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Posted on 10/20/2025 11:39:49 AM PDT by Red Badger
Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said Monday he has one goal when it comes to hiring the next football coach: Find someone who can win championships.
During a news conference in Gainesville, Florida, Stricklin said his decision to fire Billy Napier on Sunday following a 3-4 start to the season was ultimately because "we didn't win to the level we needed to."
Napier went 22-23 in four seasons with the Gators, including 12-16 in SEC play. Although Stricklin credited Napier for leaving Florida in a much better place than he found it -- including modernizing the football program structure -- he also said the two had long conversations about whether Napier should give up playcalling headed into this season.
Napier decided to continue calling plays, and ultimately the Gators struggled on offense behind an injured DJ Lagway and a lack of consistency across the board. Florida ranks No. 90 in the country in total offense, averaging 363 yards per game.
"I shared with him I thought his strength may be in leading the program and overseeing the bigger picture, but my philosophy is you hire head coaches, you give them the authority to make decisions on how they want to run their program," Stricklin said. "And then you hold them accountable and that's probably a big part of the reason why we're here today."
Napier had been under fire over the past two seasons as Florida struggled to win consistently. Stricklin decided last year to stick with Napier, and the Gators finished the year with four straight wins. But that momentum did not carry into this season, and the situation grew untenable as the losses mounted.
Florida owes Napier about $21 million, a cost Stricklin said was not "insignificant."
"We have tremendous resources, but it's not unlimited so we'll have to manage that," Stricklin said. "The resources are not going to be a reason why we don't make the right decision going forward here."
Stricklin said he will decide the next head coach, with feedback from a search firm, the board of trustees and the university president. This is the third time Stricklin will hire a football coach at Florida -- he initially hired Dan Mullen in 2018. Stricklin fired Mullen in 2021 and hired Napier.
When asked what Florida is looking for in its next head coach, Stricklin said, "We want people who can win championships at the University of Florida. That's going to be our goal. We want somebody who can come in here and be a strong leader and win championships."
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It had to be done. Naps is a good guy but time to move on. Let the search begin and Go Gators!
Unfortunately other people than Stricklin have a say in the tournaments’ outcomes.
It could be worse, Penn State has already fired their coach and owes him over 50 million to go away, FSU wants to fire their coach, but they are choking on the 50 million it will take to make him go away.
Maybe Florida needs a new Athletic Director.
And all this time I thought the goal was for athletes to get an education.
College football is BIG BUSINESS...............
Heh, heh. I know. I forgot the /s tag.
Either Gunnar Stockton or Carson Beck had to leave UGA. Why did Carson Beck go to Miami, now #9, rather than Florida, now # 99?
(Gunnar Stockton’s UGA is now #5. So UGA probably made the best choice.)
Better weather.................
Makes sense... He obviously failed to hire the proper coach... So fire him, get a new Director and a new coach at the same time.
James Franklin made it about as far as he could with Penn State, and this year was a regression. It’s been clear for years he didn’t have what it takes to get his team to consistently beat ranked teams.
Sometimes it’s better to cut losses than to throw good money after bad.
Naps with the Gators was even worse.
“Florida owes Napier about $21 million, a cost Stricklin said was not “insignificant.””
No kidding Sherlock. I asked Google AI how much money the program brings in and the amount dwarfs the $21M.
Bill Belichick might soon be available....(GRIN)
Bill Belichick might soon be available....(GRIN)
This insane arms race in college football is unsustainable.
These programs firing coaches mid-season are going to be unable to get head coaches from other schools who are happy where they are, and/or are in the midst of earning playoff spots.
Florida could have bought a whole lot of football talent with the buyout money they’re paying Napier. I like the Gators, but who’s going to want to step into that horrible mess.
I hear Urban Meyer is still kicking................
FL should bring back Steve Spurrier. If for nothing else but the entertaining back-and-forth press conferences between him and Lane Kiffin whenever the Gators play the Rebels. LOL
What about his girlfriend? (Asking for a friend.)
and the Gators finished the year with four straight wins. But that momentum did not carry into this season,
He sacrificed Lagway to win those four games, at the cost of Lagway’s career. He was brought back too soon, and he’s a shell of what he could have been.
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