Billy Napier knows what he’s doing. Here are 10 reasons to trust him.
Head coach Billy Napier has been on the job through signing day, a spring game and the start of his Gator Club Tour. He has kissed babies, shaken hands and re-energized a fan base that has had to be resuscitated often over the last decade.
Of course, he has not yet won a game… or lost one.
And we still aren’t sure exactly what we will see on the field when Utah comes to town in September.
We do know this – not a whole lot is expected from the 2022 team by the national media or Vegas. Every over/under I see is right at seven wins, which would be below the expectations of fans who see the glass half full.
But even Napier has tried to temper expectations at times when speaking to Gator groups because he knows that the hand he has been dealt has too many cards that don’t match.
It’s a process getting this program back to where it needs to be with a fan base that is not the most patient in the world.
But here are 10 reasons Gator fans need to lengthen the leash on this coach and understand it’s not happening overnight.
He waited on Florida, so you can wait on him
UAA Communications/Alexis Greaves
Napier was a hot coach going into the 2021 season. One reason was other schools had tried to lure him from Louisiana, including at least two SEC schools.
But Napier knew he didn’t want to walk away from his team that had been through a COVID-19 year for just a higher-paying job. He waited for the best job in terms of potential and Florida is right there near the top.
He’s going to have the three buildings
UAA Communications/Isabella Marley
What three, you ask? Well, in July, Florida is expected to move into its new facility and most of us assume it will be a game-changer. The Swamp is eventually going to get the full makeover from [autotag]Scott Stricklin[/autotag] and then there is Spurrier’s Gridiron Grille.
I have been amazed at how the museum/restaurant has become such a big recruiting tool for Florida. Really big.
He’s going to stop the stupid
UAA Communications/Leslie White
Napier knows penalties happen. Sometimes, it is because you are called for interference trying to hand-fight with a receiver or get called for a hold when you just blocked the guy the exact same way the play before.
Those are going to happen. But brain cramps will not be tolerated. Neither will players getting penalties for taunting or celebrating. It’s time to clean up Florida football, and he’s the right guy for it. It doesn’t mean it will happen in Year 1. Old habits are hard to break.
But it will happen.
He’s in at IMG Academy
Syndication: The Tennessean
Football was added to the Academy in 2010. Florida had landed zero players pre-Napier. In six months, he has made inroads and landed two players.
That’s important and gives fans hope that it is only going to get better.
Because his recruiting plan is more detailed than IKEA instructions
Brad McClenny/The Gainesville Sun
I’ve seen some of it, color-coded and specific to the routes that need to be driven by members of his army who are taking recruits and their families to dinner.
Every person who works for Napier knows exactly what they are supposed to do every day, and he’s not shy about letting them know when they mess up.
This plan is going to pay off eventually. Maybe sooner than later, but he knows what he’s doing.
He’s not going anywhere
James Gilbert/Getty Images
The last coach seemed to always have an eye on the NFL. The one before him always seemed like he couldn’t be comfortable. This is a guy who wants to be here.
Sure, if he is successful and the Alabama job opens up, you’d be a little worried. But the other side of the coin is this – Florida wants to get out of the business of hiring football coaches. The program is a roller-coaster because the last three coaches lasted 50, 35 and 49 games, respectively. That’s not a lot for college football coaches.
As a result, Florida has been fighting to get relevant again and this time they’d like to STAY THERE. You can’t do that by constantly changing coaches.
He embraces the two evils
Syndication: Gainesville Sun
We know that there are coaches complaining about NIL and the transfer portal. Some of them refuse to make both a major part of their programs.
Napier understands what is happening. It may not be the old college football we remember, but it is the reality now and he gets that.
He’s a builder
UAA Communications/Leslie White
There are coaches who have a plan that is good only for the next season. Napier is a guy who has long-range goals and it feels like Florida will get there if only everybody is willing to be understanding.
We can’t use brick-by-brick because Butch Jones ruined that forever. But you get the picture. It’s a steady process of getting better yearly.
Taking chances eventually pays off
UAA Communications/Isabella Marley
There may be things that blow up in Florida’s face this season because of the talent level. Going for a bunch of fourth downs is in Napier’s DNA. Faking punts, throwing deep on third-and-1, going for two, all of these things sound great when they work and terrible when they don’t.
This is a fine-line world in college football and you’d rather have a coach who believes that “scared money don’t make money” than one who wants to “avoid losing.”
He seems to see what you see
Syndication: Gainesville Sun
He certainly has seen what the players see and has made all kinds of efforts (parking, nutrition, housing) to make everything better.
But every time I’m in a room with him or read what he said to Gator Clubs, I take this same feeling with me. He’s not asking you to help coach the team, but he’s not blind to what needs to be changed.
And that may take some time.
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