The University of Florida has fired head coach Billy Napier, continuing the Gators' frustrating odyssey to return to national relevance.

Florida Athletic Director Scott Stricklin announced the decision:

"Today I met with Coach Napier and informed him that a change in leadership of our football program would best serve the interests of the University of Florida.

"On behalf of Gator Nation, I want to sincerely thank Billy and his family for their tireless commitment to the Florida Gators. Billy built a tremendous culture of accountability and growth among the young men he led each day. His organized and detailed approach had a meaningful impact across all levels of our program.

"As Coach Napier has often said, this is a results-driven business, and while his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field."

Receivers coach Billy Gonzales will become interim head coach. Offensive coordinator Russ Callaway will likely call offensive plays. The Gators next play Georgia on Nov. 1.

"Making this decision during the open date provides our team valuable time to regroup, refocus, and prepare for the challenges ahead," Stricklin said. "The timing also allows us to conduct a thoughtful, thorough, and well-informed search for our next head coach. We remain fully committed to utilizing every resource available to identify the right leader to guide Gators Football into the future."

A losing record in the SEC, college football’s most competitive conference, and the first overall losing record for a Florida coach in nearly 80 years ultimately cost Napier his job.

A history of slow starts and underwhelming performances — see USF 18, Florida 16, and LSU 20, Florida 10, and Texas A&M 34, Florida 17 — short-circuited his career in Gainesville.

The early-season losses quickly killed any preseason confidence and undermined the belief of Gators fans, who now have endured 14 years of infrequent ups and season-altering downs.

Napier, 46, is the fourth Florida football coach since 2011 — after Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, and Dan Mullen — who has been unable to approach the success of Steve Spurrier and Urban Meyer, winners of eight Southeastern Conference championships and three national titles.

The Gators have finished in the Top 10 three times in those 14 years — none under Napier — and have been absent from any conversations about national championship contenders.

Gator boosters reportedly reached a point of no return after the Oct. 11 loss at Texas A&M. According to USA Today, a "handful" of influential donors on Tuesday met with Stricklin on Tuesday and told him "continuing financial support depends on new direction within the football program."

Buying out the remainder of Napier’s 7-year contract will cost $21.2 million, USA Today previously reported. Half of that amount is to be paid within 30 days.

A list of possible successors to Napier includes current head coaches such as Lane Kiffin (Ole Miss), Lincoln Riley (USC), and Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame), as well as recently fired coaches such as James Franklin (Penn State).

Here are a few of the key moments from Napier’s three-plus seasons in Gainesville.

2023 Season Opener: Utah 24, Florida 11

With expectations running high, Napier’s second year with the Gators came undone on the season’s first play and went downhill from there.

Utah went 70 yards for a score on first down and never trailed.

Napier had emphasized fundamentals in preseason camp, but the Gators couldn’t get out of their own way:

- five deadball penalties;

- 11 points on four trips inside the red zone;

- 1-of-13 on third downs.

The most embarrassing error was the kind that causes fans to shake their heads and ask: How does that happen?

Utah, leading 7-3, prepared to punt on fourth down. But Florida was flagged for an “equipment infraction.” Two Gators were wearing the same uniform number.

Handed a gift first down, Utah would go on to score.

2024 Season Opener: Miami 41, Florida 17

The visiting Hurricanes, led by quarterback Cam Ward, beat up the Gators in their back yard.

For a Florida program looking to move on from consecutive losing seasons, this was a thoroughly awful first step. The Gators defense allowed 529 yards and committed roughing-the-passer penalties to extend two Miami drives that led to touchdowns.

“It’s embarrassing, to be quite honest with you,” Napier said. “That’s how I feel. That’s how our kids feel. We’ve got a decision to make. That’s what I just told them. There’s no excuses. Keep our mouths shut, show up and work. We have to do better.”

By mid-November, after losses to Georgia and Texas, the Gators were 4-5 and Napier’s job was in doubt.

But Then a Winning Streak

Talk about good timing. With their season on the brink, the Gators beat No. 22 LSU, No. 9 Ole Miss, and archrival Florida State on consecutive weekends and clinched Napier’s first winning season.

“One thing we’ve learned is you’ve got to earn it,” Napier said after beating the Seminoles. “You got to go take it. There’s no short cuts. There’s no guarantee of a return. You got to do all the work during the week and then, when the ball gets spotted, you have to go execute. … But it’s something we figured out: We could do it.”

A bowl-game rout of Tulane and the emergence of quarterback DJ Lagway had Napier and Florida looking forward to better days in 2025.

2025: Gators Self-Destruct Again

South Florida was no pushover — the Bulls thumped ranked Boise State in their season opener — but the Gators did everything possible to lose this game at home to a double-digit underdog.

Penalties negated Florida touchdowns. An ejection for spitting extended USF’s game-winning drive. Napier himself mismanaged his timeouts and allowed the Bulls to run out the clock.

Seven of the next nine games would be against Top 25 teams, including LSU, Miami, and Texas.

The Gators offense, with Napier directing 5-star quarterback DJ Lagway, self-destructed at LSU and lost 20-10. The Tigers blitzed Lagway all night, forcing him into five ugly interceptions. A penalty negated a Florida touchdown — the third time in two games.

In a 26-7 loss at Miami, Napier's offense turned in its worst game of the season: 61 yards passing, with only one completion longer than eight yards; and seven first downs.

In a 34-17 defeat at No. 5 Texas A&M — Florida's third loss in four consecutive games against Top 10 teams — Napier the offensive coordinator seemingly ran out of ideas after the Gators scored touchdowns on two of their first three possessions.

After a fourth letdown in six games, university boosters ran out of patience with Napier.

In a regularly scheduled meeting with media on Oct. 15, Napier talked about the noise that predicted he would lose his job: "My mom used to sit in the bleachers with the fans. She called me one day and  said, 'If you play like that, you can just get used to them talking bad about you.' It was part of the game. I think we all understand it."

Napier by the Numbers

RECORDS

• Overall W-L: 22-23 (the first non-interim UF coach with a losing record since Raymond Wolf, 1946-49)
• SEC: 12-16
• Bowl games: 1-1
• vs. Georgia: 0-3
• vs. FSU: 1-2
• vs. Miami: 0-2

Seasonal W-L (conference and overall)

• 2022: 6-7, 3-5 SEC
• 2023: 5-7, 3-5 SEC
• 2024: 8-5, 4-4 SEC
• 2025: 3-4, 2-2 SEC

Offensive and defensive rankings in SEC

• 2022: offense 7th; defense 10th
• 2023: offense 13th; defense 11th
• 2024: offense 12th; defense 15th

Recruiting classes

2022: 32nd

2023: 12th

2024: 10th

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NAPIER'S BIG BUYOUT: Napier's buyout is just over $21 million, according to the USA Today database of college football coaching contracts. Half of that contract must be paid within 30 days of termination, with the rest being paid out in annual installments now through 2029. CLICK HERE

AD STRICKLIN'S STATEMENT: "As Coach Napier has often said, this is a results-driven business, and while his influence was positive, it ultimately did not translate into the level of success we expect on the field." CLICK HERE

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