Paul Finebaum Shares Thoughts On Billy Napier's Coaching Future

The Florida Gators and head coach Billy Napier appear to be in a pivotal season. With an 11-14 record in his two seasons in Gainesville, Napier's tenure marks three consecutive losing seasons for the once-prominent program.

That means his job could be on the line this season. ESPN's Paul Finebaum was asked how Napier can retain his job. Finebaum stated that he is unsure about what would be sufficient, as the Gators seem like a .500 team from his perspective. However, he mentioned that a strong start could potentially help Napier keep his job.

"I think if Florida can beat Miami and really handle the first half of the schedule until Tennessee, then I think Billy Napier could be in good shape, but if he stumbles out of the gate, the pressure is going to intensify," Finebaum said.

Starting with the Tennessee game, the Gators face a tough schedule, playing six preseason-ranked teams to end the year, including five straight, with four of those five in the top 10.

This does not consider games against the 19th-ranked Miami Hurricanes and the 20th-ranked Texas A&M Aggies before the Tennessee game. Nevertheless, because of the tough end to the season, Finebaum believes it is crucial for Napier and the Gators to start strong, as things could turn bad quickly.

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