Florida Football: If patience worked for Michigan, will it work for the Gators?
Fans of Florida football have a theory that states that if it is discovered that you are not the right person to lead the Gators to a national championship, you should go and Florida will try a different player. Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, and Dan Mullen all had great seasons when they were in Gainesville, but they were all let go because it was thought that Florida would never win a national championship.
Additionally, Michigan’s ascent to the summit of the mountain serves as a reminder that, in certain cases, sticking with a course of action may also be a successful approach, even though the macro data would support Florida’s choice to fire its previous three coaches.
Florida Football: Make a decision
Last night, Michigan defeated Washington to win their first national championship since 1947 and their first championship without a split since 1997. Jim Harbaugh was able to realize his dream at Ann Arbor after nine seasons.
It’s difficult to determine if Harbaugh’s success at Michigan was predetermined because he had the luxury of time, or if Michigan supporters were just the beneficiaries of pure luck. or, you know, developed a great skill at interpreting information from their rivals.
Harbaugh’s first several seasons at Michigan were similar to the seasons combined by Mullen, McElwain, and Muschamp in many aspects. In four of his first five seasons, Michigan won at least nine games; nevertheless, he was unable to overcome Ohio State, and his best AP Poll ranking came in at number ten in 2016.
Under Harbaugh, Michigan seemed to be little more than a gatekeeper club after finishing 2-4 during the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign. Not that the Wolverines were attracting monster recruiting classes to signify that assistance was ever going to arrive.
Even if one thought Florida’s recruitment was inadequate, the Gators outperformed Michigan in terms of class ranking in 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2023.
Furthermore, it’s not like patience is really valued in Michigan. Following Lloyd Carr’s departure after the 2007 season, Michigan handed three seasons to Rich Rodriguez and four seasons to Brady Hoke before choosing Harbaugh. What can Florida supporters take away from Harbaugh’s accomplishments, then?
Experience Is Worth It
Beyond the controversy surrounding the sign-stealing incident and the extent to which one believes it contributed to Michigan’s success, Harbaugh was able to establish a championship program in spite of non-elite recruiting classes by persuading them to remain eligible until the end of their eligibility.
In 2023, Michigan had just 17 freshmen and sophomores listed on their two-deep depth chart, and only five of them would have been starters, whereas Florida had an abundance of these players on the depth chart.
Of Michigan’s starting lineup, sixteen were either in their senior year or their COVID/graduate year. Twelve of the 16 players were initial Michigan pledges. By the end of the 2023 season, Florida had only three seniors or older starters, all of whom were transfers.
Billy Napier and Florida have a challenge since the Gators do not have a plan in place to have a large senior class in two years.The starting players from 2023 who will not be returning to the Gators in 2024 are Richie Leonard IV, Michael Mazzccua, Kingsley Eguakun, Trevor Etienne, Jaleen Kimber, Miguel Mitchell, Caleb Douglas, Jaydon Hill, Scooby Williams, and Princely Umanmielen.
Therefore, it’s acceptable and fair to support the Gators’ patience with Napier because it worked out for Michigan. But Florida will be looking for a different route to the top than the one Michigan traveled if Napier’s team experiences severe roster turnover year after year.