Steve Spurrier urges Gator Nation to see 2024 out with Billy Napier, current staff: 'Give him a chance'
Few have their pulse on the Gator Nation the way the Head Ball Coach does, and Steve Spurrier opened up on the current state of the program Monday on a local podcast appearance.
Spurrier joined Another Dooley Noted Podcast to discuss the current state of affairs with Pat Dooley, the long-time Gainesville Sun columnist.
His initial reaction on coach Billy Napier might not make Spurrier many fans.
“Give him a chance,” Steve Spurrier said on the podcast. “Everybody is under contract. Let them earn their pay. And keep ’em all here and let’s go. See if they can turn it around. … I think we just need to show a little patience and see what can happen from this year. I mean, all the coaches are going to be there even if the head coach isn’t so I don’t see how it’s going to make a huge difference if they remove the head coach. You might as well let the staff stay in place for awhile and see what happens.”
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That’s a reasonable enough point. Canning Billy Napier now would only leave Florida short a coach, its highest-paid one at that.
The bigger point Steve Spurrier hit at, though, was that despite all the frustration from fans this season, the team isn’t even a month into the season just yet. There’s a lot of runway for a turnaround.
“It’s a crucial game this week, crucial game maybe for the direction of the season,” Spurrier said. “I still think you give Napier — they gave him what, a seven-year contract? Might as well give him three. If you can. But there’s going to have to be some decisions on how we finish record wise.”
Those conversations are already ongoing. Napier’s job certainly seems to be on the line. There’s little question about that.
The only real question is whether he can salvage the season in time to stay the axe for a bit.
“We’re 1-2, both home losses,” Steve Spurrier told Dooley. “I think A&M is gonna have a good season. And now we know Miami could go 12-0. We haven’t played great, but we’re 1-2 — only played three games. Teams can change.
“One guy named William James said the greatest discovery of our generation is that a person or a company or a team can alter their life with a change in attitude. And we need a change in attitude. I’ve had teams that started pretty lousy and they got a change in attitude and had winning seasons.”
Spurrier noted a couple times he has gone through such a change in the season, though the Head Ball Coach never felt this degree of pressure from the fans.
So is there a way Napier can turn things around? Spurrier suggested one minor thing might help.
“We need to get going. We need to get some motivation. Coaches need to start yelling and screaming on the sideline,” Steve Spurrier said. “I’ve said that but I don’t see anybody yelling and screaming too much.”