Billy Napier

[STL_Cat]

Okay, i know he’s only in his 2nd year at Florida — but I have to assume this loss to a 2-6 Arkansas team at home is a real problem for him.

I’m sure they’ve all been less than impressed, it hasn’t been a great first couple years. But you give a guy some time to get his guys recruited and his system established. But man if you’re Florida football, you have to be feeling like SHIT today. You just lost at home to a 2-6 team. They’re probably ready to run that guy out.

 

[R.O.T.Muckinfush]

He'll get one more season, maybe half a season

 

[Smashcat]

They’re probably ready to run that guy out.

Can count on that.

 

[wildcat_bigd]

I think they were a little trigger happy with Mullen

 

[maroon79]

Look at their recruiting class man

It’s been 15 yrs since they have seen a class like that, but yes, if not for that, they would pop him out

 

[Jont0805]

Look at their recruiting class man

It’s been 15 yrs since they have seen a class like that, but yes, if not for that, they would pop him out

They have a top 15 class every year since at least 2017, not sure it matters who the coach is they will have talent, well according to rankings services anyways.

They are a dangerous program if they get a great coach. I hope they stay mediocre though.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

We need him to win enough to keep his job imo. Otherwise, like UT, they will eventually make the right hire and it will hurt us

 

[FilsonCat]

The pressure is definitely on with how well FSU is playing these days. Napier isn't cutting it. Especially when you consider their loss to the Cats. That was a bad performance for them all the way around.

Losing to a bad Arkansas team at home in OT is a tough one. Especially when they missed an easy field goal to win during regulation.

 

[K_TIME]

I don’t get why they would keep him over a recruit class. He’s had Ar15, and Etienne is a talent Rb then on defense…they have some dudes. And this is his third recruiting class…so if they lack talent….isn’t he part to blame by now?

He clearly is in over his head as this isn’t sunbelt…but as a Ky fan…please keep him

 

[bthaunert]

I think they were a little trigger happy with Mullen

Yep…dude went to the Peach, Cotton and Orange bowl in his first 3 years. He struggles in year 4 and they can him before the season ends.

They had 2 of the best coaches in college football in the past 50 years. They might be looking awhile to find that again.

 

[3632]

He'll get one more season, maybe half a season

Yeah they return everybody next year if they can keep the roster in tact so next year is the tell year

 

[truebluewildcat]

Depends on who's out there and interested.

If "The Guy", whoever that may be to them, is out there and beating on their door then we could see a move this off season.

I mean they ran off one of the great football minds in the game in Mullen...who the hell is better than him and doesn't have a job or a list of suitors better than Florida?

 

[JHB4UK]

They fired Mullen because over his 4 yrs the talent gap with Georgia only got bigger

Napier isn't getting fired in 2023, owed too much money & you have to fire the AD who hired/fired Mullen as well as hired Napier

In Dec/Jan Florida will make a big deal about staff changes & Napier giving up playcalling to buy time with fans.

 

[The Snoke]

Look at their recruiting class man

It’s been 15 yrs since they have seen a class like that, but yes, if not for that, they would pop him out

They look like Tennessee about six-seven years ago. They should be in panic mode.

 

[maroon79]

They look like Tennessee about six-seven years ago. They should be in panic mode.

You need to look again

If they hit on a QB. They are back almost full throttle

 

[ukalum1988]

They fired Mullen because over his 4 yrs the talent gap with Georgia only got bigger

Napier isn't getting fired in 2023, owed too much money & you have to fire the AD who hired/fired Mullen as well as hired Napier

In Dec/Jan Florida will make a big deal about staff changes & Napier giving up playcalling to buy time with fans.

Yep. Agree with all of this. I hang around the Gator board a little bit and the posters there all say he needs to hire an OC and focus on the big picture stuff oh being a HC. Like other posters in this thread I agree he’s not succeeding and I hope the Gators keep flailing.

 

[UKWildcats1987]

Napier is doing an outstanding job.

 

[rolaid]

He will be let go after Fla St loss

 

[Deeeefense]

Losing to a bad Arkansas team at home in OT is a tough one. Especially when they missed an easy field goal to win during regulation.

Arky isn't nearly as bad as their record shows. They lost to both LSU and Alabama by 3 points, lost to Ole Miss by 7 and MSU by 4. I was not surprised to see this win for them.

 

[Deeeefense]

They fired Mullen because over his 4 yrs the talent gap with Georgia only got bigger

Napier isn't getting fired in 2023, owed too much money & you have to fire the AD who hired/fired Mullen as well as hired Napier

In Dec/Jan Florida will make a big deal about staff changes & Napier giving up playcalling to buy time with fans.

Throwing a coordinator under the bus usually buys a struggling head coach one more year.

 

[JHB4UK]

Does Mertz have 1 more yr? Seems I remember when we were recruiting him last Dec it was said he had 2 to go. The Gator 2024 schedule is daunting, even moreso with a new or true frosh qb.

 

[JDHoss]

They fired Mullen because over his 4 yrs the talent gap with Georgia only got bigger

Napier isn't getting fired in 2023, owed too much money & you have to fire the AD who hired/fired Mullen as well as hired Napier

In Dec/Jan Florida will make a big deal about staff changes & Napier giving up playcalling to buy time with fans.

Yeah, I think he'd be owed around $37 million, not counting the buyouts for the staff. It'd also tell potential candidates that you'll get 2 years to compete with UGA before you're on the hot seat too.

 

[JPFisher]

I think they were a little trigger happy with Mullen

I thought locker room issues were what drove him out. Poor management, lost the team, and couldn't recruit half as good as he should've (given the recruiting hotbed that is America's schlong).

 

[JPFisher]

Florida needs to keep Napier for a while. Give the man time to really tank the program.

 

[FilsonCat]

Arky isn't nearly as bad as their record shows. They lost to both LSU and Alabama by 3 points, lost to Ole Miss by 7 and MSU by 4. I was not surprised to see this win for them.

I saw parts of that game. Arkansas played physical football. UF made too many mistakes and couldn't hit the winning field goal in regulation.

 

[JPFisher]

Arky isn't nearly as bad as their record shows. They lost to both LSU and Alabama by 3 points, lost to Ole Miss by 7 and MSU by 4. I was not surprised to see this win for them.

They've struggled with close games. I see their season being very similar to some of UK's where we were fortunate to get a bounce here or there in some big wins.

 

[TucsonCat]

AD Strickland will get shown the door first.
They are not letting him hire Napiers successor.
Hired Mullen, Napier, and Golden for the basketball team.

 

[bluecoon1]

Does Mertz have 1 more yr? Seems I remember when we were recruiting him last Dec it was said he had 2 to go. The Gator 2024 schedule is daunting, even moreso with a new or true frosh qb.

Yeah, he’s a Junior.

 

[Jjohnb5393]

Yeah, he’s a Junior.

mertz is actually on some draft boards ….he’ll have a decision to make

 

[Rembrandt90]

Okay, i know he’s only in his 2nd year at Florida — but I have to assume this loss to a 2-6 Arkansas team at home is a real problem for him.

I’m sure they’ve all been less than impressed, it hasn’t been a great first couple years. But you give a guy some time to get his guys recruited and his system established. But man if you’re Florida football, you have to be feeling like SHIT today. You just lost at home to a 2-6 team. They’re probably ready to run that guy out.

I don't see how Napier lasts at FL. He has a good football mind, and this is only his second season. But his team is 5-4 and will be underdogs in their final three games. They got beat at home by AR yesterday. This isn't FL football, and the FL alumni won't be patient with Napier. Maybe if FL were to upset both LSU and FL St, then Napier might buy some more time. But that isn't going to happen.

 

[Jjohnb5393]

I don't see how Napier lasts at FL. He has a good football mind, and this is only his second season. But his team is 5-4 and will be underdogs in their final three games. They got beat at home by AR yesterday. This isn't FL football, and the FL alumni won't be patient with Napier. Maybe if FL were to upset both LSU and FL St, then Napier might buy some more time. But that isn't going to happen.

I’d say he gets to fire staff and do a re-boot with the class he has coming in and his young players . If next yr is bad , likely he and the AD both go

 

[childe]

If FSU embarrasses them, I think all bets are off.

 

[maroon79]

@childe. You may be right

 

[bbncal02]

Can count on that.

They are. You just can’t go to UF and suck. That’s a top ten historic program (like UK or UofL in basketball). It is wild they can’t find a home run hire. You would think somebody worth their salt would want that job.

 

[maroon79]

Yeah, Florida has a 1,000,000 times more to offer in football than UK, and they can’t get their hire right

As someone else said 4-5 coaches later, and they still don’t have him

 

[UKWildcats1987]

They are. You just can’t go to UF and suck. That’s a top ten historic program (like UK or UofL in basketball). It is wild they can’t find a home run hire. You would think somebody worth their salt would want that job.

Not sure I agree it's a top 10 all time job. They won 3 national titles from 96 to 2008. They killed it with Spurrier and urb for like a 20 year stretch, minus the Zook era, but idk if they are top 10 all time.

Alabama, lsu and uga probably top them n the sec. Osu, ND, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, usc, Nebraska, Miami, etc.

Don't get me wrong, They are probably top 10 modern era for sure but idk about all time. It's open to debate though.

 

[bbncal02]

Not sure I agree it's a top 10 all time job. They won 3 national titles from 96 to 2008. They killed it with Spurrier and urb for like a 20 year stretch, minus the Zook era, but idk if they are top 10 all time.

Alabama, lsu and uga probably top them n the sec. Osu, ND, Oklahoma, Michigan, Texas, usc, Nebraska, Miami, etc.

Don't get me wrong, They are probably top 10 modern era for sure but idk about all time. It's open to debate though.

In no order per se:

Bama
ND
Michigan
USC
OSU
Oklahoma
Miami
*Nebraska (but that's debatable considering they haven't been even remotely relevant in 30 years)
LSU
Auburn
Texas
Florida

I'd say that's a more attractive job than Nebraska for sure. So, I'll retract that a bit. But it's definitely a Top 15 job.

 

[JHB4UK]

In CFB now, present times, the best jobs are the top schools in the new SEC and new Big 10. Only Notre Dame could possibly compete with the top 5 or 6 from the 2 new Superconferences. None from the ACC, that's why FSU is seriously considering paying $500M to get out, def none from the strip mined Big 12.

Gators is a great job, top recent history of championship, close to the best HS talent, fan support. Tough that their top rival is now in dynasty mode with no indications of slowing down.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

They are. You just can’t go to UF and suck. That’s a top ten historic program (like UK or UofL in basketball). It is wild they can’t find a home run hire. You would think somebody worth their salt would want that job.

They will find one eventually. That's why we need Napier to win enough to at least prolong his demise

 

[truebluewildcat]

In no order per se:

Bama
ND
Michigan
USC
OSU
Oklahoma
Miami
*Nebraska (but that's debatable considering they haven't been even remotely relevant in 30 years)
LSU
Auburn
Texas
Florida

I'd say that's a more attractive job than Nebraska for sure. So, I'll retract that a bit. But it's definitely a Top 15 job.

I'd probably take out Nebraska basically for the reason you mentioned as well as location and difficulty to recruit to said location.

Auburn is teetering. Yeah, they're SEC, have the money, resources, etc...but that's a tough job with Bama being Bama, UGA doing UGA, UT on the rise, and I think Kelly will have LSU back in the picture. Not to mention the addition of OU and Texas.

I'd throw in Oregon and Washington as candidates for at least honorable mention if not totally bumping those other two programs. Especially now that they are going to have the B10 platform and all that comes with it.

Oregon is as big of a brand nationally as any of the others on the list. They're a destination for talent and can pretty much get any kid from anywhere. They have deep pockets and resources with Nike and aren't afraid to flaunt it.

Washington has kind of always been a sleeping giant of a program. Some solid recent history of being good on the field and recruiting. This guy they have now seems to be the real deal and if they can keep him, I think they're in the play-off picture regularly. If they don't keep him I think they will be able to command a top tier HC.