Florida hires Louisiana's Billy Napier as new Head Football Coach

[Bazza]

Saw this article in SDS and thought I'd post it here to look back at at the end of the season.

I honestly have no idea what will happen with my Gators this year. Not even going to make a prediction. I still think our play calling has been our biggest downfall. Not sure if that chnages this year or not.

Anyway.......

Steve Spurrier predicts Florida will exceed expectations in 2024

Steve Spurrier likes Florida to go well over projected win totals.

www.saturdaydownsouth.com

“I’m gonna pick the Gators to finish somewhere around fifth or sixth (in the SEC), win between eight and 10 games. Maybe nine. Something like that,” Spurrier said on Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “I think we have a lot of good players. If we can beat Miami in the first game and develop some confidence that we are good enough to win, and now let’s go do it, maybe that will sustain us throughout the course of the season.”

 

[CoolBreeze]

Bazza, all I can say is that the SEC is better off with a strong Florida football team. I am afraid Billy is just not going to get it done.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Granted the typed word is absent tone, inflection and other communicative signs, but this doesn't sound like the Ole Ball Coach actually has a lot of confidence in his 8-10 wins prediction. I think Napier gets canned either during the season or after. He may have gotten in over his coaching head with this type of program.

 

[Bazza]

Bazza, all I can say is that the SEC is better off with a strong Florida football team. I am afraid Billy is just not going to get it done.

Thanks - I mean....we both share the same rivals, pretty much.

If not....I don't think I would have lasted this long here....lol.......

But to your point - the gold standard for me has always been Florida vs. Bama in Atlanta at the end of the regular season to decide the conference title. Would love to get back to that at some point.....

 

[NoNC4Tubs]

Thanks - I mean....we both share the same rivals, pretty much.

If not....I don't think I would have lasted this long here....lol.......

But to your point - the gold standard for me has always been Florida vs. Bama in Atlanta at the end of the regular season to decide the conference title. Would love to get back to that at some point.....

I hope that it happens this season, Bazza!

 

[crimsonaudio]

Serious questions: is Spurrier still all there?

“I’m gonna pick Alabama to win the SEC,” Spurrier said. “I like Jalen DeBoer and I think their players and their team will say ‘We don’t need our coach to win. We’re good enough to win by ourselves.’ And this guy is a hell of a coach, Jalen DeBoer.

“I think they’ve got a schedule they can work with. … I think they do play Texas early, is that correct? But obviously Georgia, Texas and Alabama are the top three, and I just think maybe Alabama will be the team to do it this year.”

I mean, I'd love for him to be correct, but KALEN DeBoer's Alabama team doesn't even play Texas this year...

 

[Bazza]

Serious questions: is Spurrier still all there?



I mean, I'd love for him to be correct, but KALEN DeBoer's Alabama team doesn't even play Texas this year...

This what he said:

I think they do play Texas early, is that correct?

1. He's CLEARLY asking a question.

2. He CLEARLY said "I think".

 

[crimsonaudio]

This what he said:

I think they do play Texas early, is that correct?

1. He's CLEARLY asking a question.

2. He CLEARLY said "I think".

I read it, it's just odd to pick a team to win the SEC without apparently even knowing who they play.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

I read it, it's just odd to pick a team to win the SEC without apparently even knowing who they play.

Just reading the quotes, it seemed like he was answering the questions like he was sitting at the bar with a group of guys just shooting the breeze. Not much thought or care into what he was actually saying.

 

[Bamabuzzard]

Sounds like he's really high on Jalen DeBoer. Or maybe he was just really high.

 

[HighlandOak]

Just reading the quotes, it seemed like he was answering the questions like he was sitting at the bar with a group of guys just shooting the breeze. Not much thought or care into what he was actually saying.

Sounds like a Spurrier interview.

 

[HighlandOak]

I read it, it's just odd to pick a team to win the SEC without apparently even knowing who they play.

Not at all. You're just picking one out of 16.

 

[Bazza]

I read it, it's just odd to pick a team to win the SEC without apparently even knowing who they play.

A. He didn't make his pick ONLY on the basis of who they play:

“I like Jalen DeBoer and I think their players and their team will say ‘We don’t need our coach to win. We’re good enough to win by ourselves.’ And this guy is a hell of a coach, Jalen DeBoer.

B. And as I pointed out............

This what he said:

"I think they do play Texas early, is that correct?"

1. He's CLEARLY asking a question.

2. He CLEARLY said "I think".

C. Further.......I don't even know ANY SEC team's schedule by memory.......not even Florida's.
(if I did I'd be called "Selma" or something......)

 

[Bazza]

Getting uglier here. Starting to hear things about possible Napier termination.

I wouldn't characterize things as a dumpster fire as much as just a ridiculously bad coaching effort.

It's been my opinion all along the blame should mostly fall on the offense coaching/management.....while many have steadfastly put the blame on our defense. Stuff like that always complicates things.

I think we are finally seeing it actually IS primarily a problem with the offense......which will help move things along towards some kind of change........





Credit also goes to aTm for a very well executed effort in an SEC road win with their second string QB, who was amazing!

 

[DzynKingRTR]

Napier just wasn't ready for a big time school. He can go back to a lesser school and do as well as he did at Louisiana

 

[tusks_n_raider]

Getting uglier here. Starting to hear things about possible Napier termination.

I wouldn't characterize things as a dumpster fire as much as just a ridiculously bad coaching effort.

It's been my opinion all along the blame should mostly fall on the offense coaching/management.....while many have steadfastly put the blame on our defense. Stuff like that always complicates things.

I think we are finally seeing it actually IS primarily a problem with the offense......which will help move things along towards some kind of change........

View attachment 45623

View attachment 45624

Napier not being able to open that bottle of Aquafina a few weeks ago lives rent free in my head.

I’ve created a whole backstory for it in my mind where someone in the UF media dept put a dab of Gorilla Glue on the cap before putting it on the podium and then nudged somebody saying ‘watch this’ as Billy struggled to get it open.

This will be his Villain origin story.

But I have a sick sense of humor sometimes and just wanna watch things burn

 

[Bazza]

FWIW...this was posted right after I posted my last post:

Multiple sources have told me that Billy Napier is unlikely to be removed as head coach today or this week. In fact I believe he will be the head coach for a few more weeks. Florida doesn’t gain much by firing him now as you can’t start really recruiting a new coach right now. I do expect a change by the end of the year unless things take a complete twist and Florida shows major improvement.

Makes sense but of course the pitch fork crowd will still be after his head!

 

[Padreruf]

Getting uglier here. Starting to hear things about possible Napier termination.

I wouldn't characterize things as a dumpster fire as much as just a ridiculously bad coaching effort.

It's been my opinion all along the blame should mostly fall on the offense coaching/management.....while many have steadfastly put the blame on our defense. Stuff like that always complicates things.

I think we are finally seeing it actually IS primarily a problem with the offense......which will help move things along towards some kind of change........

View attachment 45623

View attachment 45624

Credit also goes to aTm for a very well executed effort in an SEC road win with their second string QB, who was amazing!

I hate it for you...and the SEC. We need a strong UF football team...I'm beginning to suspect there is something intrinsic in the "system" that needs to be eradicated. BN is a good coach...but if he has people pulling in another direction he cannot be a success.

 

[Slowpoke Catracho]

There is some noise on X that a Napier decision has been made and the Enos will be interim while a search happens.

 

[GrayTide]

I was high on Napier to Florida during that hiring cycle. I really thought by year 3 he would have the Gators in the 8-10 win range. At 1-2, I only see potential wins against UCF, Kentucky, Miss State, and FSU. Realistically Miss State and FSU. So at best 5-7 and likely 3-8. I don’t think he will make to the end of the season. I still believe Florida is a prime coaching job for the right coach.