i have come to the abrupt position that a coach should demonstrate results immediately, else the AD should come under some pretty stout scrutiny.
that sounds simplistic, i know, but... if a 'new' coach can't take what's there and present better results than the 'prior' coach, what was the point? (if winning is the only objective~ excluding disciplinary issues, in other words)
yeah, there is the entire 'building roster to support scheme' thing, and it can't be overlooked- but the emphasis is and always should be 'taking what you got and making it work'. without going into yet another tirade/rant such as i've issued on this board and the prior, this game is about cohesion- playing in concert- team- rhythm- comfort zone- team- and team. A group of guys who execute as little as five plays to perfection on offense and with a defensive unit that relies on the space between their ears to determine position and reaction, instead of rallying to a single point of direction (team captain?... DC?) will go far in this sport.
offenses break down and plays falter. perfection in deployment of a sound scheme is hard to bust up. defenses are deceived and indecisiveness leads to bad positioning in the players area of responsibility- causing holes and gaps exploited by the O. Well rehearsed offensive plays executed to perfection are generally worth 4 yards a snap no matter the defensive resistance... smart defensive players (in proper location due to scheme) capable of executing proper mechanics on the tackle are difficult to gain yardage on. fundamentals.
it's not often who has the better tricks up their sleeves or who has an abundance of weaponry as much as it is 'who adheres to fundamentals better' that wins not only games but championships. when the game GRADUATES to utilizing weaponry outside of that four yard objective is when you have something truly special (ala Bama, ala Georgia, ala almostPSU, ect).
at florida, a first year coach will have no excuse. zilch. if they aren't competitive right out of the gate, then they aren't the right guys. At Tennessee, i'd give at most one year out. There ought ot be enough ponies on the team to compete instantly under the right direction, but they likely won't compete for a championship like UF could until they either bring in the players or develop them.