Paul Finebaum calls for Florida to involve Steve Spurrier in offensive game plan

It’s been a tough start to the year for Billy Napier and the Florida offense. The Gators enter Week 6 last in the SEC in scoring offense with 25 points per game and questions continue to swirl about whether Napier should continue calling plays.

On Friday’s edition of The Paul Finebaum Show, Paul Finebaum and DawgNation’s Mike Griffith pondered an interesting idea. What if Florida brought back Steve Spurrier to weigh in on the game plan?

“I really think this is a good idea,” Finebaum said.

Finebaum thought about it and argued Napier shouldn’t be calling plays because of the other responsibilities head coaches have. One prominent example is Jimbo Fisher at Texas A&M, who handed the play-calling over to Bobby Petrino this year.

Spurrier, 78, is still very involved with Florida and the Gainesville community. His restaurant is a staple in the city, and he’s a major part of Gators history with his Heisman Trophy as a player and a national championship as a coach. But he has also shared his opinions on the Gators, including during a radio interview this week when he said Florida needs to throw more “deeper balls.”

Finebaum also noted Spurrier might have heard the conversation if the show was on at the restaurant. However, he sounded sold on the idea of bringing Spurrier back in some fashion.

“You’ve been to Spurrier’s restaurant, haven’t you?” Finebaum said. “There is a chance right now that this show is on in his restaurant, wouldn’t you think? … Mike, we kid around, but I think you may have saved Florida’s program this year. It’s too late for tomorrow.”

There are a few layers to that idea, though. Griffith said if Florida was to call on Spurrier to come help out, it could create some questions about the program and make the conversation louder.

“Listen, I don’t know who they’re going to hire,” Griffith said. “I don’t know who it’s gonna be. But seriously, every time you put Steve Spurrier somewhere, he wins. He just wins. But they’re not gonna do that, alright? The egos are too big, it’d be too much of a deal made out of it. It just not gonna happen.”

However, he still thinks it’s worth at least getting his thoughts on the state of the offense. But the Gators’ future success is determined by more than just this year’s unit.

“I would invite him in the building,” Griffith said. “I really would. I’d have the conversation. I just don’t know why you wouldn’t. My point is, what’s the down side? That’s my point.

“Look, it’s gonna take more than that. Florida does have to recruit their way back into it. I get that. But like I said, if Anthony Richardson’s throwing for 400 yards and three touchdowns, you’re not supposed to lose to Vanderbilt.”