“I trust Billy." Florida fans remain supportive of head coach and program before home opener

One look at social media platforms in the last week since Florida’s loss to Utah would indicate fans displeasure towards coach Billy Napier and the Gators program.

But in speaking to fans before Florida’s contest with McNeese Saturday night, all took a more measured approach.

Eileen Branham, a Gainesville native and UF alum, said that while the statement “In all kinds of weather” will be tested, her faith in the Gators isn’t wavering.

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“I have been a fan since the Galen Hall era, so I know what it is like to be really bad,” she said.

She said improvement must be made from UF’s 6-6 campaign last season to maintain her support in Napier. She noted she likes his energy level and the recruiting classes he has built up.

She also maintains another reason for wanting to keep the second-year coach.

“I don’t want to buy out another coach,” Branham said.

Ray Miller, a season ticket holder for 30 years, shared Branham’s sentiment in that Napier needs more time.

He mentioned Mike Norvell’s tenure at Florida State. The fourth-year coach struggled his first two years in Tallahassee, but he began to turn the Seminole program around last season and picked up a big win against No. 5 LSU Sunday night.

“Florida State is two years ahead of where we were,” he said.

Because of this, Miller said next season is Napier’s season to show real improvement. For this season, the annual meeting with Tennessee next Saturday will serve as the barometer.

“If we get blown out next week by the Volunteers, then I will get concerned,” he proclaimed.

He emphasized the need for Florida to go outside the box with its hires, like he said Ole Miss did with Lane Kiffin. He doesn’t know if Napier was the right choice for the job, but he’s the coach who was hired, and he thinks Florida fans need to stand by him.

“If we keep switching coaches, then we begin to look to the past like Miami does,” he said. “We have become too spoiled as a fanbase. Fans now don’t remember the 0-10-1 seasons before Spurrier.”

For students like seniors Joseph Muldoon and Jorge Perez, one game this season stands above all else.

“I want to beat Florida State,” Muldoon said.

“I don’t care if we go 0-11, we need to beat FSU,” junior Jacob Hamberg noted.

Muldoon added that his expectations are low for this season, but like Miller, he expects more next season.

“I trust Billy,” Muldoon said. “I think he needs another two seasons.”

Since Perez’s freshman year, Florida has gone a combined 12-14. This bothers him a lot.

“I haven’t seen a big win yet,” he said. “This season is my one big chance to see it happen, but I don’t know if it will come to fruition.”

Hamberg, who has multiple friends at UCF, agrees.

“All of them have something to brag about, and I don’t have anything. We couldn’t even beat them in a bowl game,” he said.

Muldoon, who is a big baseball fan, said the struggles don’t bother him since the Gators baseball team went to the finals of the College World Series this past season.

Brett Heil, a fellow Gainesville native, also called out the Tennessee game as the one to watch for this season.

Heil was tailgating around the North Lawn of the Reitz Union, which saw fewer tents than normal. He’s not worried, though, and thinks tailgating will return to normal levels for Tennessee next week.

“You lose your first game, and you play an FCS team in week two,” he said. “I think if this had been reversed, and we played McNeese week one, it would be a little different.”

Heil believes Florida could reach double-digit win status, like former coach Dan Mullen did, in the next year or two.

“The freshman class he brought in was really good,” Heil said. “I think as long as he keeps everyone together and builds a good culture, he can succeed.”

Heil likes the hiring of defensive coordinator Austin Armstrong, but he did note he’d like to see Napier use the player transfer portal more.

“If you score points and use the portal, you’ll make Gator fans happy,” he said.

Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him at Nram@gannett.com and follow him @Noah_ram1 on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Florida fans thoughts after loss to Utah and before facing McNeese