Florida Gators' Billy Napier Addresses Future with Program

With outside noise calling for his removal, Billy Napier addressed his future at his Monday press conference.

Sep 14, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators athletic director Scott Stricklin (left) and head coach Billy Napier talk before a game against the Texas A&M Aggies at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images / Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

GAINESVILLE, Fla.-- Amid outside noise, calls for his removal, poor on-field performances and athletic director Scott Stricklin in attendance, Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier addressed his job security and the direction of the program at his weekly Monday press conference.

In short, Napier kept most of his responses brief and to the point.

When asked about if he had any discussions regarding his future at UF, Napier gave a simple, two-word answer.

"No. None," he told reporters.

When asked about if he believed there was a path to having a fourth season, Napier gave another short response.

"Yeah, 100%," he told reporters.

Amid this outside pressure, Napier explained his program does not have any internal issues as far as the current players on the roster.

"We haven't had that problem. I'm not saying we wouldn't have that problem going forward, but I
would tell you, we haven't had that issue," he said.

That sentiment, at least publicly, was shared by the veterans who spoke to the media on Saturday and Monday.

"He has my absolute full trust," said quarterback Graham Mertz following Saturday's loss to Texas A&M. "I know as an outsider, you're not in the building every day. You don't see what we do every day. But as somebody that's been in there for a year and -- almost two years, there's nobody I'd rather play for."

On Monday, other players echoed Mertz's sentiment after Napier left the podium.

"I have 100% confidence in Coach Napier and this whole entire staff," said offensive lineman Austin Barber. "You know, I've said it before that I still have the confidence in him, and I think it's going forward we look at Mississippi State."

Barber was asked a total of 12 questions on Monday. In his 12 responses, he said he either had confidence or trust in the program, staff or players 10 individual times.

"I have trust in all the guys in the building that we have, and the leaders on this team. We'll stay together and be together through everything, thick and thin," Barber said. "Coming into today in the lift groups and seeing guys work after what happened and keep going, that gives me confidence that we're all going to be together."

These responses come mere days after conflicting reports of UF calling and holding a board of trustees meeting and an ESPN report indicating Florida's boosters had pulled together the $26 million needed for Napier's buyout after the team's 33-20 loss to Texas A&M.

"It's never going to go away. It's going to be they love you if you win and hate you if you lose, right? Doesn't matter if we were at Buchholz High School right down the road," Napier said of the outside noise. "So, look, we have to have some type of internal standard and objectiveness to what we do. It has to be just as frustrating, if not more, I would say. I have personal objectives. I have expectations."

In 28 games, Napier has amassed a 12-16 overall record, 6-11 SEC record, 7-15 record Power-4 record and 2-11 record against ranked teams. On Monday, Napier aired his frustration of the execution of his and his team's performance rather than pointing the blame to a culture issue.

"I think we've done a ton of work. We have a lot invested. We've seen progress in certain areas. We got to get some of these things figured out. There are parts of our team where what we did this off-season I think was successful," he said. "The strength and conditioning program, nutrition, special teams is a positive trend. We added some good young players, portal players. The detail and the execution of football, that's where that punches me in the gut a little bit, and that's separate. That's separate."

Napier and his team will look to show that belief and earn its first Power-4 victory since Oct. 14, 2023 when they travel to Starkville, Mississippi to face Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for noon ET with television coverage on ESPN.