In his third season at Gainesville, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier is facing a challenging 2024.
At SEC Media Days on Wednesday, questions about his tenure at Florida were inevitable. Since Napier’s arrival in 2022, he has a record of 11-14, with the team regressing to 5-7 last season, missing a bowl game for the first time since 2017.
The pressure is building for the former Louisiana head coach. When asked about his job status, Napier said, “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,” according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
Napier is coaching in an era that demands instant results, a demand that is somewhat achievable due to the transfer portal. Teams like Florida State, Ole Miss, and Colorado have quickly turned around their rosters using the portal, but Florida has yet to see similar success under Napier.
Napier and his staff have secured the No. 17, 12, and 7 ranked recruiting classes, and the No. 20, 16, and 5 transfer classes. While this shows an upward trend, the results have yet to materialize.
Adding to the challenge, Napier must demonstrate improvement during a season of significant changes in the SEC. The conference is expanding to 16 teams, leading to the toughest schedule in college football, according to the College Football Network.
The Gators are likely to face eight preseason top 25 teams, including Miami, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Georgia, Texas, LSU, Ole Miss, and Florida State.
According to 247Sports’ Brad Crawford, few believe Florida would part ways with Napier. His buyout is 85 percent of the salary owed for each remaining season, amounting to $25 million after the 2024 season. Additionally, Florida is still paying their previous head coach, Dan Mullen.