers and corners so to say I expected a lock down defense would be me dreaming. Why are people turning a blind eye to this offensive coordinator. Did you see that we have only gained 400 total yard or more of offense 3 times in 2 years against sec teams. 2 of them were Kentucky. What is the excuse for this. We had a solid offense last year with most of our starters back. Tebow made our offense look good so most people went unaware of the poor execution. Where is out cry over that. Addazio is a horrible OC. He was a good line coach when thats was his primary responsibility. Now our line is in shambles as well as our offense both which our coached by yours truly Addazio. Most of the post I have read do not out right call for Meyer to be fired rather call him to make changes even tv anchors are questioning. Any one who says Meyer looks like him self would be flat out lying to themselves.

 

[DRU2012]

UFGATORFAN: Sorry--you're right about Addazio; that IS the Head Coach's place to move or REmove him, if/when that were necessary. If only that were enough, were the only problem at this point. Perhaps that would have allowed the staff and team to refocus; perhaps a more adept OC would have called a better game, would have had the team ready to play. Perhaps...
It's a lot to ask to ask an OC. Where does the HEAD Coach's job begin? He CERTAINLY should have seen and tried at least to address the problems before now...but did these problems go further, deeper?
I think you addressed these points and made your case well, and chose to stop short of "the unthinkable"...So I will take that last step:
In refusing even to squarely acknowledge these problems, in therefore talking no steps to correct them, in stubbornly and proudly putting his loyalty, trust and friendship with Steve Addazio ahead of his loyalty, trust and commitment to the program he is paid millions to lead, Urban Meyer has broken trust with the all of us--the players, alumni, fans, regents and employees that make up the Program sometimes referred to collectively as Gator Nation.
Only a relative handful of these are directly, legally and financially responsible for his contract and continued employment, but it involves and affects us all. Somehow, Coach Meyer has either forgotten that, or stopped caring somewhere along the line.
CastawayGator: You label such a call-to-account "Ridiculous!", based on the success of the past. At what point does "broken trust" and "gone wrong" finally outweigh previous good work and begin to count against those responsible? How far does this program have to fall before you reckon it is now OK to come out and say "Enough!"? When we've past the point we were at when he got here? You yourself call "sloppy and embarrassing"; I believe that is where this Head Coach came in, during the Zook era, right after an ugly loss to a way out-classeed talent-wise Miss St. team.
Strange symmetry, don't you think?

 

[DRU2012]

(I'm tired and starting to make "proofing errors"...I'm leaving it to y'all, and welcome more discussion of these issues. I only hope that out of all of this come ideas as to how we might play a part in bringing change to our beloved Program, now in turmoil.)

 

[Escambia94]

One thing I noticed at the game that was missing all season--fire. Urban Meyer was fired up for the first time in a long time. He got into a verbal altercation with Addazio. Look back at video of the earlier games and take notice. Yes, we lost. We did show once again that good things tend to happen with Burton running the offense or with Brantley in hurry-up mode (with pass protection). Things could change with this coaching staff and make things right for the rest of the season. However, if things do not change then there may be a sickness in the Program that indicate our rebuilding year will be two rebuilding years. This was supposed to be the game where we woke up as a team. Maybe it happened too late in the game, but I think it happened. We shall see.

 

[Ufgatorfan]

Dis any one catch what Meyer said to another coach I think it was out wide receiver coach. On a failed 3 or 4th down the camera cut to Meyer and he clearly was upset and from what I saw from reading his lips he asked " what was that play" or " what was that call". He looked pissed. I was both excited because he showed some emotion but mad because should he have known what play was called. I wish I did not delete the game from my cable box so I can give the exact time but I know thats what I saw. On the sunshine network he looked a little better and showed emotion. I liked the question that was asked to Meyer about being young and that contributing to the poor performance. He basically stated that 7 games into the season there should be more progress. He also stated there will possibility be " big time changes " so hopefully that means some demotions coming.

 

[DRU2012]

Yeah, I saw that shot you're referring to. I guess I'm already in "disgust mode" 'cause I went straight to your second point: "You're asking that NOW?!!" was what I yelled at the screen to his clear Q about what play had been run.
And that line about being "more productive 6 or 7 games in" applies to the Head Coach TOO, in fact I say it applies to him FIRST.
Look, I haven't come to this point easily, or in a vacuum. You talk about passion: The "old" Urban Meyer did not accept ANY defeat well: he almost imploded completely after that loss in the SEC Championship, remember?
Compare to this season:
Seven games in, every one an embarrassing display of confused lack of preparation, three losses in a row, the last 2 at HOME against clearly inferior teams (that "undefeated" LSU team we had the talent to blow off the field!), and URBAN MEYER IS ONLY NOW "GETTING PISSED", showing some "passion"?
I ask you all again: WHAT'S IT GONNA TAKE?

 

[Leakfan12]

One thing I noticed at the game that was missing all season--fire. Urban Meyer was fired up for the first time in a long time. He got into a verbal altercation with Addazio. Look back at video of the earlier games and take notice. Yes, we lost. We did show once again that good things tend to happen with Burton running the offense or with Brantley in hurry-up mode (with pass protection). Things could change with this coaching staff and make things right for the rest of the season. However, if things do not change then there may be a sickness in the Program that indicate our rebuilding year will be two rebuilding years. This was supposed to be the game where we woke up as a team. Maybe it happened too late in the game, but I think it happened. We shall see.

Meyer got into a verbal altercation with Addazio? WOW, about time and hope this means changes are a coming. WE HOPE.