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Five reasons Billy Napier will still be the coach of Florida Football in 2025

The heat is on for Napier, but there is reason to believe he can weather the storm

By Benjamin Henderson

Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier gives fist bumps to fans during Gator Walk at Ben Hill
Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier gives fist bumps to fans during Gator Walk at Ben Hill / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY
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Things haven't been going great for Florida Football. It seems like every headline is about how Billy Napier is cooked, and the Gators need to start thinking about who will coach Florida in 2025.

We here at Hail Florida Hail have written our fair share of critiques about Napier over the past few months, after writing our fair share of pieces advocating patience. And while gloom and doom tend to sell, and don't worry all you pessimists out there because we will soon highlight why he could also get fired, we would also like to have a hint of optimism going into the 2024 season.

Here are five reasons we think Napier can right the ship and still be the coach of the Gators in 2025.

Florida Football: Correcting Course

1. This team has been closer than it gets credit for

Florida Gators place kicker Trey Smack (29) kicks a field goal at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill
Florida Gators place kicker Trey Smack (29) kicks a field goal at Steve Spurrier Field at Ben Hill / Doug Engle/Gainesville Sun / USA TODAY

When a team goes 5-7 following a 6-7 campaign, it is hard to preach that things are going better then they really are. One of things that has been lost in the wash of negative headlines is how close Florida was to having a highly respectable season.

As we all know, Trey Smack missed the field goal against Arkansas following Florida not knowing when to send the unit out. If Smack makes that kick, the Gators win the game.

Against Missouri, Florida just had to get a stop on 4th and 17 but failed and went on to lose.

Flip those two plays and the Gators are 7-5. One could also argue that if the double reverse flea flicker against FSU had gone better the Gators would have ended the regular season 8-4 and the sea of headlines would have focused their wrath on someone else.

Same exact team, just three plays away from 8-4.

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