From Stewart Mandel’s Mailbag ($$):
Todd Grantham, the Florida defensive coordinator, is a Virginia Tech alum and a native of the Blacksburg area. Would he be a realistic possibility to replace Justin Fuente if the Hokies move on? — Tom W.
@Tom W. If you are a Va. Tech fan, may God have mercy on your soul if this is the guy you’re hoping to land. — Brian S., Georgia fan
I love it when mailbag readers give a better answer than I possibly could.
Go Dawgs!
Filed under Georgia Football
While we’re on the subject of the Toddster, check out this vote of confidence from *** checks notes *** one of his defensive starters ($$):
“We made the adjustments we were given to make,” linebacker Mohamoud Diabate said. “It seemed like they were hitting with a similar scheme, kind of a counter run. We had whoever we had in the box so we had to play it how we played it.”
Now, postgame Zoom calls don’t allow for the kind of one-on-one reporting where players clarify or amplify their responses, but unlike previous occasions when players went out of their way to back Grantham, this felt different.
“I’m confident in my teammates and my teammates’ ability to play hard and be where they’re supposed to be,” Diabate said. “I’m confident in my teammates.”
Asked about what adjustments might’ve helped slow down LSU’s running game, Diabate offered: “Honestly, I don’t know. That’s not my decision to make. I don’t look into those things. I’m like a soldier. When the general tells me where to shoot, I shoot. I don’t really ask too many questions. That’s y’all’s job.”
Somewhere out there, Todd Monken is like
Filed under Gators, Gators...
“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in Todd. Todd’s a great football coach,” Mullen said…
He sure as hell wasn’t talking about Georgia’s offensive coordinator there.
Long may they run. Especially on third down.
Filed under Gators, Gators...
Promises, promises…
Filed under Gators, Gators...
So, this got my disappointment meter swinging wildly yesterday, especially since I don’t have a subscription and couldn’t read the linked article.
Following one of the worst defensive performances in school history in 2020, Florida appears to be ready to make a few changes on the defensive staff. Sources confirmed to Swamp247 that multiple staff changes are expected, and a UF staff directory listing has been updated removing two assistants.
Safeties coach Ron English and cornerbacks coach Torrian Gray no longer appear on the directory. English removed Florida references from his Twitter biography on Thursday. Gray’s account bio still reads: “University of Florida #DBU#”
Swamp247 reached out to a Florida spokesman for comment on the staff listing change, but he was not immediately reachable.
Sources also informed Swamp247 that a change at defensive coordinator is unlikely. Defensive coordinator Todd Grantham has been on staff with coach Dan Mullen for four seasons now, his three years at Florida and the 2017 season at Mississippi State.
And there was much rejoicing. Maybe we should start referring to Grantham as Mullen’s Willie Martinez, which is pretty ironic if you think about it.
I’d like to think that’s enough for Todd Monken to turn down a job offer in the offseason — “Sorry, I can’t leave Athens until I beat some of that Grantham ass.” It’s the romantic in me, I suppose.
Filed under Gators, Gators...
What (okay, to be more precise, whom) do these two monuments to stupidity have in common?
There was, of course, one major, catastrophic defensive lapse. ($$) One for the ages, in fact. But it’s unlikely that Grantham ever spent time warning players about the perils of chucking an opponent’s shoe 20 yards after a tackle.
Quite the resume for coaching them up you got there, Todd.
Filed under Gators, Gators..., Georgia Football
Hunh.
“The worst thing to do is to put someone in there and they’re not ready and they don’t have success, then you have a confidence issue,” Grantham said. “So I’ve always been a guy that I’d rather play them a week late than a week early from a developmental standpoint to make sure they’re ready, so we’ll continue to do that based on what we see in practice.”
It’s as if he’s excised the 2013 season from his mind.
If only Georgia fans could do the same.
Filed under Gators, Gators..., Georgia Football, Strategery And Mechanics
I’m not saying Jake Fromm should factor this possibility into his NFL draft deliberations…
… I’m just sayin’.
Of course, nobody should discount the likelihood that Todd’s agent is just doing his annual due diligence to coax another raise out of a gullible AD.
Filed under SEC Football
Connor O’Gara, senior national columnist for Saturday Down South, you do us a grave disservice with pronouncements like this.
Some — mostly Georgia fans — scoffed at the idea that Grantham could make nearly $1.8 million annually.
Scoffed? Against Georgia, Todd’s last two defenses have yielded 31 and 36 points and over 400 yards of offense in each game. We couldn’t be happier the Gators value his services so highly.
Filed under Gators, Gators..., Georgia Football
Grantham was the highest-paid assistant in Gators football history at $1.5 million per season. After a down year for Florida’s defense in 2017, he elevated it 49 spots (from 69th to 20th) nationally in scoring defense. As such, coach Dan Mullen and athletic director Scott Stricklin awarded him with a $300,000 raise and one-year contract extension, which were announced Thursday. Based on 2018 salaries, that would make Grantham at $1.8 million one of the five highest-paid assistants in college football. [Emphasis added.]
When you know the play and they know you know the play and they still let you run the play… well, that’s when you know you’ve really got game.
Filed under Gators, Gators..., It's Just Bidness
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