GO Rapid Reaction to Billy Napier being retained
UF athletics director Scott Stricklin announced Thursday after weeks of speculation Billy Napier will be the Florida Gators’ football coach moving forward. What does the staff at Gators Online think about this decision? Below, watch as Zach Abolverdi, Keith Niebuhr and Corey Bender discuss Florida’s move to keep Napier as coach in 2025.
Napier is 15–18 in three seasons at Florida and 4-4 this year entering Saturday’s game at Texas. He is 1-10 in rivalry games. However, the hope in Gainesville is that he can turn things around next year and that optimism is centered largely around the play this fall of true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway and solid recruiting classes in 2023 and 2024.
Might the Gators have the potential for a big turnaround next season?
Recruiting is another area of concern. With National Signing Day less than a month away, the Gators have 11 commitments and the No. 32 class in the country for On3. That’s good for only 15th best out of 16 SEC programs.
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With talk of Billy Napier being on the hot seat in recent months, the Gators have lost three commitments since the last week of September. Another commit, 3-star defensive lineman Jeramiah McCloud, is considering a flip to Georgia. At the same time, Napier and the Gators are trying to flip players, too. One of them is 4-star FSU quarterback commit Tramell Jones.
Here’s what Stricklin said in a letter to Gators fans:
“As we’ve seen these past several weeks, the young men on this team represent what it means to be a Gator. Their resolve, effort and execution are evident in their performance and growth each week – building a foundation that promises greater success next season and beyond. UF’s commitment to excellence and a championship-caliber program is unwavering. In these times of change across college athletics, we are dedicated to a disciplined, stable approach that is focused on long-term, sustained success for Gator athletes, recruits and fans. I am confident that Billy will meet the challenges and opportunities ahead.”
