Patience Pays Off Big for Billy Napier, Florida Gators

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier was the odds-on favorite to be the first coach fired this season. Now, his position looks rock solid.

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier celebrates a fourth down stop on the Ole Miss Rebels. / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

" Patience is a key element of success"- Bill Gates

After Texas A&M ran the ball for 310 yards in Week 3 against the Florida Gators, people began to write the 2024 eulogy for the season. Furthermore, they presumptively started to fill out the pink slip for head coach Billy Napier.

Yet Napier, to his credit, ignored the external noise. 

Fans, donors, and pundits all wanted him gone before the end of the year. Despite this, the University of Florida became bowl eligible with a 24-17 victory over Ole Miss on Saturday. 

In front of 89,992, the Gators silenced doubters and served up crow with humble pie as a dessert. Believe it or not, patience led Florida, which ultimately paid off. 

DUNK ON 'EM @Brycethornton_2

📺 ABC pic.twitter.com/jUgk5FuZpV

— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) November 23, 2024

Building A Culture

To win in the days of the transfer portal, culture-building not only becomes important but exceedingly difficult. Billy Napier's tenure at the UF saw high-profile transfers and criticism. Yet, he didn't waver.

People wanted the team to revert to historic greatness without comprehension of the modern landscape. During media availability after the Ole Miss game, Napier detailed why he believes that culture means so much.

"Well, we've got a long way to go, and I think obviously we've improved,” said Napier. “I think it goes back to what I've told you guys before. I think belief is the most powerful thing in the world, and I think that at some point their mid-season, I think we figured out and we started to believe.

“Look, we can play with any team in the country. We've tried to direct our players' attention to things that require no talent and convinced them, hey, you have the physical ability, but it's got to be about more than that. 

“You've got to dream big, and then you've got to have little process. So, it's about daily, can you do it daily, can you be consistent. I think that was the big leadership challenge this week."

Footprint of Belief

After beatdowns at the hands of Miami and TAMU, Florida needed an infusion of confidence. Nothing says slumpbuster like a trip to Starkville. You could see the team picking up steam.

The turning point of the season occurred when Graham Mertz suffered an injury. Not so much that he fell to injury, but the unity in which he brought the team together. 

With his final college football season over, Mertz owed nothing to Florida. He could've chosen to focus on his recovery and preparing for the NFL Draft. Leave campus and move on. However, Mertz repaid the school giving him a chance by mentoring DJ Lagway and keeping the team upbeat. 

The Long Game

With the Ole Miss win, Florida gained bowl eligibility. If they defeat Florida State, as many expect, that would improve the prestige of the bowl game. Credit goes to the athletic director and the administration. 

Instead of pulling the plug early on Napier's tenure, the school allowed him time to work out the wrinkles and cobble together a decent season. No, not by historic standards, but by the metric of a brutal schedule in the unrelenting SEC. 

According to ESPN, this was Florida's first back-to-back wins over ranked opponents since 2018 when they took out LSU and Mississippi State in consecutive weeks. There was work to be done.

Billy Napier may not be the coach that fans want, but he became the coach the team needed in this moment.

The Florida football team took Ole Mississippi’s basketball hoop, put a Gator logo on it and then started taking turns dunking after beating them 24-17 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/dOE4WxabQ4

— Talia Baia (@talia_baia) November 23, 2024