With last year’s 5-7 finish, the Florida Gators football program has failed to eclipse six wins in three straight seasons. In 2021, after a disastrous 5-6 season, the Florida Gators parted ways with head coach Dan Mullen, opening the door for Louisiana Lafayette standout bench boss Billy Napier to take over. Unlike his predecessors (Mullen, Jim McElwain, Will Muschamp, Urban Meyer, and Ron Zook, among others), Napier struggled in his first two seasons with the SEC program. Napier and Florida have been 11-14 since his arrival, and now he heads into the 2024 campaign, facing arguably the most demanding schedule in the nation.
However, Napier seems unfazed about the road ahead. During SEC Media Days on Wednesday, Napier spoke to the press, including fielding questions about his job status.
Florida Gators Football HC Billy Napier: Talks Job Security with SEC Club
The past two seasons have challenged Florida Gators football and its fans. The three-time national championship-winning program has had a losing record since 2022, their first under head coach Billy Napier. The potential path becomes more challenging with Texas and Oklahoma added to the SEC. However, Napier believes that despite the struggles of the past two seasons, he, his staff, and the program are right where they need to be.
Florida coach Billy Napier on his job status: “Change doesn’t happen overnight. Timing is everything. When we took the job, what we inherited, the work that needed to be done… we’re on schedule.” pic.twitter.com/HdWhdSIObY
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 17, 2024
“Change doesn’t happen overnight. Timing is everything. When we took the job, what we inherited, the work that needed to be done… we’re on schedule,” said Napier during SEC Media Days on Wednesday. Napier took over in 2021 after Florida posted a 6-7 record and fresh off housing the 12th-ranked recruiting class, per 247Sports. Although remaining competitive regarding recruiting, Florida has failed to creep into the top ten recruiting classes in the past three years. Additionally, Napier has a .440 win percentage in 25 games with the Gators, the worst mark since Raymond Wolf in the late 1940s.
Florida Gators Football: Eyeing Toughest Schedule in the Nation
Most notably, Florida faces a brutal November, starting with a road game in Athens against Georgia. They will battle the Texas Longhorns in Austin before returning home and taking on the LSU Tigers. They wrap up the month with a home tilt against Ole Miss before facing off against their in-state rival, Florida State, in Tallahassee.
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