Father of USF coach Jeff Scott served as a mentor to Billy Napier

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Saturday will mark the first meeting between Florida’s Billy Napier and USF’s Jeff Scott as head coaches, but they go back.

“Very familiar with Jeff Scott,” Napier said this week.

Napier and Scott coached together for three seasons at Clemson from 2008-10. Napier was the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator during Scott’s first year on staff as receivers coach. Napier then served as the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator from 2009-10 while Scott took over his recruiting coordinator role.

“Jeff’s got great character. He was raised the right way. He has care for young people. He’s in the game for the right reasons. I think he’s got a program there where they’re trying to impact people and use the game in a positive way,” Napier said of Scott, who was promoted to Clemson’s Co-OC in 2015.

“He’s got a great offensive mind. He’s very organized, very much a CEO, got a good business mind, and a guy that I think is one of the bright young coaches in the game. Jeff’s been successful at all stops here, right? Certainly, he’s in the process of building a program there in South Florida.”

Napier goes back in even further with his father, former South Carolina coach Brad Scott (1994-98). He spent 11 seasons at Florida State under Bobby Bowden (1983-93) and 21 total years at Clemson, 13 as an assistant coach (1999-2011) and eight (2012-2019) as assistant athletics director.

He left Clemson in 2020 to join his son at USF, serving as his Chief of Staff. Napier revealed this week that Scott’s father was a mentor to him at Clemson during their seven years on staff together (2003-04, 2006-10).

Scott was the Tigers offensive coordinator when Napier started out as a graduate assistant.

“Brad Scott was a phenomenal coach and a great mentor to me early in my career,” Napier said. “He’s the guy that really cares about other people, not just players but young coaches in the profession. You know, I think that it’s a certain level of class in terms of how you do things, the level of detail in your work. Obviously, recruiting was very important, and he made sure that we understood that, right? And all the things that come with that, how to do that at a high level. I think he had a lot to do with some of the early, maybe, success that I had recruiting.

“I learned a lot of that from him. He was a fantastic recruiter when he worked for Bobby Bowden as an assistant coach and coordinator, and then did a good a good job when he was South Carolina. So, I do think the level of detail and then the certain level of class, expectations and how you carry yourself. You know, he’s a tremendous man of character and faith and always was a great example as a young coach.”

Scott impressed with Gators under Napier

Scott spoke at length Monday about Napier and his team ahead of Saturday’s matchup in The Swamp at 7:30 p.m. The third-year USF coach impressed with what he’s seen from the Gators through two games.

“Coach Napier and his staff have done a good job, in my opinion, just watching the games, in how hard they play. Not a lot of busted assignments. Guys understand their job, and they’re where they’re supposed to be on defense,” Scott said.

“This looks like a different team through two weeks than maybe where they were last year at that time. This group, I think they’re two or three plays away from being 2-0 and being top 10 in the country. Just maybe a different feel than it was last year at this point. … They’ve changed.”