The Billy Napier era at Florida continues to unravel. Brought in to restore Gators football to national relevance, Napier instead has overseen mediocrity and mounting off-field chaos.
The Florida football team has yet to finish above .500 under his watch, and his overall record now sits at 20-21. Despite strong recruiting results, with three straight top-15 classes, the on-field product has been abysmal.
Costly buyout terms and awkward timing in the coaching cycle may be the only reasons Napier is still employed, but with every passing week, the pressure grows louder for Florida to move on.
That pressure only intensified after Saturday’s 26-7 loss to No. 4 Miami, a game that featured one of the worst offensive performances in program history.
The Gators managed just 141 total yards, went 0-for-13 on third down, and scored 10 points or fewer in back-to-back games for the first time since 1989.
Quarterback DJ Lagway, who threw five interceptions against LSU the week prior, was limited to 61 passing yards on 12 completions, seven of which came behind the line of scrimmage, as researched by ESPN. Sacked four times and frequently missing open receivers, Lagway admitted he fell short.
“It’s been hard, but let me tell y’all something — we’re going to get things changed, for sure. I can guarantee that,” Lagway said postgame. “This is not acceptable at all. We’ve got to play better football, and it starts with me.”
Lagway’s offseason injuries robbed him of crucial reps in spring and fall camp, and both he and Napier have cited that as part of his early struggles. Still, fans expected more from a quarterback who went 6-1 as a starter in 2024.
Even with a promising 80-yard touchdown drive to start the second half, Florida squandered momentum with another stalled series on fourth down, and Miami closed the door with a grinding 13-play scoring drive.
Former Gators legend Tim Tebow recently urged patience, saying that the Florida football team showed bright spots in the LSU loss.
But the optimism faded quickly against Miami, where the Hurricanes exposed every weakness in Napier’s team. Florida now enters its bye week 1-3, staring down a brutal stretch with Texas and Texas A&M looming.
Lagway insists change is coming: “I’m going to demand greatness from everybody. It starts with me.” Whether that guarantee translates to wins may determine not only his growth but also Napier’s future in Gainesville.
