Florida to stick with embattled Napier as coach

Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior Citizen WriterNov 7, 2024, 11:28 AM ET

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• ACC reporter.
• Signed up with ESPN.com in 2010.
• Graduate of the University of Florida.Billy Napier will continue

to coach Florida, according to athletic director Scott Stricklin, who laid to rest widespread speculation about the embattled coach’s future with the Gators.In a letter Thursday, Stricklin worried the requirement for a “disciplined, steady technique”and asked Florida fans to”continue guaranteeing Billy and his devoted team while we collaborate to construct a champion program.” Napier, in his third season at Florida, is 15-18 with the Gators

. After a 41-17 season-opening loss to Miami, he faced increased analysis over his task performance– examination that mounted after a 33-20 loss to Texas A&M two weeks later.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Stricklin, nevertheless, has been unwavering in his assistance of Napier, who has

consistently stated

he needs time to

get the Gator program headed in the best direction.Back-to-back wins over Mississippi State and UCF assisted quell fan discontent, however performances in close losses to No. 7 Tennessee and No. 3 Georgia– Florida held leads in both games– showed progress.”As we’ve seen these past a number of weeks, the young men on this team represent what it indicates to be a Gator,” Stricklin wrote.”Their resolve, effort and execution are evident in their performance and development each week– building a structure that guarantees greater success next season and beyond. “Stricklin added that he is” confident that Billy will satisfy the challenges and opportunities ahead. “The Gators are 4-4 overall this season, consisting of 2-3 in SEC play. They visit No. 5 Texas on Saturday before closing their regular season home for LSU, home for Ole Miss and at competing Florida State.Much of the progress Stricklin mentions pertains to the method Florida’s freshmen and sophomores have played of late.After veteran quarterback Graham Mertz was lost for the season against Tennessee, freshman DJ Lagway took over as the full-time starter and has actually played well– leading a 48-20 triumph over Kentucky and providing the Gators the lead against Georgia up until he left the game with a hamstring injury.Lagway had been splitting time with Mertz, but his ability to make plays as a dual-threat quarterback has actually opened the possibilities for the Florida offense. Lagway is thought about questionable for Saturday’s game at Texas.Freshman running back Jadan Baugh has impressed, too, with 323 backyards and 5 touchdowns.Sources informed ESPN’s Pete Thamel that 70%of Florida’s name, image and similarity money is tied to freshmen and sophomores, and there is a sense that losing Napier would likewise mean losing Lagway, who picked the Gators to play for Napier.In an interview with ESPN previously this season, Lagway’s high school coach, Trent Miller, stated Napier”did a great task of getting DJ to commit early to help the process of structure that brand with recruits and everybody else around him.” The buyout for Napier alone would have been more than$26 million, which would have been the 2nd most significant in college football history, behind Texas A&M’s$

76 million for Jimbo Fisher last year.Sources showed the cost of transitioning from Napier and personnel and buying out an inbound coach was approximated internally at $40 million.There are other factors at play also. Interim president Kent Fuchs, who returned after Ben Sasse stepped down, worked with Napier and Stricklin and wishes to see them succeed.