Billy Napier hits the Griddy to hold up his end of a deal with Gators
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Billy Napier hit the griddy in Florida’s locker room following his team’s 27-16 win over LSU. It wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment celebration for Napier.
He had a debt to pay.
During fall training camp, the players were in the team meeting room with music playing. Some of them tried to get Napier involved.
“We were like, ‘Coach dance a little bit’,” UF offensive tackle Brandon Crenshaw-Dickson recalled.
Napier was willing to play ball, but not at that moment. He would honor their request if they honored his, and it was a very specific one.
“He was like ‘We go out this season and beat LSU, then I’ll Griddy for you guys’,” Gators linebacker Derek Wingo said.
Crenshaw-Dickson confirmed Napier’s proposition.
“He was like, ‘I’ll hit the Griddy LSU week if we beat LSU.’”
Napier apparently had the Tigers circled on his calendar in the preseason. Fast forward to Week 12, and the Gators indeed delivered on their coach’s request, snapping a five-game losing streak to LSU.
The return of QB DJ Lagway and WR Elijhah Badger sparked the Florida offense, while the defense made seven sacks (most since 2019) and held LSU to its fewest points (16) in the series since 2016 (10).
After the game, it was time for Napier to hold up his end of the bargain. The players didn’t forget.
“Absolutely not,” Crenshaw-Dickson said.
“Oh yeah,” Wingo added, “We remembered.”
With music blaring in the locker room, Napier made his way to the middle of a dance circle that players had formed. Crenshaw-Dickson had a front row seat along with OL Austin Barber, DL Caleb Banks, EDGE Justus Boone and WR Marcus Burke.
“He was actually trying to get a team break, and we were all just still dancing and the music was going too crazy,” EDGE Jack Pyburn said. “He did his break and he said, ‘Turn the music back on’, and he hit that dance.”
Napier did the Griddy, and the locker room erupted.
“I thought it was electrifying,” Crenshaw-Dickson said. “I’m right behind him and turned up, just like everybody else in the locker room.”
Napier was a man of his word.
“It was a pretty cool moment to kind of just see us fired up in the locker room after a big win,” Wingo said. “We’re always trying to get the fun side out of him.”
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Grading Billy Napier’s Griddy
The team enjoyed seeing Napier’s Griddy, but his two boys, Sammy Nelson and Charlie, were not impressed with what their dad put on tape.
“Players ask for it. I delivered,” Napier said. “My sons have been very critical of my Griddy the last day or two.
“I think I got a six out of 10 or something like that. Maybe I’ll do better next time.”
While the players loved the effort and energy from Napier, they agreed with the Griddy grade from his sons.
“I would say the six out of 10 evaluation was pretty spot on,” Pyburn said.
“I think that’s a fair grade,” Florida WR Chimere Dike said. “Could have used improvement, but if you look at the context, it was 10 out of 10. … I thought it could use some work, if I’m being honest. I loved it at the same time. It was exactly what we needed.
“Our team has been through a lot of adversity and been knocking at the door in some of those big games. To be able to get over that hump, he’s been a steady leader throughout. He hasn’t wavered in the way that he has pushed us and to allow us to grow. That was one that felt good. So, even though it was a bad Griddy, it was a good Griddy too.”
Wingo was a harsher grader, but shared Dike’s sentiments on Napier. He also thinks that moment made an impression on the recruits in the locker room.
“Five and a half. He’s got some work to do,” Wingo quipped. “The cool thing about it, especially after a big time win, was just seeing the enthusiasm, and not just him, all the guys around. Just having all the recruits that are in there as well.
“It’s just a testimony of how hard we’ve worked this season, how much we’ve overcome, and just finally being able to enjoy the little moments like that.”
