I know you’re mad.
You should be.
Florida should never lose to Georgia Southern, let alone any Football Championship Subdivision team.
Ever.
The Gators play in the Southeastern Conference. You know, the league with top-ranked Alabama in it. The one that has won seven consecutive national championships.
I don’t think all those fans chant “S-E-C! S-E-C! S-E-C!” just to hear their own voices.
Even with 13 players sidelined due to injury, Florida’s loss was inexcusable. Especially considering the Eagles were missing 19 players of their own due to various injuries.
I think it’s safe to call Saturday’s game the worst loss in Florida football history.
Georgia Southern torched the Gators in the ground game, piling up 429 rushing yards — an outlandish total that marks the fourth most rushing yards Florida has ever surrendered.
The Eagles didn’t even need to complete the three passes they attempted.
They simply beat the daylights out of the Gators. Don’t let the six-point margin of victory fool you.
But even though Saturday was a living hell for the Gator Nation, don’t overreact.
At this point, firing Will Muschamp just doesn’t make much sense.
Athletic director Jeremy Foley has already stated he is “1000 percent” behind Muschamp. Reneging on his word less than a month later would not only be a foolish PR move, but it would be damning in the long term.
Firing Muschamp this season would send a harsh message to the brave souls who would potentially vie for the chance to resurrect this program. Win now and win all the time.
People forget that Muschamp had this team one victory away from a spot in the Southeastern Conference Championship Game in Atlanta last season. One tumultuous season full of decimating injuries later, and everyone wants to kick him to the curb.
You think Bobby Petrino would want to risk his next big career move for a two-year window to rebuild the Gators? Not even the always-optimistic James Franklin would abandon Vanderbilt for Gainesville after a swift firing of Muschamp.
Foley should exercise some patience here, and he is wise to do so. When you’re operating with millions of dollars, firing someone so rashly is irresponsible.
Muschamp deserves at least another year. Florida needs to give him more time.
Not every coach can be an overnight success like Steve Spurrier. That’s why there’s a statue of the Ol’ Ball Coach outside the stadium. And because he won a Heisman, but I digress.
Another issue to consider is morale.
If Foley fired Muschamp today, what does that do to this weekend’s Florida State game?
Exactly.
I know most Gators fans are going into this weekend’s game with a defeatist attitude and it’s sound reasoning. The No. 2 Seminoles are almost unstoppable. But if you fire Muschamp, you’re looking at an even bigger dud of a game.
Muschamp deserves to come back, but the Gators need to make some staff changes.
From the sound of Muschamp’s postgame press conference, offensive coordinator Brent Pease is most likely done in Gainesville. Whether you want to blame the personnel or his love of the Trey Burton Wildcat, Pease is the man who will likely fall on the sword this year.
But Muschamp should not take the fall. At least not yet.
I know that’s tough to hear after such an embarrassing loss, but keeping Muschamp is the right thing to do.
With a new offensive coordinator and much healthier team in 2014, Florida could very well return to the heights of 11-2 and a Sugar Bowl appearance.
Maybe they could accomplish even more.
Follow Joe Morgan on Twitter @joe_morgan.
Will Muschamp walks off the field following Florida’s 26-20 loss to Georgia Southern on Saturday in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. The Gators’ loss to the Eagles was their first loss to a current FCS team since 1946.
