Billy Napier sets expectations for quarterbacks, early enrollees in Florida spring game

Year two of the Billy Napier era at Florida unofficially got underway Thursday night in the Orange and Blue spring game. It’s an opportunity for fans — and the coaching staff, for that matter — to see what the Gators could have to offer in the 2023 season.

The biggest storyline entering the game is the quarterback competition. Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz and former Ohio State transfer Jack Miller are vying to become the new starter to replace NFL-bound Anthony Richardson, and On3’s Matt Zenitz reported one of them appears to be the early favorite. Mertz will play with the No. 1’s in the first half of the spring game and Miller, in turn, will work with them in the second half.

Napier said both have looked good during spring practice and Thursday night is a good chance to work with their respective units in a game-like setting.

“I just want them to play clean football, operate within the system,” Napier told ESPN’s Pete Thamel prior to kickoff. “Let the game come to them, take take what the defense gives them. Overall, just execute at a really high level. Both have had great springs. Gonna get an opportunity to work with both groups tonight, so it’ll be really good.”

Billy Napier: Spring game is a ‘great opportunity’ for early enrollees to ‘get some experience’

Florida brought in 27 early enrollees from its 2023 recruiting class, and Thamel asked Napier about who could stand out in the spring game.

Although he didn’t name anyone in particular, he wanted to see what the young players do instead of talking about what they can do.

“Well, that’s why we’re here to watch the game, right?” Napier joked. “It’s one thing to talk about it, it’s another way to do it here in this setting. It’s a great opportunity for those young guys to get some experience. We’re certainly excited about that group as a whole.”

Napier’s first season with the Gators was up-and-down, ending with a 6-7 record. But Thursday night is the prologue to a new chapter as he gets ready for his second go-round in Gainesville, which is why the spring game is one part of the preparation for the regular season.

“I think a much improved football team,” Napier said of what he wants to see in the spring game. “We just want to get good work in. We want to get out of here healthy. Really proud of our staff and our players and the hard work they put into the offseason. Tonight kind of culminates the first three phases and you’re really halfway in terms of getting ready for the season.”