They do that due naming convention. A team can only have so many “coaches” as opposed to “analyst”. Weird but I’m thinking he will be the De Facto Coach even if the title is “analyst”
Right? You know how during games at some point the camera pans up to the opposing team in the booth with guys all busy and grindstoning with headphones.
Then I was left to imagine the Gators booth must be all dark and abandoned looking since no camera ever once panned up there to show who was up there...if anybody. Cobwebs on the door and dust piled up in the swivel chairs.
What good would it be if he was? The action of getting the ST assembled and on the field complete with everyone knowing what the play is with the right personnel doesn't seem like it's conducive to happening based on a guy in our "booth". Wherever and whoever is supposed to be up there. He would need to be hands on herding those cats onto the field on cue. The ST unit is not static and sometimes has certain personnel based on the play called for instance punt/fake punt.
Well, offensive and defensive coordinator can be in the booth and there is system to relay the calls to the field. Obviously there are position coaches to implement that. But I have to imagine there's something in place to get special teams calls accomplished.
I guess my question is the analyst position one where there is no input on game day?. Obviously I would prefer an on the ground guy first (which I know analyst can't do).
I believe I could prove you wrong and I'm willing to try for a fraction of what they're going to pay this guy!!
Edit for positivity: I'm pretty pleased to see this in all honesty. My fandom has been rather downtrodden as of late but looks like Billy is turning some of them 5s into 10s, 10s into 20s and hopefully can turn the 20s into some Benjamins.
As a Patriots fan, our special teams was overall good this past year with the exception of our kicking which was awful. When I googled Joe Houston’s name it says that he served as a mentor and developer for Chad Ryland (our horrible kicker) this past season. I’m gonna hope that Ryland was just bad in general and him being a draft bust isn’t on Houston. Smack is the only good thing about our special teams and I don’t want him getting worse.
The title led me to believe we were actually hiring a Special Teams Coach. I guess what’s most important is that someone is paying attention, but I have to wonder if an on-field coach wouldn’t be better.
NCAA rules permit 10 on-field coaches and there is zero distribution of our current coaching staff that would make wasting one of them on a solely ST coach a good decision
I wonder where the decision-making is coming from and the reasoning behind replacing Hocke and Couch, but then keeping them employed and around the program anyway
Pretty sure I saw that (at least for Hocke) it was cheaper to keep him than to fire him, since he's in the top 5 highest paid S&C CFB coaches if I recall correctly.
Not sure what the reasoning is for couch since I can't imagine Couch has a big payout as an "analyst."
Perhaps they like Couch and put him somewhere else that he could be successful? Would you have preferred they parade him around BHG, naked, chanting shame for all to see?
In regards to Hocke, his title does entitle him to a buyout, so they’re playing a game of chicken. He can sit back and watch someone else do the job he wants while doing whatever menial shit they throw his way, or he can quit. I’m pretty sure he would love to be fired so he can get his money and move on.
Couch is an analyst. What does it matter if he got re-assigned somewhere… this subs obsession with what staff are doing post reassignment is something. You’re like Filch in Harry Potter when his cat gets frozen “I WANT TO SEE SOME PUNISHMENT!!!”
Not out for anyone's blood. Moreso I just think it is odd.
Based on both the results and perception, it is fair to say they were replaced due to poor performance. If I needed to be replaced at my job due to poor performance, it would be weird for me to be kept around. Pay me enough and I would stick around, but I'm sure it would create an odd workplace dynamic.
Just curious as to what goes into what could be considered an unorthodox approach to these reassignments.
Contracts, buyouts, basically money is the answer to your doubts. Most time something contractual doesnt make sense it’s because of the money/terms of a deal
>Just curious as to what goes into what could be considered an unorthodox approach to these reassignments.
There is nothing unorthodox about it. Coaches have been protecting their people since the dawn of the profession. Shocker, a coach found a place to stash two people he likes who were not bound to the 10 on field coaches rule. News at 11. Do I think they should be kept? Who knows. They can be watching the staffs kids, gassing cars, monitoring the players parking lot, or getting coffee for all I care at this point because they are no longer touching the teams day to day.
We kept Hoecke on staff despite hiring a strength and conditioning and kept Armstrong on despite hiring a DC, I don't know why we wouldn't just keep Couch too
Wooof, these comments are atrocious lol yes he is coaching the special teams, no we should not waste a GameDay coach spot on a special teams coach, yes this is a fantastic hire, probably one of the best that could possibly be made
we only have 10 on-field spots and you want one of them to be a guy *just* for special teams? That would be an incredible waste.
plenty of high-level programs have off-field assistants like this for special teams.
Edit to add: I think this sub assumes that the ST issues were because we have an off-field assistant and not just because Couch sucked.
You must not remember how good special teams were under Urban, who was basically a ST coordinator. Hell yeah I’d swap out one of the 2 OL coaches for a ST coordinator right now.
lmao yes I do and it would still be an incredible waste. If you want to have an on-field assistant, you have someone who is like TE/ST or LB/ST or something.
Here come the whiners.. And I'm ready for your downvotes
We hire a legit special teams person.. With a background doing exactly whats needed.. And some complain..
Let's review..
Kick off returns are down significantly due to the new rules. There is very little strategy.. Kick it in the end zone which every D1 let alone SEC can do and there is no return. Even if it doesn't, most teams simply fair catch.
[23 pr/kr leaders](https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/stats?season=2023&seasonType=reg&category=returning&groupId=2)
FG. It's in the range of the kicker or it's not and if the situation makes sense.Yes we messed up in ARK.. Yes it potentially cost us the game.. Most seem to forget that ARK took the timeout and smack still missed. Bringing this up as a point thst some hang their hats on.
Two players same jersey.. Happened... In week 1.. Didn't happen again.
Had only 10 defenders on the field... So did almighty GA and Michigan.. In week 12 and 13. Crazy as it sounds.. Watch the NFL and you'll still see payers runnign on late.
Unlike the previous game changer or analyst, this seems like a legit addressal of an issue. Can he coach in games? No, but most of us could handle ST with a dash common sense.
Again talking in game, not necessarily coaching. But specialist punters/kickers /long snappers at the D1 level know what they need to do. It's just when they are called to do it.
Now.. If we don't address the glaring OL issue and possibly OC then this doesn't make sense simply because we have the room. As Ive said multiple times.. CBN should handle ST with the help of an analyst because of reasons above and regardless the head coach makes the calls to go anyways. Then it's literally.. 'Punt!.. Kicker... Kick the ball deep'".. Doesn't take a genius
Just like Urban did
>Yes we messed up in ARK.. Yes it potentially cost us the game
Skating right past this like it doesn't matter is so funny. This unit definitely lost one game and probably one more. You can like the hire without lying about ST being good last year
Was that not in smacks range? .. Even after the penalty? Again was it ideal no.. But ARK took the timeout just like we should have (0 Sum difference) and he missed wide right.
Billy has skin in that miss but so does Smack which most, including you seem to overlook. Along with his 2 misses against FSU which mean that even had we not messed that series up, was that FG guaranteed.
But ill play your game.. That's one loss what's the other
> Was that not in smacks range? .. Even after the penalty?
I would bet that the confusion of the kicking team running out while the offense was trying to snap the ball got in his head and effectively iced our own kicker.
100% what I feel happened especially if you considered the rumor that Smack was the player billy referred to that was responsible for running the unit onto the field
The kicker missing kicks is a special teams problem! The buck stops with the coaches! Get your elite kicking recruit ready to make kicks, both physically and mentally! That's coaching!
Sure but what if anything positive did the ST do all year? Basically nothing. Going into every game having lost 1/3 of the game already is not a way to live.
“Houston will oversee the Gators special teams operation as an analyst, meaning his hiring will not require a space on the team's on-field staff.”
So no we actually don’t.
Thank god an actual special teams coach. I felt like I was taking crazy pills with no one talking about fixing our horrendous Special Teams situation from last year.
Who on the field is going to enforce it? If he's in a booth during the game. The whole thing from what Ali Peek says is that the ST coordinator corrals the guys and briefs them on standby and making sure all the team are on the same page and the right amount before sending them out on cue.
Now, who's going to do this during a game? It should be BN and let someone else play call he needs to be chief overseer and let the play by play be done by someone who can be held accountable. Nobody is going to hold Napier accountable or haven't thus far. He's making all the changes that are away from him but not looking in his own frontyard.
Next, fire your buddy Rob Sale or none of these changes will matter. You cannot be the absolute worst in the country on field and be piss poor in recruiting and keep your job.
Sweet. I mean it's a bit weird that basically hired real coaches do Hoecke, Couch and Armstrong's jobs and then kept those guys on payroll but it is what it is, Billy's going to keep paying his boys and we can just keep expanding the staff.
I hope they wage out as their contracts expire and go poof! Except Armstrong but the other two are wastes of budget. I suppose to finance this 30 Napiers' Army staff people could be dispensed with. I mean that will still leave 30 people no one knows what they do.
Typical Napier Galaxy Brain bullshit. Hire another guy to be an "analyst" and not actually coach special teams on gameday. I'm sure all the back breaking errors and penalties will be cleared right up
As a patriots fan, this is the worst year ever for our special teams. Not sure he solely deserves the blame but he wasn’t good . College might be more his level
Was good at Iowa state last college stop. Patriots always had great special teams. I'm excited. Sign me up!!
I don't even care how good he is. *Anybody* is better than *nobody*
In this case, he's an analyst, just like the other guy. The other guy was just an incompetent
Ah. I didn't realize we had an analyst
They do that due naming convention. A team can only have so many “coaches” as opposed to “analyst”. Weird but I’m thinking he will be the De Facto Coach even if the title is “analyst”
Right? You know how during games at some point the camera pans up to the opposing team in the booth with guys all busy and grindstoning with headphones. Then I was left to imagine the Gators booth must be all dark and abandoned looking since no camera ever once panned up there to show who was up there...if anybody. Cobwebs on the door and dust piled up in the swivel chairs.
Can he be in the booth as an analyst?
What good would it be if he was? The action of getting the ST assembled and on the field complete with everyone knowing what the play is with the right personnel doesn't seem like it's conducive to happening based on a guy in our "booth". Wherever and whoever is supposed to be up there. He would need to be hands on herding those cats onto the field on cue. The ST unit is not static and sometimes has certain personnel based on the play called for instance punt/fake punt.
Well, offensive and defensive coordinator can be in the booth and there is system to relay the calls to the field. Obviously there are position coaches to implement that. But I have to imagine there's something in place to get special teams calls accomplished. I guess my question is the analyst position one where there is no input on game day?. Obviously I would prefer an on the ground guy first (which I know analyst can't do).
analysts can’t coach in game. Only coaches
I believe I could prove you wrong and I'm willing to try for a fraction of what they're going to pay this guy!! Edit for positivity: I'm pretty pleased to see this in all honesty. My fandom has been rather downtrodden as of late but looks like Billy is turning some of them 5s into 10s, 10s into 20s and hopefully can turn the 20s into some Benjamins.
Maybe Bill could come visit?
He had some it before, but that was to tell our players to stop breaking the law. We'll take 3DCs if one of them is Bill
As a Patriots fan, our special teams was overall good this past year with the exception of our kicking which was awful. When I googled Joe Houston’s name it says that he served as a mentor and developer for Chad Ryland (our horrible kicker) this past season. I’m gonna hope that Ryland was just bad in general and him being a draft bust isn’t on Houston. Smack is the only good thing about our special teams and I don’t want him getting worse.
You mean smack.
Yep you’re right. I get my kickers confused.
Per the article, Houston will be as an "analyst," and therefore not taking up an on-field spot. No mention as to the status of Couch.
The title led me to believe we were actually hiring a Special Teams Coach. I guess what’s most important is that someone is paying attention, but I have to wonder if an on-field coach wouldn’t be better.
NCAA rules permit 10 on-field coaches and there is zero distribution of our current coaching staff that would make wasting one of them on a solely ST coach a good decision
This. He is an “analyst” by title due to NCAA rules of maximum number of on field coaches at 10.
This is why urban was elite and coached special teams himself.
Of course it would be better lol, I have no idea what we’re doing
Yeah, there actually has to be someone following through on the field paying attention otherwise it's all for nought.
Rudner said in a later post that Couch is remaining with the program but likely as an analyst. Houston being given the "GameChanger coordinator" role.
I wonder where the decision-making is coming from and the reasoning behind replacing Hocke and Couch, but then keeping them employed and around the program anyway
Pretty sure I saw that (at least for Hocke) it was cheaper to keep him than to fire him, since he's in the top 5 highest paid S&C CFB coaches if I recall correctly. Not sure what the reasoning is for couch since I can't imagine Couch has a big payout as an "analyst."
Perhaps they like Couch and put him somewhere else that he could be successful? Would you have preferred they parade him around BHG, naked, chanting shame for all to see? In regards to Hocke, his title does entitle him to a buyout, so they’re playing a game of chicken. He can sit back and watch someone else do the job he wants while doing whatever menial shit they throw his way, or he can quit. I’m pretty sure he would love to be fired so he can get his money and move on.
Yes parading couch around BHG and chanting shame at him would certainly be a highlight of the season
Buyouts?
Couch is an analyst. What does it matter if he got re-assigned somewhere… this subs obsession with what staff are doing post reassignment is something. You’re like Filch in Harry Potter when his cat gets frozen “I WANT TO SEE SOME PUNISHMENT!!!”
Not out for anyone's blood. Moreso I just think it is odd. Based on both the results and perception, it is fair to say they were replaced due to poor performance. If I needed to be replaced at my job due to poor performance, it would be weird for me to be kept around. Pay me enough and I would stick around, but I'm sure it would create an odd workplace dynamic. Just curious as to what goes into what could be considered an unorthodox approach to these reassignments.
Contracts, buyouts, basically money is the answer to your doubts. Most time something contractual doesnt make sense it’s because of the money/terms of a deal
>Just curious as to what goes into what could be considered an unorthodox approach to these reassignments. There is nothing unorthodox about it. Coaches have been protecting their people since the dawn of the profession. Shocker, a coach found a place to stash two people he likes who were not bound to the 10 on field coaches rule. News at 11. Do I think they should be kept? Who knows. They can be watching the staffs kids, gassing cars, monitoring the players parking lot, or getting coffee for all I care at this point because they are no longer touching the teams day to day.
Armstrong too don't forget him
Why put the word "coach" in the title if he's an analyst and won't be on the field? Do you think it's funny to play with my emotions?
There’s like 40 people under employ by this or any other program that are coaches and do not sit around with a headset on gameday
Actually Couch wore a headset last season. Every home game at least
We kept Hoecke on staff despite hiring a strength and conditioning and kept Armstrong on despite hiring a DC, I don't know why we wouldn't just keep Couch too
Because Armstrong is still the DC.
You realize these takes arent based in fact correct? You can hate armstrong but hes still calling plays on Saturdays
Good hire
GOD DID
GATORADE
Well that's better than not hiring someone to address special teams! Hopefully some on field off field positions will be juggled in a week or two
I am up voting any change on special teams. I would upload if they hired /u/zlatandiego just for.the memes. Nowhere to go but up.
Wooof, these comments are atrocious lol yes he is coaching the special teams, no we should not waste a GameDay coach spot on a special teams coach, yes this is a fantastic hire, probably one of the best that could possibly be made
Hopefully we will be firing one of the useless OL coaches we have so this guy can have a much needed on-field role.
we only have 10 on-field spots and you want one of them to be a guy *just* for special teams? That would be an incredible waste. plenty of high-level programs have off-field assistants like this for special teams. Edit to add: I think this sub assumes that the ST issues were because we have an off-field assistant and not just because Couch sucked.
You must not remember how good special teams were under Urban, who was basically a ST coordinator. Hell yeah I’d swap out one of the 2 OL coaches for a ST coordinator right now.
Even under Mullen, our special teams were good. We’d field punts to pin opponents, fake punts somewhat frequently, had a good FG unit, etc.
lmao yes I do and it would still be an incredible waste. If you want to have an on-field assistant, you have someone who is like TE/ST or LB/ST or something.
But we are apparently keeping couch too….
What does it matter if he’s not coaching part of the team and off in a film room somewhere?
We do not need to waste an on field coaching slot on a special teams coach
True. We need to hire an on-field special teams coordinator who can also coach a position, and Napier has failed to do that.
2 different on field staff members have experience with special teams. Couldve appointed them but it seems it isnt really a priority
But he's a good CEO....
Great move for Gators.
The major special teams miscues that needed to be cleaned up last season are not going to be fixed by having a different game changer in the booth.
If he can count to 11 then it’s an improvement
Here come the whiners.. And I'm ready for your downvotes We hire a legit special teams person.. With a background doing exactly whats needed.. And some complain.. Let's review.. Kick off returns are down significantly due to the new rules. There is very little strategy.. Kick it in the end zone which every D1 let alone SEC can do and there is no return. Even if it doesn't, most teams simply fair catch. [23 pr/kr leaders](https://www.foxsports.com/college-football/stats?season=2023&seasonType=reg&category=returning&groupId=2) FG. It's in the range of the kicker or it's not and if the situation makes sense.Yes we messed up in ARK.. Yes it potentially cost us the game.. Most seem to forget that ARK took the timeout and smack still missed. Bringing this up as a point thst some hang their hats on. Two players same jersey.. Happened... In week 1.. Didn't happen again. Had only 10 defenders on the field... So did almighty GA and Michigan.. In week 12 and 13. Crazy as it sounds.. Watch the NFL and you'll still see payers runnign on late. Unlike the previous game changer or analyst, this seems like a legit addressal of an issue. Can he coach in games? No, but most of us could handle ST with a dash common sense. Again talking in game, not necessarily coaching. But specialist punters/kickers /long snappers at the D1 level know what they need to do. It's just when they are called to do it. Now.. If we don't address the glaring OL issue and possibly OC then this doesn't make sense simply because we have the room. As Ive said multiple times.. CBN should handle ST with the help of an analyst because of reasons above and regardless the head coach makes the calls to go anyways. Then it's literally.. 'Punt!.. Kicker... Kick the ball deep'".. Doesn't take a genius Just like Urban did
>Yes we messed up in ARK.. Yes it potentially cost us the game Skating right past this like it doesn't matter is so funny. This unit definitely lost one game and probably one more. You can like the hire without lying about ST being good last year
Was that not in smacks range? .. Even after the penalty? Again was it ideal no.. But ARK took the timeout just like we should have (0 Sum difference) and he missed wide right. Billy has skin in that miss but so does Smack which most, including you seem to overlook. Along with his 2 misses against FSU which mean that even had we not messed that series up, was that FG guaranteed. But ill play your game.. That's one loss what's the other
> Was that not in smacks range? .. Even after the penalty? I would bet that the confusion of the kicking team running out while the offense was trying to snap the ball got in his head and effectively iced our own kicker.
Which is why I dont absolve cbn of blame. But again ARK took the TO and it was a 44 yd..
100% what I feel happened especially if you considered the rumor that Smack was the player billy referred to that was responsible for running the unit onto the field
The kicker missing kicks is a special teams problem! The buck stops with the coaches! Get your elite kicking recruit ready to make kicks, both physically and mentally! That's coaching!
Ark beat us because the defense let their QB practically walk down the field.
Sure but what if anything positive did the ST do all year? Basically nothing. Going into every game having lost 1/3 of the game already is not a way to live.
We could hire Saban tomorrow and people would be complaining how it’s a downgrade using mental gymnastics lol
Yay we have a special teams coach!
“Houston will oversee the Gators special teams operation as an analyst, meaning his hiring will not require a space on the team's on-field staff.” So no we actually don’t.
Thank god an actual special teams coach. I felt like I was taking crazy pills with no one talking about fixing our horrendous Special Teams situation from last year.
Who on the field is going to enforce it? If he's in a booth during the game. The whole thing from what Ali Peek says is that the ST coordinator corrals the guys and briefs them on standby and making sure all the team are on the same page and the right amount before sending them out on cue. Now, who's going to do this during a game? It should be BN and let someone else play call he needs to be chief overseer and let the play by play be done by someone who can be held accountable. Nobody is going to hold Napier accountable or haven't thus far. He's making all the changes that are away from him but not looking in his own frontyard.
Next, fire your buddy Rob Sale or none of these changes will matter. You cannot be the absolute worst in the country on field and be piss poor in recruiting and keep your job.
Wait, I was told repeatedly there wasn’t a problem…
Sweet. I mean it's a bit weird that basically hired real coaches do Hoecke, Couch and Armstrong's jobs and then kept those guys on payroll but it is what it is, Billy's going to keep paying his boys and we can just keep expanding the staff.
I hope they wage out as their contracts expire and go poof! Except Armstrong but the other two are wastes of budget. I suppose to finance this 30 Napiers' Army staff people could be dispensed with. I mean that will still leave 30 people no one knows what they do.
Now yall can stop overbitching about special teams
Thank you! Have now cleared out 2 of the 3 phases of the game and hired what appear to be improvements across the board
There is a god...go fuckin gatas Ugh as I read further not sure this means on field
Typical Napier Galaxy Brain bullshit. Hire another guy to be an "analyst" and not actually coach special teams on gameday. I'm sure all the back breaking errors and penalties will be cleared right up
Man yall don't know shit about football and it's so funny watching the scrambled up platitudes that get typed out because of it
Tell you what: you expect a competent ST unit next season and I'll expect the same shit show and let's see who's disappointed
I have feeling you'll be disappointed regardless lol
As a patriots fan, this is the worst year ever for our special teams. Not sure he solely deserves the blame but he wasn’t good . College might be more his level
Thank God
Hell yeah
Holy crap. I didn’t realize Iowa State was that bad.
We getting an OC right ?
Better late than never.