Florida hires Louisiana’s Billy Napier as coach: Gators swipe one of most

Florida announced Sunday that Louisiana’s Billy Napier will be program’s next coach. Napier was the leading candidate for the position as Florida acted quickly to replace Dan Mullen, who was fired on Nov. 21 following a 24-23 overtime loss to Missouri.

“We are humbled and honored to accept this incredible opportunity to be the head football coach at the University of Florida,” Napier said. “Our team, staff and entire organization will work daily to establish a program with integrity and class that we all can be proud of. More importantly, we will build a culture that is centered around making an impact on our players; as people, as students, and on the field.”

Napier has established himself as one of the top up-and-coming stars of the coaching industry. He is in the midst of leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to their most successful stretch in program history. Louisiana has enjoyed three straight double-digit win seasons, including an 11-1 effort in 2021 that will culminate in a Sun Belt Championship Game appearance against Appalachian State. Napier’s first season at Louisiana marked the first year of the Sun Belt title game, and the Ragin’ Cajuns have qualified for all four championship opportunities.

As a branch from the coaching trees of both Nick Saban and Dabo Swinney, Napier has been mentioned among SEC coaching circles for several years, including last year when Auburn was in the market after firing Gus Malzahn. It’s been reported that Napier has been offered a handful of Power Five jobs over the last couple of offseasons, all of which he turned down as he patiently waited for the right opportunity.

“I’ve followed and studied Billy Napier’s career with interest, and he became the primary target immediately after this position came open,” athletic director Scott Stricklin said. “We felt confident he would be an excellent leader for the Gators, which is why he was the only candidate I met with about the job. Billy’s ability to bring highly-talented people together – players, coaches, and staff – along with his vision for having a strong, relationship-based culture is what made him such an attractive choice. Add in how detailed his plan is for player development, staffing and recruiting, along with a sustained desire to improve, and it’s easy to see why he’s been successful.”

Florida beat Florida State 24-21 in Week 13 to finish 6-6 and become bowl eligible. 

What are the biggest takeaways from Florida’s hire? Let’s have a look …

Napier fixes the glitch

Yes, it’s a line from “Office Space”, but it’s appropriate here when it comes to the Gators. Napier’s 39-12 record as a head coach speaks for itself, but his recruiting connections through his stints as an assistant at Alabama, Clemson and Florida State make him the perfect fit for Florida. One of the biggest criticisms of Mullen was that he hadn’t reeled in the players that were capable of competing with the top teams in the SEC. It’s all about depth in the nation’s toughest football conference, and Florida simply doesn’t have it after four of Mullen’s signing classes.

The current recruiting class is…