Word coming down overnight (Tuesday to Wednesday, reported on ESPN and now YouTube's "Locked On Gators") are reports that Patrick Toney, Gator DC, is in final negotiations with the Arizona Cardinals to become their Defensive Assistant.
Now, there are those thar will be happy to hear this--blaming as some do on PT for last season's abysmal Gator defense. I am not among them:
We were bad under Mullen the previous season, for one thing...but more importantly, Toney has played a huge part in analyzing, then helping to recruit many of the most talented young players we are beginning to bring in now. To follow and builld on that point, I believe at this point that the above, plus general "reliable continuity" are most important right now.
Further word has Napier and his people targeting Bama's Austin Armstrong as his replacement, but that is very early "quiet backchatter" based on his previous work under Billy at Louisiana.
I hope there IS such a "solid, land-on-our-feet" plan in place, but regardless, the potential consequences on this sudden change now I fear cannot really help us now, at least short term.
I'm hoping those "final negotiations" break down somehow (and we are perhaps then given another season to manage such a change I'm a calmer, more organized fashion?), but let's face it:
This is likely happening now, and here we are at another "damnit WTF?"-moment that raises all kinds of potential problems, questions and confusion--all of the kind we really don't need now.
Now, there are those thar will be happy to hear this--blaming as some do on PT for last season's abysmal Gator defense. I am not among them:
We were bad under Mullen the previous season, for one thing...but more importantly, Toney has played a huge part in analyzing, then helping to recruit many of the most talented young players we are beginning to bring in now. To follow and builld on that point, I believe at this point that the above, plus general "reliable continuity" are most important right now.
Further word has Napier and his people targeting Bama's Austin Armstrong as his replacement, but that is very early "quiet backchatter" based on his previous work under Billy at Louisiana.
I hope there IS such a "solid, land-on-our-feet" plan in place, but regardless, the potential consequences on this sudden change now I fear cannot really help us now, at least short term.
I'm hoping those "final negotiations" break down somehow (and we are perhaps then given another season to manage such a change I'm a calmer, more organized fashion?), but let's face it:
This is likely happening now, and here we are at another "damnit WTF?"-moment that raises all kinds of potential problems, questions and confusion--all of the kind we really don't need now.