The Billy Napier era for Florida football continues to disappoint. Not only is he failing to win games, but his program is out of control. Now, Napier's job security is in question, as he continues to fail at Florida.
Napier was brought in to bring Florida back to prominence, and he has done anything but that. Napier has done some winning on the recruiting trail, currently sitting seventh in the 2025 rankings according to 247sports. That would give the Gators a third straight top-15 class. Winning off the field is not the same as winning on the field.
Napier is currently 20-21 as the coach. The Gators are 1-2 this year, with the only win being over Long Island and also being upset by South Florida. Meanwhile, the team has yet to finish over .500 in a season coached by the former Louisiana coach. Making matters worse, every coach since 1990 has reached the conference title game in their first three season, while this coach has not come close.
The lack of winning is not the only issue. The program is in disarray as well. On the final drive of the game with South Florida, the Gators had a two-point lead with just over two minutes to play. USF was pinned back on its own 11-yard line, but a defensive pass interference call moved the ball. The next play, Brendan Bett spat on an opponent, giving the Bulls another 15 yards and ejecting Bett. The Bulls took advantage, winning the game on a last-second field goal.
Incidents happen, but another major incident the next week is unacceptable, and it shines a light on the current state of the program. Prior to the Week 3 contest with LSU, assistant coach Jabbar Julukue got into an altercation with an LSU player. The result is that Juluke has been suspended for three games following the altercation. Regardless, two incidents in two weeks speaks to a cultural issue inside the Florida program led by Napier.
What is keeping Napier employed?
The only thing that might be keeping Napier employed is money. Firing the coach now would cost Florida over $20 million in a buyout, with over $10 million due immediately. Florida can make that payment, and a booster could also support. Regardless, it is a large chunk of money to get rid of a coach.
The other potential reason for not firing Napier now is the head coaching cycle. With many top candidates still with programs, and having the possibility to coach well into January, firing a coach now just allows players to transfer and hurts the recruiting cycle. If Florida has eyes for an active coach, waiting could be advantageous. Regardless, Napier should start packing up the house and looking for a new job.
