How long does Jenny Rowland have left?

[blake]

After the mess that was SECs, I’m wondering when will enough be enough for UF and they decide to sack Rowland? I’d say the sooner, the better - only once have they won SECs since she took charge, back in 2016, and we all remember the meltdown at the OSU regional which absolutely should not have happened to a team as strong as UF.

What are your guys thoughts?

 

[rue_des_plantes]

I think she’s fine for a bit. COVID + extra eligibility give programs enough cover and plausible deniability, unless there are issues unrelated to the pandemic. I’d say the same about UCLA, as weak as they are now and as much as I’d like to see 1-3 of those coaches replaced. A couple positive contacts or tests can tank your whole season, instantly.

I’m not sure I’d sack her now, even if COVID weren’t a thing. Their recruiting has been eye-popping the past few years, they look better since the 2018 debacle (they’re in first going into Regionals, lol), and SECs isn’t a great data point. There was no point in them going hard there. They already won the regular season, they were down Thomas on 3 events, and nothing that could have happened at any of the conference meets would have affected their top 4 seeding for Regionals. The focus should be Regionals-NCAAs.

Florida also had a beam meltdown at a Regionals in a year they ended up winning NCAAs (2014). There just wasn’t enough parity for it to make a difference in them qualifying, whereas the 2018 Regional score would have ended up qualifying in 2014, and several other years as well, back when a low- or mid-196 was all you needed to make it out of Regionals. Just some context.

Anyways, not trying to make excuses, because there are definitely some transgressions on bars (perhaps firing Owen Field for these terrible dismounts is a good middle ground before sacking Rowland). Vault can get weird, fast. But I do think they look better overall, and there’s no reason to go nuts with clearing house with such a big unknown like COVID afoot, and a bumper crop of elite talent coming that Jenny can take credit for.

 

[irichluck21]

Right. Plus tops teams have failed to make Nationals before due to a poor regional. UCLA and Georgia also had similar fats happen to them a few years back.

 

[rue_des_plantes]

We are also referencing “meltdowns” where the end scores were 197.050, 196.825, and 196.975. While subpar, scores like those aren’t serious enough to act on, unless Regionals and NCAAs are just unproductive af for Florida in the next few years. Rhonda left a very mixed bag on her way out, too, and I think they got the big picture memo in 2018.

I’m still upset about several of their UB dismounts, but I always am.

 

[blake]

Thanks for the input! I think maybe I was being melodramatic (note to self: don’t post after a couple of glasses of wine lol)

It is definitely relative since as you said the scores aren’t really bad at all. Florida is one of my favs, so I’m just disappointed with their postseason performances under Rowland.

I agree bars is the problem event rn. The back end of the rotation is one of the best in NCAA imo, but it seems they’re struggling with optimizing the earlier routines. Gallentine has beautiful lines but maybe needs time to adjust to NCAA, Richards is a little sloppy for my liking, and while Baumann’s return to UB is a great story, she hasn’t been very consistent. My concern is we get to final four, and a shaky opening to the UB rotation cedes the championship to LSU/Utah/OU.

If anyone goes, I hope it’s Jeremy Miranda. His choreography is just plain awful year in year out.

 

[irichluck21]

It is also valid to point out that in the current climate of NCAA gymnastics especially with gymnasts of color, Rowland is in many ways, safe.

She has positive reviews from her gymnasts, has been pro BLM and discussing racism and microaggressions, was instrumental in organizing a PRIDE meet (1st for FL and 1st for the SEC!) and overall is creating a welcoming environment for the gymnasts.

Considering the complaints made about various coaches from many former NCAA gymnasts, including Faehn amongst other SEC coaches, I think Rowland has made it clear she is fully about the gymnasts rather than her own personal fame or gain as head coach.

 

[irichluck21]

Utah in the final 4?

Really?

 

[blake]

They’re not my favorite team by a stretch, but of all the Final Four contenders, they’re perhaps the most consistent, especially on BB which I think will make a big difference in whichever sub they end up in.

My dream final 4 is UF, Cal, UM, and Minnesota/OU.

Anyone watching the 2nd session at Utah? LSU getting propped up by the judges bigtime. Like, just objectively not taking deductions for blatant errors - I don’t think even the Athens regional was this egregious from what I was able to watch. I would’ve been thrilled to see USU knock them out, too bad they blew any chance of it w/Brooks’ UB fall and a subpar BB rotation.

 

[blake]

a 9.95 - 9.65 range for Shchennikova’s UB…at what point do judges start getting sanctioned/banned? This takes all the fun out of the sport. Kentucky was clearly more than 1 tenth better than LSU tonight but the scores don’t reflect that whatsoever.

 

[irichluck21]

Utah, Oklahoma and Alabama are over scored this season. Arkansas also benefitted.

I think Minnesota is a championship quality team and believe they can contend with Florida, Oklahoma, Michigan, and LSU.

The best team in the country is IMO Michigan. Florida has the names but haven’t been that dominate team yet.

I think it will be:
Minnesota
Florida
Cal
Michigan
Alabama
Oklahoma
Utah
LSU

that make it to Nationals but I would prefer:
Minnesota
Florida
Cal
Michigan
Oklahoma
Missouri
Kentucky
LSU

I do think we will see at least one upset and it is likely coming from Kentucky against Utah and LSU. Missouri/Arkansas could also factor in if Alabama and Oklahoma have a miss or two but I fully expect the crack scoring out for Alabama at home. Watching them go 198.4 and Luisa Blanco goes 40.200 in the AA.

 

[rue_des_plantes]

Utah’s a brand new team this year, and a much more watchable one than the Marsden/Skinner era. I haven’t really seen anything offensive except some dance element combos on floor and random stuff on vault and bars. Their bars are underwhelming and likely not good enough to win, but their beam and floor presentation are much improved. Wouldn’t mind seeing them in Four on the Floor at all.

I’d love to see LSU go down in flames tonight. They’re the biggest combination of overscored + not aesthetic to watch + not getting held accountable for anything. I think Alabama has objectively improved over the last few years, but still aren’t good enough for Four on the Floor, nor do I want the staff and some of the gymnasts to get that experience. Sorry.

 

[irichluck21]

I do like Utah on BB and FX has improved with McCool’s influence. Still think their UB is mediocre sans O’Keefe. I do not think they are a top 4 team. I do not think they can make it to 4 on the Floor, but it all depends on which semi-final they are in and who their opponents are. If it is Alabama, Oklahoma, LSU, Utah then Utah is 4th in that group.

LSU has definitely had some gifts this year but Johnson on VT and FX and Bryant on VT are legit scores. I do think Alyona has been gifted quite often this year.

I could get on board with Alabama if they weren’t so over scored. It is not just Blanco either, multiple athletes have been gifted all season long. Doggette’s UB was no way a 10.0 last night. Graber has been gifted a few times also. They do have some clean gymnastics and I would like them much more if they were scored correctly for their performances.

 

[blake]

100% agree on wanting to see Kentucky/ASU knock LSU out. Last night’s meet was straight up offensive and I need some schadenfreude stat.

I’m on the fence about Bama since Blanco is lovely, but their routine construction imo tends to be some combination of bad, lame, or just odd. I don’t get why Olsen is still doing the double-double - can she do a full-in? I’m not sure why they’re giving away pointless tenths on landing when clean, comfortably-performed gymnastics comes out on top 9/10 times.