Billy Napier addresses timing of accepting Florida job, importance of investment in program
By Keith Farner
Published:
Billy Napier said the most important thing to him about the decision to accept the Florida job was the Gators’ willingness to invest in the program through staff and other resources.
He also spoke about being contacted in previous years for other jobs.
“First of all those are very difficult decisions,” Napier said Sunday at his introductory press conference. “The last few years this time of year have been hectic. I didn’t feel like we had done our job yet at the University of Louisiana. … This year, I felt like we were in position to do the job. We were literally one week away from the championship game I think when we came to an agreement.”
Napier added that he felt like he’d done his part, and he wanted to fulfill his contract and follow through on his word.
“You combine that with what I would say is a very unique timing situation at the University of Florida,” Napier said. “There’s a lot of prayer that goes into decisions like this”, and then quoted scripture, including Joshua 1:9.
“It’s the right place at the right time with the right people,” Napier said.
Napier explained that investment in the program is imperative, including the assistant coach salary pool.
“It’s absolutely the most important part for me,” Napier said. “I think in this era of the college football dynamic that we compete in. It’s truly an organization. We’re talking about a very specific plan in all these different areas that affect your ability to compete. In this league, the proof’s in the pudding, right. I think the 2 that played for the championship, there’s evidence relative to the way they’ve created their organizations. So we’re going to increase the man power, if that makes sense, we’re going to create very specific plans and personnel, recruiting, development, nutrition, strength and conditioning, sports science, the training room, name, image and likeness, our journey program, which we’re going to create from the ground up. We’ve got a very specific plan here. Their willingness to create those resources and put the finances that need to be in place to do that.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
