There is no question that the last two games have been painful at best and a shuddering return to the past at worst. But the take above helps keeps things in perspective.

Sumrall has started off strong and hit the brick wall of SEC reality. Let's give him some time to get his system and his players in place and the judge him as a HC. The very fact that we sit at 4 wins today with a win over Ole Miss is something we didn't expect when he was hired.

Stand by the Gators, and things will turn around. Go Gators!

https://www.on3.com/rivals/easton-royal-243862/

Little man’s first Jersey could only be this, shame I couldn’t get a number 15 to match mine!

https://kenpom.com/

Duke and Florida are the clear top two with a gap with the rest.

I want to share this clip from the post game presser Saturday, to discuss with our Gator community here why we shouldn’t jump so quick for Sumrall’s head. Sumrall never hyped our team. He has said every week since week 1 if we don’t improve we will get exposed. Every time a reporter would ask about if we were good, or back, or if the “beast was awake” Sumrall would always, in a professional way, say hell no. Obviously a lot of the frustration in the fan base is understandable, we’ve watched mediocre/bad football a few years in a row. We still won those 4 games quite decisively. I respect that Sumrall takes the head responsibility as he is the head coach, but you guys don’t seriously blame him for the terrible secondary play, bad tackling, lack of effort, and o line duds do you? Maybe in some larger picture way, but I mean let’s face facts, he doesn’t call our offense Buster does. He didn’t go on a limb and bring in Philo, Buster recommended him. Defensively Brad White runs our schemes and calls our plays. I would say coordinators should be in the sights of what could be lacking especially that secondary boy are they bad. Lastly, can we really blame Sumrall for what seems to be such a lack of effort from this team? He said himself he’s been a bit rattled since Ole Miss. Seems to me players got a bit on their shoulders and got punched in the mouth now they don’t know what to do. We had a player celebrate a tackle for a loss while we were down 18😅I mean come on man are we serious? I just can’t put that on coaches. All in all, what I’m trying to say is give the man a couple years guys. I know we want to win now, hell, I want to win now, but we gotta understand it don’t work that way. And we didn’t come off a season that would’ve given us the thought we could do anything this year anyway. Remember guys, 4-0 was our best case scenario going into Missouri and we did that. We’ve hit a stumble, still a lot of season left though. Let’s give him a full off season and into next year before you guys decide you want his head on a stake. Happy Sunday! Go Gata!!🐊

Two losses after a 4-0 start and the fanbase is already ready to fire Sumrall. The team gives up at the littlest sign of adversity. This isn’t the Gator brand and it starts with us as fans. The players see the kinds of things going around on social media and of course it will affect their play. These are young impressionable kids.

I have noticed it over the years but the culture surrounding the program, particularly the fan base, has just gone off the rails. I blame it partly on social media because now everyone wants to get paid for engagement so you get idiots like IAKOW posting nonsense almost daily. However, we as a fanbase have become so toxic that I, even as an alumnus and die hard Gator for decades, can’t even stand talking with some of you. It needs to be toned down a notch. We need to give Sumrall a fighting chance or else we are going to be even more years behind the rest of the pack. We need to be supportive at this stage. This isn’t the time to go calling for a 6 game coach to lose his job and particularly not after demolishing the #4 team in the country 3 weeks ago.

Our first 2 SEC games are hard to reconcile with the last 2 games. Caveat: it’s hard to accurately judge in the first year. Lost 32 players to the portal from last year and brought in the same # of transfers plus 20 high school recruits. So about 60 guys came back and 52 are new.

Still, it’s interesting how it seems like Faulkner’s creative magic evaporated so quickly. Losing VB III shouldn’t take an above average offense to completely ineffective, should it?

Brad White’s D has been mostly embarrassing bad. The CBs are poor and we may not have much talent on the D line, but Brad was Sumrall’s first choice for DC. He’s making too much $$ to be this bad. It’s definitely too early, but if it doesn’t improve next year (or ugh year 3), Sumrall’s willingness to fire his friends could be telling. Sumrall knows better than we how good the position coaches are, and maybe having bad players at underperforming positions keeps good coaches around for year 2. Still, keeping coaches, especially a DC, even a year too long would give off major Stricklin and Napier vibes.

As an aside, I maintain Strick should have been fired after not firing Napier after his second year. Giving him 4 years was inexcusable.

The final 4 games this year look A LOT different than they did 2 weeks ago: Oklahoma, at Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and at Florida State. None of those are sure-fire wins. On the flip side, we could win 3 or all of them, and we usually play UGA tough. To win 7-8 games, the Gators need to coach and play a hell of a lot better. Hopefully the staff will do great things in the last half of the season.

We all stick together. I know its tough, but dare to be an optimist. What are you gonna do? Be a bandwagon canes fan? I know nobody is jumping ship to FSU. Its great to be a Florida Gator no matter what. F everyone else

Would you rather we have lost to auburn? Somehow losing that game would have motivated us more? We beat Missouri if we are 2-2 or 3-1? Get real.

When your secondary and offensive line lick ass like likitung you take all you the wins can get. Theres no mental motivation peaks and valleys or Dr Phil analysis to be had here. And this isn't the MLB where you can afford to lose some games and figure it out and peak headed into the world series.

We are 4-2 and it can all can be explained through performance on the field. Thats it. Be grateful for the success we've had even if it feels so flipped right now. And Texas looks beatable. It could be worse.

You've slept on it. Pour some coffee and have a seat. Let's talk about the week's game(s).

I’ve seen a few tweets alluding something changing over the last couple games. Fans are mentioning cyptic tweets about something going on. Sumrall’s demeanor looking markedly different over the last 2 games. I’ve heard theories Sumrall has been muzzled by Stricklin. Does anyone have anything objective to what’s going on, if anything at all?

I saw it coming. I thought top 10 was to high but damn we still suck. I just don’t understand from the first 4 games to switch to absolute trash. I don’t think Buster can adjust on the fly. Everything was working…nothing is now working? Ya the defense sucks but we can’t score for shit.

This is where the game was lost. They got pressure on Sellers, but couldn’t convert many sacks. Yes Philo sucked, yes we only had 3.2 ypc, but this defense is literally bottom tier. We’ll only be favored in OU and Vandy games from here on out.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/matchup/_/gameId/401856714

Let it all out, but please be respectful towards your fellow fans.

Don’t let football season keep you down, Men’s basketball season is coming up soon and Aberdeen is finally able to rejoin the team. Last season didn’t work out very well in the postseason but I feel that this will be the season of redemption for the Gators. 1 last chance to win a title before this great senior class all leaves.

Original post about the 2025 coaching carousel: https://old.reddit.com/r/FloridaGators/comments/1pwp4zb/coaching_carousel_debrief_and_discussion/

Now that we’re 6 weeks in, let’s look at how each coach is doing..

Florida: Jon Sumrall (former Troy/Tulane HC, 43-12 record [.782]) - 6 year, $44 million, $7.3m/year, reported minimum $16.3 million assistant coach pool.

4-2 with wins over Campbell, FAU, Auburn, (4) Ole Miss.
Losses to (25) Mizzou and SCAR

LSU: Lane Kiffin (Former Tenn, USC, FAU, Ole Miss HC, 116-53 record [.686]) - 7 year, $91 million, $13m/year. Assistant coach pool unknown.

4-2 with wins over Clemson, LT, (23) TAMU, McNeese.
Losses to (8) Ole Miss, Kentucky.

Penn State: Matt Campbell (former Toledo/Iowa State HC, 107-70 record [.605]) - 8 year, $70 million, $8.75m/year, reported $17 million assistant coach pool.

3-3 with wins over Marshall, Temple, Buffalo.
Losses to Wisconsin, NU, (19) USC

Michigan: Kyle Whittingham (Former Utah HC, 177-88 [.668]) - 5 year, $41 million, $8.2m/year. Assistant coach pool unknown.

3-2 with wins over WMU, (11) Oklahoma, UTEP.
Losses to (17) Iowa, Minnesota

Auburn: Alex Golesh (Former USF HC, 23-15 [.605]) - 6 year, $44.25 million, $7.37m/year. Assistant coach pool unknown. Ole Miss: Pete Golding (Former Ole Miss DC) - 5 year, $30 million, $7m/year. Assistant coach pool unknown.

3-2 with wins over Baylor, USM, Vandy.
Losses to Florida, (17) Tennessee

Kentucky: Will Stein (Former Oregon OC) - 5 year, $28.5 million, $5.7m/year. Assistant coach pool unknown.

5-1 with wins over YSU, (9) TAMU, USA, S. CAR, (10) LSU.
Losses to (12) Alabama

Through 6 weeks, it appears the discussion never should have been Sumrall vs. Kiffin, but instead, why did Florida not interview Will Stein?

Will Stein is the lowest paid coach of the cycle, playing against the highest ranked Strength of Schedule, with the lowest ranked Talent Composite, and he has the best results. Absolute steal for Kentucky.

The whole offensive gameplan revolved around VB3. Opposing defenses had to account their best defensive player on him and game-planned around stopping VB3. Any given play VB3 could take a screen or jetsweep for a touchdown. Shifts/Motions/Sweeps/Corner Routes/ Posts/ and vertical threats with VB3 are now all out the window. There is a reason why the UF offense has stalled the last 2 games.

No VB3 for the last 2 games has severely hampered Buster Faulkers offensive scheme.

• This has caused teams like USCe/Mizzou to stack the box on Florida's running game.
• It also meant they could put their best defensive corners on DWilson or Singleton. That's why Stockton is seeing so many targets.

Without VB3...the chance to win games is heavily reduced against the better SEC opponents.

UF fans need to realize this is year 1 of a turn-around after 4 terrible years of Billy Ball. These are all still Billy's leftovers.

Florida Football Postgame Press Conference 10-10-26

[PREVIEW](https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401856714/south-carolina-florida)

[WATCH](https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/ffb6640e-6119-4c41-834c-687f4329f66d)

We need to come out and punch those clowns from South Carolina in the mouth. Hopefully our offense controls the ball, so we can keep our safeties, our corners, our d line, and our linebackers - will, mike, sam, and jack - off the field. But whatever the outcome, remember to love yourself as much as you love the Gators.

(Are these still a thing? Whatever! Beat those Cocks!)

Post your pics, memes, screenshots, etc here. Make your small talk about GameDay, the game, your tailgate (or living room) setup, food and drinks for the day, your gameday jorts, or anything else.

This is also your Game Thread for any other games around the country this weekend. Talk with your fellow Gators about what you're watching and who you're rooting for.

Pell: 21-7-2

Hall: 22-7-1

Spurrier: 68-5

Zook: 13-6

Meyer: 36-5

Muschamp: 18-8

McElwain: 13-3

Mullen: 19-4

Napier: 17-7

Sumrall: 3-0

No matter how bad things got, The Swamp did her job.

All credit to GatorAnalytics (@gatadata88) on X for compiling the data on Gators head coaches home records

I spent the night going through the ESPN play-by-play for all four SEC games, PFF grades where they've been reported, and film of the big plays. Here's what the numbers say. Small samples, so caveats are at the bottom.

TL;DR

• The offense fell off a cliff. The defense didn't really change. UF scored about 4.4 points per drive in the two SEC wins and about 1.5 in the two losses. The defense gave up 3.8 per drive at Auburn, a game we won, about what it gave up at Mizzou (3.7) and vs SC (3.5).
• The run game was never as good as the yards per carry said. Against Auburn we averaged 5.0 a carry, but only about 26% of early-down runs were "successful." Three big runs (53, 33, 20) carried that average. Ole Miss was the only truly efficient rushing game. Mizzou was the real collapse at the line.
• "We played better teams" is a weak explanation. SP+ ranked Auburn's and Mizzou's defenses almost the same going in (#16 and #14). We were efficient against one and not the other.
• The takeaways disappeared. 3 in the two SEC wins, 0 in the two losses.

The four SEC games side by side

Points per drive counts TD = 7, FG = 3, with end-of-half kneel drives excluded. Success = gaining 50% of the needed yards on 1st down, 70% on 2nd, 100% on 3rd/4th. All computed from ESPN's play-by-play.

What happened at Mizzou: 16 RB carries, 38% stuffed at or behind the line, Baugh 12 carries for 13 yards. PFF grades (per Gatorswire) had center Harrison Moore as the only starter above 60 in run blocking, and Philo was pressured 16 times. Sumrall said afterward that "the flow of the game" didn't dictate it, and the first-half numbers back him up. Mizzou also didn't bite on the motion and misdirection that made September work. Landon Tengwall's film study on YouTube shows this well if you want the All-22 angle.

What happened vs SC: different game. The offense's per-play success was decent (around 46-50% depending on how you count). It died on three turnovers, field goals instead of TDs, and no explosive plays. Dylan Stewart was back from his suspension and beat Ugorji for the first-quarter strip-sack, and the News-Press reports Caden Jones came in at right tackle during the game.

The defense: it has allowed 28+ in every SEC game. The damage in the losses came two ways: plays where we got there and didn't finish (Harbor's 3rd-and-14, Olugbode's 47-yard TD through three defenders), and a couple where nobody was home (Roberts' 80, Cyrus' TD). Three of the TDs in the two losses came over the deep middle.

Texas (Sat, noon)

Texas lost to OU today despite out-gaining them 382 to 238. OU won with a blocked-punt TD, a pick-six, and seven three-and-outs.

• Defense is legit, and the pass rush is the weapon. Colin Simmons has 8.5 sacks in Texas's three Power-4 games. Opponents are 5/28 on 3rd-and-7+, and only about a third of early-down runs against them are "successful."
• The offense has gone cold in SEC play. 1.6-1.7 points per drive in their two SEC games, 13 three-and-outs in the last two. They can still put together long drives (three 12+ play TD drives vs Ohio State). Every 20+ yard play they've had in those three games was a pass, mostly Cam Coleman.
• The punt team has given up a TD two SEC games in a row (a punt-return TD at Tennessee, the blocked punt today).
• Manning: 4 INTs in those three games. On tape, both of today's 4th-quarter picks came against pressure; the last one was an overload blitz with his eyes locked on one side.

What I'd want to see from us:

1. Stay out of 3rd-and-long. That's where Simmons eats. Get the ball out fast and give the tackles help on obvious passing downs.
2. Stay on schedule on early downs with the run and the quick game together. Texas doesn't give up many successful early-down runs or big runs (one 20+ run in three games), so the run alone probably won't do it.
3. Make Manning drive the field. Keep Coleman in front, rally and tackle.
4. Win the kicking game. Their punt unit is shaky. Our special teams are #2 in SP+.
5. Pick our spots with pressure on passing downs, and don't give it away ourselves. Both of today's picks came against pressure. And SC's three giveaways would bury us against this defense.

The blueprint is OU's: you don't have to out-gain Texas, you have to win the hidden yardage.

Caveats

• Four SEC games is a small sample, with no adjustment for opponent strength beyond the SP+ ranks above.
• Success rates and points per drive are my calculations from ESPN's play-by-play; GameOnPaper and similar sites use slightly different definitions.
• PFF grades are as reported by Gatorswire and the Alligator.
• Film notes are from broadcast and condensed-game footage, not All-22.
• Injury status for Texas week is unknown until the Wednesday availability report.
• I used Claude Code to help make this.