It's Not A Matter Of If, It's When Does Florida Decide To Move On From Billy Napier And Call Jimmy Sexton

There was hope from Florida fans before the game that the Gators could turn a corner under head coach Billy Napier against Texas A&M on Saturday. By the time halftime came around, it was clear that this team was obviously not headed in the right direction and the decision to make a change should be on the minds of Florida administrators. 

Texas A&M walked into the ‘Swamp’ with backup quarterback Marcel Reed being tasked to lead the Aggies after it was clear this week that Connor Weigman would not be able to play due to an injury. So the stage was set for the Gators to grab a big win behind quarterbacks Graham Mertz and DJ Lagway. 

Didn't happen. A 33-20 victory was the first road win since 2021 for Texas A&M, which had lost 10 straight games away from home. 

After Mertz sustained a concussion two weeks ago, Lagway turned a few heads with his performance against an undermanned Samford team last week. There was hope that this could be a turning point for Florida, with a daunting schedule ahead, and the fact that Texas A&M would be playing with a backup quarterback. 

Turns out, there was nothing the Florida defense could do to stop the Aggies rushing attack on Saturday, giving up more than 200 yards on the ground through three quarters. Simply put, this Florida team looked like a squad that was searching for answers at the wrong time, and the scoreboard showed it. Trailing 33-7 until DJ Lagway threw a touchdown pass late in the third quarter, fans had already made their way towards the parking lot, which should be a sign of things to come. 

The box-score looked disgusting with eight minutes remaining in the game, with Texas A&M out-gaining Florida, 446-217. 

Following another embarrassing loss at home, Billy Napier was asked if he thought he was the right guy to lead the Florida program into the future. The answer from the Gators head coach was what you'd expect, but has not sat well with boosters and fans of the program. 

There has only been one game in the past eight contests that Florida has held a power-4 opponent to under 30 points in a game. Call it whatever you like, but that is an atrocious stat for a Gators team that is seemingly hanging on for dear life for the remainder of this season. 

There's the problem. Florida fans shouldn't have to ‘hope’ that they can stay competitive in games, which is, unfortunately, where this program is at now. And the blame cannot be dispersed anywhere else besides the office of head coach Billy Napier. We have reached a point in his tenure where apathy is starting to set in for fans of the program, and that is usually the death-nail for an athletic department. 

How do the Gators expect to sell the future when fans are paying to see these types of performances? You can't, as we've seen with other programs recently. I have been preaching over the past month that Florida had to win games against the Aggies and Mississippi State next week, with UCF coming to town in the first week of October. 

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Head coach Billy Napier of the Florida Gators looks on before the start of a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 14, 2024. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

It's Time For the Dysfunctional Florida Athletic Department To Make Moves

But now? It's time for the athletic department to start making calls about who would be interested in leading the Gators into the future. Now that the NCAA recruiting calendar has changed, with the transfer portal moving up and high school recruiting becoming such a high priority in the first week of December, the move needs to be made. 

But one thing that Florida fans should prepare to see is the athletic department staff members that have been involved in previous hires will not be as involved in a potential new hire, if the university goes that route. Based off previous hires, this part will be taken out of the hands of the so called ‘old guard’ who have put them in this mess. 

Simply put, this would be a decision made by the money men. You cannot allow Scott Stricklin to make the next hire, and he wouldn't. This aspect would most certainly be taken out of his hands, along with anyone tied to previous decisions. If Florida decided it was time to move on, then those in the athletic department need to be prepared to be on the outside looking in, and be satisfied with keeping their jobs. 

Florida cannot wait until November, in hopes that Napier will somehow turn this ship around. Have you seen the back-half of the Gators schedule? It only gets harder from here. And if Texas A&M can stroll into town and beat Florida with ease, playing with a backup quarterback, imagine what other teams are going to do to this Gators defense. 

It's not getting any easier, and the results won't get any better based off what we saw tonight against the Aggies. 

If Florida Decides To Move On, Fans Better Prepare For Chaotic Times

There are college football programs that wait too long for a decision to be made, and they paid for it when it came to coaches that were available. I'm not implying that there will be a coach that leaves his current team right now to take over the Gators, but Florida can start the process of speaking with agent Jimmy Sexton on who the next head coach COULD be. 

But Florida fans should be prepared for what's to come if the administration decides it's time to move on from Napier, and pay half his buyout within a short time, which would be around $13 million. 

You are not going to be able to hire a new coach anytime soon. Recruits will run to other schools, and the calendar doesn't help the situation. Now that the playoffs have expanded to twelve teams, Florida could be waiting until early January for a coach to accept the job. And let's be honest, even if the Gators have backdoor conversations with a potential coach, and that person says they intend on taking the job once the season is over. Do you really think that secret can be held for the next three or four months? 

No. That should be your answer. So, those hoping to have a coach in-place for the transfer portal period or signing day are going to have a very tough time dealing with the plethora of standstill days. What you’re doing by making the move is essentially punting on next season, knowing that it will be difficult to hammer down players to come, when you technically will not have a coach in-place until that coach is eliminated from the playoff. 

Or maybe they go after a coach and get lucky with him not making the playoff, which is the only hope you have of putting together a team for the 2025 season. I think you see where I'm going with this, and talking with multiple sources on Saturday night, folks at Florida who will be part of the decision making process are well-aware of this stipulation to a coaching search in 2024. 

GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Marcel Reed of the Texas A&M Aggies looks to pass during the first half of a game against the Florida Gators at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on September 14, 2024. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

And for that reason alone, there's no reason to have Billy Napier sticking around the building, knowing in the back of his mind that he's on the chopping block weekly. 

We've seen enough from this coaching staff. We know what to expect and how this defense looks. Sure, Napier could play DJ Lagway for the rest of the season, trying to incite hope into the veins of Florida fans, but the jig is up. You can't fool the Gator faithful, and by acting like everything is fine, you are making them look like fools for thinking something will change. 

It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when Florida decides to make a move. Just because you may win a game against Mississippi State next weekend, it doesn't mean the program is in the right hands. 

If we see this type of performance from Florida over the next few weeks, I don’t know how you trot Billy Napier out of the tunnel in Knoxville to play a Tennessee team that will run circles around this Gators defense.