The pressure remains high on Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier to demonstrate that he is the right fit for the program. Rumors continue to circulate about Napier potentially being on the hot seat.
However, Napier has shown some positive progress, as Florida has improved after a sluggish start, winning three of their last four games. Still, expectations in Gainesville are substantial.
The Gators face a challenging schedule ahead, including matchups against the Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns, LSU Tigers, and Ole Miss Rebels. These games could present Napier with a chance to secure his job, or the tough slate could lead to Florida making a coaching change.
On3.com’s J.D. PicKell has speculated that Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz may be the frontrunner to replace Napier. In his weekly pick segment before Week 9, PicKell said, “I don’t really trust Missouri all that much. I love Eli Drinkwitz. If you’re asking me today, I think he’s probably the pick, for me at least, for the next head coach at Florida, assuming that what we all believe [Napier firing] will happen at some point happens.”
I think Florida's 2025 head coach comes from this list. Put into tiers based on how I think Florida would view them.
Tier 1
Lane KiffinTier 2
Jedd Fisch
Jamey Chadwell
Alex Golesh
Eli DrinkwitzTier 3
Glenn Schumann
Blake BakerTier 4
Dan Enos
Jeff Lebby— Ryan McCrystal (@Ryan_McCrystal) September 17, 2024
This isn’t the first time Drinkwitz has been mentioned in connection with Florida. He signed a $46 million contract with Missouri last December, while Napier inked a $51.8 million deal with the Gators. Napier’s buyout heading into the 2024 season stands at $26.7 million, according to CBS Sports.
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