Florida Makes Major Move Regarding Billy Napier’s Future

The University of Florida has reportedly taken a major step to discuss the future of the Florida Gators football program.

According to USA TODAY Sports , Florida boosters have raised the funds necessary to allow the university to move on from its head football coach, Billy Napier.

According to his contract, Napier would receive approximately $26 million in buyout money, 50% of which would be delivered within 30 days if Florida decided to move on from him.

This comes after the team’s 33-20 home defeat to the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday, which was its second loss of the young 2024 season.

According to On3's Nick de la Torre , the university's Board of Trustees "has called a meeting for Sunday morning" that was not "previously planned."

Napier is currently in his third season with the Gators. At the University of Florida, the standard is to win national championships. So far, Napier has not only failed to reach that level but has also yet to lead Florida to a record above .500.

Hired in 2021 after a successful four-year run with 40 wins at Louisiana, Napier arrived in Gainesville with a vision to restore the Gators' national prominence.

He went 6-7 in year one, 5-7 in year two, and is off to a 1-2 start in year three. He has also lost his last seven games against FBS opponents.

The Gators may have the toughest strength of schedule in the country in 2024, but confidence within the program before the season was sky-high for the first time in the Napier era. This was due to Napier finally having his full staff in place and talent in the locker room.

Florida's schedule the rest of the way looks like this:

• @ Mississippi State
• Bye
• vs. UCF
• @ No. 7 Tennessee
• vs. Kentucky
• Bye
• @ No. 1 Georgia (Jacksonville, FL)
• @ No. 2 Texas
• vs. No. 16 LSU
• vs. No. 5 Ole Miss
• @ Florida State

Five of those games feature teams ranked inside the Week 3 AP Top 25.

Since Urban Meyer's departure in 2010, Billy Napier is Florida's fourth full-time head coach, following unsuccessful stints by Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain, and Dan Mullen.

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