The Origin of Billy Napier's "Scared Money Don't Make Money"
It’s September 16 and Louisiana is up 14-7 on Ohio. Louisiana has the ball with just three seconds left before halftime. Billy Napier has a decision to make.
It’s fourth-and-goal. The Ragin’ Cajuns have the ball on the one-yard line. A chip shot field goal will make it a two-score game, but Ohio will get the ball to start the second half.
Napier said to hell with kicking it and leaves his offense on the field. Running back Montrell Johnson narrowly breached the goal line and Louisiana took a 21-7 lead into the locker room. When asked about the decision, Napier uttered the line that made Gator Nation fall in love with him.
“Scared money don’t make money.”
People who know the coach say this is out of character. He is detailed, calculated, and meticulous in what he does. When asked about the quote at his introductory press conference he nearly blushed.
“I’m never gonna live that down by the way. You know, I said it on the headset to the staff and we made a decision to go for it,” He said to reporters following his public press conference.
Napier’s Cajuns went on to win that game 49-14, the second of their 12 consecutive wins to close out the 2021 season.
Napier is calculated, not impulsive
Billy Napier is meticulous in his preparation. On the outside, that call may seem reckless, but listening to Napier explain it shows the depths they go to in preparation for a game.
“The big thing here is that these decisions are very calculated. We work closely with several analytics companies who spend a ton of time in the offseason researching all the different things that affect playing winning football, and certainly going for it on fourth down is one of those things that we research really closely and [it’s] certainly part of our formula to win,” he explained.
One may have thought Napier might have been referencing the lyrical stylings of Young Jeezy but the coach said it came from playing poker.
“I think, growing up, playing cards, you know, playing poker, lots of different types of poker. I’ve heard that said many times and all of a sudden it comes out of my mouth on national TV.
He’s a five-card draw guy with a little Texas Hold ‘Em mixed in, in case you were wondering.
It doesn’t mean that Napier isn’t fun or won’t have one-liners on occasion. At the end of the day, he won’t be judged by what he says behind a microphone as much as what he and his team do on the field.
Going for it on 4th down
Speaking of production on the field, Napier has a penchant for going for it on fourth down. Louisiana went for it 97 times on fourth down the last four seasons. They converted 50 of those attempts, a 51.5% conversion rating.
Napier was asked if he’s accepted and leaned into his new quote.
“I mean, I think it’s gonna help me justify all these times I go for fourth down and don’t get it,” he said with a laugh.
