After a disastrous campaign in 2021, the Florida Gators made the decision to part ways with head coach Dan Mullen. Mullen was let go a week ago, and it looks as if the university has identified the man who will step up to the plate next.
According to college football insider Bruce Feldman, the Gators are finalizing a deal with Louisiana head coach Billy Napier to bring him to Gainesville.
SOURCES: Louisiana’s Billy Napier is expected to become the next head coach at UF. A deal is likely to be done this afternoon. As we reported yesterday morning he was the Gators clear front runner. Napier had been patient in recent years l looking for the right opportunity.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) November 28, 2021
Napier has been the head coach for the Ragin' Cajuns since 2018 and has had a highly successful tenure with the program. Across four seasons, Napier owns a coaching record of 39-12, having lost just five games over the past three years.
The 42-year-old head coach led Louisiana to a 10-1 season in 2020 and followed it up with an 11-1 campaign in 2021. His guidance of the program over the past half-decade has been instrumental in its development, and he's now gearing up for his next chapter with a big move to the SEC.
The Gators are clearly impressed with what Napier accomplished in the Sun Belt, where he won 2019 Sun Belt Coach of the Year in addition to back-to-back bowl games. This will easily be the biggest challenge of Napier's coaching career, as Florida will be looking to quickly reclaim its status as an SEC powerhouse.
Mullen had been with the Gators since 2018 and had amassed a 34-15 coaching record during his tenure. After the team's 5-6 start to the year, the program announced it had parted ways with the 49-year-old, paving the way for Napier to step into the head coaching position in Gainesville.
Follow Us
Subscribe