Devil's Advocate: You can't fire Steve Addazio
by mlmintampa on Nov 19, 2010 7:13 AM EST
in Florida Football
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PrintUrban Meyer had to announce this week he is coming back next season. We don't know if that means he will still check out for an extended period of time or let his lieutenants run the ship, but physically, he will be back.
That means Steve Addazio is coming back too. As much as we all want to see him coaching girls flag football next year, Meyer likes the guy, and Meyer is in a position where his authority is not challenged. Unless Jeremy Foley does it himself or Addazio does the honorable thing and quits, we'll get at least one more season of Addazio. The best we can hope for is a demotion or some school is dumb enough to hire a guy who has failed as an offensive coordinator at two schools. (By the way, check out the "Spoiler Alert" on Addazio's wikipedia page.)
Since this is Devil's Advocate, I have to take a position that isn't necessarily a popular one. So, consider this; UF cannot fire Addazio because he is too important to recruiting and firing him would create chaos. The only thing UF could do is take away play-calling duties.
I did not think of the recruiting considerations until my friend Tim mentioned it to me. We all want Addazio tarred and feathered, but incredibly, when he goes into kid's homes to ask them to come to Florida, he does a good job. High school seniors clearly are not as jaded and cynical as we are about Addazio's ability to coach and his ability to function as a leader of men.
I hope Meyer sees the light and at least removes play calling duties from Addazio. But I can only hope, because no one has any idea what the head coach will do next.
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I always wondered about this.
Apparently the man must be one hell of a motivator. I don’t understand how any recruit can be charmed by Addazio when most people see the mess he has created for the offensive.
That being said, come this offseason, if his recruiting power is diminished and he can’t draw big names to the university, then hopefully Meyer will see the light of day.
But for some reason I doubt it.
"I’ll tell you one thing: The grass at Tiger Stadium tastes best."
by LesMilesEatsGrass on Nov 19, 2010 7:30 AM EST reply actions
Addazzio
is definitely a player favorite, including recruits. He’s always been able to recruit well, but his title isn’t “lead recruiter”. The Zooker was also an excellent recruiter, but it didn’t matter much since he couldn’t coach. I think this situation is similar.
This is exactly what I was going to say… somehow the University fired Zook and, hey, the Gators survived and…gasp!… thrived! Fire Steve Addazio!
http://www.firesteveaddazio.com
Fire Steve Addazio.
Me too
We all want Addazio tarred and feathered, but incredibly, when he goes into kid’s homes to ask them to come to Florida, he does a good job.
The same exact thing could have been said about Zook, yet his firing worked out pretty well for us.
Get the tar and feathers ready, boys.
I'd argue a demotion to be just Offensive Line Coach is better than a firing.
1) Recruiting isn’t hurt (Much, at least)
2) We get a more talented OC in place (Hopefully)
3) We keep a solid and committed recruiter on staff
4) We keep a talented Offensive Line coach coaching the offensive line (Seriously, the line was amazing 05-08, before he was also OC)
I don’t hate the guy. I hate the offensive production being in the toilet. There’s a difference.
by The Commenter Formerly Known as Not You on Nov 19, 2010 9:04 AM EST reply actions
Not adviseable
Ordinarily I’d be OK with a demotion. But this guy’s passive aggressiveness – meek on the sidelines, puffed up and confrontational away from the sidelines – is just too palpable. Leaving him in a position of responsibility over a portion of the offense, while making him subordinate to his erstwhile replacement is dangerous and counterproductive.
Would you want to take over as OC knowing that he’s in charge of your line? Any prospect worth his salt is going to do some due diligence. They will see his old press conferences, they’ll listen to the grapevine and the smart ones will see the potential for disaster. The only candidates likely to accept would be those who either don’t see the danger, or see it but think themselves strong enough to control the situation (all but guaranteeing a blow-up down the road.)
If I’m being hired as OC I would expect a major say in who my O-line coach will be.
May they arrive in time.
"In case you're wondering what the offense should look like, that wasn't it." - Urban Meyer <-- HE SAID THIS ONCE A LONG TIME AGO I PROMISE
by cantcatchuf on Nov 19, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions
Divine truth comedy
This is catch-22.
Straight up firing a coach from the Gator staff could be bad – very bad. We lost a few good coaches in our run the last few years and that goes without saying, such is college football life.
Demoting the guy could lower morale if the team does truly like him. Who’s to say? We really don’t know the whole story, but the chemistry is fouled up somewhere.
I really can’t say I didn’t see this coming. I have to believe that Coach Meyer knows best. Of course, the only way I will truly buy into that is to win out and hopefully play decent in the bowl game.
it's like meyer and his offensive strategy
they/he doesn’t make mistakes, so can’t fire sa
it’s just typical football mentality
we don’t really change anything, we just got to work harder at the same stupid things we’ve working at for the last 3 months
I may be in a rut, but at least I know where I'm going
...to DFA TLR
But if the team really likes him...
…why aren’t they rallying around the guy? Where’s the ‘energy’ that Meyer says is missing?
What good is a "good recruiter"
if the recruits de-commit. I know I wouldn’t want my son to play for a man who so obviously cannot back up his recruitment talks. The longer he stays around as the OC, the more obvious it will become and his credibility as a recruiter will have to suffer. Anyone who knows even the tiniest bit about football can see that he is destroying the potential careers of these talented young men. FIRE HIM BEFORE THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM REALLY SUFFERS LONG TERM!
It would be particularly interesting to hear what the recruits present at the SC game have to say.
"In case you're wondering what the offense should look like, that wasn't it." - Urban Meyer <-- HE SAID THIS ONCE A LONG TIME AGO I PROMISE
by cantcatchuf on Nov 19, 2010 11:15 AM EST up reply actions
i cant believe im saying this but...
app state is a 9-1 team even though theyre in a lower division, what if they come in to the swamp and beat us handily? i dont feel good about this game… there will be no motivation for the players and if we lose to app state we will be the laughing stock of ncaa football… and if it does happen, does the entire coaching unit get an overhaul? somebody surely has to get fired after losing to miss st., sc, and app st in one year… its a horrible situation we are in and i think we should hit the eject button now
From Chris Low:
Few teams in the SEC have gone south as decisively as Florida has on offense this season. The Gators finished sixth nationally a year ago in total offense with an average of 457.9 yards per game. They’re 84th nationally right now (and 10th in the SEC) in total offense with an average of 345.9 yards. That’s a drop-off of 112 yards per game.
The Gators’ passing game has been hit the hardest. They led the country last season in pass efficiency with a 163.7 rating, finishing with 28 touchdown passes and five interceptions. Through 10 games this season, they’re ranked 92nd nationally in pass efficiency and 10th in the SEC with a 119 rating. The Gators have thrown 10 touchdown passes and nine interceptions. In eight SEC games, starting quarterback John Brantley threw just four touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
http://espn.go.com/blog/sec/post/_/id/16969/the-secs-mostleast-improved
http://www.firesteveaddazio.com
Fire Steve Addazio.
APP STATE GAME
FLORIDA GATORS FANS – If you think this Saturday’s football game will be a walk in the park, think again: Appalachian State University FCS Champs 2005,2006,2007 Southern Conference Champs 1986,1987,1991,1995,1999, and (check this out) 2005 – 2010. 2007 ASU 34 Michigan 32 and the Wolverines football program has not been right since…………..
please
my alma mater just beat them, im not concerned.
by silverstreak3k on Nov 19, 2010 9:55 PM EST up reply actions
silverstreak
…so you must be a Georgia Southern alum….perhaps Apps lost to them because they were reserving energy and looking to the Florida game since they knew they had the SoCon wrapped up….
perhaps
I remember the Gators playing Ga Southern a few times when they were a I-AA juggernaut. It wasn’t pretty.
doubt it
its a nice little rivalry. they just got beat, just like uf pounded them.
by silverstreak3k on Nov 20, 2010 2:46 PM EST up reply actions
I seem to recall
An article from a couple weeks ago (it may have been in the Sentinel) that featured some players the Gators were targeting saying that they have serious reservations about playing for UF due to the ineptitude in play calling.
http://www.firesteveaddazio.com/
Here's the scoop
Here’s a rundown of the last 5 App State-FBS matchups.
2009 – Sept. 5 at East Carolina L, 29-24
2008 – Aug. 30 at LSU L, 13-41
2007 – Sept. 1 at Michigan, W 34-32
2006 – Sept. 2 at NC State, L 10-23
2005 – Sept. 10 at Kansas, L 8-36
App St. will be no push over, and being #2 in the FCS and Southern Conference Champions since 2005, ASU could walk away with a win against a pre-season over-rated Gators team.
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