2024 Florida Gators Football Season Preview and Predictions: The Golden Boot Podcast

[Music] good evening afternoon morning everybody this is the golden moot podcast welcome in welcome in hey wherever you're listening from we appreciate you so much if you're listening to uh on Apple podcast or iHot radio or Spotify all of our socials are right there check it out on the left Cody's pointing to it right now I am your host George Hancock joined tonight tonight tomorrow whatever day at time this morning whatever uh whatever time of day you're watching from uh we are joining you live well live we're recording it actually so has gone off the rails already I'm your host George Hancock this is Vandy Chris Cody slinsky down there at the bottom Graphics saon himself we are breaking down the Florida Gators we've been breaking down uh the SEC uh with our little mini sods part of the Golden Boot podcast um they've been going really well we appreciate you guys so much on the support shout out Arkansas by the way let's just say it right now shout out Arkansas fans yes Arkansas Hey listen I've I I I'll say it once I'll say it again Arkansas fans have nothing better to do than sit around on social media and complain so love it any anytime anybody makes content about Arkansas that they may not agree with or agree with they're gonna jump on so um shout out to bring the smoke Arkansas bring the smoke sure with your 15 viewers you got so far okay moving on here we go Florida Gator football now I this here's the thing we're gonna we're going to start this out real quick and real real f um just listen Gator fans Sun Belt Billy as somebody that we just recently uh talked to most eloquently put his name um I gotta I gotta know and you gotta put in the comments if you're watching on YouTube whatever what do you think about old Sun Billy because I'm gonna tell you I've got some uh some some very real concerns number one I don't think he's going to make it out of this season the schedule is way too hard we'll get into that a little bit later um but I don't think Florida the great institution that is in Gainesville Florida is going to put up with yet another losing season that's right I said there's a little tidbit of information and a little spoiler alert of what I think my prediction is going to be um but let's break this thing down let's let's do do diligence here starting off with Florida's offense Cody I know you got the roster pulled up what what do they have what kind of weapons they got what can we expect yeah I mean so all right so first of all let me just say I am going to probably get the most hate on in the comment section on this video there is no question about it because we know my feelings on Florida and I have nothing but negative to say about this team this year and it's not because of the talent it is because of the schedule but realistically you lose you know Trevor eten that is not a that is not an easy person to replace obviously they were a two-headed Beast last year you know you had Montreal Johnson as well at running back he's back this year he is the featured back for Florida this year you have Graham merch returning at quarterback he showed good signs last year he did but the problem is that he doesn't have Ricky peaw to throw to this year losing Ricky peera is I mean it's it's it's the worst piece of that offense to lose to be quite honest and don't get me wrong you got Eugene Wilson I thir coming back who is a very talented kid who has a lot of potential you have a you know you have a v veteran offensive line and I I think the offense will be fine I think they will be able to put it together this year but it doesn't matter because of who they play yeah and that really hurts them I mean they've got talented receiver talented running back Talent on the line um loaded at tight end I mean they've got plenty of pieces there but it's just not good enough and I hate to say that I think Billy Napier is a fantastic head coach actually I think he's one of the better coaches in the country the problem is he's not the right fit for Florida he went into a not so good situation and obviously Florida fans have high expectations for their program it's win now or get lost which right I mean let's be real if you're a sec fan outside of Vanderbilt that should be your mindset and it is what it is Will Billy next year be the coach next year for Florida probably not should he be next year yes yeah that's a conversation for the off season because I'm sure I'll have a fun that you go to the defensive side of the ball that's where it gets a little bit fun you have I will say they're pretty they're overall they're pretty young defense but they have key pieces that are vet their defensive line everybody there has been in college at least four years that is good for them okay Cam Jackson a stud at nose tackle I mean there's no question about it just everything he's done in his career so far leading up to this you know like when he was at Memphis like he was he was a be and coming out of high school you know I wanted him at LSU I did he's a Louisiana uh kid and very talented obviously it makes sense with Billy Napier being in Florida coming from UL it just it makes a lot of sense um you have Shamar James that who is a player that I really like the upside for him uh middle linebacker um you got ASA Turner coming in that's going to be playing um safety this year there are some really good pieces there but right it's just one of those things where as much talent as they have it's not quite up to par with the top half of the SEC and the problem is they play the world's worst schedule that you could ask for and they're just I mean it's like a stuff between a rock and a hard place I mean there's just no getting out of that right and I mean I'll go and pull the schedule up for us to look at real quick because I mean I mean look at this schedule Miami is loaded this year they have tons of Talent on that team okay you have Cam Ward coming in from Washington State who is obviously a very good quarterback he showed it up there now will he translate well to the ACC will he fit the system at Miami maybe I would think he would but there's no telling um you also have Damen Martinez who is a fantastic running back coming down from Oregon State so Miami they're back this year I don't see Florida being ready for that especially no again no offense toida but I saw some Camp footage and I didn't like what I saw all right so game one Miami that that's that's a tough game can they win it yes they can will they win it I would not bet on that um Samford should be a win samford's a very good socon team they're you know always game ready to go and they have a very tent wanted roster this year but I'm G to give far of that game because I just again it's it's a talent level thing I just don't think they're up to par with you know Florida go to you got Texas A&M next Texas A&M they've got some good pieces on that team Conor Wegman's back he's healthy he's ready to go you have new coaching staff tons of players that are Elite prospects A&M stacked if they buy into uh Mike elko's plan they're ready to go and A&M will be a you know a playoff Contender this year then you have at Mississippi State it is never easy to play in Stark let's just be real it's not and the only thing that makes me think that I might give this to Florida is the fact that we don't know a single thing about Mississippi State no we do that Jeff lebby knows how to call a good offense as an offensive coordinator how does he run a team we have no idea then you finally get an off uh week then you have UCF by the way by week is up uh by a half a point right now in Vegas that sucks so then we get into georg's territory right here they're playing UCF after the bye who has KJ Jefferson now and I mean greener pastures for sure he KJ doesn't have to play against the elite defenses week in and week out like he was in the SEC so right KJ Jefferson might look like a Heisman Contender at UCF this year to be perfectly honest but you know it is what it is um at Tennessee I'm sorry that's a loss I'm not I have to break that down Kentucky I'm high on Kentucky this year I really am I think they're a great team I'm not giving Florida that game because I really think that Kentucky's the real deal again next week bye um this bye I think was what a three-point favorite mhm all right so then you got your neutral sight game with Georgia every year that's one of those games where you never know what's going to happen obviously I'm picking Georgia for common sense reasons but again this is a game that could be close at Texas sorry that sucks you got LSU at home go Tigers that enough said there um Miss Miss is great and then at Florida State that schedule is the worst schedule I have ever seen in my life and I don't care who the team is that gets this schedule you're not going to have a good record with the schedule I don't think I don't think a team like Georgia Alabama LSU anyone like that would have a good record against the schedule it is that bad that being said I've spoken enough what do you guys think about the schedule no you that's the thing you you I mean you may have spoken enough but you've so eloquently put it uh and you're the heel in this video boy uh I'm ready bring the smoke baby let's but no I I mean as as far as the schedule goes I mean it it it speaks for itself go ahead Chris you first how many wins Total did you say they have Cody oh they're they're going two and 10 this year doesn't even doesn't even better an I I've been saying it for weeks two and 10 I'm borderline 1 and 11 2 and 10 one and oh my Lord if I'm gonna tell you right now if Florida goes one and 11 I think there might be a rush on the stadium did like by Florida F I mean they that I I I don't even know at that point if they don't fire him by like when he's one and six that there there's I mean it's liable to be World War III Riot pandemic the whole nine yards at Florida yeah I mean realistically looking at the schedule if they start out one and three I would not be shocked if there was some kind of announcement made in that by week y if they start out let's say one and six there will definitely at least be something said in the next by we yeah but you know the game so all right so Sanford is the one game where I'm like yes I will give them that game then the other two games that I'm really on the fence about obviously it's Mississippi State because we don't know enough about Mississippi State I mean you can people can act like they can break it down you can't there's no I don't care who the football analyst is I don't care how much film you watch you cannot base a team season based off of what one player did at another school last year and assume they're going to do it at this school now and that is the situation with Mississippi State and UCF kind of the same thing but I think they're in a more of an upward Trend because of what schedule they will be facing week in and week out is and let's be real UCF wants this game more than Florida does yeah they have wanted it for seven years and it's not necessarily that I'm not saying that in terms of the players feel that way obviously Florida sees this game is business and they're going into this to win I don't think this Florida team is gonna quit all year I think they're gonna play it out very hard all year and I I actually as much as a Florida hater is I will be labeled as for this I will say that I do hope that Florida proves me wrong I really do I hope it's not on November 16th but I hope in general I I want to see Florida do good because I mean Florida is of the SEC I will count Florida as a blue blood yep they really are they were really they're the team that got us kicked off you know really in the BCS era and I mean yeah LSU got the championship in 03 that was nice but after that that's when the urban Meer era started the crime wave all that fun stuff right and that's when the SEC dominance began and has not ended yet right and I want to see Florida do well for the sake of their program because they need it Florida is too good of a program historically to be bad there is no excuse for them to ever you know win less than six games every year agreed agreed agreed hly eight games Eight Games should be the like the four for them that's that's been my argument from the beginning and here's the thing if UCF pulls off a win in the swamp oh there's gonna be hell to pay somebody's got to pay the piper because UCF I I mean I I would think that they if they have ever wanted the swamp it's very rare um I mean Arkansas I don't think they ever have Arkansas for the first time last Year got over the hump and won in the swamp um but if UCF is able to drop that over an SEC team at home oh there I I there's no possible way that some but Billy can can survive that um I mean I like I know I know you you guys are breaking down records the the whole thing for me is I'm looking at this it is very strange to look at an SEC schedule we haven't talked about this um but Florida is potentially going to be so bad that we can we can take time to talk about this is it weird having two by weeks in in a in for the first time ever seeing two by weeks um for the first two yeah huh vander's got two no no no no no I know but this is the first year that we've had two by weeks yes no it is really yes we had Vanderbilt had two buys last week last year well yeah because you did week zero but most teams did not most teams only have one bye unless I'm just up my freaking off my rocker I thought ever since they went to 12 games everybody had two by weeks uh hang on let me just look something up since we got some time you know for sure while you're looking while you're looking that up I'm gonna say the only forer win I see for Florida is sford sford yeah and I still I contend that Mississippi State and Florida will be the worst two teams in the and if Florida loses that game at Mississippi State which is entirely possible Yep they're looking at one and 11 yeah because they're not beating Miami they're not beating Texas A&M UCF has been chomping at the bit for this game they're not winning that right Tennessee is just going to out athlete them yeah kck's better than they are Georgia that game's going to be over in the first quarter Texas is going to be over in the first quarter LSU is GNA out athlete him Old Miss is going to out athlete him and Florida State despite what they lost last year is a better football team see with State I do have one question on that team though is dju is he gonna be able to lead them over the hump right before we get into that to to give everyone context here uh I just looked it up so Arkansas's schedule they had one bye oh um October 28th so um I mean so it's just weird for me to look at too but go ahead you were saying DJ what yeah you know with uh dju coming in Florida State it'll be his third stop you know he started at Clemson went to Oregon State and he's just been a system quarterback everywhere he's went he hasn't wowed anybody he hasn't done anything just remarkable in his career unfortunately and I mean you know he was very highly touted coming out of high school and right he just to me he has not lived up to the hype I mean he will make he'll be a quarterback in a non-nfl league you know depending on where he would go but I mean overall I just I have not been impressed what I want I he's one of those guys though I like him I think he is a great dude and I want him to again provve me wrong but I think if there is a game that Florida pulls an upset it is that I think it would be that game I also think the Georgia game is going to be closer than the experts think yeah so okay go ahead Chris what were you gonna say I I was just going to ask didn't DJ throw for 400 yards at a number one rank Notre Dame a couple years ago as a true freshman he did I mean he's got the ability oh abil I think he's better than any he's better than any quarterback on Florida's roster well that I won't disagree with that that's a good that's a good debate to bring up I I mean it's a good debate to have gr Merz is a he's a fine quarterback he fits the system well and he he will control that offense I don't think offense will be the problem for Florida at all this year yeah I really think the defense is the issue this year and I mean because their defense was not great last year and I'm not expecting to see much of a jump this year so I mean it's just it's just I mean it's just one of those things luck of the draw for them that and they didn't get the luck on their side so let's so let's do this think about Florida players talking trash okay wait what now what do you think about Florida players talking trash let them keep doing it let them keep I mean honestly I'd rather see him prove it on the field versus talking about it but that's just my [Music] opinion I don't know if you guys saw what Tyreek zpp had to say yesterday but he says Florida doubters are going toay the price yeah you know I did see that actually I did you can absolutely talk and flap your gums all you want to but if I don't see it on the field I'm not I don't listen to smoke I want to see fire I mean and I want anyone watching this you know that's a Florida fan before you go and try to eviscerate Us in the comments which I I totally expect I actually expect this to be our lowest liked most commented most hate most yeah like I'm and I'm I'm prepared for that and I respect it that being said I want this team to prove me wrong I want to see I want to see this team want to run through a brick wall for Billy Napier yeah I want to see Billy Napier come out and show how good of a coach he truly is I really want to see that this year I don't want this you know crap like all right so you had the Jaden rashada uh lawsuit come up which is absolute crap I want to drop I want to drop so much profanity when I'm talking about Florida for some reason but I'm not going to do that out of respect for the show but you know I mean so many weird promises like that yeah and I feel like that lawsuit coming out hurts them in recruiting yes it does but then again they did get DJ lagway who is one of the honestly he's probably my favorite incoming freshman quarterback in the entire country the kid is just straight talented he has a very bright future and I genuinely hope for the sake of this program that if a coaching move is made that he does not depart because he could really be a good future for Florida at the quarterback position not that grah merch is gonna get his job taking or anything this year I think Graham Merz is a fine quarterback and we'll do fine for them this year but they said the same stuff about Anthony Richardson there's a I think there's a big difference though lague play between the two I mean I don't Anthony Richardson didn't look is a quarterback in the NFL sure yeah picked fourth overall yes you're right lagway is not that guy neither neither was Anthony Richardson I'm just saying I mean I think honest honest to God truth un unbiased me aside I genuinely think DJ lagway has a higher upside to Anthony Richardson all day I think so I think so too I will go to my grave on that one this remains to be seen but here let's put our feet to the fire um and wrap this thing up so record prediction Cody you've already given yours you think they're going to go two and 10 Chris your record prediction was what um either one and 11 or two and 10 oh God one and 11 oh my God I'm going to be the nice guy here I'm gonna give him three and nine oh you're so nice I don't know where the where where that other win's going to come out of um but dag gum if they can pull off sford Mississippi State and UCF that's about the big that's that to me that that's those are the three most winnable games because UCF may look like a train wreck um just depending on you know whatever so I I say three and nine I mean and that so there there is one thing I want to say though okay so I say two and 10 but looking at the schedule if I'm going to be honest though there are games in here I think that could go either way okay okay so let let me give my either way uh prediction if Florida were to win these games I think you're close so I think that the first game I'll give them is Miami yeah I'll give them Stamford obviously they take a loss to A&M that's two- one give them Mississippi state three and one give them UCF 4- one 4-2 at Tennessee um 5-2 after Kentucky 5 and three after Georgia five and four after Texas five and five after LSU five and six after Old Miss six and six with Florida State make a bowl they do that Napier keeps his job yeah I agree with that I agree with that they somehow make the worst the toughest schedule in the country and go six and six which I don't think they're going to do but if they do I think yeah that some Bel billy gets to stick around for a little bit longer yep so um there it there you have it we broke it down every which way we could think of um it's just go ahead Chris real quick give me two coaching names if na let go I have give me two coaching names I don't even know I can't even think about coaches right now uh Kenny Texas State and actually you know what I'll give you one it's going to it's not it shouldn't surprise you um I think well nope I take it back never mind I will say this if Florida makes makes a coaching change they will go for a big big splash hire yes they will and I think there's no better name in the country than GJ Kenny from Texas State what that man has done in just two years of coaching he has a 20 and seven overall record and he literally has put together the best offenses you can see there is no reason that he shouldn't be the top guy let me tell you one name that we will hear in that conversation freaking lane kein I honestly I think any job in the SEC doesn't even though he's no no no I know it's not going to happen but I don't know why every single time a job opening in the SEC Well Lane kein might Lane's not going anywhere but we're going to hear that name I'm telling you right now um so there you have it folks you've heard our predictions you've heard if you hate us if you like us make sure you comment below uh hit that like button hit that subscribe button um and as always follow us on every single platform you're you're listening to and watching from um so we're we're available on Spotify on Apple podcast Facebook YouTube tick uh Tik Tok uh TW uh Twitter um you can also email us at the uh goldenbot podcast gmail.com email us and tell us we're a bunch of idiots who don't know what we're talking about we don't care uh it's cool opinions are great we love it um so we appreciate you guys so much listen stay tuned because Monday night is our live show you you you can't stand our prediction on Florida jump in the live show in heckis we don't care um it's live show is Monday night 8:30 Central 9:30 Eastern right here on our YouTube Channel anywhere you're listening from it'll be live um and uh it's going to be a great time so with myself Vandy Chris Cody slavinsky this has been the Golden Boot podcast stay golden everybody we will see you next time peace out you