Florida parts ways with Billy Napier following victory

Florida Gators Part Ways with Head Coach Billy Napier

The recent convincing victory of the Florida Gators over the Texas Longhorns couldn’t save head coach Billy Napier from being let go. Reports indicate that Napier was dismissed following the team’s narrow 23-21 victory against Mississippi State on Sunday. The Gators had two turnovers during the game and faced seven penalties totaling 60 yards.

Clearly, the performance didn’t instill much confidence in athletic director Scott Stricklin, especially as fans voiced their discontent, booing Napier as he left the field.

Over his four seasons as head coach, Napier recorded a 22-23 overall record, which includes a disappointing 12-16 against SEC rivals. When it comes to ranked teams, his record stood at a mere 5 wins to 17 losses, with the agonizing detail of having zero wins and 14 losses on the road. He had been asked to give up his play-calling responsibilities but declined to do so.

When Napier was hired, he had successfully revitalized the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns program, leading them to at least 10 wins in three separate seasons, including a standout 12-1 in 2021. He took over the Gators in 2022 after Dan Mullen’s tenure came to an end. The team started with a 6-7 record in Napier’s first year and failed to exceed eight wins in subsequent seasons.

Florida kicked off its 2025 season with an impressive 55-0 win against Long Island. However, following that, they faced a close two-point loss to South Florida, along with significant defeats against LSU and Miami. While they managed a win against Texas, they lost to Texas A&M last week.