Florida’s improvement this season is clear to see, even for Coach Billy Napier’s harshest critics.
The Gators (4-4, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) have made progress since their heavy losses to Miami and Texas A&M earlier in the season. Napier has strengthened his defense, found a promising player in freshman quarterback DJ Lagway, and helped develop young talent on both offense and defense.
This progress has caught the attention of many, both inside and outside the program. It should be enough to give Napier another season as head coach.
No matter what happens in the final games of November, it seems like Florida is ready to move forward with Napier leading the team. However, things might not look great this Saturday, as Lagway is unlikely to play against No. 5 Texas due to a strained left hamstring.
Florida is expected to turn to third-string quarterback Aidan Warner, a transfer from Yale, to start against the Longhorns (7-1, 3-1) in their first meeting since 1940.
“We all want things faster, right?” Napier said, who has a 15-18 record over three seasons at Florida. “I think life and football are no different. It tests our patience…
“We were obviously very disappointed in how we started the year. But I have a ton of respect for this group of players and the work they’ve put in since the open date. The mindset, the competitive spirit, the improvement, the football improvement— the tape speaks for itself.”
One of the biggest examples of Florida’s improvement came when they played against then-No. 8 Tennessee in Knoxville last month and against second-ranked Georgia last week in Jacksonville.
Florida lost 23-17 in overtime to the Volunteers after missing several opportunities to win. Many believe the Gators would have beaten Georgia in “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party” if Lagway hadn’t hurt his hamstring in the second quarter while the Gators were leading 10-3.
“I feel like the frustrating part throughout the season is we have proven over and over again that we can hang with the best of the best,” tight end Hayden Hansen said. “We consistently come up a little short. We have to finish.”
Back in September, it looked like Napier might not even finish the season. Florida struggled on both offense and defense in a 41-17 loss to rival Miami in the season opener and showed little improvement in a 33-20 loss to Texas A&M two weeks later.
The Aggies, under first-year coach Mike Elko, ran for 310 yards, got three touchdowns from a freshman quarterback making his first start, and ended a 10-game road losing streak.
Napier hit his lowest point during halftime of that game. As the teams were heading off the field, Napier appeared on the stadium’s big screen for a public service announcement about preventing drinking and driving. He was met with loud boos.
But things started to turn around for Napier after that. The Gators had a dominant win over Mississippi State, and the bye week that followed became a series of very competitive practices—players believe these practices were key in helping the team get back on track.
While some people wondered if the Gators would give up, the team showed they were still fighting for Napier.
“I love this group,” Napier said. “Like I’ve mentioned many times standing up here before, a very unique group in that regard. Wouldn’t have been able to continue to play with the type of effort if we didn’t have pretty unique character.”
If Florida were to fire Napier in 2024, it would cost the school more than $26 million. If he stays, he could still start next year on a hot seat, and for good reason.
Florida is 2-12 against ranked teams under Napier and 1-10 against rivals Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, and Tennessee. Napier’s mistakes during games continue to pile up (see Tennessee), though they happen less often now.
Still, the team has shown growth, and the progress seems to outweigh the mistakes. With November being a crucial month for recruiting, Florida’s administrators should think about giving Napier another season, especially considering how banged-up his team is.
The Gators could be missing their top two quarterbacks, their top two running backs, two of their top four receivers, and four cornerbacks when they play against Texas in Austin.
“We’re playing for him,” Hansen said. “This locker room is playing for him and playing hard. There’s belief still. We’re going to go out and try to win out, get bowl eligible, win the bowl game, and carry over this big momentum into next season.
“I think there’s been huge strides the first two years. … We’re going to be a dangerous team moving forward.”
