The tenure of Billy Napier at the University of Florida has not quite gone to plan so far.
Through two seasons with the Gators, Napier has an 11-14 overall record. That includes a 6-7 year in his debut, which ended with a bowl game appearance. Last season they went just 5-7, missing out on the postseason altogether.
It is a far cry from the 40-12 mark he put together as the head coach for the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns. In those four seasons, he never won fewer than seven games and won double-digit contests in three of the four.
The pressures of the Southeastern Conference and the expectations of the Florida Gators are a different challenge, and some have argued that Napier has not adjusted quickly enough. Despite all this, he recognizes the history associated with the institution he works for.
“There’s significant history. You think about all the Gators that came before
us, the championship culture of our athletic department,” Napier mentioned in his opening address on Wednesday inside the Omni Dallas Hotel for SEC Football Media Days 2024.
Whether it is his reluctance to fully utilize the transfer portal like some others, or his player usage decisions, Napier has faced plenty of criticism during his first couple seasons.
When asked about those struggles and the inability to finish close games, Napier reminded folks that this year’s team is a new group.
“I think a little bit of that is, look, we’ve got a different team. I think we have 35 new players. Every team in our league, about 25 to 30 percent of their
roster is new. So I think some of these teams that we play aren’t the same teams that they had last year, and we certainly are not the same team that we had last year.”
Despite the setbacks, it appears Napier is set in his principles when it comes to coaching. He still wants to build a strong foundation, and he still wants his players to believe in the values of the program.
“I think ultimately, again, it goes back to what I mentioned earlier, as cliche as it sounds, it’s literally one week at a time, learning how to have the self-discipline to prepare, the same level of focus, same detail, same urgency, and get into position to where you can execute and do your job for the team, and I’ve got confidence in our team because I’ve been observing the work.”
Time will tell if the Gators find better results in 2024-25. One thing is for certain though. If they do, it will be a culmination of Billy Napier’s belief in his system.
ESPN Southwest Louisiana’s SEC Media Days coverage is presented by Beal & Hebert.