A training camp gets ready to open for the Florida Gators this week, Billy Napier enters a critical checkpoint year for his tenure in Gainesville. Given the schedule and other factors, there is a real pathway for Napier to not be the coach of the Gators by the time Florida takes on Georgia.
And while we here at Hail Florida Hail also said Napier needed to be fired after the Texas A&M last year, in the spirit of being optimistic, we also acknowledge there is a pathway to success for Florida in 2025.
With that in mind, here are four reasons why Billy Napier will still be the coach of the Gators in 2026.
DJ Lagway is the chosen one
One of the defenses of Napier is that he can't be fully judged until he has the players he hand-picked on the roster.
Entering year four, the roster is essentially all of Napier's guys, and headlining that roster is none other than DJ Lagway.
Every projection that has the Gators having a great season involves Lagway morphing into an elite player, and the truth is that if Lagway is a genuine top-three QB in the SEC, it can cover up a ton of other flaws that may exist.
Keep in mind that Gene Chizik won a national title off the back of Cam Newton, so there is a pathway for Napier's fate to be tied with Lagway's play.
And if Lagway is elite, then Napier will be here for the next few years.
Defensive continuity
For the first time in the Billy Napier Era, Florida is going to enter the season with the same defensive coordinator it ended the previous season with.
Patrick Toney and Austin Armstrong both lasted just one year. Toney left for the Arizona Cardinals, where he is still on staff as a defensive backs coach. Armstrong was on staff for Florida in 2024, but it was clear Roberts had replaced him.
So while it is also fair to point out that the failed defenses of 2022 and 2023 were led by guys that Napier himself hired, and frankly, the state of the defense to open 2024 was also a Napier decision, the unit finally came together during Florida's four-game winning streak.
With actual continuity and players not having to learn a new system once again, Florida's defense should be in a much better state.
Offensive line continuity
One of the reasons why the Miami game was such a disaster to open the 2024 season was that Florida was still shuffling and trying to figure out its offensive line the week of the game.
The end result was Kamryn Waites starting at right tackle, and it did not go well.
Entering 2025, however, Florida returns four out of its five starters, but also seems entrenched with starting Bryce Lovett at right tackle, which means we shouldn't get the constant shuffling that we saw to open 2024.
Playoffs create chances
Had there been expanded playoffs, Will Muschamp would have made it in 2011, Jim McElwain would have made it in 2015, and Dan Mullen would have made it in 2019 and 2020.
So, whereas in the past finishing 8th or 9th in the polls was seen as a failure, now coming in 8th can lead to a home playoff game.
If Napier makes the playoffs in 2025, even if he is only 10th or 11th in the polls and/or goes 9-3 this season, he will be safe entering 2026.