After two losing seasons in Gainesville, Florida head coach Billy Napier is officially on the hot seat, according to ESPN senior writer Adam Rittenberg.
Coaching in the Southeastern Conference is unlike any other gig in the industry. Job security doesn’t exist unless you’ve won multiple championships, and the leash is short for those who come up short.
“Napier is just 11-14 overall, 6-10 in the SEC, and has had challenges with on-field consistency, retaining and attracting top players, and maintaining a strong staff,” Rittenberg wrote. “Florida hasn’t had a coach make it through Year 4 since Urban Meyer and might be hesitant about another quick change.
“The status of athletic director Scott Stricklin, who hired Napier, also should be monitored here. If Napier can’t navigate a brutal schedule — Florida State, Miami and UCF in nonleague play, plus SEC trips to Texas and Tennessee and Georgia in Jacksonville — it’s hard to see him back in 2025.”
It’s safe to say that Florida has underwhelmed over the past two seasons under Billy Napier, but complete overhauls take time. With perhaps the toughest schedule in the country ahead of them, the Gators need to fight for wins to save their coach.
Of course, there’s always the buyout to consider, but these days a booster ends up picking up the tab if they really want a coach gone enough. It’s tough to say that Napier is at that point, but a disastrous season could put him there.
Napier isn’t the only SEC coach on the hot seat, though. Arkansas‘ Sam Pittman is entering Year 5 on thin ice after a 4-8 season, and Vanderbilt’s Clark Lea is a coach to “keep an eye on.”
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.