A seat that was already hot for the Florida coach Billy Napier entering the 2024 college football season has become hot in recent weeks as its Alligators got off to a good start with a double, including two home losses to FBS opponents.
These gaps have moved the conversation around Napier and his professional status forward, moving from the question if he will be sent back When he will be dismissed, each loss being added to the pressure rise to get the school moving.
The most important figure in Florida football history believes he deserves some time and patience.
REQUIRED READING: Analysis of Florida Football Coach Billy Napier’s Contract Buyout
Steve Spurrier, who coached the Gators to the national championship and is one of three Heisman Trophy winners in program history, said this week on “Another Dooley Noted Podcast” — moderated by longtime Gainesville Sun columnist Pat Dooley — that Florida should not rush to fire Napier during the season because of the circumstances surrounding such a decision.
“I think we just have to be a little patient and see what happens this year,” Spurrier said. “All the coaches are going to be there, even if the head coach isn’t. I don’t see how it’s going to make a big difference if they take the head coach away. You might as well leave the staff in place for a while and see what happens. We’ve only played three games. The two losses were to two good teams.”
Indeed, the Gators’ two losses this season have come against quality opponents, as both Miami and Texas A&M began the season ranked in the top 20 of the rankings. American LBM Coaches SurveyThe Hurricanes are 3-0 and have since climbed to No. 11 in the poll, while quarterback Cam Ward has emerged as a rare favorite for the title. Heisman Trophy.
Still, it’s impossible to ignore Florida’s major problems. Among the 134 FBS teams, the Gators are 82nd in offense (27.3 points per game) and 94th in defense (27 points allowed per game) after three games.
REQUIRED READING: When Florida Football Team Fires Billy Napier, Here Are 7 Candidates to Consider | Toppmeyer
Napier is 12-16 with Florida through a quarter of the season, including 6-11 in the SEC. His winning percentage is the worst of any Gators coach since Raymond Wolf, who coached the school from 1946-49. If Florida finishes below .500 this season, it will be the Gators’ fourth consecutive losing season, something they haven’t done since 1935-38.
Under the terms of Napier’s contract, he would be owed 85% of his remaining salary if he were fired without cause. Earlier this week, that figure was just under $28 millionalthough it will decrease with each match.
“Give them a chance,” Spurrier said. “Everybody’s under contract. Let them earn their paycheck. Keep them all here and let’s go. Let’s see if they can turn it around and see how important it is to win a game. I think we’ll find out a lot this week and go from there.”
While he’s sympathetic to Napier’s situation, Spurrier can’t completely relate to it. The head coach had immediate success in Gainesville, going 9-2 in his first season in 1990 and leading the Gators to the SEC championship in his second season in 1991. He went 122-27-1 in 12 seasons at Florida, a run of success that included six SEC championships and the program’s first-ever national title in 1996.
If Napier wants to orchestrate a turnaround, it will have to start soon. Florida plays at Mississippi State on Saturday, a game in which it is favored by sixbefore a bye the following week.
This article was originally published on The Gainesville Sun: Steve Spurrier: Florida football team should be patient with Billy Napier
