I didn't know so I looked up Toney's age. I was going to guess he is 40. Turns out he is 32. 32!!! Born 3/14/90. He is young! He probably has a great upside, but certainly he's a pretty young DC for the SEC. That would explain what we saw this year on the field. With that in mind, and with the long-term in mind FOR ALL PARTIES, why not hire Leonhard as DC, keep Toney on as assistant DC, and then re-promote Toney if/ when Leonhard leaves. (Which I'm sure he will.) This would speak volumes for Napier, Toney, and the whole Gator culture.
I'm sure he was younger than 32 since you mention it. But big difference- he had Saban as HC. An older very wise Saban who had already won an NC at LSU. Toney has CBN, who I love, but IMO he's not an X and O guru like Saban is. So Smart is very gifted, but their experiences are apples and oranges given their head guys.
I won't get too much in the weeds here, but you mentioned Kirby Smart as if he was on the job training. He was... but he also went though several coordinators, while in the process, learning and landing the best high school talent in the nation. So what's Napier's next season look like to you? I think it depends on the QB for many reasons, but we do have one hail of a good recruiting class that will help Napier out regardless if he shuffles around any of his coaches. I think next year answers every question about where we are as a football program, questions that people have been posting here and all over the net. I think it all starts with a QB that is more consistent and accurate than what we've seen this year. I love our running-backs room and I believe our receivers will be even more exciting next year. I have faith that the offense will get much more consistent and the special teams will get worked out. That leaves the defensive side of the ball. What will Napier do there? If some of these incoming freshman make the "play list" than we just need to get them in the right scheme, and that will be all on coaching. I will never blame the players for our failures. We need more talent, but it's not that we are devoid of talent. We just need enough DBs and Safeties to run that high octane man/press scheme all game long. And that takes many more back-end players. And that means more front end DL players to keep constant pressure on opposing teams' QBs. Napier obviously knows that, because of the class he is recruiting to play in for the Gators in 2023.
Easy to be a hardass sitting behind your laptop. I don’t care how badly you want to win - or how badly I want to win - there’s a right and a wrong way to treat people and that is a line we should not cross purely out of impatience. If Billy can bring in Leonhard and allow Toney to learn under the guy as a position coach as @tilly suggested that’s one thing. But you don’t throw ethics to the wind or you become scUM or ref$u - or worse.
I’m replying to the post that says we shouldn’t hire Leonhard because he will leave us when he’s poached. How does that not make sense? Are we afraid of hiring successful people?
People put way to much emphasis in titles. Co-DC is merely a way to justify more money. If JL came here I’m sure Toney would be labeled as Co-DC but he would effectively be the assistant DC
Oh please. Demote him if we have to, but make room for a winning coach. This would not be the first time a winning program does this. It's a moot point, because without a prior relationship, I don't see how Billy would lure Leonhard here. But if it were to happen, lots of folks here would get off their high horses and change their tune. It's easy to preach and take the high ground when you have nothing to lose but a couple key strokes.
Announcers call it Beamer Ball all day, but USCe has a special teams coach and his name isn't Beamer.
titles matter to some people as does the real or actual possibilities of shared duties and shared success and failures. Reports came out while Napier was hiring staff that he tried to get at least two DC to come on board as co-DC with Toney (before Spencer was hired), both of whom had just coached elite defenses or had massive improvements. (Okie State and Houston) both turned Napier down as they were not interested in co-DC titles nor sharing play calling duties. The dude at okie state took the DC job at Ohio state. The Houston dude got a massive raise. Neither is a Co-DC.
I certainly back my statements up with a real rebuttal. When that gesture is not returned and all I get is name calling, the conversation is over.
The thing is, if our D is anywhere near what it was this year, yes Toney will catch heat but so will BN for not recognizing a change should have been made sooner. There will be a LOT of pressure on BN to produce in his second year. Anything short of 8 wins and there will be noise. Again, the biggest weak link this year bar none was an awful D, perhaps the worst in UF history. Coaching and evaluating assistant coaches comes with the territory. I agree with the idea Toney doesn't have to be fired but shifted to a different area if a great DC can be had. But it's not going to happen so the post is mute.
