The Florida fan base and boosters are ready to move on from head coach [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag], but there’s still a legendary Gator in his corner.
On the most recent episode of Another Dooley Noted Podcast with Pat Dooley, former Florida head coach [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag] said that “we need to show a little patience” with Napier heading into a Week 4 road matchup with Mississippi State.
“It’s a crucial game this week,” Spurrier said to Dooley. “A crucial game maybe for the direction of the season. I still think you give Napier — they gave him what, a seven-year contract? Might as well give him three, if you can. But there’s going to have to be some decisions on how we finish record-wise.”
Spurrier isn’t saying fans should avoid criticism. He hinted at the university moving on from Napier at the end of that quote. But he also knows that firing the man up top doesn’t erase any systemic problem throughout the program. There’s also no sense in buying a coach out this early in the year.
“Everybody is under contract. Let them earn their pay,” he said. “And keep ’em all here and let’s go. See if they can turn it around. … I mean, all the coaches are going to be there even if the head coach isn’t so I don’t see how it’s going to make a huge difference if they remove the head coach. You might as well let the staff stay in place for a while and see what happens.”
Napier is 12-16 at Florida through two full seasons and three weeks of the 2024 season. Experts predicted a five-win ceiling for the Gators coming into the year, and the number is still achievable, albeit unlikely.
Both of Florida’s losses at home this year come against teams ranked inside the top 25 nationally. Miami looks like the ACC favorite and Texas A&M might be a decent team despite a loss to Notre Dame in Week 1. An attitude adjustment appeared to benefit the Aggies last week. Perhaps the Gators need a similar change to find success in the SEC.
“Teams can change,” Spurrier said. “One guy named William James said the greatest discovery of our generation is that a person or a company or a team can alter their life with a change in attitude, and we need a change in attitude. I’ve had teams that started pretty lousy and they got a change in attitude and had winning seasons.”
It’s going to be a big week for both Florida and Napier at Mississippi State. A win against Samford sent a small jolt of positivity throughout the fan base. Imagine what beating an SEC team would do for the team’s confidence.
Alternatively, a loss might send ditch diggers to the local cemetery in preparation for the end of the Billy Napier era.
Up next for the Gators
Florida will play their first road game of the season as they travel up to Starkville to play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.
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