GAINESVILLE — Florida’s embattled coach Billy Napier arrived to work Monday still fighting for his job a day after Penn State fired James Franklin.
Napier’s Gators have lost three of four games, the latest a 34-17 decision at Texas A&M to leave the Gators 2-4. Three straight defeats left Penn State 3-3 just seven games since Franklin’s team reached the CFP semifinals.
The sudden move at Penn State reverberated among a frustrated Florida fan base wondering why Napier is still around despite a 21-23 record, including an 0-14 mark against ranked teams away from Gainesville.
But the Gators have lost to three Top 5 teams, and had their chances in each game. Meanwhile, Franklin’s teams fell at 0-4 UCLA with an interim head coach and new offensive coordinator, followed by a 22-21 home loss to a Northwestern team averaging 11.2 points in three losses to FBS opponents.
Barring a remarkable turnaround, Napier’s days at UF are numbered. To avoid Franklin’s fate before November, the Gators (2-4, 1-2 SEC) cannot afford a letdown as 10-point favorites against rebuilding Mississippi State (4-2, 0-2) on Saturday during homecoming in the Swamp.
“It’s what we sign up for,” Napier said. “They compensate us well. These are challenging jobs in today’s climate in particular. We’re all men. We’re all competitors. We understand we live in a production world and you got to produce. There’s no running from that.
“They used to not pay us as well as they do now. But the amount of revenue that’s generated in our game, the compensation, (the criticism) is fair. I have no issue with that.”
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway, right, talks with head coach Billy Napier, left, during a timeout of the Gators’ 34-17 loss at No. Texas A&M Saturday in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Franklin will receive a $49 million buyout. If UF decides to part ways, Napier would be due around $20 million, or 85% the remaining salary on his seven-year, $51.8 million deal.
The price tag reflects a marketplace without fiscal restraint in a sport where big-time programs expect the investment to produce championships.
Penn State’s last Big Ten title was in 2016 during Franklin’s third season, but Florida last won the SEC in 2008.
After 2024 ended with a four-game winning streak, Napier had seemingly positioned the Gators to contend in the nation’s top football conference and potentially earn a CFB berth. Instead, UF is on pace for a third losing season during Napier’s fourth at the school.
Issues continue with game management, predictable play calling and questionable decision making, highlighted last Saturday by UF’s failed attempt to convert a fourth-and-six from the Texas A&M 49 while trailing 24-17 early in the fourth quarter.
“It’s a coaching decision within the game,” Napier reiterated Monday. “You can view it both ways. The analytics were very aggressive at that point, given the number of possessions that you could potentially have — probably looking at three possessions. We’re a play away from being in scoring position.
“We’ve made those decisions in the past and they’ve paid off. Sometimes they don’t. Ultimately, it comes down to the execution.”
Napier’s tenuous future at UF ultimately will be decided by the standard set at a program with three national championships unable to recapture past glory under the 46-year-old’s watch.
“If you’re at a place that doesn’t have high expectations, then how much fun is that?” he said. “The challenge of playing against the best is why you do it as a competitor. To see if you can do it. There’s a leadership challenge. There’s a competitive challenge. There’s a strategy challenge.
“We’re at the top of the food chain here. We play against the very best every week. So Penn State’s no different than that.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com.
