Napier booed as UF is up to Aggies: ‘No excuse’
Sep 14, 2024, 08:37 PM ET
GAINESVILLE, Fla.– Backup quarterback Marcel Reed represented 3 touchdowns in his very first college start and Texas A&M controlled Florida 33-20 on Saturday in what might have been coach Billy Napier’s last game with the Gators.Reed, filling in for hurt starter Conner Weigman, threw 2 touchdown passes and ran for a rating as the Aggies won a roadway game for the first time in almost three years. Texas A&M(2-1, 1-0 Southeastern Conference)had actually dropped 10 straight on the road. “He was lights out,”first-year A&M coach
Mike Elko said.” He was calm. He was confident. He made throws.” This one will decrease as a signature win for first-year coach Mike Elko and could end up being Napier’s swan song with the Gators (1-2, 0-1). Florida looked inept on both sides of the ball and overmatched for the 2nd time this season in the Swamp. The very first one, against Miami, showed up the heat on Napier. The latest one might lead to Napier getting the boot.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated “Eventually, eventually, it ends up being about production,”Napier said.Napier fell to 12-16 at Florida
, including 12
losses in his previous 15 games against power conference challengers.
This was his seventh consecutive setback in those games, consisting of four at home.Napier is now 10-6 at Florida Field, providing him more losses in the Swamp in two-plus seasons than Steve Spurrier (68-5) and Urban Meyer( 35-5)had
in their highly effective stints in Gainesville.If Florida does fire Napier, Napier’s buyout would be roughly$26 million. Sources informed ESPN’s Chris Low that high-ranking boosters have actually gathered the money to money the buyout.
Florida paid Mullen$12 million when he was fired.Napier’s 28-game tenure would be the quickest in 100 years for the program; James Alward Van Fleet coached 19 games over the 1923-24 seasons, went 12-3-4 and then left to continue his military service and ultimately became
an Army general.The low point for Napier might have come at halftime Saturday. As the groups were leaving the field, Napier was revealed on cinemas for a pre-taped, public service announcement to avoid drinking and driving. Napier was hugely booed throughout it.
He was booed once again as he faced the locker space after a TV interview.”I have no reason,”Napier said.”I have no unfavorable comment about that. Eventually, [when] we play a particular method this arena, you’re going to get criticized. This is one of those locations where there’s history and tradition and expectations. …”When you play awful ball and it doesn’t quite appear like we all desire it to, then, hi, it features the territory. I probably would have done the exact same thing. “Florida revealed some life to start the 3rd quarter. Tracking 20-0, Graham Mertz gotten in touch with Elijhah Badger for a 14-yard rating. However Reed responded to two plays later on, striking Cyrus Allen on a wheel route for 73 yards.”I wouldn’t state I expected it, however things take place and I have to be prepared,”
Reed stated.”I prepared like I was going to begin today and I got the green light and did what I needed to do. “On the occurring possession, Bryce Anderson obstructed Mertz’s tipped pass and returned it 45 backyards for a 33-7 lead. Anderson shushed the crowd as he neared the objective line. The Florida faithful had actually long begun to empty the Swamp. “You just got to keep going, keep trusting us and staying together,”Florida cornerback Devin Moore said.
“It’s not always going to be bright, bright days. You have to ride out the rainstorms. “The Associated Press contributed to this report.