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Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback Graham Mertz (15) slides for a first down while Miami Hurricanes defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. (4) attempts to tackle during the first half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
The Gator Nation witnessed a slaughter in the Swamp on Saturday in a lackluster loss to the Miami Hurricanes, 41-17. Following the devastating defeat, the sports media is still trying to wrap its collective mind around the circumstances of failure and what it means moving forward.
Among them is The Athletic’s Seth Emerson, who put together his SEC vibes rankings after Week 1’s action. Unsurprisingly, Florida came in at the bottom of the standings ranked No. 16 placing [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag] and Co. firmly in the conference cellar.
“Look, there’s an argument to be made for Florida to stop cycling through coaches, that stability would do the program some good,” Emerson begins. “There’s also no point pulling the plug right away — like, this week — when the team has to let some games play out. Maybe Miami is really good! (Cam Ward certainly looked good.)
“But Florida’s showing was atrocious,” he continues. “A loss in a competitive game could’ve been excused but not a blowout at home with a lot of the same mistakes. It also showed that with the right hire, a once-proud program with years of mediocrity can get back to relevance, as Mario Cristobal and Miami seem to be doing. (Albeit in a weaker conference.)”
The trouble is not limited to just mistakes on the field but also looming issues hovering over off the field as well.
“Napier, along with his school, is being sued by former recruit Jaden Rashada for the NIL deal that fell apart,” Emerson offers. “Rashada is now at Georgia, and it has been a curiosity whether he and…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/gators-hit-rock-bottom-athletics-154206071.html
Author : Gators Wire
Publish date : 2024-09-03 15:42:06
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