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Editor’s Note: UF athletic director, interim head football coach to hold news conference at noon on Monday. Watch live in the player above. Original story: Billy Napier preached patience when he was hired in Gainesville. Less than four full seasons later, with a record of 22-23, he’s out of a job. Napier managed just one winning season in four tries at Florida, an 8-5 campaign in 2024. After a 3-4 start to 2025, he has been shown the door.Napier’s tenure marks the worst stretch of football at Florida since the 1940s.Florida is off this week before the Gators head to Jacksonville to meet Georgia in a rivalry showdown on Nov. 1. It will be the fifth top-10 foe they’ve faced this season. UF said Billy Gonzalez, longtime Florida offensive coach, will serve as the interim head coach.UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said in a statement, “As Coach Napier has often said, this is a results-driven business, and while his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field.”Despite the team’s lack of success on the field, the players still have nothing but respect for their former head coach.”I’m extremely grateful for Coach Napier and everything he’s done for me and my family,” said sophomore quarterback D.J. Lagway. “I’m thankful, you know, to be able to play for him.”Since Steve Spurrier’s legendary run in the 1990s, only Urban Meyer has made it through four full seasons as Florida’s head football coach. Meyer retired after six seasons at Florida, citing health issues. UF will have to pay Napier roughly $21 million for his buyout agreement with half of the amount due in the next 30 days. “Never going to make everybody happy,” Napier said. “You get these leadership positions and you’re in charge, these are the things that come with it.”
Editor’s Note: UF athletic director, interim head football coach to hold news conference at noon on Monday. Watch live in the player above.
Original story:
Billy Napier preached patience when he was hired in Gainesville. Less than four full seasons later, with a record of 22-23, he’s out of a job.
Napier managed just one winning season in four tries at Florida, an 8-5 campaign in 2024. After a 3-4 start to 2025, he has been shown the door.
Napier’s tenure marks the worst stretch of football at Florida since the 1940s.
Florida is off this week before the Gators head to Jacksonville to meet Georgia in a rivalry showdown on Nov. 1. It will be the fifth top-10 foe they’ve faced this season.
UF said Billy Gonzalez, longtime Florida offensive coach, will serve as the interim head coach.
UF Athletic Director Scott Stricklin said in a statement, “As Coach Napier has often said, this is a results-driven business, and while his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field.”
Despite the team’s lack of success on the field, the players still have nothing but respect for their former head coach.
“I’m extremely grateful for Coach Napier and everything he’s done for me and my family,” said sophomore quarterback D.J. Lagway. “I’m thankful, you know, to be able to play for him.”
Since Steve Spurrier’s legendary run in the 1990s, only Urban Meyer has made it through four full seasons as Florida’s head football coach. Meyer retired after six seasons at Florida, citing health issues.
UF will have to pay Napier roughly $21 million for his buyout agreement with half of the amount due in the next 30 days.
“Never going to make everybody happy,” Napier said. “You get these leadership positions and you’re in charge, these are the things that come with it.”
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