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How Many Wins Will Napier Need
Posted on 5/6/25 at 3:00 pm
Posted on 5/6/25 at 3:00 pm
Florida fans, I don’t know how your team looks across the board, I just know Napier has gotten some slack on his rope with Lagway.
How many wins will he need this season to keep his job? I feel like he’s been on the hot seat longer than most SEC teams would have kept someone for. Y’all’s schedule doesn’t look particularly easy either.
I would imagine 8 wins would keep it? What is your thoughts?
How many wins will he need this season to keep his job? I feel like he’s been on the hot seat longer than most SEC teams would have kept someone for. Y’all’s schedule doesn’t look particularly easy either.
I would imagine 8 wins would keep it? What is your thoughts?
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Posted on 5/6/25 at 5:53 pm to Hilonghorn9
I think last season's turnaround saved him from anything except a total colapse. However, who the wins and losses come against matter. If he gets the win in Jacksonville, that could forgive an extra loss. If he loses to the Noles, the opposite would be true.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 6:04 pm to Dawgs2122
If it were me making the decision, 8 wins MAY keep him, depending on who those wins are against and how the season plays out. 9 wins probably gets the Gators into the playoff with their schedule so it's a very fine line between scorching hot seat/possibly fired and playoff appearance.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 6:43 pm to Hilonghorn9
10 or a playoff berth.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 6:46 pm to Hilonghorn9
He is going to need to beat LSU again.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 7:06 pm to Hilonghorn9
He needs to improve on last years record, period. A fluke win vs. Georgia or a win vs. Texas at home with 6 losses won't get the job done, he needs to win more games and the team needs to continue showing improvement. So I guess the total would be something like 9+, but it's also dependent on how we look I think.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 7:14 pm to AlligatorEnthusiast
Yeah 9 wins
Posted on 5/6/25 at 10:29 pm to Hilonghorn9
If I was deciding, it would be 10 wins and in the playoffs. But, he’s probably safe with 8. A lot will also depend on who we beat and who we lose to.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 10:50 pm to Hilonghorn9
It's an interesting question. 8 wins with the schedule and being in the playoff conversation throughout the season and down the stretch would be what I'd say he needs. Gator fans are not patient, but the state of the program when Napier got here was worse than anyone could imagine. We can benefit from the continuity as Napier making it through this year would make him the longest tenured coach since Urban. I also believe that the system of Florida football is built and is functioning on the level of elite programs.
We also have a new president who is apparently very hands-on with athletics. However, he will likely have a lot on his plate before he worries about the future of both Napier and Stricklin. Stricklin is also in an odd spot because of his successful Todd Golden hire.
In typing all of this, I think Napier will be safe for another year. I would be surprised if he made it past 2026 (he's stubborn with the offense and isn't even a good game manager), but I do think this timing will be better for the new president to clean house, which is what we really need. I've told friends we'll appreciate Napier when the next coach arrives to an efficient program with a hopefully competent AD's office.
We also have a new president who is apparently very hands-on with athletics. However, he will likely have a lot on his plate before he worries about the future of both Napier and Stricklin. Stricklin is also in an odd spot because of his successful Todd Golden hire.
In typing all of this, I think Napier will be safe for another year. I would be surprised if he made it past 2026 (he's stubborn with the offense and isn't even a good game manager), but I do think this timing will be better for the new president to clean house, which is what we really need. I've told friends we'll appreciate Napier when the next coach arrives to an efficient program with a hopefully competent AD's office.
Posted on 5/6/25 at 11:23 pm to KeyWestCuban
I need to know what theCAW thinks about the Disney Gator position on this.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 1:08 am to Hilonghorn9
My fellow Gators and I may hate it, but if he wins 7 games and Lagway doesn't transfer, he will probably get 2026 from our terrible admin.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 5:36 am to Lt. Columbo
How did Napier do this off-season filling the rough spots on the roster?
(From a fan perspective because obviously I can go to a recruiting site and look)
(From a fan perspective because obviously I can go to a recruiting site and look)
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:07 am to Hilonghorn9
I think eight wins save him because of the schedule. They have a pretty hard schedule, and I only see three "guaranteed" wins on it. So he's going to have to find five wins out of the other nine, which won't be easy.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:14 am to KeyWestCuban
I guess I really didn't watch the end of last season for you guys so I can't speak on that. I just know Lagway is talented, Florida should be a program that should be competing for the playoffs year in and year out and pull top 8 or so recruiting classes.
From the outside looking in I agree with your assessment with Napier, he seems over his head and unable to make the adjustments needed to be successful but with your guy's schedule 8-9 wins I would think would have some key victories and big games sprinkled in to be able to keep his job.
I just don't know how that helps in the long term once Lagway is gone. Are you guys in a good spot in a replacement for Lagway with a 2026 top QB recruit?
From the outside looking in I agree with your assessment with Napier, he seems over his head and unable to make the adjustments needed to be successful but with your guy's schedule 8-9 wins I would think would have some key victories and big games sprinkled in to be able to keep his job.
I just don't know how that helps in the long term once Lagway is gone. Are you guys in a good spot in a replacement for Lagway with a 2026 top QB recruit?
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:15 am to Hilonghorn9
Not UF person, but I think 8+ would be necessary. 7-5 might depend on the nature of the losses and the season over all (injuries, close losses vs blow outs etc.) Anything less would have to be seen as a regression and probably end his tenure.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:17 am to Lt. Columbo
I feel like the admin has been very very forgiving to Napier just because of Lagway. I know he's talented but is he enough right now to get the team to 8-10 wins with Napier's stubborn in game situations.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:25 am to Hilonghorn9
I don't think it's a specific number. I think it's who he beats and who he loses to. His seat has cooled a bit though.
I mean, if he loses to Long Island in the first game, he may not make it to week 2. But if, for example, his only losses are to LSU, Texas, and Ole Miss, he will be fine.
I mean, if he loses to Long Island in the first game, he may not make it to week 2. But if, for example, his only losses are to LSU, Texas, and Ole Miss, he will be fine.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:34 am to Hilonghorn9
I think the transfer portal played a big role in them "being patient" with Napier. They knew the moment they would have fired him, there would have been a mass exodus of that freshman class (which is very talented) out of Gainesville, and the next coach would have been left with nothing and starting over from scratch. I could see their line of thinking being "Let's ride it out this season, give the freshman class a full offseason to develop, mature, and get on the field and see what happens." To me, it was a strategic, conservative move to keep from sending the program into chaos.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:37 am to Landmass
I think game at LSU on Sept 13 will be very telling, if they lose then it turns the Miami game the following week into an almost must situation or they could be staring at 2-4 by mid-October and all the good will of the end of last will have evaporated.
Posted on 5/7/25 at 9:39 am to Hilonghorn9
quote:I don't think so.
is he enough right now to get the team to 8-10 wins with Napier's stubborn in game situations.
A lot of the 4 game win streak came from the improvement in defense.
One of our previously 3 co-DC's went to Houston. Did Napier keep the right one?
If not, this could be a 4 win team ceiling.
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