Good Morning Gators: Billy Napier to face four top-10 CFB coaches in ’22
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Florida’s Billy Napier will face some of college football’s best coaches during his first season as a head coach in the SEC.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel released their rankings of the top 25 CFB head coaches this week, with Alabama’s Nick Saban at No. 1. Four of their top 10 coaches are on UF’s 2022 schedule.
Napier will coach against Georgia’s Kirby Smart (No. 3), LSU’s Brian Kelly (No. 4/5), Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher (No. 9/7) and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham (No. 7/8). That’s four of the top eight coaches on Feldman’s list.
After opening the season Sept. 3 against Utah, the Gators begin SEC play the following week at home vs. Kentucky’s Mark Stoops, who is ranked in the top 15 nationally (No. 14/15) by Feldman and Mandel.
Both included Napier in their “just missed the cut” section below the top 25, with Mandel listing him first. The 42-year-old Napier posted a 40-12 record in four years at Louisiana.
During an exclusive interview with Gators Online, Napier was asked how excited he is to call offensive plays in the SEC against defensive coaches such as Saban, Smart and Stoops.
“As a competitor, you’re seeking out these opportunities. You want to go against the best and certainly we’ll play in the SEC, so we’ll get that opportunity. I love the competition,” Napier said.
In their top 25 coaches list last year, Feldman and Mandel ranked former Florida coach Dan Mullen at No. 16 and No. 9, respectively.
Top 10
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Four-part series profiling Billy Napier
In a four-part series last month, Gators Online profiled Napier with a focus on his #cULture, #jOURney, #UFuture and #UFormula.
Read the series below.
Part I: Billy Napier creates a winning #cULture with famous Bill Walsh quote
Part II: Billy Napier trying to put the puzzle together on new #jOURney with Gators
Part III: Florida investing in Billy Napier’s #UFuture with bigger budget, ‘all-star’ staff
Part IV: Play-calling duties part of Billy Napier’s #UFormula to win championships
In other Florida football news
- With camp approaching, Gators Online will preview Florida’s offense, defense and special teams over the next two weeks. Up next: the inside linebacker position.
- Gators Online’s Nick de la Torre continues his countdown of 10 players he’s excited to see heading into spring camp with defensive back Kamar Wilcoxson.
- Napier announced another addition to his army Wednesday with the hiring of special teams graduate assistant Brandon Taylor, who served in the same role at LSU.
UF recruiting roundup
- The nation’s No. 1-ranked running back by On3, Cedric Baxter Jr., has rescheduled his visit to Florida for another date in March.
- Four-star WR Bryson Rodgers is in daily communication with the Gators coaching staff and will take a trip to Florida next week.
- The Gators are a top contender for JUCO All-American WR Malik Benson, who was offered by UF on March 1 and plans to visit.
- One week after landing an offer from Florida, On300 offensive tackle Wilkin Formby has locked in multi-day visit to Gainesville.
Gators sports roundup
- The Gators open SEC Tournament action Thursday with a must-win game against Texas A&M in the second round. Tip-off is at noon on SEC Network.
- The latest Florida Baseball Intel report from Gators Online‘s Nick de la Torre: Help is on the way this weekend and other insider notes
- After a nearly two-year wait, Gators pitcher Tyler Nesbitt returned to the mound Tuesday and threw two scoreless innings against Jacksonville.
Let’s keep talking
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Gators Twitter updates
Florida centerfielder Jud Fabian made No. 2 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays for this diving catch against Jacksonville:
Highlights from Nesbitt’s return to the mound in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the Dolphins:
Philadelphia Eagles linebackers coach Nick Rallis will speak at Florida’s Chalk Talk event from March 24-26:
