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Billy Napier will be fired by the Florida Gators before the end of the 2025 college football season. He may not leave the sidelines, however, if the program gets its way.
A recent report suggests administration will request a favor after demanding his removal. It will be up to Napier as to whether or not he helps the Gators out.
The head coach’s tenure has largely been a disappointment. Napier’s teams have gone 21-23 across four seasons. Unexpected losses paired with an inability to beat rivals (3-12 vs. Georgia, Florida State, LSU, Miami, and Tennessee) have led to frustration amongst the fanbase.
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Firing talks surfaced almost instantly following immediate back-to-back losing seasons. They reemerged early in ’25 after a loss to South Florida.
Billy Napier will be fired.
Matt Hayes of USA Today says it’s only a matter of time. The plug will be pulled after the next loss, which could come as soon as the coming weekend.
Florida will face Mississippi State on Saturday before having a week off to prepare for Georgia. It’s unlikely Napier will survive that two-game stretch without defeat.
Hayes says donors are financially positioned to pay the buyout, which currently sits at $21 million.
Athletic director Scott Stricklin met with a handful of influential boosters Tuesday, and was told continuing financial support depends on new direction within the football program…
Embattled Florida coach Billy Napier could be fired as soon as this weekend. One thing is certain: Napier won’t survive another loss.
Boosters are unhappy with the direction of the program. They’ve threatened to withhold financial support.
Hayes suggests that barring a spotless run to end the season, Napier will be fired before year’s end. With that being said, the university may not completely relieve him of his duties.
Florida plans to ask its fired coach for help.
“The hope is that Napier, who has a close relationship with a talented roster he built, will finish the season while Florida looks for its fifth coach since Urban Meyer resigned after the 2010 season,” Hayes writes.
“If Napier doesn’t choose to finish the season, the only coach on staff with head coaching experience is defensive coordinator Ron Roberts, who led two programs in the NCAA lower divisions.”
There is no other member of the Florida football staff that boasts FBS head coaching experience. The Gators may call upon Napier to finish out the season despite his being unemployed.
That is atypical in the current era of college football. Midseason firings are on the rise, but it usually means a clean split. We’ve already seen interim replacements named at UCLA (Tim Skipper), Arkansas (Bobby Petrino), Virginia Tech (Philip Montgomery), and Penn State (Terry Smith) to fill voids amid open coaching searches.
Firings present an opportunity for a fresh start. Florida might go against the norm to keep its failed marriage alive a few games longer than necessary.
Whether Billy Napier accepts his expected role is yet to be determined.