Florida Gators' Billy Napier hot seat: Paul Finebaum dismisses bold Ryan Day rumor

Summer is a time for barbecues and hot-seat rumors.

Many Florida Gator fans believe (or hope) college football head coach Billy Napier is in that camp.

Napier has gotten the dreaded vote of approval from Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin coming into 2024. Entering his third season, the Florida head coach has gone an alarming 11-14 overall, 6-10 in the SEC, finishing no higher than fourth in the East Division (which is no longer a thing in 2024). Oh, and the Gators might have the toughest schedule in the history of college football this upcoming season.

ESPN personality and radio host Paul Finebaum was asked if Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day could be a possible replacement.

"No, I don't," Finebaum said on his radio show . "I think Ryan Day is somebody who is either suited for the Midwest or the NFL. I don't see a scenario where he would come south."

We’d bet some SEC ADs would disagree, especially with the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. Would Stricklin be one of them?

Day is a recruiting stud, with the No. 1 2025 football recruiting class rated by both 247Sports and ESPN. And he has an absolutely stacked team for 2024, with the Buckeyes ranked just behind the No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs. In five seasons, Day has a 59-8 overall record and two College Football Playoff appearances.

If Ohio State’s new AD Ross Bjork was ever dumb enough to fire Day because of his losing streak to their hated rivals, the Michigan Wolverines, he’d fit in the south just fine.

In Gainesville perhaps?