On Billy NapierUpon ‘s arrival in Gainesville ahead of the 2021 season, the Florida head coach quickly made it known that he wanted to increase the walk-on program at UF, with 50 walk-ons being the preferred number.
Florida The number of non-scholarship players has steadily increased since then, with over 30 non-scholarship players on the roster before the start of fall camp. Not only would the additional players help the training environment, but non-scholarship players would, in theory, increase the competitive nature within the program, as unheralded players would compete without recognition and motivate those on scholarship.
By all accounts, that ideology has proven to be beneficial for the Gators despite the lackluster results on the field during his first two seasons at the helm. Yet Napier’s roster ideology took a hit this week with the House v. NCAA lawsuit reducing the NCAA football roster limit to 105 players, all of whom must earn scholarships, effectively eliminating the 85-scholarship cap. Additionally, football programs can split scholarships if they choose, much like baseball.
Under the current system, programs are allowed to have 120 players on their roster during the football season, with no roster size limits during the offseason and spring training programs. Essentially, a program can currently have as many players without a contract as possible outside of the regular season.
The trial decision will implement the changes in the 2025-26 sporting year, meaning the 2024 season will mark the final year of Napier’s extensive season-long walking programme.
Over the past week, the decision has been widely criticized by head coaches across the country, from Oklahoma State Mike Gundy at Wake Forest Dave Clawsonand Napier made it clear Tuesday that he does not support the recent decision to essentially eliminate the addition of walk-ons going forward, adding that it has been a major topic of discussion among head coaches and athletic department administrators around the country.
“It’s probably the biggest discussion among coaches. I think we’re ultimately entering uncharted waters to some extent,” Napier said before fall camp began. “I think it’s a new game as a result. It’s another adjustment that’s going to be made in terms of how you allocate revenue sharing, but also how you coach. So, yeah, I think — look, it’s probably a two-hour discussion. I think we’ve gone back and forth with conference leaders, with administrators.”
It’s another change in an era of college football that has seen a major overhaul, from the implementation of Early Signing Day to the creation of the transfer portal. Now, coaches will have to change their strategy again.
Napier shouldn’t worry too much about the future, though. After all, the Gators are a month away from the start of what will likely be the toughest schedule in college football history. Once the dust settles from the 2024 season, adjustments will be made and the Florida head coach can focus on reorienting his game plan for roster construction.
Regardless, the third-year Florida head coach didn’t shy away from addressing his potential impact on the game going forward, especially from a coaching standpoint.
“I think it affects every aspect of player distribution,” Napier continued. “I think the biggest thing is going to be how you develop players, how you train, what you do when you get into — you’re going to need contingency plans in terms of how you train. You can get into tough situations late in the year at certain positions, in terms of how you finish the season when you’re in the playoffs, and you have gate moves, and all of a sudden you only have a certain number of players at a position.
“We’ve had discussions about it. I think we can get lost in the details – I think right now I’m trying to prepare for this challenge that’s ahead of us and focus on training camp.”
