Skip to main content
florida logo

After 30 games: How Billy Napier compares to 4 previous Gators coaches

On3 imageby:Keith Niebuhr•10/12/24•

On3Keith

florida-head-coach-billy-napier-recalls-what-gators-learned-amid-covid-season-changes
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Entering Saturday night’s game against No. 8 Tennessee at Neyland Stadium, Billy Napier has coached the Florida Gators for 30 games. Today, we’ve compared his numbers to those of the program’s previous four head coaches at the same juncture of their stints in Gainesville.

Of course, not every situation has been the same.

Some of these men inherited better rosters than others. Some coached when Florida’s rivals were strong. Others coached when they were not. Today, there’s a transfer portal. For much of the time covered in this article, there wasn’t. So context does matter.

In any event, here’s a 30-game snapshot for Napier and his immediate predecessors — Dan Mullen, Jim McElwain, Will Muschamp and Urban Meyer — which covers the past 20 years of Florida Gators football.

Record after 30 games with the Gators

Billy Napier: 14–16
Dan Mullen: 24-6 (finished 34–15; was fired 11 games into Year 4 — 2021)
Jim McElwain: 21-9 (finished 22–12; was fired seven games into Year 3 — 2017)
Will Muschamp: 21-9 (finished 28–21; was fired in Year 4 — 2014)
Urban Meyer: 26-4 (65–15; resigned after Year 6 — 2010)

Best AP national rankings finish

Billy Napier: Has not been ranked at season’s end.
Dan Mullen: No. 6
Jim McElwain: No. 14
Will Muschamp: No. 9
Urban Meyer: No. 1

Best SEC finish (AFTTER 30 GAMES COACHED AT UF)

Billy Napier: T–4th (East)
Dan Mullen: 2nd (East) — note: Mullen won SEC East in Year 3
Jim McElwain: 1st (East; 2 times)
Will Muschamp: T–1st (East)
Urban Meyer: Champion

Record in SEC games

Billy Napier: 7–11
Dan Mullen: 14-6
Jim McElwain: 15-5
Will Muschamp: 12-6
Urban Meyer: 14-4

Record against all ranked FBS teams

Billy Napier: 2-11
Dan Mullen: 5-4
Jim McElwain: 4-8
Will Muschamp: 4-7
Urban Meyer: 10-3

Record against all unranked FBS teams

Billy Napier: 9-5
Dan Mullen: 15-2
Jim McElwain: 17-1
Will Muschamp: 15-2
Urban Meyer: 14-1

Record against ranked teams at home

Billy Napier: 2-3
Dan Mullen: 2-0
Jim McElwain: 2-1
Will Muschamp: 2-1
Urban Meyer: 4-0

Record against ranked teams on the road

Billy Napier: 0-5
Dan Mullen: 1-2
Jim McElwain: 1-3
Will Muschamp: 2-3
Urban Meyer: 1-3

Home record

Billy Napier: 11-6
Dan Mullen: 13-2
Jim McElwain: 12-1
Will Muschamp: 14-2
Urban Meyer: 16-0

Road record

Billy Napier: 3-7
Dan Mullen: 8-2
Jim McElwain: 6-4
Will Muschamp: 6-4
Urban Meyer: 5-4

Record vs. rivals

Billy Napier: 1-8 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)
Dan Mullen: 6-3 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)
Jim McElwain: 5-4 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee)
Will Muschamp: 5-5 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Tennessee)
Urban Meyer: 8-1 (FSU, Georgia, LSU, Tennessee)

UF’s record in the season prior to each coach’s arrival in Gainesville

Napier: 6-7
Mullen: 4–7
McElwain: 7–5
Muschamp: 8–5
Meyer: 7–5

You may also like