Floda

They should play their games in February.  Ticket prices would be higher.

So far the only real preseason news is that Keith Washington "intends" to transfer.  Brandon Watson stuck it out and so did John O'Korn.  Mike McCray is another.  Here's to hoping Ty Isaac has a big year.  Butt-hurt?  That is one of those expressions you see a lot on the internet these days.

Probably (hopefully) it is good news.  JKP.  Lavert Hill, David Long, Ambry Thomas, even Ben St-Juste.  He said it was a impulsive decision and rumors are it has something to do with overall secondary depth and gaining more experience personally.

For Florida, still, the biggest news is the loss of Calloway but it said somewhere that Floda's receivers

(I assume including him) are rated as the nation's fifth best group.  That doesn't say anything about punt or kickoff returns or the quarterback who is going to get it there.  People in the know seem to indicate Jake Del Rio just isn't good.  And the other parts of the three-headed monster...  Everyone has confidence Doug Nussmeier will get it together.

Jim McElwain took his SEC ways to Ft. Collins and had success.  It helps when you have a former HS-best running back (Dee Hart) with one last chance.  As the college football season started one of the better-looking teams was Colorado State, with another SEC coach (Mike Bobo).  Wisconsin looks as though they're overachieving under Paul Chryst while they looked just plain good under Gary Andersen; anyway, it isn't obvious what he has built at Oregon State but they probably could have and should have won.

The head-bashing--boxing (Flod Mayweather) is still, ridiculously first--and the athletes are all over.  There's a need to find more favorite teams for when Harbaugh implodes again.  Florida and both Michigan have athletes.  What will happen?

---



Those were initial thoughts and I really don't like to sound like an arrogant Michigan fan, but...

It doesn't get more remote than Eastern Washington and Bozeman (except maybe North Dakota).  For now, let's just say that Harbaugh is intense and frequently abrasive.  McElwain gives the impression of a personable Southerner (e.g., Hugh Freeze!) but he isn't--at least he isn't from the South and those traits are opposite of what most people get out of Montana.

Florida has to be one of the more enticing yet difficult head coaching jobs.  You can win a national championship with the players and the fanbase but keeping the athletes on the field is near impossible.  With Florida it is always a story about suspensions and who is missing the games.  Is there any reason to think that McElwain can do it any better than the next guy?  He has won awards and the division so there is reason for optimism, but fans in that division (Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina) can be fickle and nearly impossible to please.

Or, he could easily turn out to be another Will Muschamp (who was fired before his arrival then hired at SC) or Dan Hawkins (whose Boise State success didn't show up at Colorado).  His background is pretty unusual.  He also coached at Michigan State!  In the 2016 Citrus Bowl McElwain looked removed--his team was unmotivated and it looked as though they didn't care; he looked all Brady Hoke, like a cheerleader.

If there's one thing about Harbaugh and Michigan it is that they will always care.

For Florida, this time and in the first game of the year, they will care.

The more laid-back attitude and the sunshine is appealing.  I wish them well.  For now, three years into their respective coaching gigs, it just looks like Harbaugh is the better coach and Michigan is the better team.