Saturday’s game between Florida and Miami is as much a battle between head coaches Billy Napier and Mario Cristobal as it is between the Gators and Hurricanes.
Both coaches came into their respective programs carrying hope of a return to prominence, but neither has come close.
Napier has two seasons of 6-7 and 5-7 with one bowl loss while Cristobal is 5-7 and 7-6 with a bowl loss.
There’s plenty of hot seat talk out there, but I just can’t imagine either coach being let go, even if another bad season is on the horizon.
Cristobal is in the third of a 10-year, $80 million deal. Napier is in the third year of a seven-year, $51.8 million deal.
In either case, it’s a lot to buy out.
Cristobal would seem to have the inside track on staying, not just because his deal is bigger, but his schedule is more favorable for success.
However, failure in the face of an easy schedule can be damning.
On the other hand, Napier is looking at potentially the hardest schedule in the country this year.
In a five-Saturday November, the Gators will face Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and Florida State in that order. They also have a much-improved Kentucky program, rival Tennessee and growing in-state rival UCF.
But it all begins Saturday, when two coaches on a similar trajectory clash as the Hurricanes visit the Gators in the Swamp for a 3:30 p.m. start.
Miami’s offense has a much different look from 2023 as transfer QB Cam Ward leads the way, while Florida’s offense is guided again by the steady and accurate Graham Mertz, with stud freshman DJ Lagway waiting in the wings.
Both teams have focused on fixing defensive defeiciences.
Which team has the edge? Who’s favored? How much of an edge can The Swamp be for the Gators? And which coach will see the proverbial sunshine when the sun rises Sunday.
To help me break down this big season-opener, I welcome Tom D’Angelo of the Palm Beach Post and Kevin Brockway of the Gainesville Sun to the latest episode of “The *State* of Florida Sports Podcast,” powered by the USA Today Network.
They’ll give you a deep dive into every aspect of this game, so before the game kicks off, you have to listen to be the most informed fan.
This podcast is also a milestone as we celebrate episode 200, so please tune in.
College football is here so soak up every minute of it, and start by listening to this podcast.
Find out why so many fans have checked us out and why our guests and journalists give you the best sports breakdowns in the state.
We can be downloaded wherever you listen to podcasts, or simply type in “The *State* of Florida Sports Podcast” into your favorite search engine. We also can be found on any of the 17 USA TODAY-Network Florida websites.
If you like it, you can check out previous shows, which feature current and former professional athletes and coaches, as well as our stable of journalists who cover beats and write columns, all of whom have a tie to the Sunshine State.
Walters can be reached at [email protected]
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Publish date : 2024-08-26 10:33:00
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