Florida Football: Billy Napier provides clunky answers on two issues

Florida football didn’t have the best showing against UNC Charlotte. The Gators meandered their way to a 22-7 victory over the 49ers to improve to 3-1 on the season.

After the game, Bill Napier gave a couple of answers in his postgame press conference that raised some eyebrows among those paying attention.

Florida Football: Special teams are not so special

As we wrote yesterday, special teams for Florida took one step forward and one step backward on Saturday. Trey Smack hit five field goals, and Jeremy Crawshaw had two solid punts.

That was a step forward.

But on a field goal attempt by UNC Charlotte and later on a punt return by Florida, the Gators only had ten players out on the field.

Napier was asked why it keeps happening after the Gators had similar issues getting ten guys out against Utah.

"“Not the field goal, we didn’t have ten out there for the field goal. We had ten out there (for the punt), we didn’t get the returner on. And ultimately, because there was a sack, that’s where the miscue was made.And we’re okay with that. We’re okay with the returner not being on the field in that situation. It’s fourth down and a mile. It’s out there where we think we’re going to be in field goal range and then all of a sudden the punter is out there. We’re aware of that, it’s a very unique situation in the game and we’re okay with that.”"

Let the record: we here at Hail Florida Hail are big Napier supporters. Just last week, we wrote for everyone to stop writing his obituary.

But this is ain’t it.

As we pointed out yesterday, unless there was someone off the frame, there were indeed ten players on the field for UNC Charlotte’s field goal attempt.

The second part of his answer is more concerning, though.

Much like he claimed after the Utah game when Florida football sent out two players wearing number three, Napier claimed that the circumstances that led to Florida only having ten players out for a punt return was a “unique circumstance.”

No, no it wasn’t. It was a very common circumstance that happens all the time in football.

"“And that sack takes him out of field goal range.”“Yeah, Jim, you just can’t a sack in that situation. Now the punt team has to come on.”"

Literally every game, that piece of commentary is said.

Are we really supposed to believe that this team doesn’t know how to adjust to situations on the fly?

Are you saying that the Gators don’t have a mechanism to ensure that once an opposing team gets down to around the 40-yard line, both the punt return team and the field goal blocking unit aren’t prepared?

Here is why having a returner matters:

1. If the opposing punter knows there is no returner, he can roll a ball inside the ten, knowing there is no one to stop it or pick it up
2. Do you really think someone like Shane Beamer is watching that film going, “Nope, nothing to see here. Nothing for me to take advantage of?”

Kamari Wilson

One of the odder sagas this week was the status of Kamari Wilson. As we noted last week, Wilson didn’t play against Tennessee and was not listed on the depth chart against UNC Charlotte.

Wilson was not seen on the field during warmups, then was later seen on the sidelines in shorts before a staffer escorted him out

"“Kamari Wilson didn’t make the travel roster. We can take 80 to the hotel. And Kamari wasn’t on that list. That’s pretty simple.”"

Based on what we could find, the rule as of 2016 stated the following:

"“The home team may dress all eligible student-athletes in uniform, but only 80 student-athletes may participate in a Conference contest. (The non-participating student-athletes shall dress out at no additional cost to the institution. Nonparticipating student-athletes shall not receive pre-game meals, overnight lodging or additional game tickets, but may receive a post-game meal provided the post-game meal is served at the stadium. No cash stipend may be provided to non-participating student-athletes for post-game meals away from the stadium.)”"

The 80-man explanation raises two follow-up questions:

1. How did we get to a point where Wilson isn’t on your 80-man roster?
2. Correct us if we are wrong, but programs always have non-roster dudes on their sidelines. The rule even states, “The non-participating student-athletes shall dress out at no additional cost to the institution.”

Keep in mind, when Napier said that it was “pretty simple,” you could see the gears turning in his head on what to say.

And to be fair to Napier, Wilson hasn’t flashed in the limited snaps he has been given. For what it’s worth, PFF has him graded out with the 5th lowest defensive grade on Florida’s roster of the 37 guys they have graded in 2023.

There is definitely smoke behind the scenes. The rumor and innuendo is that the Florida football staff wanted Wilson to make a switch to linebacker, which would explain why he showed up to Fall Camp listed at 220 pounds.

Whether or not that is true, there is friction between Wilson and the Gator coaching staff.

And as Travis Kelce’s girlfriend once said, “I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending.”