Paul Finebaum on Billy Naper’s future at Florida: ‘The end is very near’
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Florida fans are almost unanimously calling for Billy Napier‘s job as a result of the Gators’ 1-3 start to the 2025 season.
Spearheading that effort is ESPN’s Paul Finebaum, who joined Matt Barrie for their weekly college football reaction podcast where they talked about Napier’s future in Gainesville.
“Well, he’s on the slipperiest of slopes, Matt. I don’t think he’ll be fired yet because I’m not sure it accomplishes a great deal,” Finebaum said. “I mean, his team played well, they were competitive, and they still lost by three touchdowns again to their rival for the second year in a row. And you’ve lived in Florida. I’m not going to give a manifesto here, but Florida and Miami literally hate each other. It’s even different than Florida-Florida State, because they haven’t played every year.”
Finebaum went on to delve into Napier’s status as Florida‘s offensive play caller and how that may be impacting his ability as a head coach, especially with today’s age of NIL and the transfer portal adding more onto the plate.
“I mean, Billy Napier, because he is the offensive coordinator, diminishes his opportunity to be a very good, if not great, head coach. He’s a mediocre head coach. His record is 20-22,” Finebaum said. “The fact that we’re still discussing this as the possibility that he survives is a testament to what, I’m not really sure. But the end is very near. However [Athletic Director] Scott Stricklin decides to do it, and in what manner, I really don’t know, and quite frankly, I don’t really care. Billy Napier is not coming back as Florida’s head coach.”
Florida will be idle in Week 5 before facing Texas in Week 6.
Current sports editor with the Enterprise-Journal in McComb, Mississippi. 2024 graduate from Mizzou and college athletics enthusiast.
