1. I don’t want to get on a soapbox, but …

This isn’t random criticism, another loud noise in the echo chamber that can be ignored.

This is Steve Spurrier.

This is the single most impactful Florida Gator in the history of the football program. The Heisman Trophy winner and national championship coach, and one to never, ever, speak without intent.

That’s what makes Spurrier’s comments to the Florida Times-Union on Friday so alarming.

When asked about the state of the program under coach Billy Napier, Spurrier said, “There’s a feeling around the Gators of, ‘What the heck are we doing?’ There’s a lot of questions that I don’t have answers to about organization.”

Full stop.

If that doesn’t raise a massive red flag, nothing will. Spurrier isn’t a doddering, old former coach who has lost his fastball and living his golden years on the golf course and at the beach.

OK, so he is living on the golf course and the beach. But he sure as hell hasn’t lost his fastball.

He’s 78, in fantastic physical shape and as sharp as ever. He’ll still challenge those 2 and 3 decades younger to various physical feats. And win.

He also wouldn’t have gone 11-14 the past 2 seasons as the Florida coach — a drastic statement, considering the last time we saw Spurrier on the field in college football in 2015, he quit midseason at South Carolina.

But more to the point: When one of the greatest college football coaches of our time says what the heck are we doing, somebody in Gainesville better start paying attention. Those somebodies include (in no specific order) Florida president Ben Sasse, athletic director Scott Stricklin, and — one would hope — Napier (more on that later).

That doesn’t mean Napier hasn’t made moves — and tried to make moves — this offseason to change the product on the field. It just means that at some point, we need to see this for what it is.

This isn’t a team that was an injured quarterback away from a Year 2 improvement. Or a 4th-and-17 stop on defense, and a missed last-second field goal from winning 7 games (and possibly 8 in a bowl) and changing the narrative of Napier’s brief tenure.

Don’t let anyone sell that nonsense. This is a program that has played historically bad defense under Napier, has wasted (or couldn’t develop, or both) a top 5 NFL Draft pick at the most important position on the field, lost its most dynamic offensive player (Trevor Etienne) and best defensive player (Princely Umanmielen) to the transfer portal, and has 1 win of significance in 2 seasons (Tennessee, 2023).

A program that, despite the narrative, isn’t recruiting at an elite level. The latest production: 247Sports composite rankings of No. 14 (high school recruiting) and No. 18 (transfer portal).

Those aren’t even Dan Mullen-level recruiting classes, and Mullen was fired, in part, because he wasn’t exactly stressing about player procurement.

Don’t buy the nonsense that Florida’s NIL, and the lack of cash, is the problem. You know why there’s a lack of cash?

Because those with deep pockets — those who brag about getting the head coach in any sport on the phone whenever they want because of the money they give — aren’t throwing money at a program that’s 7-13 vs. Power 5 teams the past 2 seasons.

They’re not ponying up for a program that looks like a dysfunctional and operational mess.

If you’re Florida — in 1 of the 2 richest states for Power 5 talent — and finish outside the top 10 in recruiting, you’re either not trying or the product on the field is a direct detriment to the process.

Clearly with Napier, it’s the latter. Because the former includes a staff of nearly 40 that either coach and recruit, organize recruiting, scout for recruiting, and wake every day with the (very true) ideal that recruiting is the lifeblood of every successful program.

That’s where we see the disconnect. That’s how Spurrier — and nearly everyone involved at Florida that desperately want the patently likable Napier to succeed — can’t figure out why it’s not happening.

“Just because you hire the most people doesn’t mean you’re going to win,” Spurrier told the Times-Union. “All these extra people, I question how much that really helps.”

2. The response

He can’t avoid it. At this point, how Napier responds to Spurrier’s comments will be critical.

Napier’s in the bunker now, grinding on getting better while the horizon of the toughest schedule in college football grows nearer with each passing day. But now is the time to take a stand.

Don’t wait a couple of weeks until the press conference before the start of spring practice. Respond now — and respond forcefully with a definitive statement about the program.

He doesn’t need anyone else parroting and promoting his if-only narratives — which only accentuate poor coaching across the board — and he doesn’t need others to talk about a play here or there, and it’s a different season. No, it’s not.

It was a bad season in 2022 and 2023. Excuses only make it worse.

What Napier needs to do — what he has needed to do since showing up at Florida — is show some public fire and gumption. Respond with a respectful but passionate defense of his program.

Take a page from his mentors Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney and get hot, and let there be no doubt of his intentions for 2024 — in the football building and outside it.

Raise the level of intensity, and raise expectations among his staff and players. Instead of lowering the bar to the least common denominator of “if only” this or that didn’t happen, things would’ve been different.

“If only” isn’t showing up in the season-opener against rival Miami — a must-win game — and changing the narrative.

“If only” isn’t the backbone of the brutal 7-game stretch to finish the season: at Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia (Jacksonville), at Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, at Florida State.

“Billy is a good guy who works his tail off,” Spurrier said. “I like Billy, good family man. But we sure do wish the organization was a little bit more tidy.”

3. Unraveling the mess, The Epilogue

Spurrier is making these public statements because — the diehard Gator he is — the current state of the program is eating his insides.

And frankly, he can’t go through another season of this mess. He can’t watch Florida produce a 4th straight sub-.500 finish for the first time since 1935-38.

He can’t watch 2 players wear the same number on a play, and it prevents the defense from getting off the field. He can’t watch mistakes on special teams over and over and over, or the defense give up 33 points a game in SEC play.

He can’t watch an offense that has, schematically and structurally, been an operational disaster too many times in 25 games under Napier. Can’t watch the passing game not successfully drive the ball downfield, and instead settle for 1st level throws.

Can’t watch teams that run a fire drill kicking team on the field when they don’t need to, and the resulting penalty leads to a missed game-wining field goal.

Can’t watch a team that, 18 games into Napier’s coaching tenure, got flagged for leaping over the punt protect shield — which led to a first down and on the next play, the defense gave up a 75-yard touchdown run.

Can’t watch another loss to Georgia or LSU or Florida State, and — for the love of all things orange and blue — another loss to Kentucky.

If that means he has to be the heavy, so be it.

Somebody has to do it.

4. Changing course

For nearly 2 years, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has publicly said the SEC prefers all at-large selections as the format for the new Playoff contract that begins in 2026.

Now it appears the league is backing off that stance in format negotiations — because the SEC doesn’t trust the Playoff selection committee to get it right.

Multiple industry sources say the SEC’s no automatic qualifier preference of the past 2 years would’ve passed through the Playoff management committee.

But the SEC switched its stance, in part, because of the unknown with the selection committee. Would the committee value the road to the Playoff taken by the SEC (and the Big Ten) over Notre Dame, the Big 12, ACC and Group of 5 conferences?

Would there be value in 9-3 LSU or 9-3 USC, over 11-1 Oklahoma State or 11-1 NC State?

Industry sources told SDS that the SEC and Big Ten initially floated 4 automatic qualifying spots each among the 14-team Playoff, but have since moved to 3 — and the guarantee that the 2 first-round byes in the tournament will annually be reserved for the SEC and Big Ten champions. No matter the records.

The reality is anything the SEC and Big Ten ask for, they’ll get. They have the leverage.

5 The Weekly 5

5 SEC players who increased their NFL draft stock with workouts at the Senior Bowl and/or Combine, per an NFL scout.

1. OLB Dallas Turner, Alabama. “He ran a 4.47 40. That ridiculous.”

2. WR Ricky Pearsall, Florida: “He’s a solid top 50-60 pick.”

3. CB Ennis Rakestraw, Missouri: “He might be the first corner picked.”

4. LB Edgerrin Cooper, Texas A&M: “Tested off the charts to back up great (game) tape.”

5. DE Darius Robinson, Missouri: “The biggest riser on the defensive line board.”

6. Your tape is your resume

An NFL scout analyzes a draft-eligible SEC player. This week: South Carolina WR Xavier Legette.

“He’s so well put together. You see him face to face, and it’s impressive. He played quarterback in high school, and it took a while for him to transition to wide receiver. If you’re all-in with him, you see an elite, strong and fast guy who isn’t close to his ceiling. And you’re betting that it just took a while for him to figure it out. Because 42 catches and 5 TDs in the first 4 seasons, and 71 and 7 in his last season, that’s a red flag. But that (game) tape from this season is special. It’s Day 1 special.”

7. Powered Up

This week’s Power Poll: Ranking the best coaching values, with 2023 salaries.

1. Alabama: Kalen DeBoer ($4.2 milion). Won 14 games, and lost the national championship game. The best bargain in college football. Will make $10 million in 2024.

2. Texas: Steve Sarkisian ($5.6 million). A bargain at top 3 job: 12 wins, Big 12 Championship, Playoff appearance. He’s now at $10 million annually.

3. Ole Miss: Lane Kiffin ($9 million). A school-record 11 wins is well worth the raise to $9 million to keep him from Auburn.

4. Missouri: Eli Drinkwitz ($6 million). From the hot seat to a top bargain in the SEC: 11 wins for the first time since 2014.

5. Georgia: Kirby Smart ($10.7 million): Hard to argue with paying nearly $11 million for 1 of the 4 best teams in college football in 2023 (no matter what the Playoff committee said).

6. Oklahoma: Brent Venables ($7.1 million): Steadied the ship with 10 wins in 2023, even if the season ended with an ugly bowl loss to Arizona.

7. Texas A&M: Mike Elko ($3.5 million). Duke will trade $3.5 million for 8 wins every day of the week. He’ll make $7 million annually with the Aggies.

8. LSU Brian Kelly ($9.97 million). The different feel of 10 wins: in 2022, it was well worth the $10 million. In 2023, not so much.

9. Tennessee: Josh Heupel ($9 million): There was regression to 9 wins, no question. But you’re paying for long haul, and 20 wins in 2 seasons is a solid start.

10. Auburn: Hugh Freeze ($6.5 million). Took over a mess, but he didn’t help himself by failing to develop consistent play at quarterback.

11. Mississippi State: Jeff Lebby ($1.9 million). Only 4 coordinators made more money in 2023, and Oklahoma was No. 4 in the nation in scoring offense (41.7 ppg.). Will make $4.51 million annually in his first head coaching job.

12. Kentucky: Mark Stoops ($9 million): Raised expectations with 10-win seasons, and now the back-to-back 7-win seasons look underachieving.

13. Florida: Billy Napier ($7.27 million). Gators have paid $14.5 million over the past 2 seasons for 11 wins ($1.31 million per), and 6 SEC wins ($2.41 million per).

14. South Carolina: Shane Beamer ($6.12 million). There’s no getting around this: That’s a lot of money for wins over Furman, Jacksonville State, the 2 worst teams in the SEC (Vanderbilt, Mississippi State) and Kentucky.

15. Arkansas: Sam Pittman ($6.35 million). Two ways to look at this: Pittman gives Arkansas the best chance at turning it around. And Arkansas paid $6.35 million for 1 SEC (1 Power 5) win.

16. Vanderbilt: Clark Lea ($3.05 million). The lowest-paid coach in the league didn’t win an SEC game. Though certainly not rare, never a good look.

8. Ask and you shall receive

Matt: I never dreamed Mississippi State would fall so quickly under (Zach) Arnett. How quickly can (Jeff) Lebby turn it back around? — Scott Francis, Memphis.

Scott:

It all depends on your definition “turn around.” Because winning games won’t be easy.

Have you seen the schedule? The SEC was so mad at the Playoff selection committee for snubbing Georgia, the league office took it out on Mississippi State (I know the schedule was released before the end of 2023, it’s a joke. Play along).

At Texas, at Georgia, Texas A&M, at Tennessee, Missouri, at Ole Miss. That’s 4 games against potential Playoff teams (Texas, Georgia, Missouri, Ole Miss), and another close behind (Tennessee).

Mississippi State’s best shot at winning an SEC game are home games against Florida and Arkansas, both of which could be reeling by the time the teams play.

The key to the season is the Arizona State in Week 2. Mississippi State has a better roster, and should win the game in Tempe. But if the Bulldogs lose there, a dicey game in Week 3 against a very good Toledo team might be the beginning of the end before the end of September.

Long-term, Lebby can be a Mike Leach-type hire (especially with a similar offense). Mississippi State will score points and be fun to watch. But will the Bulldogs play well enough on defense to win games that matter?

Leach was getting the program to that point. It’s a much heavier lift now with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma.

9. Numbers

123.425. Take a good look at that number. That’s the total amount of money that will be earned by SEC coaches in 2024: $123.425 million.

Before bonuses, of course.

At the top of the list is Georgia’s Kirby Smart ($11.25 million), just ahead of Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer (estimated $10 million) and LSU’s Brian Kelly ($9.975 million).

There are 7 SEC coaches who will make at least $9 million in 2024: Smart, DeBoer, Kelly, Mark Stoops of Kentucky ($9.013 million), and Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss, Eli Drinkwitz of Missouri, Josh Heupel of Tennessee all at $9 million.

The lowest-paid coaches in the league are Clark Lea of Vanderbilt ($3.05 million), and Jeff Lebby of Mississippi State ($4.5 million).

10. Quote to note

Auburn coach Hugh Freeze on the team’s culture council: “I’ve been really pleased with the leadership I’m seeing from that group. That’s the biggest difference I’ve seen so far. There’s a different energy that comes with that. There’s no compromise. We hold each other accountable.”

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