Napier Challenging Florida to Sustain Momentum, Consistency vs. Charlotte
For the second straight week, the Florida Gators will perform in front of a sold-out crowd in the Swamp as they take on the Charlotte 49ers, the program announced on Thursday.
The sell-out, marking the sixth of Billy Napier's tenure in Gainesville, comes on the heels of Florida's inspired 29-16 win in the Southeastern Conference opener against Tennessee.
Napier praised the Florida fanbase for its presence and impact in the Gators' upset victory over the Volunteers while acknowledging the importance of sustaining momentum and consistency from the players and coaches moving forward to maintain the lively atmosphere in the future.
"This is a really unique experience in the Swamp Saturday night relative to our fans," Napier said on Monday. "They put on a show for the entire country to see. They impacted our team, brought a lot of energy to our players, created momentum in the game and certainly made it very difficult for Tennessee. Caused procedure penalties. Ultimately, they were a part of the plan and did their part. Can't compliment them enough.
"When you get texts from people that have been around here for a long time, they tell you that's the best it's been in 15 years, I think you're probably doing something right. So our fan base was incredible."
Since arriving on the scene at the University of Florida in December 2021, Napier has urged Florida fans to re-create the raucous gameday environments synonymous with the team during its peak performance in the mid-to-late-2000s.
His message has certainly hit home, as the Gators have played in front of 90,000-plus fans five times during his stint, and will likely do so again on Saturday.
Despite the upcoming contest being against a non-Power Five opponent, Florida's Week 3 win injected much-needed optimism into the Gators fanbase to reconcile a sloppy season-opening loss to the Utah Utes.
According to Napier, the outing versus the Vols was a glimpse into what the Gators can achieve in a singular performance. He looks to compound the victory with more in the ensuing contests, starting with the bout against Charlotte.
"That's what the University of Florida football can be. We need to do that more consistently ... Our consistency is going to be key."
Harping on the danger of complacency each time he's addressed the media since Florida's victory over Tennessee, Napier spoke candidly about the inability of last year's squad to capitalize off positive momentum.
He's stressed the importance of maintaining the notable appetency that led the squad to the most prominent victory under his tutelage thus far, beginning with his postgame locker room speech to the team following the win over the Volunteers and continuing on Wednesday.
"There's a mindset that we're trying to develop here, to where we can be consistent and not depend on external things to motivate us," Napier said on Wednesday. "I think when we allow the past maybe to affect us, that's not what we want. We want a certain consistency here, a culture of, you know, competition, and we can do better."
Despite the concerted effort, Napier hadn't seen the response he requested from the players this week.
"I think we've been a little bit inconsistent in that this week, in my opinion. So we have a lot of work left to do to get ready to play Saturday."
Select players have noticed the lull coming off the emotional high of upsetting UT, stepping up to assist the coaching staff in demanding accountability.
According to edge rusher Princely Umanmielen, defensive lineman Cam Jackson spoke to the team about the "unacceptable" practice outing after Wednesday. Linebacker Teradja Mitchell — who saw two College Football Playoff appearances during his time with the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2018-2022 — followed Jackson's lead to preach consistency.
Napier recognized and applauded the vocal leadership in the locker room — deeming it healthy — as he hopes to continue establishing his desired culture within the program.
However, he understands it's still not perfectly defined. He hopes to continue taking steps toward the ideal culture against Charlotte in Week 4, riding the wave of momentum to a third-straight victory while he, his staff and the players maintain consistency in their approach and attitude to usher in long-term success.
"It's not where we want it to be right now, but I think we're getting closer," he said. "I think it's week-to-week. When you get into this time of year, it's week-to-week. We're a 2-1 football team. We played average, below average, played McNeese and played pretty good against Tennessee. Next. What's next?"
The Gators will kick off against the 49ers at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday night.
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