Billy Napier dug his own grave with Florida but refused to let the casket close
![Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier celebrates a fourth down stop on the Rebels during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 23, 2024. The Gators defeated the Rebels 24-17 [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1296,h_729,x_0,y_244/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images%2FImagnImages%2Fmmsport%2F213%2F01jeehr9f4vzeqp45j4k.jpg "Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier celebrates a fourth down stop on the Rebels during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, FL on Saturday, November 23, 2024. The Gators defeated the Rebels 24-17 [Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun]")
What Next?
If you look at Napier's tenure, he came in with higher-than-average goodwill from fans simply because people were disgruntled with how the Dan Mullen Era ended.
That goodwill started to erode, and by halftime of the Miami game, it was gone, and the shovels for Napier were out. The three-game winning streak has forced many of us to put down our pitchforks and acknowledge that there is still a pathway Napier can pull this off in Gainesville.
Make no mistake about it: In 2025, there will be no more "But Dan Mullen left behind..." arguments to be made. Next year will be Napier's fourth year in Gainesville, and at some point, there needs to be a bar set that he is either going to clear or he is not going to clear.
Napier is going to have the benefit of playing Long Island University to open the season, followed by USF, before he has to face Miami in 2025. As noted, one of his weak points in 2024 was setting his initial depth chart, and hopefully, he can figure some things out before taking on the Hurricanes.
Florida's schedule will still be challenging, but the playoff committee is showing that they are willing to give the benefit of the doubt to a 9-3 SEC squad.
And if Napier can clear that bar in 2025, it is he who will have the last laugh.
If he can't clear that bar in 2025, well... you know where to find us.
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