Bye Week Provides Florida Gators, Billy Napier Much-Needed Break

The seat had grown scorchingly hot under Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier. A bye week after a win has helped provide some respite.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier needed a bye week almost as much as his team. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

While the Florida Gators players needed the break before the UCF game, Billy Napier needed it just a bit more. The beleaguered coach is currently sitting on a chair made from McDonald's Apple Pie filling and charcoal.

Granted, while may expect Napier to not see another season in Gainesville, he appears fully focused on this season. After the Mississippi State win, the Gators' head coach discussed the framework of  the team and his thoughts. 

Not Changing

From his victory press, you could sense a small sigh of relief from Napier. He looked like a man that ran a marathon going uphill, in the rain for weeks. He detailed what the win means for him. 

"Yeah, it's good to win on the road in this league," said Napier. "It's always tough. And this can be a challenging place to play. Look, we have more work to do. Okay, we won today, but we are very much a work in progress. And this group can get so much better. I mean, we got so many individual players, position groups and units on our team, that we're not even close to being who we can be - and they know that.

"That's what I told them in the locker room. I think we saw flashes of it today, but we have to become a more consistent team, and I think that's going to be the emphasis here in the open date. And look, I just want to see a little more scrap, a little more fight, in particular on defense in some of these situations that we had today."

The defense gave up 480 yards to Mississippi State and remains a big problem for Napier and the Gators.

Reset?

Without a game for a couple of weeks, Napier and his staff can focus on details that they could not wholeheartedly fix between games. The key remains how the team responds to the layoff and what energy they bring to the field. 

"Well, I think ultimately, we're gonna take a day and get them out of the building tomorrow," said Napier. "We have to develop practice plans that reflect the areas where we need to improve, and that'll be the challenge on all three parts of our team. "

The Mistake

From all accounts, Billy Napier seems like a decent human being. That fact fades when people discuss the losing. No realistic Florida fan with functioning senses wants the team to lose. Additionally, no donor with money longer than the Skyway Bridge wants the team to lose. In all honesty, the team struggles mightily to regain any semblance of previous glory. Is that Napier's fault? 

Of course, the head coach shoulders the blame when losing. However, it's not for a lack of trying. Whether the school and Napier part ways after the season or not, he tried his level best to improve. In college football, you don't get the first pick in the draft for losing. Bluntly put, Billy Napier has 8 games to show his current and probably next employer something.

With that said, expect a little more out of the Gators when they suit up next week against UCF.