Dan McCarney leaving gives Gators fans something new to worry about: the d-line

Allow me to distract you from your fretting over the Gators' offense and terrify you with what's looking like a major problem on defense!

As had been expected for a few days, UF defensive line coach Dan McCarney (pictured back in the 90s) left Tuesday to take over as the head coach at North Texas, and while he tries to rebuild a program that hasn't won more than three games in a season since 2004, whoever succeeds him at Florida has his work cut out for him.

The Gators will lose five defensive linemen to graduation: DEs Justin Trattou and Duke Lemmens, and DTs Terron Sanders, Lawrence Marsh and Brandon Antwine. None of these five were world-beaters, but they all had their moments and the crop behind them is pretty short on experience.

Omar Hunter and Jaye Howard will be back inside (though there are rumors Howard is going to take a look at the NFL Draft). Beyond them, it'll be freshmen Sharrif Floyd and Dominique Easley, the top two DTs in the 2010 recruiting class. A lot of potential there, and Floyd looked good at times this season, but Easley struggled with an apparent attitude problem, and losing a solid DL coach probably won't help the situation.

The end spot is also pretty worrisome. Ronald Powell, the top DE recruit last year, is almost sure to be a freak, and he'll have Lerentee McCray, William Green and Earl Okine as his likely competition. Miami native and 6-foot-7 giant Lynden Trail could play too, depending on his offseason.

But the Gators are looking a bit rough on the d-line for next year, and they need to replace McCarney with another slam-dunk hire. McCarney is the eighth assistant to take a head-coaching job after leaving Urban Meyer's side, and he's the exact kind of person Meyer needs around. McCarney was Iowa State's head coach for 12 seasons, and with guys like him, Charlie Strong, Dan Mullen and Chuck Heater around in years past, Meyer basically had a staff of head coaches to make his life easier (and help keep that stress level down).

“I’m happy for coach McCarney and his family,” Meyer said. “He has a proven track record as a head coach, and we were fortunate to have him on our staff for the last three years. He did a great job with our defensive line, and I fully expect him to be successful at North Texas.”

McCarney leaving punches a big hole in Meyer's entourage, and he won't be easy to replace.

And this sucks for reporters too. McCarney was great with the media. He was honest, he was a good quote, and he oozed competence. So everyone loses here except for North Texas. This has already made an impact in recruiting, as four-star defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan pulled out of his verbal commitment to UF.

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How worried are you about the defensive line next season? Think McCarney will be easy to replace?

 

"I'm happy for Coach McCarney and his family. He has a proven track record as a head coach and we were fortunate to have him on our staff for the last three years. He did a great job with our defensive line and I fully expect him to be successful at North Texas."

Comments

[Change is good]

Not very concerned, our D-line sucked this year. Who did they pressure? Nobody. Ponder was giving himself pedicures back there AND ripping us apart. 'Bama, LSU, and South Carolina gashed us between the tackles with ease.

Maybe it was all lack of personnel or maybe the coaching wasn't that good.

[So Cal Gator]

A lot of recruits will be pulling out. It is an easy decision for them.

Recruit : "Is Addazio going to be the OC next year?"
Meyer: "Yes"
Recruit : "So that means more of the same - dive play over and over again"?
Meyer : "Yes"
Recruit : "Thanks, but no thanks..."

[trimblekeith]

this is certainly uncharted waters for UF. The defense was atroucious at times (probably becaue they were on the field so much). You'd think Meyer would have an easy time filling this position with someone of note. i would love to see Rich Rod get fired from Michigan and take the OC position!!!

[Sean Wilson: Trailer trash walking]

There is a 6 alarm fire in the trailerpark.

[Lamar9]

Kinda glad Pagan left. Sad for him, but he just had a major knee surgery--so he would likely miss next year anyway assuming he makes a full recovery. Probably not worth the risk.

[Sean Wilson knows he's a douche]

Typical Gatard fan: The five star recruit they boast about ad nauseum is the same guy who is "damaged goods" when he decides to go elsewhere.

At least you are consistently inconsistent, Gatard trash.

[GatorNation]

Wow is there ever an article that tropical storm fans dont negatively comment on? Your love affair with us is getting ridiculous now its worse than the criminoles'....leave us alone!!! Why don't you guys comment on how you are chasing Gruden like an obsessed stalker....lol stalker probably shouldn't have used that word lol.

[Change is good]

Line play is critical on both sides of the ball. You can't run any (spread or otherwise) offense when your O-line stinks and you can't do much on defense when your D-line stinks.

Regarding McCarney, he has to accept some blame for either not getting these guys ready to play the big games or not recruiting good enough players. Or a little of both. I'm good with making a change with the D-line coach.

The 800 pound gorilla in the room is the change needed with the O-line coach.

[gary brown, jamar hornsby, jonathon dowling, etc, etc, etc.]

Top 5 recruiting class every year & U have holes everywhere, SO where r they? OR where did they go? OR what happens 2 them after they get 2 trailerville? (MAYBE SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THIER COACHIN).
Just goes 2 show u that those ratings mean squat, if those 5 star prima donnas dont wanna work hard..
easley's as good as gone (another 5 star burn-out 4 the GAYtors)..

[Change is good]

I'm with Sean Wilson here -- cutting through the negative rhetoric -- either the coaches are not doing a good job with these guys or the expectations of recruits isn't what it should be (ala Tennessee in 1998/1999). That program fell off the table after that NC.

[Rick]

There are some MAJOR problems within the football program right now. Did anyone notice how Brian Griese ripped the program the whole game Saturday. I have NEVER heard him so negative about a football program. Hell, I have never heard him speak negatively about any program. He is good friends with Scott Loffler from their days at Michigan. Other than him he has no connections at Florida and this is I think the first Gator game Griese has done. I think he has gotten an ear full from Loffler about the state of the Gator program. Coaches are leaving in droves and not on good terms. A sticky note on a desk? Urban had no clue his D-line coach was negotiating to become head coach at another school? We have MAJOR problems folks and it's not just Addazio.

[Change is good]

Urban needs to work on the coaching staff for sure. I'm sure he was aware of the McCarney thing...what's he gonna say to the media in the mean time? Of course he's going to say he doesn't know anything.

I think I read before that his last round of hiring was more about getting guys who happened to be available, rather than aggresively getting established coaches at good programs.

I'm confident he will be more diligent with his hires this time around. By the way (with the exception of Billy Gonzalez) aren't these coaches all leaving to be head coaches? Who would want to be an ass't if you can run your own show?

[Liberty is Gratis]

So Cal person: Your girlfriend recruited a bunch of players too, but they all pulled out also.

[Sean Wilson knows he's a douche]

It is at its core, Gatard fans, the same reason Spurrier left. He could no longer take the self-absorbed, sense-of-entitlement obnoxious fans that feel anything less than 12-0 is failure.

That's not me talking, Gatard trash, those are the facts....and Steve Spurrier.

[Sgt. Hartman]

...dang, someone didn't get enough hugs..

[Fuzzy Facts]

Phew, good thing it wasn't you actually talking, otherwise I'd have to note that Spurrier was getting a king's ransom from Daniel Snyder to leave. Incidently, the Mickey Andrews game plan had made it's way around the SEC by that time. You know the one -- big corners and speed pass rushers trump the fun-n-gun.

[Sean Wilson: Trailer trash walking]

Will he last coach to leave Urban please lock the door to the trailer.

[Next Year?]

Well the good news is, we are two games away from getting Matt Patchan back!

[Sean Wilson: Trailer trash walking]

"Wun, too, tree, fo', five and duh Gatas don't take no jive."

[Dive Play]

hey Mike, we need a new story. maybe you're just like us and are waiting to see the headlines covered with Addazio being fired or some other major coaching shift. at any rate, im sure you've got something jotted down in that notebook you can turn into a story.

[Howard Cosell]

Miami won the conference! Miami won the conference! Oh, no, wait that was Miami of Ohio.

[UFelony - 30 and counting]

Sad state of affairs at UFelony, coaches bailing, irrelevance and 5th in the state at football. Sad Sad times.

[I need a life!]

empty stadium, no head coach, no takers for head coach, lost to USF, no stadium, count Keiser college grads as alumns, wait a minute that's Miami of Florida.