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The Florida Gators surprised the entire college football this week when they announced their intent to retain head football coach Billy Napier.
Napier is just 15-18 over 2.5 seasons in Gainesville and 4-4 thus far in 2024. But the Gators faced a brutal schedule this season and true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway showed enough flashes of brilliance to justify keeping Napier around.
However, with Lagway and original starting QB Graham Mertz out with injuries, the Gators ended up on the wrong end of a good, old-fashioned butt-kicking at the hands of the Texas Longhorns on Saturday. And Napier looked like a man that was just to quit.
Texas is THROTTLING Florida. Up 35-0 at Halftime 🤘
Good thing Florida is bringing back Billy Napier.. pic.twitter.com/wQctQecrNj
— College Football Fan (@CFB_Fan_) November 9, 2024
After Texas scored a touchdown to make the score 35-0 just before halftime, television cameras cut to Napier as he furiously chucked his clipboard to the ground.
Florida AD’s Comments On Billy Napier Immediately Backfire Against Texas
When Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin announced the plan to keep Napier around this week, he said the following:
“As we’ve seen these past several weeks, the young men on this team represent what it means to be a Gator. Their resolve, effort and execution are evident in their performance and growth each week — building a foundation that promises greater success next season and beyond.
“UF’s commitment to excellence and a championship-caliber program is unwavering. In these times of change across college athletics, we are dedicated to a disciplined, stable approach that is focused on long-term, sustained success for Gator athletes, recruits and fans.”
And at the time, Stricklin wasn’t wrong. The results didn’t show it, but the Gators had been getting better week-to-week.
That all went up in smoke on Saturday, just like Napier’s composure.
He’s seen enough, and Florida fans have seen enough.
#Florida is down big at halftime. Time to burn it all down. #MeltdownAlert pic.twitter.com/29U34pDgTx
— Message Board Geniuses (@BoardGeniuses) November 9, 2024
It may be time for Stricklin to walk back his endorsement of Napier, because the Gators look as bad as they ever have at the moment.