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We're in the middle of spring practice, we're almost certain to be a preseason Top 25 team next season, we have just about everyone's dark horse Heisman candidate at quarterback, and the stinkin' Gators only drew a paltry 20,000 for their spring game Saturday despite a new coach. Why aren't we talking?  :biggrin:

Unless McElwain is a miracle worker I think Florida is going to be terrible.

I do not laugh at or talk bad about a school we can't and haven't beat in 10 years and only beat 4 times in 21 years. I still get pi$$ed thinking about the cluster of epic proportion meltdown we had last season. For the first time after that game I started to question Butch's game day coaching and our whole offensive staff too.

With the way spring practice is spread out over 4-5 weeks it's really tough to get excited about it.  They practice for two days, take 4 off, practice another three, take 3 more off, ect.   

Plus there are so many players either limited or completely out of spring with injuries it's hard to get a read on who is actually progressing.  The guys you know are going to start should be having good springs because in a lot of cases they are going against less than first and second line players because of the injuries. 

I know that spring practice is beneficial, but other than the offense learning DeBord's personality and the EEs getting their feet wet, it doesn't seem to me like they are getting a lot done on the field this spring.  The best work they are doing is in the S&C program, in my opinion. 

WWFDT.

I've had somewhat of an epiphany of late.  I've spent the past decade+ tempering my expectations, presumably so I won't be disappointed when the losses start to mount.  But then the season starts, we take that first "L", and guess what?  I'm still disappointed.  So screw it.  I'm all in this year.  We're going to run the table and kick the dog shizzle out of everyone unfortunate enough to take the field against us.  Maybe I'm in for a letdown in a few months, but at least I won't be miserable until then. :biggrin: :powert:

I consider you to be probably the most level-headed regular on this site, so I'm happy to see you say that…because, frankly, I think McElwain was a terrific hire. I'm sure he's not a miracle worker, so I don't expect to see UF in the SECCG this season, but I do expect them to be improved and I think we'll be fortunate to walk away from Gainesville with a win.

But I've been wrong plenty and I'll be happy to be wrong again.  :biggrin:

I haven't decided on McElwain yet. He seems like a very good football mind, but that doesn't always translate to success as a head coach. The one thing I feared with the UF hire was an immediate impact guy on the recruiting trail-- a guy that would close really strong in 2015 and then have them lining up to play for him in 2016, thus ensuring a pretty quick re-ascension for Florida. McElwain doesn't appear to be that guy so I think it's going to take some time at the very least, even if he's going to end up very successful.

We have a fighting chance to establish ourselves ahead of UF in the East before McElwain gets them back on solid footing. We absolutely have to capitalize and win in Gainesville this year IMO. Unless one of their QBs takes a major leap forward I think they will struggle.

Don't know if you remember Baron Huber, who played at Knoxville Central and Powell and went on to start at fullback for Bama on Saban's first national championship team or not, but he really likes McElwain.  McElwain was the OC at Bama during Baron's junior and senior years.  Baron told me that he believes that McElwain will end up being a solid SEC head football coach. 

FWIW, by the way. 

Your mileage may vary

BTW, how is Baron doing these days?

Mileage may vary? 

Baron is doing well.  He started a medical equipment sales company after he graduated from Bama and is doing really well in that business.  Being able to show his clients (primarily Bama grad physicians) his Bama national championship ring certainly hasn't hurt his cause.   :naughty:

And he also does a good bit of radio on the Tuscaloosa ESPN radio affiliate.  He was doing a daily morning show with Martin Houston, but that just got to be too much for him when his daughter was born a few months ago.  He's still doing some radio, but not daily like he was.

Baron is a great kid who worked his butt off to maximize the God given ability that he was blessed with.