Perplexing Florida play-caller change hints at a deeper flaw on Billy Napier's staff

Billy Napier was fired as head coach of the Florida Gators in part because he was too stubbord to give up the play calling duties. Florida's offensive became so predicatble at times under Napier that even fans multiple drinks deep in the stands had a decent idea of what was coming on any given play.

Now that Napier is gone, most assumed that Florida "Offensive Coordinator" Russ Callaway would take over the play calling duties for the Gators.

On Monday, interim coach Billy Gonzales made mention of who would call the plays moving forward and....

Well....

Ryan O'Hara to call plays for the Gators

At his press conference on Monday, Gonzales said that Ryan O'Hara would be the play caller for the rest of the 2025 season:

“Coach Callaway is going to be the OC, but I’m gonna let Coach O’Hara call the plays. And I think the most important piece to that is there’s a rhythm piece between him and (DJ Lagway). I think it’s really important that the quarterback is an extension of his teacher. And in this particular setting for the next five games, I think that’s going to be critical.”

So....

What exactly does Russ Callaway do around here?

Callaway was the OC at Samford in 2018 and 2019 before a stint with LSU and the New York Giants in an assistant capacity.

He showed up in Gainesville in 2022 as a "Defensive intern" before getting the role as tight ends coach in 2023. Callaway became the "Co-offensive coordinator" in 2024 and was annoited as the sole "OC" ahead of 2025.

So if you are keeping score at home, Callaway went from being a defensive intern to tight ends coach, and despite the fact Florida's tight ends have been a liability he was promoted to offensive coordinator, yet under two different head coaches he isn't actually calling plays.

Got it.

There had been intrigue from Gator fans with the prospect of Callaway being the OC because he ran an Air Raid style offense while at Samford.

Gonzales would later state that:

"I think we’ve got a lot of playmakers and I’d like to be able to spread it out a little bit."

He also highlighted Callaway's role with the offense behind the scenes under Napier, but anyone watching at home knew that beyond some scripted drives that Florida's offense was in the vision that Napier wanted it to be.

So as long as Florida plans to spread things out and utilize their playmakers, then there is a pathway for there to be a new look offense that actually scores points.

But the semantics of how it happens might not be what Gator fans expected.