One of the ongoing online arguments with Florida Football is whether or not Billy Napier's offense is going to be elite in 2025. As we have made the case here at Hail Florida Hail, Florida has yet to finish in the top 55 in points per game under Napier and even with DJ Lagway we have our concerns.
But if you think we are just being negative for the sake of being negative, other SEC coaches are confirming they aren't scared of Napier's offense.
Florida Football: Ball Knower
Back in November, when the seat on Napier was absolutely scolding, we wrote a piece that highlighted the fact that injuries couldn't be an excuse for Napier.
This was after the Georgia game and prior to getting blown out by Texas, and we highlighted at the time that:
"Florida might have beaten Georgia had Lagway stayed healthy, but that also paints a picture that Napier relies on Lagway to be considered a good coach.
Lagway was Napier's Golden Goose to try and turn the narrative around, a narrative that exists because of Napier's failures over the past two and a half seasons.
The reality is that Lagway can win without Napier as his coach. Napier can't win without Lagway as his QB."
Now, if you don't feel that we are ball knowers and we just have it out for Napier, perhaps.
But if you don't want to take our word, do the words of actual opposing SEC coaches count?
In a fantastic deep dive on Florida, Neil Blackmon of Saturday Down South explored the pros and cons of Napier staying as the play caller for the Gators and whether or not Florida can capitalize on having DJ Lagway.
As part of the piece, SEC coaches commented anonymously on what it is like to prepare and play against Napier's offense. They were complimentary of his running game schemes, and frankly, Napier has usually gotten credit for his running play designs. See Jadan Baugh's touchdown against LSU as Exhibit A.
But then the topic of his passing game came up, and we'll just let them explain it in their own words.
The following are quotes from three different SEC coaches in the article:
"We had situations where they were in their "11" personnel, and our safety called route trees pre-snap. They are predictable in that grouping. They are better in their "12" personnel stuff, but they weren't hard to scheme for us in the passing game."
"They need DJ Lagway, right? You don't watch them on film and go, 'Hey, look how open Florida's receivers are.' They need a big-time guy like DJ to make elite throws."
"I think situationally they can make some bizarre decisions. They fall in love with the same route on 3rd down. They overthink a run against Tennessee when they have a big quarterback and an All-American center. That stuff turns a football game. Everyone is good. You can't give away possessions."
That echoes what the Miami Hurricanes said after beating Florida in the opener and that they had the first 10 plays for the Gators dead to rights.
So, suppose you don't want to listen to fans and analysts that Napier's offense might be easy to predict.
How many opposing coaches need to come out before maybe, just maybe, we all admit together Napier's offense is easy to predict?