What Billy Napier said following Florida’s ugly loss to No. 14 Utah

Florida dropped its season opener to Utah in rough fashion Thursday night, 24-11.

The Gators could not get out of their own way Thursday night. Silly penalties, bad play calling and an inability to convert first downs at key times proved to be their downfall in this year’s rematch.

Billy Napier addressed the rough performance postgame. To sum things up, Napier simply said the Gators “did not do enough to win.”

#Gators coach Billy Napier: ‘They beat us today. We didn’t do enough to win.’

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 1, 2023

Napier took to blame upon himself, saying coaching needs to be better while saying the Gators will regroup and respond. Specifically, Napier said “you find out who you are during difficult times.”

#Gators coach Billy Napier: ‘You find out who you are during difficult times. This group will respond.’

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 1, 2023

Perhaps Napier’s most relevant address Thursday night came when he told reporters that “execution wins” before insisting Florida did nothing of the sort against the Utes. To back that up, here’s a quick reminder: Florida finished Thursday night having converted just 1-of-13 3rd down attempts.

Napier said first thing he told team after game was that “execution wins.” #Gators didn’t do that as much as Utah.

— Scott Carter (@GatorsScott) September 1, 2023

Here’s more from Napier’s postgame press conference:

‘This group will respond the right way, I believe,’ Billy Napier said of #Gators.

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 1, 2023

‘Mertz got beat up a little bit. We need to keep him clean in the future,’ Billy Napier on Graham Mertz, who was sacked 5 times.

— Edgar Thompson (@osgators) September 1, 2023

Ethan Stone

Ethan Stone is a Tennessee graduate and loves all things college football and college basketball. Firm believer in fouling while up 3.