Grading the 2022 Coaching Staff

[Escambia94]

Napier gets 3 seasons to gut this program and rebuild from scratch. Consider 2022 to be Napier’s version of Charley Pell’s 1979 season, but with 6 wins instead of 0.

See below for my grades @DRU2012

 

[DRU2012]

Napier gets 3 seasons to gut this program and rebuild from scratch. Consider 2022 to be Napier’s version of Charley Pell’s 1979 season, but with 6 wins instead of 0.

I was THERE for that Charlie Pell "Oh, 10-and-1..." season, as you know--my sophomore year at UF.
And you're right: It FEELS similar in terms of how much time and ROOM we wanna GIVE the Coach and his taking charge of the program...
This TOO requires a wholesale change, a near-complete TURNOVER in personnel on and OFF the field--one which started the moment Billy was hired!
What is different is how much FUN we were able to have as undergrads back then: little to lose, no where to go but UP!
Not anymore. Our innocence is long lost.
That's just how it is--and in truth, from a practical P.O.V., that's a GOOD thing. College FOOTBALL is different, and the Gator Nation has a totally different sense of itself by now, with completely transformed expectations.
Believe it or not, I am WITH you on that "time and room" I hope and want Billy to be given (as I think he was promised before he signed on). And now (regardless of how one feels about it) it is openly "allowed" for the Coach and his people to do many of the kinds of things Pell got in trouble (and eventually shunned) for.
After last night, I really do think, feel, BELIEVE that we will see tangible evidence of substantial progress SEASON-BY-SEASON from here.
THAT time frame should represent our distance from ELITE, CHAMPIONSHIP Status...
That next few years then shape up as an exciting ROCKET ride!

 

[Escambia94]

I was THERE for that Charlie Pell "Oh, 10-and-1..." season, as you know--my sophomore year at UF.
And you're right: It FEELS similar in terms of how much time and ROOM we wanna GIVE the Coach and his taking charge of the program...
This TOO requires a wholesale change, a near-complete TURNOVER in personnel on and OFF the field--one which started the moment Billy was hired!
What is different is how much FUN we were able to have as undergrads back then: little to lose, no where to go but UP!
Not anymore. Our innocence is long lost.
That's just how it is--and in truth, from a practical P.O.V., that's a GOOD thing. College FOOTBALL is different, and the Gator Nation has a totally different sense of itself by now, with completely transformed expectations.
Believe it or not, I am WITH you on that "time and room" I hope and want Billy to be given (as I think he was promised before he signed on). And now (regardless of how one feels about it) it is openly "allowed" for the Coach and his people to do many of the kinds of things Pell got in trouble (and eventually shunned) for.
After last night, I really do think, feel, BELIEVE that we will see tangible evidence of substantial progress SEASON-BY-SEASON from here.
THAT time frame should represent our distance from ELITE, CHAMPIONSHIP Status...
That next few years then shape up as an exciting ROCKET ride!

Are you aware of all the overhauls Pell made off the field? Pell and Napier realize that winning in year 1 is only a temporary fix. In the long run it takes recruiting, boosters, facilities, and culture to win. Once those align it takes continuity and continuous improvement. Urban Meyer succeeded in all aspects except continuous improvement. Spurrier succeeded in all aspects but got burned out. Pell succeeded in all aspects except he was caught breaking too many rules. This is why Napier is fascinating: he potentially has none of those flaws. His only flaws are outdated schemes and underperforming coaches. If he addresses those he will do well.

 

[DRU2012]

Are you aware of all the overhauls Pell made off the field? Pell and Napier realize that winning in year 1 is only a temporary fix. In the long run it takes recruiting, boosters, facilities, and culture to win. Once those align it takes continuity and continuous improvement. Urban Meyer succeeded in all aspects except continuous improvement. Spurrier succeeded in all aspects but got burned out. Pell succeeded in all aspects except he was caught breaking too many rules. This is why Napier is fascinating: he potentially has none of those flaws. His only flaws are outdated schemes and underperforming coaches. If he addresses those he will do well.

I am interested in the specifics of "Napier's flaws" that you refer to near the end above...
Which particular "schemes" are "outdated"? Which "coaches" are "underperforming", in your view? And in both cases, what changes do you suggest?
I am seriously interested in all you have raised here--I have had similar suspicions, but frankly only vague hints "that I am missing something" somehow. I now suspect that you are onto that "something", and want to hear more.

 

[Escambia94]

Here are my grades for the 2022 coaching staff.

FOOTBALL		Position	Grade
	Billy Napier	Head Coach Offensive Coordinator Quarterback Coach	B- B B
	Patrick Toney	Co-Defensive Coordinator / Safeties	D
	Rob Sale	Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line	B
	Sean Spencer	Co-Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Line	B
	Jabbar Juluke	Associate Head Coach - Offense / Running Backs	A
	Corey Raymond	Assistant Head Coach - Defense / Cornerbacks	D
	Jay Bateman	Assistant Coach / Inside Linebackers	D
	Keary Colbert	Assistant Coach / Wide Receivers	D
	Darnell Stapleton	Assistant Coach / Offensive Line	A
	William Peagler	Assistant Coach / Tight Ends	D

 

[Escambia94]

	Mike Peterson	Assistant Coach / Outside Linebackers / Alumni Liaison	B
	Chris Couch	GameChanger Coordinator	F-
	Mark Hocke	Associate Head Coach / Director of Football Strength and Conditioning	C

 

[Escambia94]

Billy Napier gets a B- from me as head coach based largely on what he has done behind the scenes to fix the culture. He is probably doing too much, which leads to egregious mistakes with clock management and play selection. As offensive coordinator he led the #29 total offense.

 

[Escambia94]

Patrick Toney gets a D from me. This unit is ranked #102 in the nation. The poor performance could be excused since the majority of these players were corrupted by Todd Grantham, but I saw fundamental flaws from this unit all year long and it only got better against Texas A&M and South Carolina before it turned to crap against Vanderbilt and FSU. I have faith that this unit will become a top-20 unit within 3 years, but today he gets a D for having one of the 30 worst defenses in the nation.

 

[Escambia94]

Sean Spencer, Rob Sale, and Jabbar Juluke all contributed to the coaching of the #15 rushing offense. Clearly the strategy for having two OL coaches has paid off, but it would be nice if that translated into running output from the QB.

 

[Escambia94]

The defensive coaches need to find a way to adapt the scheme to the SEC. Or ACC. This was the worst defense I have ever seen—even after 3 years of Todd Grantham!

 

[DRU2012]

Hmm.
Alright: You SORT OF answered maybe half of the "underperforming coaches" question (I will follow up on much of what ISN'T answered)--and practically NOTHING regarding the "outdated schemes"!
On 2nd thought, there is so much still missing from the Coaching analysis that I realize I am not even sure where to BEGIN: It all traces back to Tomey, it seems--he and HIS defensive crew just haven't done enough to improve Grantham's long-deepening MESS. Your grades for them all telegraphs your overall agreement, but what SHOULD he and they have done/be doing? And to counter with the suggestion they "adapt a BETTER scheme" isn't enough. I'm sorry, but I am sure you are right in your overview/general assessment: I hoped for insight and encouragement in a way FORWARD.
A slew of poor grades among general mediocrity may accurately describe and reflect the results, but hardly advances the discussion.
Then there's Chris Couch's "F-".
What IS a "GameChanger Coordinator" anyway??!
Now, you do go on to further highlight and examine deeper some of the above, but damnit:
This really WAS "the worst defense we've SEEN here--even after Todd Grantham"!!!
Among a number of points you made (and did so just SPOT ON, in my opinion), together these shone a light on exactly our path OUT of the morass Grantham and Mullen left us mired in.
Your underlying point (one of several) here seemed to be that where Napier CAN be the answer, Tomey and HIS "defensive braintrust" are looking less and LESS so.
I repeat: I believe you "have the dragon by the tail", E--: You have neatly outlined the basis of the problems AND at least HINTED at their potential solutions. All of the players and their respective responsibilities are there...Forgive my pestering you this way, but I truly believe that you are on the track of working this through: Follow your usual thorough, dogged logic and indefatigable pursuit of the truth, and we'll ALL be rewarded with a comprehensively accurate understanding of our best path through and OUT of the maze ahead.
I MEAN that. It is the main (and LAST) thing we are really left to consider as the rest of the 2022 college football season runs past and away from us now towards its (for us mainly irrelevant, if still somewhat entertaining) end in the CFB playoffs, etc. (...and at 6-and-6, WE are, by the way, let's face it the "also-rans of the also-rans of that etcetera"!).