Billy Napier looked as if he was going to pull off the unthinkable — saving his job for a second straight season despite his scorching-hot seat. After the Florida Gators pulled off an upset over the Texas Longhorns on October 4, Napier seemed to have temporarily cooled things off.
“I would say, for me, that’s the football team I thought we had in the very beginning,” Napier said. “We finally kind of put it together there and played all three phases very complementary, all parts of the team really good.”
But then came the trip to College Station.
For the fourth consecutive week, Florida faced a top-10 opponent, falling 34-17 to Texas A&M in Week 7. Whatever momentum the Gators had built from the win over Texas quickly vanished and the question about Napier’s job was back in the spotlight.
According to USA Today’s Matt Hayes, Napier could be fired following Florida’s October 18 matchup against Mississippi State, noting that he can’t afford another loss.
“Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin met with a handful of influential boosters Tuesday and was told continuing financial support depends on new direction within the football program,” Hayes reported, citing multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation.
Billy Napier Survived Last Year Despite Booster Pressure
Napier entered the 2024 season firmly on the hot seat — and, to make matters worse, with one of the toughest schedules in college football. Through his first two years in Gainesville, he had yet to post a winning season going 11-14. Then, a 1-2 start turned into an 8-5 finish, capped by wins over ranked opponents LSU and Ole Miss.
“It was then that the same Florida boosters were ready to pay Napier’s large buyout but were held off by Stricklin and convinced to use that money in NIL space to help Napier’s buildout,” Hayes wrote.
“The boosters agreed, and the result was a significantly upgraded and talented team. Florida flipped five-star wide receiver Dallas Wilson — the most talented player on the team — from Oregon late in the recruiting process with the infusion of NIL cash.”
That money also helped retain key players like quarterback DJ Lagway and others. But now, sitting at 2-4 with two SEC losses, the results just aren’t there for Napier. Not to mention that the offense — Napier’s specialty — ranks 122nd in scoring and 108th in yards per game.
Billy Napier Reportedly Ignored Ultimatum from Florida Boosters
One ongoing frustration among boosters has been Napier’s insistence on calling plays. Dating back to last season, he’s been repeatedly asked whether he’d hand over play-calling duties — and he’s consistently refused.
According to Hayes, that decision was at the heart of the booster ultimatum.
“The group of boosters, three people told USA Today Sports, agreed but with one stipulation: that Napier relinquish control of the offense and hire an experienced coordinator and play caller. He never did,” Hayes wrote.
Napier’s only serious attempt to make such a hire reportedly came when he pursued Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. in 2024.
That stubbornness may now cost Napier his job — though it won’t come cheap. His buyout is reportedly around $21 million. But that’s what happens when, at 21-23, you have one of the worst overall records in Florida history.
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