Times have been tough for the Gator Nation since the highwater mark of the football program (and, coincidentally, the men’s basketball program as well) back in the mid-aughts.
For a long stretch, starting with the arrival of [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag] on the Swamp’s sidelines as well as [autotag]Billy Donovan[/autotag]’s tenure across the street inside the O’Connell Center, Florida fans were spoiled by success.
And who can argue with a run that saw three national championships on the gridiron as well as a pair of back-to-back trophies on the parquet? Not that the entire time was smooth sailing; the [autotag]Ron Zook[/autotag] era will always be there to haunt us while Billy D also hit a few potholes along his path to superlative success.
But the past decade has been a harsh come-down from the peak the two major sports achieved despite a College Baseball World Series win in 2017.
It seems those loyal to the Orange and Blue had their expectations rise too high or at least that is the opinion of Florida football great [autotag]Chris Doering[/autotag], who recently aired his grievances with the fans duing an interview with Jake Crain of the “Crain and Co. Show.” Here is what the legendary wide receiver had to say.
“I’m a lifelong Gator fan. The son of two Florida grads. I lived in Gainesville growing up, so I feel like I can say this. Our fan base has become the worst. In terms of criticism and lack of patience. ([autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag]) hasn’t even coached a game yet and his popularity has been up and down mostly because of the recruiting criticism he has gotten. That’s ultimately what cost [autotag]Dan Mullen[/autotag] his job.”
“I don’t think people understood the disarray the program was in. The lack of elite SEC talent on that roster. I hope Florida fans understand where they are right now, and how difficult the schedule is. I think if they go 8-4 with the schedule they have to face, that should be viewed as a successful season.”
As a Gainesville native who has spent more than two decades in Hogtown, I find myself agreeing mostly with his opinion — with a few caveats, of course. After four generations of family who have attended the university, our credo has always been: “They’ll break your heart every time.”
That success we saw nearly two decades ago seems to have shifted the paradigm prematurely: The programs returned to their disappointing ways after Meyer’s and Donovan’s departure.
Florida fans had become accustomed to the blue-blood treatment their programs rightfully earned, but unfortunately have not maintained. The transition from the Jeremy Foley to the Scott Stricklin administrations was anything but smooth. The outgoing AD had lost his edge, while the newcomer never really had one.
Also, at the risk of putting a yellow onion on my belt and trading in bee nickels, it seems the fan base simply is not as patient as it has been (for better or for worse) in the past. There have been demands for a top-five recruiting class in the new staff’s first year, which is simply ludicrous to a reasonable person, among other pie-in-the-sky desires.
This leads to the other issue. Not only is Napier breaking into the top tier of college football still wet behind the ears, but he is attempting to resuscitate a program that collapsed at the end of Mullen’s tenure. The fact that his army of staffers have clawed the team back near the top 10 — and still climbing — in the recruiting rankings is a reason to be optimistic.
However, I disagree with the suggestion that the fans ran Mullen out of the job. The former head coach was by all measures an awkward personality on the recruiting trail, who simply was not cut out for what it takes to handle one of the top brands in college sports. Not everyone is built for that grind, and if he could not stand the heat he did not belong in the kitchen.
Long story short is that Doering is correct. The Gator Nation needs to slow its roll when it comes to its criticisms of the new regime and allow the situation to play out. UF is not the only program experiencing turnover and trying new approaches. Especially with the Miami Hurricanes causing problems from the south end of the peninsula, Florida’s will not be a linear path to the success we all hope for.
In the meantime, Gator fans, keep calm and chomp on.
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