5 Replacements For Billy Napier if Florida Gators Fire Their Head Coach: Are Lane Kiffin, Jamey Chadwell Legitimate Options?

It’s safe to say things have not gone according to plan for the Florida Gators under Billy Napier. After starting 1-2 and with the most difficult finish to a season we’ve witnessed in recent memory, the Gators are teetering on the edge.

Reports indicate that boosters are working behind the scenes to raise money to pay Napier’s nearly $26 million buyout and that the head coach could be on his way out, perhaps as soon as Monday.

Who should the Gators target to replace Napier if he’s fired this season?

5 Candidates For Florida’s Potential Head Coach Opening

The Gators are in a pickle as they’ve hired three straight head coaches who succeeded elsewhere but didn’t live up to lofty expectations in Gainesville. Neither Napier nor his predecessor, Dan Mullen, were known for their recruiting prowess, as they made their livings as program builders at non-traditional powers.

But Napier’s recruiting wasn’t the issue, as the Gators finished in the top 20 each year under Napier. Instead, he had issues with the culture and never meshed with fans or boosters. Add in issues of working hand-in-hand with the Gators’ main collective, and his tenure has just been a disaster of mismanagement.

If I were in charge at Florida, I would probably go in the direction of a coach with a distinct scheme and hire coaches around him to recruit and build the program.

To fire someone so early in the season indicates the Gators want to make a splash hire, but can Florida lure one of the top available coaches?

Alex Golesh, Head Coach, USF

Alex Golesh isn’t quite the splash hire that a couple of the others on the list might be, but he’s probably the best fit available. He has SEC experience under Josh Heupel at Tennessee and brings a unique system, something the Gators could use after failing with program builders and culture guys.

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Golesh is an offensive-minded coach who runs an ultra-fast hurry-up spread offense, much like Heupel at Tennessee and Jeff Lebby at Mississippi State. South Florida is sixth in college football in seconds per play, which would give Florida a schematic identity.

He wouldn’t excite Florida boosters as much as a bigger fish, but that’s secondary to actually winning, which Golesh would probably do.

Urban Meyer, Retired Head Coach

If the primary goal is to smooth over relations with boosters and create a bridge for the next long-term head coach, Urban Meyer is the guy. Heck, bring Steve Spurrier back as a special assistant to the head coach and offensive play-caller.

This isn’t the way Florida should go, but it’s something just dumb enough to make sense for those in charge at Florida.

Would Meyer return to coaching? He seems to like his job as a Fox analyst, but if Florida throws enough money his way, he might come back.

Jamey Chadwell, Head Coach, Liberty

Jamey Chadwell has succeeded everywhere he’s been, not simply because he knows how to build a program, but because his offensive scheme is extremely difficult to defend.

Not quite a spread offense, not quite an option offense, Chadwell’s unique attack has allowed him to go 47-7 in the last five seasons.

If he’s succeeding at small schools, imagine what Chadwell could do with some of the top athletes in Florida. The quarterback play would certainly be better, and it’s obvious that Chadwell’s teams are well-coached.

Gus Malzahn, Head Coach, UCF

People still sleep on Gus Malzahn, but what he’s doing without a consistent passing game at UCF is really impressive.

Another scheme guru, Malzahn has a National Championship Game appearance as a head coach and a win as an offensive coordinator, and he knows the Florida high school scene.

There would be people at Florida who would try to spin the Gators as too good for Malzahn, but those people have an elevated view of a program that hasn’t won consistently since Meyer retired the first time.

Lane Kiffin, Head Coach, Ole Miss

If I’m Florida, Lane Kiffin is the first call I make.

Yes, he’s probably going to reject the Gators, but to not even make the call would be mismanagement of epic proportions.

Kiffin is a modern-day Spurrier — a big talker with an offense to back it up. He understands the modern landscape of college football better than any other coach right now, and he’s the best transfer portal recruiter in the country.

Here’s the kicker: At Florida, Kiffin would have the high school talent to make that the primary focus of his recruiting plan rather than having to spend most of his resources in the portal.

Again, Kiffin is likely to say no, but the Gators have to call.

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