Paul Finebaum: Mike Norvell will be 'fine' after slow start, Billy Napier will not
It’s been a slow start in the Sunshine State, with the Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles combining to go 1-5 in the first three weeks. Now, analyst Paul Finebaum shared where he feels the two head coaches, Billy Napier and Mike Norvell, currently stand.
As he explained during an appearance on SportsCenter, Finebaum thinks that Norvell will be fine at Florida State. However, he thinks the end is near for Napier at Florida.
“Ultimately, I think it will be okay in Tallahassee,” Paul Finebaum said. “Mike Norvell just signed a new deal. He’s not getting fired in spite of the disastrous beginning.”
Now in his fifth season at Florida State, Norvell rebuilt that program and took them to an unbeaten regular season and ACC Championship in 2023. That success is part of what has made the 0-3 start so shocking because FSU was expected to be excellent again.
The main reason Finebaum cited for Norvell being safe is his contract. After last season, he signed a massive extension. The extension was for eight years and $84 million. It came with a steep buyout of $65 million. That’s 85 percent of his base salary and supplemental pay for the remainder of his contract, which doesn’t expire until December 31, 2031.
On the other hand, Napier has a large buyout at $26 million, but that’s not a number that Paul Finebaum believes is unreasonable to pay for Florida in its current circumstances.
“I can’t say the same thing about Billy Napier, who’s been a complete and total disaster in three years,” Finebaum said. “He has a $26 million buyout. Some people were speculating he could be gone by last night. He’s still the coach. They take on Mississippi State this week in Starkville. I wouldn’t try losing this game if I was Billy Napier.”
This is Napier’s third season with Florida. He has a 12-16 record there, including losses in seven of his last eight games. The only win was against an FCS opponent.
Paul Finebaum: Florida should have fired Billy Napier at the end of the 2023 season
After Florida’s most recent loss to Texas A&M, Paul Finebaum shared that he thinks Florida should have fired Billy Napier a year ago.
“When you make mistakes in staffing and hiring, you’re going to fail. He made multiple mistakes. It was just too big for him. By the way, that’s the problem now with people. Everywhere I went in Gainesville in two out of the last three weekends I would say something about Napier, and [they would say], ‘Oh, Billy’s a good guy.’ I don’t care what kind of guy he is. Short of being a serial killer, I want you to be a good head coach,” Finebaum said.
“People were just convinced that he was gonna make it and he should’ve been fired at the end of last season but they just decided to go all in on him and it was a disaster.”