Will muschamp

I think he's a good hire because he's been hot property for the head coaching job for a few years.

I am at a complete loss for words at this point. I am completely shocked as this was on nobody's radar. I am trying to read as much as I can on this guy but at this point I am still uncertain.

Damn, I hate surprises!

Steve Addazio Gone as Florida Offensive Coordinator: Major Applewhite Takes Over | Bleacher Report

So I guess it is applewhite as OC...
That's a good thing

Lucky for me I live in Short Horn country. Who would have thought that the rumor mill out here was so accurate? When I heard the rumors on thursday or Friday I was in disbelief. I figured these Texas people don't know what they are talking about. I'm more shocked that they were right.

Too bad I won't be at work on Monday to chat this up with the Short Horn fans. As for Applewhite at OC, I am concerned over his experience. He is a big recruiter with a bias for QBs that look like Brantley.

I think Will Muschamp is a good hire for the following reasons:

1. Recruiting - We now have access to the state of Texas and it's surrounding areas, this is going to be pretty awesome.

2. Youth, he is 39, so I pray he does not have the health problems that Meyer had.

3. Long Term - Since he is from the area, and is his wife is from GA, they can equally share football and family time.

4. Passion, he is a passionate coach.

The only negatives, are he is never been a head coach. So we will see how he works out.

I'll admit I wanted Petersen but I wasn't too upset over the hiring of Muschamp. A head coach is defined by the staff of assistants he can put together. That's the real key. Gene Chizik without Gus Malzahn is going to the Poinsettia Bowl. Gene Chizik with Gus Malzahn is going to win a national title. But then more news got released. Muschamp is bringing along a lot of Texas guys. The same Texas coaches that had a very underperforming year out there. After the results we got from Meyer I was hoping for somebody that had been producing great results without the talent -- Petersen. Not a staff that can't break .500 with a roster full of four and five star athletes. I will reserve my final judgement until the games are played. But I was kinda hoping for somebody else. Muschamp can't be bad though, he was always at the top of the list for every new coaching job. Turned down Clemson, Tennessee, Auburn, et cetera. I am however happy that it's a staff of young, excited coaches who have had a chance to study under some great head coaches (including that Saban fellow). But at the end of the day, they are Gators now so I welcome them to the family and am looking forward to 2011. As stated before, at least Addazio won't be calling our plays.

(I'm nursing TWO kinds of hangovers--and the emotion/information-induced one is MUCH worse than the French/distillation-produced version)
Where I was conditionally hopeful regarding Muschamp's hire, I KNEW the immediate verdict rested on the OC hire--and Applewhite was NOT the guy I was looking for. In fact, this whole Texas-vibe, while predictable, even inevitable, I suppose, is a real letdown for me, a disappointment .
Muschamp represents a solid future for our defense, of that we can be confident and optimistic.
Recruiting will hardly miss a beat now either, at least on Defense--although there begins our possibly now-multiplying problems on offense: he is definitely NOT any kind of answer THERE, on the field OR on the recruiting trail. Oh, he has enthusiasm, no doubt, but that only goes so far once you get to the livingroom with the influential family member(s) present...Dad (and often MOM) knows what's what and will have some pointed questions to go with a pre-formed impression and/or attitude, and that's when you want a committed, knowledgeable and well-known offensive mind and well-known Gator to close the deal on that 4- or 5-star QB, RB or WR.
Then there our specific on-the-field needs, and it is there that the Applewhite-hire most concerns me. We have the personality and talent makeup (veteran and incoming) of a potentially dominant Spread offense, with the right OC. We've got a broken, ill-suited QB in Brantley who was clearly over-rated and over-matched in his performance last season, a decent potential replacement AND accompanying "change-up"/alternative in Reed and Burton already in hand AND a possible COMPLETE PACKAGE for some version of the Spread on-the-way in Driskell, and Muschamp brings in Major Applewhite? Perhaps Major will surprise me and show the kind of flexibility that great coaches sometimes have, able to adapt his inclination and philosophy to suit the talent he has at hand, but make no mistake: he is a straight ahead proponent of the drop-back passer, quarterback set in the pocket after a 5-step drop and run-to-keep-'em-honest. Texas had the same kind of problems with Gilbert and its offense that we had with Brantley and ours; JB is Major's kind of player, NOT REED or Burton or (I hate to say it and dread its implications) Driskell--and Driskell has GOT to be reconsidering his "solid commitment" at this point; we may lose him now, a REAL disaster.
I am hoping that this "crew" surprises me, most of all that Major Applewhite is about to show his adaptability and willingness to grow and expand his approach to offense--I just have my doubts.
Thing is, I hope to HELL I am wrong, 'cause if I'm not, we are NOW about to be set back even FURTHER, with the program in complete depletion and disarray by the end of the process--about 3-to-5-years from now!

is it confirmed that Applewhite is coming? I remember him leaving Bama to be the rb coach at texas mainly cause his wife wanted to go back to Austin. Plus unless he was let go off of the staff, wouldn/t he be next in line for the OC job there?

Major Applewhite is confirmed. Sad. I will miss Addaz---ha ha ha ha ha! Sorry. That was not nice. Applewhite was only the RB coach, but he also helped with QBs. DRU is right. Applewhite prefers QBs like Brantley, but with one exception...he wants them to scramble on occasion. There is hope for Driskell. Also, Applewhite would start a freshman if the freshman outperformed the incumbent.

I don't know very much about Major Applewhite's personality but Muschamp has to find an offensive coordinator with a personality as strong as his. If not, the offense is going to face a serious lack of confidence. At practice, Muschamp's D will probably work over the O pretty good and Muschamp will love it. The D will be all fired up and it will take serious leadership to keep the offense - an offense that will probably be running a new system - from getting discouraged and giving up. I don't know if Major Applewhite is that guy. He might be, I just don't know. From what I saw this season, he is very analytical and cerebral. Very calm on the sideline.

That is correct. Applewhite is "analytical and cerebral". He also learns a lot just by watching. He will not be running up and down the sideline like Muschamp, but Applewhite could bring some Texas buddies that will complement his introverted nature.

That calmness could be a good thing at times. Who knows? Either way, I am excited.

dang we are sure gonna miss the dazzler..........NOT hahah!

Major could allay Driskell's fears as well--an IMMEDIATE visit is in order, to be sure! Any kind of delay while he "considers his options" or "gets his bearings" could "queer the deal": Applewhite needs to show up at Driskell's DOOR, having watched all the available film and completely familiar with not just his "numbers" but his hopes and DREAMS, know what I'm saying? In handling things in this manner Major can send a message to all of Gator Nation, calm ALL OF OUR FEARS regarding this "change of the guard" in general and his ascension to OC, the new "Uber-Leader of the Gator Offense", in particular.
It's one thing having a new regime from out of the hinterlands suddenly show up to take over, bringing their new and mostly unfamiliar schemes, routines, philosophies and personalities behind those new faces; there's an added strangeness to be suddenly confronting this with what is essentially the former "Faces of the Young and Future Texas Longhorn Braintrust" here at the University of Florida. We ARE talking about the one school that is closest to being our "equal and opposite number", in SO many ways. Can Longhorns really be Gators? Have they REALLY stopped being Longhorns, and if the answer is "Not quite yet", when will that be? Are they secretly ALWAYS "ready to go back"? This is NOT the usual "have clipboard, will travel".

I'm really starting to warm up to this hire. Apparently Muschamp is one heck of a recruiter. That's more than half the battle these days. He's young and fired up. Like everyone else I'm hesitant to celebrate Major as the Off Coor. But I can't see much of anything wrong with him. And after having Addazio for two years, I'll take anything. Defensive Coordinator is where things start to get interesting. Lots of outlets are reporting that Muschamp is going after Kirby Smart very hard and with a lot of money. The two are very good friends. If we pull in Kirby as the D Coor and have Muschamp as the head coach then we will have one brutal defense. That's for sure. If you haven't noticed, the league is shifting heavily towards offense. With guys like Petrino and Malzahn coming in, we are seeing more and more 50+ point performances. Maybe it's a good thing that we are taking a counter approach. Instead of getting into gunslinging matches with triple digit over/unders, we should focus on shutting down the opposition and then just put up enough points for the win.

I agree about the Defense, both regarding where the rest of the SEC is headed AND us taking a contrarian approach--however, I think we can do a lot better than "put enough points up to win", and I'd be REALLY disappointed (and surprised!) if that is Major's attitude or plan.
In fact, gotta believe he sees that same reality of Petrino, Malzahn and the rest and figures he'll HAVE to mount a somewhat prolific offense just to hold our own. It's how creative and imaginative he can be in adapting and designing an appropriate offense to take advantage of his available personnel that is my main concern now. The notoriously strong defenses of the SEC are not going to disappear as these competing offenses come into their own, after all. It isn't an accident or "statistical anomaly" that our conference is now and for the foreseeable playing in and usually winning National Championships. It is the best and getting better, and that is EXACTLY what is required of any program that comes out of it a Champion.
Nothing less than a complete dedication to excellence, a constant vying for perfection in every detail is required in the men who ask the same from their players.

I agree that building a strong defense is a good idea, but I am anxious to see what kind of offensive changes we are going to see. You can bet that the spread-option is done. Fine. The Applewhite offense will suit Brantley, except that Brantley may have to scramble on occasion. Fine. Driskel may be worried about these changes, but I think he will fit just fine. I also think with Applewhite that all the players will have to win their positions--no easy gimmes based on seniority. Remember that Applewhite was yanked and replaced by Chris Simms even though Applewhite's performance was about as good or bad as Simms'. Then again, he was competing against Phil Simms' son. Applewhite probably will not look at Brantley and anoint him the automatic starter. He will have to fight for it. Muschamp and Applewhite will have no idea what to do with Reed and Burton. I think it would be easier if both of them converted full-time to a different position. I would guess that we will be full at QB next year between Brantley, Driskel, the current bench warmers, and anyone that was recruited by Applewhite and Muschamp that will move to Florida. Malcolm Brown of San Antonio, TX (220 lbs, 6'0", 5 stars, #1 RB in the nation) would be a nice addition at running back.

I must hedge on this one; on the one hand, the more I THINK and consider this hire, the more I WANT to relax and be optimistic. On the other, more and more things appear on my "Uh Oh"-radar: the big "coach-in-waiting"-contract at Texas still in hand, the deep connections to UGA, the Applewhite hire and all the questions THAT raises (I LIKE the Spread, at UF and in the SEC in particular, think it gives us the best chance to win AND when run with imagination and the right talent is really ENTERTAINING--not a small consideration, nor one that has been enough in evidence here at UF since '08). These are just the main ones; more keep rolling out as information becomes available. Finally, I just don't believe that this was "the only guy we even considered"--that would be foolish, if true, and alsost dsertainly ISN'T anyway. Muschamp may well have been the only good, high-profile young coach full-of-energy that we COULD get right now, and Foley may very well have felt he HAD to get this done FAST to save recruiting (that 23-down-to-3 recruiting visits fiasco this past weekend may have scared the sh*t out of him), but this DOES smack of a desperation move--and I don;t know that it was necessary to approach it that way.
Remember, Ron ZOOK was young and energetic and a "great recruiter", too. Foley was in a panicked, desperate hurry then also. I'm just saying...

Foley learned a lot from his recruitment of Zook. For one, he took more flak for whom he did not choose than for whom he did choose. Even if Foley interviewed 500 candidates, he will tell us he interviewed one. That way the detractors won't hound him for not choosing this guy or that guy. On top of that, we don't know how long Foley has schmoozed up to Muschamp. Foley may have had Muschamp's name on a Post-it note under his desk since last year. Either way, there is still a lot of work to do. The other part of the equation in recruiting is the coaches. All nine of Meyer's assistants played a role in recruiting. The coaches that are going to be let go will want to turn over their recruiting notes, and those who are staying onboard will want to call up their recruits and make sure they don't de-commit over the holidays.

As a Gator fan living in Austin today has been like winning the BCS. I absolutely love seeing all the UT fans squirm. Also, I think Muschamp is a great hire. Recruiting is a big plus with this guy and Applewhite will be a good fit too I think.

Another Gator in Texas! Sweet!