Billy Napier to remain Florida head coach: AD Scott Stricklin issues statement
Billy Napier will remain the head coach of the Florida Gators.
Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin posted a letter addressed to Gator Nation on social media. Stricklin opened by saying Napier will continue as UF’s head football coach. The AD praised Florida’s effort in recent weeks and expressed confidence in Napier going forward.
“Gator Nation,
“I wanted to let you know that Billy Napier will continue as head football coach of the Florida Gators.
“As we’ve seen these past several weeks, the young men on this team represent what it means to be a Gator. Their resolve, effort and execution are evident in their performance and growth each week – building a foundation that promises greater success next season and beyond.
“UF’s commitment to excellence and a championship-caliber program is unwavering. In these times of change across college athletics, we are dedicated to a disciplined, stable approach that is focused on long-term, sustained success for Gator athletes, recruits and fans.
“I am confident that Billy will meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. We will work alongside him to support any changes needed to elevate Gator football. As college athletics evolves, UF is committed to embracing innovation and strategy, ensuring the Gators thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
“Gator Nation has remained strong, showing up game after game to stand with our team. This loyalty creates an incredible environment that inspires our players to compete with heart and determination. Now, I call on all of Gator Nation to continue standing behind Billy and his dedicated team while we work together to build a championship program.
“Go Gators!”
Napier has faced hot seat chatter since the team finished with a 5-7 record in 2023, his second season. The Gators are 4-4 in 2024, bringing Napier’s overall record to 15-18 in 3 seasons.
Florida got off to a 1-2 start with blowout home losses to Miami and Texas A&M, appearing to seal Napier’s fate as there were even reports of buyout money being raised. Since then, however, Florida has looked better, but still came up short against Tennessee and Georgia. The Gators notably lost starting quarterback Graham Mertz to a season-ending injury. True freshman backup DJ Lagway, the top signing of Napier’s tenure, suffered a hamstring injury in the Georgia game.
Lagway’s status is uncertain for Saturday’s game at Texas. Kickoff is set for noon ET.
A message from Scott Stricklin pic.twitter.com/NpLD6ktrHj
— Florida Gators (@FloridaGators) November 7, 2024
Ahh yes, the classic vote of confidence. Fun times.
Traditionally in the CFB mafia, the vote of confidence is followed by the unsuspected kiss of death.
Cruel but accurate observation Neal. Something tells me this vote of confidence will stick for a year, the way Foley’s for Muschamp did in 2013, based on the same excuses Foley gave back then.
The real reason Napier is getting a reprieve is that Fuchs doesn’t want to sign off on firing and hiring another football coach. Leaving that unpleasant task to his successor next year.
This development should concern Stricklin greatly. His job at UF now hangs on how well Napier’s Gators off finish this season.
Better THEM than us. Vols finally got a decent coach, but sure did have to wander a while in the desert before Heupel. I don’t understand this decision by UF, except to note they don’t currently have a President, so maybe a leadership hole is the problem. We are lucky to have Donde Plowman now at UTK, but we’ve also had issues in the “upper management” realm (cough cough Fulmer.)
Not gonna throw rocks on this one, just glad it’s not US.
100% agreed… But Just stop it with the UTK… We are “UT”
Longhorns proper Acronym historically is pronounced t.u. …must contain small caps and dots. Pass the word
In fairness, his players seem to fight really hard for him. That says a lot to me.
I agree, if he can find a good OC to call plays he’ll be just fine. The effort hasn’t been lacking, a simple look to Tallahassee will show a team that has given up on their coach.
Both you guys are on the money
This!!
I agree, he’s not lost the lockerroom. Talk about some bad luck, down to your 3rd string freshman QB? With that Gauntlet?
Guess they are giving him a “muligan” for this season?
Good to know the administration doesn’t care about winning anymore.
They’ve decided moral victories are good enough these days.
We need an OC, that CALLS the plays, but I’m willing to accept having Napier come back because I don’t want to have to look for a replacement for Lagway, who I’m confident would transfer if CBN left.
I’d like to hear from other UF fans though, as a fan I recognize that games like the UT, TA&M, and UM were supposed to be red line games for our championship program. I just don’t want to lose lagway and our guys have been playing winning football barring injuries.
Me, I’m glad; now, if Napier would take the suggestions in some of GFA’s posts we might be off and running.
GFA’s suggestions are excellent maybe she should get some of that stash of cash that’s ripe for the picking
Thank you, thank you, I’ll take any contributions they want to make to my boys’ college funds… ;)
I heard rumors about Kerwin Bell’s son as a possible OC, is there any truth there?
I get they are trying to save the 2025 class and lagway. But what if in the most likely case he goes 5-7 or 4-8 (pretty much lock with Warner if dj is hurt)? Really says something about the state of UF’s leadership – president on down. True Gator fans will still care but it’s clear the admin doesn’t.
It does, Les. On one end there’s honor on their part and on the other, heads in the sand. I don’t think the truth is at either pole but somewhere in between, although the illogic of analysis paralysis may alternatively apply too.
Regardless, objectively we are at 33 games with W-L at .454 (the 34th pending and likely resulting in a .441 winning percentage). This is more than adequate to draw conclusions and predictions from. We are 66% through this season and will have to win 3 out of the remaining 4 games just to break even at .500, and 4/4 in order to get ahead of the curve. The question is, what’s the probability of either based on current conditions?
Then of course there’s the extra subjective data, normally weighing less in business/operational decisions but still necessary to consider (although it doesn’t seem favorable to CBN’s case). I think even in total of combining these two data sources, I’d hate to stake my own job security on the decision if I cared about it. We’ll see one way or the other at some point in 2025, of course hoping for the best but again reminding ourselves that hope is not a strategy. GO GATORS, run the race and keep fighting!
Obviously they’re in on Napier or there’s no reason to even make a statement like this. It’s hard to walk back comments like this, impossible to walk them back without looking like a fool. Had FLa beat GA this “vote of confidence” would have been a 3-year extension without a doubt.
This is only because I turned them and they had no plan B. Is was “Berwin or bust” as Strickland told me.
Then I hope you were kidding when you said you were too comfortable in North Carolina!
I am not sure Napier is the guy I would have chosen a few years ago, but Florida needs to give him at least another year. They will never get the team stabilized if they fire the coach every few years.
Yeah, I agree. I am still not quite sure he will be successful in the long term, but people tend to forget that the football program was a mess for a long time – mostly in terms of lack of support from the administration as evident by poor facilities and support compared to other SEC programs. The team is playing hard and the hope that the results will follow, although there are more games to be played and it will be interesting to see if the team continues to play hard or quits. It would nice to see the buyout money that has supposedly been collected go to NIL to help fill in some roster spots, since there seems to be a nice solid foundation in place.
Yes, bring in some solid offensive linemen and an OC especially.
this is mildly surprising to me. I thought early on there was no chance he could survive. But what I did see in the latter games is a team that hasnt quit and was getting better each game. Lagway getting hurt was huge and I actually now think stricklin is right because if he can build off that latter success next season with a healthy lagway and some portal help they may be on their way back. with a new coach you just never know. Vol fans know that as well as anyone.
He better get some portal help, fuzzy, because the 2025 recruiting class thus far hasn’t even reached the level of the University of Mary Harden Baylor and if we fail to finish strong, it will no doubt get worse before it gets better.
Doc keep in mind even if he gets a top 15 or so class in the country there will be precious little help for a couple years. I think stricklin coming out now with that was smart too. it may give some recruits a reason to get on board or even back on board. But no doubt he will need to hit the portal hard.
I think recruiting was part of this decision to let recruits know Napier was safe
Agreed, I think this will help with recruiting, and with it being November there’s still a good amount of time to convince some good players. Also, CBN and staff have been pretty good at identifying talented portal players.
Someone desperately needs to take SS to a woodshed and get a 4 foot long hickory branch and explain to him how he needs to resign and resign immediately.
The explanation can take as little as 15 seconds or for their enjoyment it can take a full hour.
Either way there shouldn’t be much of the hickory stick left.
This administration is got to be the most useless excuse for a president and an athletic director ever.
As judges of head coaching talent go, Stricklin is a great fundraiser. With another football coach’s firing/hiring imminent, his days at UF may be numbered… unless… Napier has an Orgeron 2019 type season next year. Long shot, I know.
Ever since Sasse unexpectedly resigned, Fuchs has just been warming the president’s seat. I believe your recommendation may be executed by the new president, once he settles in next year.
That’s like saying that as a judge of boxing talent, Stricklin is a great tidily-winks player.
I was wondering what gator fans think of Billy’s Nil $ usage. Seems to me UF should have boatloads of,money in,their collective. Hiw does Billy do,his NIL? Dies he,divy it up to all the player’s on,the team? It seems to me UF should,have a collective that could attract great players like lane does at Ole Miss. Seems as Billy never makes any wow additions with his collective. Seems its,always someone like who is that guy and,always seems to be an underwhelming addition with Billy.
UF seems to be struggling at QB just like Auburn.
Just a thought…
Florida should fight through this.
People have no patience anymore.
It’s risky they would dump everything for Kiffin.
Who else are they going to get?
Kiffin would be crazy to leave OleMiss for UF anyway.
Good ! With Vandy now showing out, we need a different door mat.
Kiffin’s win trigged an extension, then Napier is given another year….. nothing to see here!
I’m guessing the AD is getting lots of feedback after yesterday…….
Texas V Florida, nuff said ? Now on other subjects; who will be coach at Florida State ?