Incredible: Billy Napiers, the current head coach of the Florida Gators, has formally announced his return to his former team
GAINESVILLE, Florida – Scott Stricklin, the director of athletics at the University of Florida, announced on Sunday that Billy Napier has been chosen by the Gators to become the 29th head coach in program history.
After serving as Louisiana’s head coach for the previous four seasons (2018–21), Napier will take the helm of the Ragin’ Cajuns on Saturday, Dec. 4, when they take on App State in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game.
On Sunday, December 5, after his arrival in Gainesville, there will be a press conference on campus that same day. Press conference specifics will be released at a later date.
“We are humbled and honored to accept this incredible opportunity to be the head football coach at the University of Florida,” Napier stated. “Every day, our team, employees, and entire organization will strive to create a a program that is honorable and of which we can all be proud.
More significantly, we’ll create a culture where the main goal is to influence our players in three different ways: as individuals, as learners, and on the field.
“We are eager to take on the challenge and accept the expectations. We will put together a unique team and start working on creating an amazing program right away. We especially thank Scott Stricklin, the athletic director, and President Dr. Fuchs. We are excited to begin this adventure once we arrive in Gainesville.”
“I’ve followed and studied Billy Napier’s career with interest, and he became the primary target immediately after this position came open,” Stricklin stated. “We were certain he would lead the Gators brilliantly, which is the reason he was the only applicant for the job that I spoke with.
“Billy’s vision for a strong, relationship-based culture and his ability to unite highly talented individuals, including coaches, players, and staff, are what made him such an appealing choice. It’s simple to understand why he’s been successful when you consider how well-thought-out his staffing, recruiting, and player development plans are, in addition to his constant drive for improvement.
“I’m overjoyed that Charlie, Sammy Nelson, Annie, Billy, and Ali will be visiting Gainesville. For the Gators, today is exciting.”
With the Ragin’ Cajuns, Napier, a former coach at Alabama, Clemson, Arizona State, Colorado State, and South Carolina State, amassed a 39-12 overall record. Louisiana was led by the 42-year-old to four During his tenure at UL Lafayette, he won one conference championship and two Sun Belt Conference West Division tiles.
When the Ragin’ Cajuns entered the national rankings last year for the first time in their modern history, Napier—who was named the Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 and the Louisiana Sports Writer Association Coach of the Year in 2020—led the team to previously unheard-of heights.
The team concluded the 2020 season with the highest rankings in Louisiana across all three polls—No. 15 in the AP Top 25, No. 16 in the USA Today/Amway Coaches Poll, and No. 19 in the College Football Playoff.
Under Napier, Louisiana has a 27-7 record against Sun Belt opponents, including a perfect 16-0 record against the conference’s Division West.
Thought to be one of the best recruiters in college football, Napier was a key player in Alabama’s 2011 and 2015 National Championship runs as head coach Nick Saban’s wide receivers coach (2013–17) and offensive analyst (2011).
Amari Cooper, the 2014 Biletnikoff Award winner and the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, was coached by Napier while he was at Tuscaloosa.
Napier played in 70 games for Alabama, helping the team to a 63-7 overall record over the course of five seasons, which included 26 straight victories in 2015–2016. During that time, Alabama’s offense averaged 36.4 points per game and 6.27 yards per play.
Napier played for seven seasons at Clemson before moving to Alabama, where he started his career as a graduate assistant from 2003 to 2004, then as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach from 2009 to 2010, and tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator from 2006 to 2008.
In his three years as the Tigers’ recruiting coordinator, Napier put together two recruiting classes ranked in the top 25, and ESPN.com ranked his class as the second-best in the country in 2008.
In 2009, the Tigers set a school record with 436 points scored and hauled in 54 touchdowns, the third-most in school history, during Napier’s first season as offensive coordinator at Clemson. That year, Napier’s offense was very effective and helped Clemson win the ACC Atlantic Division.
Napier also held the positions of assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach at Colorado State (2012) and offensive coordinator at Arizona State (2017).
Napier completed his studies at Furman University, where he was an All-Southern Conference selection twice and a four-year letterman.
appointed as the starting quarterback for the institution.
Napier attended Murray County High School before graduating in 1998. He was raised in Chatsworth, Georgia. He is wed to the former Ali Gunn; together, they have two sons, Sammy Nelson and Charlie, and a daughter, Annie. In 2002, he graduated from Furman with a bachelor’s degree in health and exercise science.
