Florida Officially Announce Hiring of Head Coach Billy Napier
Now official is the much-awaited (well, over the previous week) news: The University of Florida announced on Sunday afternoon that head coach Billy Napier of Louisiana had struck an agreement to become the 28th head coach in the history of the Gators football program.
When Napier was hired, the specifics of the contract were not immediately disclosed.
In a statement, Napier said, “We are humbled and honored to accept this incredible opportunity to be the head football coach at the University of Florida.” “Every day, our team, employees, and entire business will strive to create a program that is honorable and refined, something we can all be proud of. Above all, we intend to establish a culture that revolves around having an influence on our players—as individuals, as learners, and on the field.
“We welcome the demands and look forward to the task that lies ahead. We will put together a unique team and start working on creating an amazing program right away. We especially thank Scott Stricklin, the athletic director, and President Dr. Fuchs. We can’t wait to arrive in Gainesville and begin our adventure!
Dan Mullen will be succeeded by Napier as the head of the Gators’ program. After Florida finished 2021 with a 5-6 record and three straight New Year’s Six Bowl participation, Mullen was fired on Sunday.
In a statement that followed, Stricklin said, “I’ve followed and studied Billy Napier’s career with interest, and he became the primary target immediately after this position came open.” “He was the only applicant I spoke with for the position because we were certain he would be a great leader for the Gators.
Billy’s vision for a strong, relationship-based culture and his ability to unite highly skilled individuals, including coaches, staff, and players, are what made him such a desirable addition. It’s simple to understand why he’s been successful when you take into account how meticulous his staffing, recruiting, and player development plans are, as well as his constant drive to do better.”
After leading the Ragin Cajuns to a 39-12 record and four straight Sun Belt West Division titles, Napier assumes the same position he had at Louisiana for the previous four years. After Louisiana’s 2019 season concluded with a 27-17 victory over the Miami Redhawks in the 2020 LendingTree Bowl, Napier was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year.
Being a product of both Nick Saban at Alabama and Dabo Swinney at Clemson, Napier comes from a successful coaching lineage and has been trained to comprehend the CEO mindset required to oversee a college football program. Gainesville is hoping that his experience will benefit the team, as Florida has recently won some significant games but has struggled with recruitment and fundamentals on the field.