Billy Napier: Contract details revealed for new Florida Gators coach

Billy Napier is getting paid.

“Florida coach Billy Napier signed a seven-year deal worth nearly $52 million, sources tell @SINow. Average salary is $7.4M. Deal starts at $7.1M & increases by $100K each year. It almost triples his UL pay,” Ross Dellenger tweeted.

Florida hired Billy Napier after one visit

Of the elite jobs that have become available this season, Florida’s was one of the few that was short and sweet. In fact, per a report, all it took was one meeting with Napier to shut everything down.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger, once athletic director Scott Stricklin met with Napier face to face, the decision was easy. The two met on Tuesday and he was announced as the next Florida head coach shortly after.

“Just said this on air so might as well put it in print: Florida AD Scott Stricklin met with Billy Napier at his Lafayette home on Tuesday,” Dellenger said in a tweet on Sunday night. “And the interview went so well that Stricklin basically ended his search. Once he got in front of Napier, it was over.”

After the official announcement, Stricklin explained why Napier was the right guy to take over the Florida program. In a statement, he said the former Louisiana man will bring a “strong, relationship-based culture” to Gainesville.

“I’ve followed and studied Billy Napier’s career with interest, and he became the primary target immediately after this position came open,” Stricklin said in a press release. “We felt confident he would be an excellent leader for the Gators, which is why he was the only candidate I met with about the job.”

For now, all parties are happy in Gainesville. Billy Napier just has to win.