Florida Head Coach Billy Napier Accredits Kirby Smart

Florida's head coach Billy Napier praises Kirby Smart claiming he wouldn't be at Florida if it weren't for Smart.

Coaching in college football can often boil down to relationships more than knowledge. Obviously, a person has to be qualified to coach at the collegiate level but knowing the right people can get go a long way as well. It did for Florida's head coach Billy Napier. 

"Heck, [I] wouldn't be standing here today without him," Napier said when discussing how Kirby Smart helped get him back on his feet. 

Back in 2011, Napier had just been released from his role as offensive coordinator at Clemson and was looking for his next step. Napier would eventually land a job as an analyst at Alabama and he claims Nick Saban might have never hired him if it weren't for Smart, who was the defensive coordinator at the time. 

Smart stood up for Napier while at Alabama. Smart and Napier themselves didn't really know each other but their fathers were both well-respected high school coaches in Georgia which led to them crossing paths every now and then. 

"There was some familiarity there and certainly [Smart's] influence on that with coach Saban. He had a lot to do with me being there. I will always be thankful for that," Napier said. "Kirby, we didn't know each other extensively but because of our dads being coaches, seeing each other on the road, I mean, heck I was 29 or something like that."

Smart quickly became a believer in Napier and knew that he was built for being a coach in college football. The two would spend four years total at Alabama together before Smart would leave to become Georgia's head coach. 

"I knew from the first time he got to Alabama," Smart said, "I don't know what year it was, but whatever year he got there, he was going to be really good because he paid attention to detail. He took a lot of notes. He was just really smart."

Smart and Napier will now face off against one another for the first time in their careers as head coaches this week down in Jacksonville, FL. Smart and his No. 1 ranked Bulldogs have pieced together another impressive season thus far while Napier continues to try and revamp the Florida football program. 

You May Also Like:

Join the community:

Follow Brooks Austin on Twitter: @BrooksAustinBA

Subscribe to our YouTube Page HERE.

You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top right-hand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook @BulldogMaven & follow us on Twitter at @DawgsDailyFN


Published
Jonathan Williams
JONATHAN WILLIAMS

Access Georgia/South Carolina/Tennessee Jonathan Williams is a multimedia sports journalist who graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Journalism. He has multiple years of experience in covering college football for a variety of teams.