Billy Napier, Florida Gators Simulating Game Prep Prior to Week 1

The Florida Gators are getting a head start on their preparation for their season-opener against the Utah Utes.

Photo: Billy Napier and the Florida Gators; Credit: Alex Shepherd

The Florida Gators turned the page on Wednesday, transitioning from fall camp to initial preparation for their Sept. 3 season-opener against the No. 7 Utah Utes in The Swamp, the first matchup of the Billy Napier era at UF.

The game-week schedule won't take true effect until Monday, but in order to ensure all 140 varying staff members and 116 players of scholarship and walk-on status on the same page, Napier and his staff are simulating their game prep calendar in their staff and team meetings, as well as practice, between this Wednesday (what is being considered Monday) and Saturday (Thursday). 

This will be how Napier's Florida teams approach Week 1 annually considering the staff and roster turnover that comes with college football, but the first run is of critical importance — it's the first time this staff in its entirety, paired with this Gators roster, have mocked their game-week schedule.

“We’re going to try to recreate some of the workflow for each individual day, if that makes sense," Napier said on Wednesday. "We're just trying to, those nuts and bolts, days, relative to a game week. We want to have a little bit of a trial run for all the new people in the building, which, obviously with this group of players and the staff, this is the first time. 

"But even going forward, much like we’ve discussed in the past, 25 or 30% of the building is new every year, so we'll always do this before the opener.”

In line with the disciplined approach to football that Napier has ingrained at Florida since his hiring, players will be expected to follow the game-prep schedule without hiccups.

Considering the Gators' need to continue identifying playable depth pieces, which Napier reiterated on Wednesday, getting a trial run could prove beneficial for members of the roster who are fighting for playing time. On and off-field performance will be assessed while the staff determines the depth chart.

"We’ve got a core group of veterans, then I think there’s a lot of players on our team what percentages of the snaps they play relative to their position is going to be based on their performance," Napier explained. "Meetings, walk-through, practice, self-discipline off the field, all these things contribute to those decisions. I think you’ll probably see quite a bit of that this season. This week will be no different.

"There's a number of young players that I think their role will grow as we will continue to see, but you know, we've developed some of the players on our team that have minimal experience, and I think they’re ready for the show now. Now, how are they going to prepare, you know, the week of the game or 10 days out from the game?"

Napier isn't allowing the additional prep and the size of his coaching staff to boost his confidence prior to his first game at UF, however, at least not quite yet. 

"I’ve felt a lot better about being prepared for openers," Napier admitted, asked if he's ever felt this good about a season-opener in his career considering the resources currently available to him. "Heck, we were at the same place for four years and we got pretty good at it. This is a new place with a new staff and a new group of people, so I don't necessarily know that that that's very answerable. 

"I'll tell you after the game's over. We can agree to that.”

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