What's It Gonna Take?

[Escambia94]

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

Addazio and one of the other coaches. Now, this can also be a sign of other issues. Notice how the play calling was different than in other games? We TRIED to throw down field. It did not work. We TRIED Gillislee up the middle instead of Moooooody. It did not work. We TRIED more Demps. He fumbled. The play calling opened up and the players did not execute. The coaches were yelling at one another because they might not have the answers. Things may change, indeed. On the field we are a mess, and now in the locker room we are probably in a big mess.

 

[gatorsare#1]

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?

Well we might not even win reach 8 wins if this offense doesn't turn around. There's not a game left on the schedule (not even Vandy or Appalachian State) that is a guaranteed win.

And you better believe that FSU is taking note of all this. They're on a 6 game losing streak to us, and at home, they'll want to destroy us. If we have another embarrassing loss or a blowout to UGA/FSU, things will definitely change.

 

[Escambia94]

These things don't happen overnight. I think we are in phase 1. Coaches don't get fired mid-season and sent home packing unless they do something illegal. Urban Meyer will be afforded the rest of the season to right the ship, especially since we are mathematically in the hunt for the East in the eyes of Foley.

 

[DRU2012]

I understand your point, but let's consider:
1) Yes, these "things" don't happen overnight, but the process has to START at some point (and MAY have started already--we're not privy to everything going on backroom at the highest levels, this time especially); how quickly they come to a head, and based on whay circumstances and/or events we might not know until after-the-fact.
2) I'm not sure I'm remembering this clearly, but didn't Zook get fired right after a loss to MSU mid-season--ie. at EXACTLY this point in the year?
3) I've said it before, and it's a long shot, true, but Urban Meyer COULD suddenly show Foley in particular and our Program in general the same sense of honor, loyalty and pride he's shown only Addazio up until now and RESIGN, pending the end of the season. That would be the "right way to go" (as opposed to that hysterical, over-wrought sudden freak out near the end of LAST season).
As for "spreading the blame"--the team's deteriorating play, strife in the locker room, how many losses we could end up with and to whom, and so on--we've seen this all before in once great programs descending into disarray. Hell, we've seen it in the past with the Gators. The one saving grace is that it IS early in the process: there is still time and talent to turn this all around by next year. Our original hope and optimism for the future of this Gator squad was not misplaced--the skill, speed and depth were not an illusion. It's all still retrievable. I don't blame the young players for what has become as much a frustrating bad dream for them as for us. The problem has been and remains in THE COACHING.
Face it, fix it, and we move on Fail to act, and it'll be a long, slow slide.

 

[The Zooker]

Addazio hasn't earned a second chance but Meyer has. I don't think we need to throw him out. His only fault right now is that he trusts Addazio. Get rid of Addazio as a playcaller and Meyer could very well be back to his proper form. Let's just see what happens before the UGA game. If no changes have occurred then I might start considering the need to let Meyer "retire" the way FSU let Bowden "retire."

 

[Escambia94]

We have had one bad year. Zook had essentially 3 or 4 bad years. Urban Meyer has earned a year of this crap football, but not much more. This is the rule of thumb in college football. Maybe Foley has talked to others and the wheels are in motion, but I doubt it.

 

[Leakfan12]

Addazio and one of the other coaches. Now, this can also be a sign of other issues. Notice how the play calling was different than in other games? We TRIED to throw down field. It did not work. We TRIED Gillislee up the middle instead of Moooooody. It did not work. We TRIED more Demps. He fumbled. The play calling opened up and the players did not execute. The coaches were yelling at one another because they might not have the answers. Things may change, indeed. On the field we are a mess, and now in the locker room we are probably in a big mess.

I wouldn't said pass downfield it didn't work because Brantley did put them into a position to tie and more than likely the game would have OT but Henry was the kicker. He showed what he can do. Good thing they have a bye before the UGA game.

 

[The Zooker]

We have the ability to throw downfield. If I were coaching I would have Frankie and Carl out wide, Debose (when healthy) at slot, and Hines at TE. Have Moody (when healthy) in the backfield. No, not as a runner obviously, but as a blocker. Run a no huddle offense and watch Brantley shred the secondary once he gets into rhythm. Deonte Thompson can sit the bench. When the perpetually injured Debose and Moody are out, Robert Clark and Gilly can come in on those passing plays. Gilly would be used as the back for basic running plays as well. Use Demps on the trickery stuff and options. Use Gilly to pound the defense. Throw in Burton to run the option to change the pace up when necessary.

 

[gtrgrl97]

What's it going to take?

A loss to Mississippi State at home for Homecoming.

Oh wait . . .

SOOOO funny!

 

[gtrgrl97]

We have had one bad year. Zook had essentially 3 or 4 bad years. Urban Meyer has earned a year of this crap football, but not much more. This is the rule of thumb in college football. Maybe Foley has talked to others and the wheels are in motion, but I doubt it.

I'd hate to see a couple bad years, but Coach Meyer has given UF a couple great seasons, we need to give him at least this one, I think....
(Okay, don't beat me up y'all)

 

[Escambia94]

We have the ability to throw downfield. If I were coaching I would have Frankie and Carl out wide, Debose (when healthy) at slot, and Hines at TE. Have Moody (when healthy) in the backfield. No, not as a runner obviously, but as a blocker. Run a no huddle offense and watch Brantley shred the secondary once he gets into rhythm. Deonte Thompson can sit the bench. When the perpetually injured Debose and Moody are out, Robert Clark and Gilly can come in on those passing plays. Gilly would be used as the back for basic running plays as well. Use Demps on the trickery stuff and options. Use Gilly to pound the defense. Throw in Burton to run the option to change the pace up when necessary.

After seeing a game in person and a second look on video, I would say this is the most likely scenario to get us on track. At the end of the game we looked good in hurry-up mode. Let's run a hurry-up alternated with Burton/Gilly pounding it.

I'd hate to see a couple bad years, but Coach Meyer has given UF a couple great seasons, we need to give him at least this one, I think....
(Okay, don't beat me up y'all)

Even if UM does not have the answers anymore, we owe him this year to fix this with his Plan to Win. On top of that, it takes a while to replace a coach. Maybe with some changes he can modify his plan, and give Foley time to line up a successor should Meyer fail in 2011.

 

[DRU2012]

I'm certainly not going to "beat you up"--it's a valid position. I would have been with you on this had things not gotten so out of hand so quickly, and (even more importantly) in the WAY that they did, and continue to do so.
I have been a staunch Meyer supporter, but it has become crashingly clear to me that we misjudged the man, the depth of his crisis last year, the actual implications of his BREAKDOWN (yes, by now it is pretty obvious that THAT is what it was), and how it changed him.
Please understand: I just want to see our Gators suffer as minor a fall and as brief a time of crisis-and-recovery as is possible. Many of us have raised a call that embodies the underlying philosophy, and strives to remind ALL Gators where our priorities must lie:
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE PROGRAM.
You want to give the Head Coach the rest of the season? Fine: then let him move Addazio aside, move Loeffler (or SOMEONE else) to OC, and we'll see how that goes...I thought that's what happened between 'Bama and Cincy LAST season, but OK, we're here again. You see? We've already lost a good deal of time (and God knows what else--meanwhile, even THAT was after a season of mounting calls for Addazio's removal). Begs the question: Where was our Head Coach? Where is he now? Standing on the sidelines towards the end of each game, hands on his knees with that baffled, deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.
Never a good sign.

Anyway, I DO want to say how much I respect and appreciate the other contributors here at Gator Envy. No matter what your point of view you make your case with patience, humor and clear thought. That's a much appreciated contrast to other sites, where, as you can well imagine, I take a lot of heat (even knee-jerk personal attacks) not just (predictably) for criticism of UM but for ANY discussion of the state of our program that is deemed "negative"...Addazio and certain PLAYERS are now fair game, apparently, but any talk of deeper "problems" are met with the old "love it or leave it" BS--like I don't love the Gators, shouldn't even call myself a Gator, 'cause I refuse to blindly "Believe!". Thank you all.

 

[Escambia94]

I'm certainly not going to "beat you up"--it's a valid position. I would have been with you on this had things not gotten so out of hand so quickly, and (even more importantly) in the WAY that they did, and continue to do so.
I have been a staunch Meyer supporter, but it has become crashingly clear to me that we misjudged the man, the depth of his crisis last year, the actual implications of his BREAKDOWN (yes, by now it is pretty obvious that THAT is what it was), and how it changed him.
Please understand: I just want to see our Gators suffer as minor a fall and as brief a time of crisis-and-recovery as is possible. Many of us have raised a call that embodies the underlying philosophy, and strives to remind ALL Gators where our priorities must lie:
NO ONE IS ABOVE THE PROGRAM.
You want to give the Head Coach the rest of the season? Fine: then let him move Addazio aside, move Loeffler (or SOMEONE else) to OC, and we'll see how that goes...I thought that's what happened between 'Bama and Cincy LAST season, but OK, we're here again. You see? We've already lost a good deal of time (and God knows what else--meanwhile, even THAT was after a season of mounting calls for Addazio's removal). Begs the question: Where was our Head Coach? Where is he now? Standing on the sidelines towards the end of each game, hands on his knees with that baffled, deer-caught-in-the-headlights look.
Never a good sign.

Anyway, I DO want to say how much I respect and appreciate the other contributors here at Gator Envy. No matter what your point of view you make your case with patience, humor and clear thought. That's a much appreciated contrast to other sites, where, as you can well imagine, I take a lot of heat (even knee-jerk personal attacks) not just (predictably) for criticism of UM but for ANY discussion of the state of our program that is deemed "negative"...Addazio and certain PLAYERS are now fair game, apparently, but any talk of deeper "problems" are met with the old "love it or leave it" BS--like I don't love the Gators, shouldn't even call myself a Gator, 'cause I refuse to blindly "Believe!". Thank you all.

You are right, no one is above the program. That is true, but I also understand corporate politics. There is a political order of things that we do not get to see into.

In a perfect world, I would be right behind you holding the flag. You are definitely onto something, but when framed with the reality of corporate politics in college football the changes will probably take a couple years to unfold. If Urban Meyer still has that winning edge in him, he will find a way to fix this before the Point of No Return, the point where Foley tells him to resign.

The more I look into the problem the more I think the problem is less because of Addazio and Meyer--this is a discipline problem caused by lack of leadership on the field and lack of disciplined coaching. The coaches are still figuring out their roles in the new Urban Meyer era. Well, it looks to me like the new Urban Meyer needs to go back to being the old Urban Meyer or else we will see "the next Urban Meyer" in 2012. Urban Meyer is too worried about his health to micromanage discipline like he used to. Steve Addazio is too busy with the o-line and the entire offense to micromanage discipline. Teryl Austin comes from the NFL where there is no such thing as discipline. So, who is disciplining the players and pushing execution now that Meyer is not? There is the first problem we need to solve.

 

[The Zooker]

So, who is disciplining the players and pushing execution now that Meyer is not? There is the first problem we need to solve.

According to my sources, Meyer is still a disciplinarian but Marotti has stepped up big time with the issue.

 

[DRU2012]

Well said, Escambia94

I find myself coming to a similar overview. I've asked folks to "face facts"; guess I'm coming to realize I must do the same as they become clear over time. I hope I've put some things "out there" that may do more, go further than simply stir things up over the short run.
Regardless, though, it's not as if sudden dramatic change appears to be forthcoming, or even on a distant horizon, for now. It will have to come in its own time and process, as you say--and by your same reasoning, as far as those "corporate powers" are concerned, ideally we wouldn't know about it yet even if it were.
However, I will NOT just slink quietly away, suffering a long slide in silent, cynical "I told ya so"-mode. I just can't give up entirely a feeling of responsibility: the fact that such a slide might still be reversed, at the least foreshortened requires those who see it to offer impassioned, informed counterpoint to the numbing immobility we've been presented with so far.
That goes for all of you, BIG time.

 

[Escambia94]

I find myself coming to a similar overview. I've asked folks to "face facts"; guess I'm coming to realize I must do the same as they become clear over time. I hope I've put some things "out there" that may do more, go further than simply stir things up over the short run.
Regardless, though, it's not as if sudden dramatic change appears to be forthcoming, or even on a distant horizon, for now. It will have to come in its own time and process, as you say--and by your same reasoning, as far as those "corporate powers" are concerned, ideally we wouldn't know about it yet even if it were.
However, I will NOT just slink quietly away, suffering a long slide in silent, cynical "I told ya so"-mode. I just can't give up entirely a feeling of responsibility: the fact that such a slide might still be reversed, at the least foreshortened requires those who see it to offer impassioned, informed counterpoint to the numbing immobility we've been presented with so far.
That goes for all of you, BIG time.

You have opened up my eyes a bit, so you did your part in this world. I honestly was a lot more optimistic that things were not as bad as they are.

 

[Escambia94]

According to my sources, Meyer is still a disciplinarian but Marotti has stepped up big time with the issue.

Apparently Marotti has not stepped up enough. In pre-game warm-ups, the Bulldogs looked ready to play and win. The Gators looked like they were hung over from Homecoming. My little brother is in Afghanistan. He texted me whether he thought he should make that trek across the desert to watch the game in the recreation tent. I told him no and to just play NCAA Football on his Playstation using Burton as QB. He thanked me later. It was not worth getting heckled by the other football fans. He said it would have been easier to walk through the mine field on the other side of base than it would be to walk past the Gator haters living up the loss that was playing on the only TV in the compound.

Execution. We looked like YMCA flag football. That means we were probably coached that way.

 

[The Zooker]

Marotti is more about the off field discipline issues, not on field execution of plays. My earlier response may have been vague.

 

[Escambia94]

Marotti is more about the off field discipline issues, not on field execution of plays. My earlier response may have been vague.

Gotcha. Then what we need is an on-field version of Terry Tate, office linebacker as our disciplinarian.

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzToNo7A-94[/YOUTUBE]

Terry Tate to Deonte Thompson: Woo! You know you can't beat the defender and then drop the pass in the end zone! You beat that jock, now grab the rock!

 

[DRU2012]

Right on!
(Man, even just saying that much gets me pissed all over again...so tired of throwing my hands in the air in excitement only to have them frozen in frustration!)