Gator boosters eyeing buyout of Billy Napier's contract after TAMU loss

Florida football’s head coach might not be on the sidelines much longer if recent reports are correct.

Following a home loss to the Texas A&M Aggies in the SEC opener on Saturday, it is becoming more apparent that Billy Napier’s job is in significant peril. The Gators have struggled under the third-year skipper during his tenure and are now on a trajectory for a fourth-straight losing season.

Let us not even talk about how long it has been since that happened in Gainesville.

USA TODAY Sports writer Matt Hayes broke down the situation in his Four Downs and a Bracket feature on Sunday, with Napier and Co. taking the first down position under the title, “The Billy Napier experiment is over.”

“A group of Florida boosters have pulled together money to cover the expense of firing coach Billy Napier, two people with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports,” Hayes begins.

“The two spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the process, which will begin when interim Florida president Kent Fuchs makes an official decision. The only variable is when,” he continues.

“If Florida fires Napier, he will be owed approximately $26 million in buyout money. But that number could be mitigated because Florida is currently being investigated by the NCAA for its recruitment – and Napier’s role in the recruitment –of former high school recruit Jaden Rashada.”

University of Florida’s administration issues

“Fuchs hired Napier in 2022 and was one of Napier’s biggest supporters before retiring in February of 2023. Fuchs returned in an interim role this summer when Ben Sasse resigned as president,” Hayes says.

“Fuchs and the Florida administration desperately want Napier to succeed, and have given him everything he would need – financially, structurally, facilities – to do so. But the product on the field has progressively gotten worse, even after Napier promised this offseason that it would be different.”

Florida’s struggles on the field

“Texas A&M routed the Gators 33-20 Saturday in The Swamp, the second blowout home loss of the season, including the much-anticipated season-opening 41-17 loss to rival Miami,” Hayes notes.

“The Gators have given up an average of 38 points in their last eight games against power conference opponents.

“More damaging: For the second time in as many home games against FBS opponents, fans began filing out of the stadium early in the third quarter,” he adds. “The Aggies started backup quarterback Marcel Reed in place of injured starter Conner Weigman, and still led 20-0 at halftime, and 33-7 midway through the third quarter.

“The loss dropped Florida (1-2) to 12-16 in 28 games under Napier, including 7-15 vs. power conference teams. Another losing season — against the nation’s toughest schedule — would be Florida’s fourth in a row for the first time since the World War II era.

“Even the emergence of freshman quarterback DJ Lagway wasn’t enough to change the Gators’ fortunes. Florida had 63 yards in the first half, and its possessions ended with three punts and an interception.”

Up next for the Gators

Florida will play their first road game of the season as they travel up to Starkville to play against the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is set for noon ET and will be broadcast on ESPN.

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