BREAKING: Florida Gators Whack Head Football Coach Billy Napier, Buyout Totals $21.7 Million

Napier posted a 22–23 record with the Gators

GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – The University of Florida has dismissed head football coach Billy Napier, according to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The move ends a turbulent three-year run in Gainesville marked by uneven play, offensive inconsistency, and a lack of marquee wins.

Napier’s buyout totals roughly $21.7 million, with half of that amount owed within 30 days of termination. His contract contains no offset clause, meaning the full sum will be paid even if he accepts another coaching position elsewhere.

The decision closes Napier’s tenure with a 22–23 record and continues a troubling trend for the Gators: he becomes the fourth consecutive head coach to fail to reach a fourth season. Florida went just 5–17 against ranked opponents and 3–10 combined versus primary rivals Georgia, Florida State, Tennessee, and LSU. Away from the Swamp, the Gators were 5–16 and never recorded a ranked win.

Critics often pointed to Napier’s insistence on calling offensive plays himself instead of delegating to a coordinator. The Gators’ offensive production rarely matched the talent level, ranking no better than 38th nationally during his stint and plummeting to 124th this season with just 15.6 points per game.

Napier, who came to Florida in 2022 after a 40–12 run at Louisiana, began his tenure with promise — highlighted by a dramatic upset of then–No. 7 Utah in his debut. But that momentum quickly faded. The Gators finished 6–7 that season and followed with another losing campaign as inconsistency became the program’s defining trait.

Following quarterback Anthony Richardson’s move to the NFL, Napier turned to Wisconsin transfer Graham Mertz, who led Florida to early wins over Tennessee and South Carolina before the team collapsed down the stretch. A five-game skid ended the 2023 season at 5–7, capped by a crushing home loss to Florida State.

Napier entered 2024 with heightened expectations and a roster more fully built with his recruits, including blue-chip quarterback DJ Lagway. When Mertz suffered a concussion early in the year, Lagway flashed star potential in limited action. Yet Napier stuck with the veteran once healthy — a choice that fueled fan frustration as the Gators sputtered to another midseason slump.

Despite a four-game win streak to finish 8–5 the prior year, this season’s campaign began with a stunning home loss to Miami and a road defeat to LSU, where Lagway threw five interceptions. Napier faced increasing pressure and questions about his future after the team opened 1–3.

He temporarily quieted critics with a 29–21 upset of No. 9 Texas, but the momentum quickly evaporated with another road loss, this time at Texas A&M. By then, his record against ranked teams away from Gainesville had dropped to 0–14.

Even as speculation swirled, Napier remained composed in his weekly press conferences, insisting he was focused on fixing the program. “We live in a production world,” he said. “You’ve got to produce — and I have no issue with that.”

Florida edged Mississippi State 23–21 in what proved to be Napier’s final game, but the home crowd’s “Fire Billy” chants underscored the inevitable. Afterward, an emotional Napier acknowledged the strain but reaffirmed his love for the sport: “You get these leadership positions — these are the things that come with it. I love the game of football. I love the game.”

Florida enters its bye week before facing Georgia on Nov. 1 in Jacksonville. Athletic Director Scott Stricklin will now begin the program’s second head coaching search in four years as the Gators look to regain national relevance.

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