Pop Quiz: Former Florida Commits and Leans

[Escambia94]

Question: What do the following names have in common?

• Kelvin Benjamin
• James Wilder, Jr
• Rashad Green
• Nic O'Leary
• Lamarcus Joyner
• Timmy Jernigan

Answer: They are all current FSU players who committed or leaned towards Florida, but were scared away by Urban Meyer's flip-flopping as they were going through the recruiting process. Many of these kids were Florida fans as kids. Now they are all 4th and 5th year players who have been in the same offensive and defensive schemes. Many of these kids did not do much in their freshman and sophomore years, but have been doing well in their junior and senior years. Meanwhile, our 4th and 5th year players have been through 2 head coaches, 3 offensive coordinators, and 3 defensive coordinators. Also keep in mind that the offense switched from a spread-option to a pro-style/multiple, and the defense switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4.

The good news is that next year there will be none of those old players around from the old offensive and defensive systems. There is hope.

 

[Ga8or22]

And this is important why. Ding dongs living in the past.

 

[Escambia94]

And this is important why. Ding dongs living in the past.

The point is that turmoil in coaching affects recruiting. No matter how many times we fire and replace coaches as we seek solutions, we need to settle down on coaching changes at some point. Teams with coaching changes do not do well, unless the changes come from within a coaching tree. One thing that Urban Meyer did not have is a coaching tree, at least not a loyal one. Historically, teams need to replenish coaches from within, or bring in sections of an entire coaching tree.

Urban can claim this as his coaching tree:

• Urban Meyer (HC The Ohio State, worked for Earle Bruce at OSU, Lou Holtz and Bob Davie at Notre Dame, and Sonny Lubick at Colorado State)[Note his success when he had several of these coaches together at Bowling Green, Utah and Florida]
  • Gregg Brandon (OC New Mexico State, worked for UM as OC at Bowling Green)
    • Tim Beckman (HC at Illinois, worked for Gregg Brandon and Urban Meyer at Bowling Green)
  • Dan Mullen (HC Mississippi State, worked for UM as OC at Florida, Utah, and Bowling Green)
    • Billy Gonzales (WRC Mississippi State, worked for UM as STC/WRC at Florida and Utah)
  • Kyle Whittingham (HC at Utah, worked for UM as DC/DLC at Utah)
  • Charlie Strong (HC at Louisville, worked for UM at Florida)(Strong can also be claimed by Steve Spurrier, Ron Zook, Galen Hall, Charley Pell, and Lou Holtz)
    • Kenny Carter (RBC at Louisville, worked for UM as RBC at Florida)
    • Vance Bedford (DC at Louisville, worked for UM as DBC at Florida)
  • Steve Addazio (HC Boston College, worked for UM as OC/OLC at Florida)
  • Scot Loeffler (OC Virginia Tech, worked for UM as QBC at Florida)
  • Brian White (TEC at Florida, worked for UM as TEC at Florida)
  • Chuck Heater (DC Marshall, worked for UM as DC/DBC at Florida and Utah)
  • Dan McCarney (HC North Texas, worked for UM as DLC at Florida)
  • Stan Drayton (AHC/RBC OSU, worked for UM as RB at Florida)

Will Muschamp can claim this as his coaching tree:

• Will Muschamp (HC Florida, worked as HCIW/DC for Mack Brown at UTx, DC/AHC for Nick Saban at Miami Dolphins and LSU, DC for Tommy Tuberville at Auburn, GA under Terry Bowden at Auburn)[Note the success Nick Saban has keeping several portions of his coaching tree together]
  • Charlie Weis (HC Kansas, worked under WM as OC at Florida)
  • Brent Pease (worked under WM as OC at Florida)
  • Dan Quinn (DC at Seattle Seahawks, worked as DC at Florida)

Will Muschamp will not succeed unless he finds gold with his next OC and OLC hires. History tells us that the best formula for long-term success is to find people from his coaching tree:

• Jimbo Fisher (HC Florida State, OC at LSU under Nick Saban while WM was DC)
• Kirby Smart (DC at Alabama, DBC at Miami Dolphins under Nick Saban while WM was DC)
• Major Applewhite (OC/QBC at UTx, same position under Mack Brown while WM was HCIW/DC)
• Stacy Searels (OLC at UTx, same position under Mack Brown w/ WM, and under Nick Saban at LSU)

 

[Escambia94]

All that being said, look for Will Muschamp to dig into his coaching tree for help next year. I know everyone wants Will Muschamp to be fired and for Jeremy Foley to bring in {insert outlandish wish here}, but this is probably not going to happen. I would anticipate him to make a play to get Major Applewhite and Stacy Searels. If those two do not pan out, then it will be some others from the Mack Brown, Nick Saban, or Tommy Tuberville coaching trees. If that does not pan out, then it will be some off-the-wall hire that may cause more recruiting problems (unless it is a great steal from the NFL).