Hey football fans, brace yourselves – the hunt for Florida Gators' next head coach is heating up, and it's got everyone buzzing! Imagine the pride of a program with three national championships in football and basketball; now, picture the high-stakes drama as fans weigh in on who should lead this storied team back to glory. But here's where it gets controversial – is the top pick the obvious choice, or could there be hidden gems that change everything? Stick around as we dive into the latest Swamp247 poll results that reveal what Gator Nation truly desires.
Swamp247, that go-to hub for college football insights, recently ran a couple of polls among its subscribers to gauge preferences for Florida's upcoming coaching hire. With the search officially kicking off after Billy Napier's firing on October 19, this was a prime time to capture fan sentiment. We posed two key questions in separate surveys: First, who do you want the University of Florida to bring on as its next head coach? And second, if Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, who's widely seen as the front-runner, passes on the job, who would you prefer instead?
To make these polls straightforward and inclusive, we pulled candidates from our latest Florida coaching hot board – that's essentially a ranked list of potential hires based on buzz, credentials, and fit for the program. Voters could choose from ten options in each poll, plus an 'other' category where they could suggest their own favorites and discuss them on our message boards. It's a great way for beginners in college football fandom to see how these decisions get crowdsourced and debated.
The first poll drew in a whopping 918 votes, giving us a clear snapshot of preferences. Lane Kiffin topped the charts with 631 votes, securing a massive 68.74 percent – no surprise given his reputation as a dynamic offensive mind who's turned Ole Miss into a contender. But here's the part most people miss: James Franklin, the former Penn State coach known for his successful stints and player development, came in second with 74 votes (8.06 percent), showing he's got a solid backing even against the frontrunner.
Other notable picks included Missouri's Eliah Drinkwitz, who brings a fresh, innovative defensive approach (53 votes, 5.77 percent), and Washington's Jedd Fisch, praised for his tech-savvy, modern schemes (36 votes, 3.92 percent). The 'other' option garnered 34 votes (3.7 percent), indicating some fans are thinking outside the box. Rounding out the top ten were USC's Lincoln Riley (23 votes, 2.51 percent), Arizona State's Kenny Dillingham (20 votes, 2.18 percent), Louisville's Jeff Brohm (20 votes, 2.18 percent), SMU's Rhett Lashlee (19 votes, 2.07 percent), and Georgia Tech's Brent Key (8 votes, 0.87 percent).
Now, for the second poll, which excluded Kiffin to simulate a backup scenario, we saw 810 votes cast. Without the perceived favorite, the results spread out more evenly. Lincoln Riley emerged as the new leader with 172 votes (21.23 percent), highlighting his appeal as a high-profile name from a Pac-12 power. James Franklin held strong in second place (136 votes, 16.79 percent), followed closely by Jedd Fisch (126 votes, 15.56 percent), Jeff Brohm (100 votes, 12.35 percent), and Eliah Drinkwitz (88 votes, 10.86 percent).
The 'other' category picked up steam here with 61 votes (7.53 percent), and the rest included Brent Key (41 votes, 5.06 percent), Rhett Lashlee (31 votes, 3.83 percent), Tulane's Jon Sumrall (30 votes, 3.7 percent), and Kenny Dillingham (25 votes, 3.09 percent). It's fascinating to see how removing one name reshuffles the deck – does this mean fans are more open-minded than we think, or is there a subtle bias toward established winners?
Just a quick note: Rhett Lashlee, the SMU coach who appeared in both polls, recently inked a multi-year contract extension with his current team right after our surveys wrapped up. This development might make him less likely to jump ship, adding another layer of intrigue to the process.
Looking back, this marks the third coaching search for Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin since he took the role in 2016. He's made it clear that the goal isn't just to find a coach – it's to secure someone who can restore the Gators' championship pedigree. In his own words after Napier's departure: 'On the next steps, from the leadership part of the football program, obviously we have a search that we're going to conduct. And that's my responsibility. Goal's pretty simple. We want to compete for championships and not just compete but we want to win championships. University of Florida, as you guys well know, is the only school in the country that's won three national titles in football and men's basketball. It's the only school this decade – I'm sorry – this century that's won at least one title in football and men's basketball. And the Gators have won three in both.'
He emphasized that Florida offers unparalleled opportunities, and he's committed to a thorough, deliberate process, despite any early rumors or assumptions. 'There's very few places that provide the opportunities that you have at the University of Florida. There's somebody out there who can come in here and put this football program in a position where it can win championships. This search is going to be thorough. It's going to be deliberate. Despite speculation about particular candidates or things that have already been done, we are early in this process, and it will be a very thorough process.'
But let's stir the pot a bit – is Lane Kiffin really the unanimous hero, or could his polarizing style divide fans and recruits? And what about under-the-radar picks like Eliah Drinkwitz; could they bring the innovation Florida needs to evolve? Do you think tradition should trump fresh ideas, or is it time for a bold change? We're curious to hear your takes – agree with the poll results, or is there a candidate we overlooked? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and join the debate!
