Rumors swirled this week regarding Florida head coach Billy Napier’s job status and Gator fans now find themselves in a familiar position. Calling for a new head coach.
After an offseason filled with narratives surrounding the improved culture and continuity within the program, UF is off to a lackluster 1-2 start to what will undoubtedly be an uphill battle in 2024.
It’s fair to say this is the most talented roster Napier’s had during his tenure at Florida. However, the results simply aren’t translating to the field leading to ruthless backlash across social media and an intense booing of the head coach while walking off the field after UF’s 33-20 loss to Texas A&M at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium Saturday.
“I have no excuse – I have no negative comment about that,” Napier said. “Ultimately when you play a certain way in this arena, you're going to be criticized.”
Napier may not have an excuse for the fanbase, but his team will need to show improvement on the field. A report came out after Florida’s loss against the Aggies that UF’s Board of Trustees would be having a meeting Sunday morning to discuss Napier’s job status.
Though, the report was false. Moreover, the university is required by state law to publicly announce when the Board of Trustees holds meetings which was never reported by UF.
Despite seemingly the entire fanbase mutually agreeing Napier isn’t the right man for the job. It may be longer than it thinks for the firing to take place. Napier is the fourth head coach at Florida in the last 10 years and only one was fired in what could be considered to be the “middle” of the season.
Former UF athletic director Jeremy Foley hired Will Muschamp to be Urban Meyer’s successor. He got off to a slow start in his first season before constructing a breakthrough campaign in 2012 where he led Florida to an 11-2 record.
But it only went downhill from there. Muschamp posted a four-win season in 2013 as criticism from the fanbase increased. Foley decided to bring Muschamp back for one last season and didn’t let him go until the final week of the regular season in 2014 as the Gators held a 6-5 record.
The time allotted for Muschamp to right the ship may have been surprising to some considering the instant success Foley saw from Meyer. Nevertheless, Florida was set to move on just four years into Muschamp’s tenure.
Florida’s next hire was Jim McElwain from Colorado State. Despite back-to-back appearances in SEC championship games in 2015-16, he mutually agreed to exit the program in 2017 after the Gators lost their rivalry matchup against the Bulldogs.
McElwain reached a settlement with UF’s administration regarding his buyout, ultimately leading to his release.
Dan Mullen replaced McElwain and arrived in 2018 as the head coach at Florida. He seemed to have the Gators turning in the right direction as they appeared in three straight New Year’s Six bowl games.
However, after a variety of reports came out regarding Mullen’s mistreatment of players along with a lack of effort on the recruiting trails, UF athletic director Scott Stricklin decided it was time for a change after boasting a 5-6 record in 2021 in his last season with the Gators. Mullen, like Muschamp, was also fired in the week leading up to the final game of the regular season.
Napier hasn’t had any discussions with Stricklin regarding the status of his job, he said.
But one thing is for certain. Time is of the essence for Napier, and despite Florida’s recent head coach firings not coming dead-smack in the middle of the season, the clock is ticking.
Contact Max Tucker at mtucker@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Max_Tuckr1.
Max Tucker is a junior transfer student at UF. After obtaining his A.A. in Journalism from Santa Fe College in 2023, he chose further his education at Florida's College of Journalism and Communications. Max is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Journalism with a specialization in sports and media. He enjoys golfing and going to the beach with his friends in his free time.
