USA TODAY Sports asks if Billy Napier is a fired-coach-in-waiting at Florida

The central focus around the Florida football program in recent days has been on [autotag]Billy Napier[/autotag], who currently resides on a scorching head coach hot seat after the Gators began the season 1-2.

Napier and Co. came into the season knowing that they faced the hardest schedule in college football but still had high aspirations for the skipper’s third year in Gainesville. That pink cloud quickly turned to grey after the Miami Hurricanes tore through the Swamp in the Week 1 opener, and since then, the Gator Nation has been in full panic mode.

Following Week 3’s gridiron action, USA TODAY Sports writer Blake Toppmeyer published a column that included the question of Napier’s fate at Florida, asking “Is Billy Napier a fired-coach-in-waiting at Florida?”

His self-response was extremely clear on his position.

“Yes. All that’s left is the writing of the check, so unleash the hot boards,” Toppmeyer begins.

“Well, maybe one element remains left to determine: Who will hire Napier’s replacement? Athletics director Scott Stricklin hired (and fired) Dan Mullen and replaced him with Napier. He’s squandered the right to lead this coaching search,” he continues.

“When Florida fires Napier, he’ll become the fourth consecutive Gators coach to be axed before the end of his fourth season. Stricklin argued before the season that Florida can’t keep cycling through coaches at this rate. True. So, get the next hire right.

“The only thing worse than firing Napier in Year 3 and paying him a buyout of more than $25 million would be sticking with a hopeless coach for a fourth season that no Florida fan wants to pay to see. It’s over.”

Head coach options for Florida

“Where should Florida turn after Napier? Lane Kiffin fits the bill, but his Ole Miss Rebels are on the shortlist of national championship contenders. Kiffin has no reason to leave. Eliah Drinkwitz (Missouri), Jedd Fisch (Washington), Alex Golesh (South Florida) and Lance Leipold (Kansas) form my next tier.”

Chris Doering’s latest thoughts on Florida

Now serving as an analyst with the SEC Network, Gatoes legend Chris Doering was asked at the Knoxville Quarterback Club on Monday if he believed Napier would still be the coach in October when the Gators came to Knoxville to play the Tennessee Volunteers.

Doering wasted no time in his response: “I don’t think so.” He went on to elaborate on how he perceives the players and fans are handling this current misery.

“Apathy is worse than anger, and I feel like there’s apathy starting to set in a little bit in Gainesville, and so you have to eliminate that,” Doering noted. “I’ve talked to some of the folks in higher-up positions, and they have to decide whether or not things are repairable. And it doesn’t seem like that.”