Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier, quarterback Graham Mertz, running back Montrell Johnson Jr., and linebacker Shemar James will all be in attendance for SEC Media Days in Dallas, Texas. Napier’s seat is heating up on the back of two disappointing seasons, and he’ll face several difficult questions at Media Days.
Three Most Significant Questions for Billy Napier at SEC Media Days
1) How Hot Is Napier’s Seat as Head Coach?
Napier is the first Florida head coach to have back-to-back losing seasons since Raymond Wolf in 1946-47. That’s not exactly something to be proud of, and it is why fans and analysts alike believe Napier is on the hot seat — or at least should be — entering 2024.
However, in January, athletic director Scott Stricklin took offense to the phrase, telling the Orlando Sentinel, “I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. It’s a made-up term. People can put them on whatever list they want. It has nothing to do with reality. … I believe in Billy. I believe in him as a leader; I believe in him as a coach.”
A third lost year could change the AD’s tune.
2) Can the Gators Overcome the Toughest Schedule in the Nation?
Gainsville? More like Painsville, am I right? Much has been made of the Gators’ brutal 2024 schedule this offseason, and for good reason. Not only do the Gators have to host Miami (FL), Texas A&M, Georgia, LSU, and Ole Miss, but they also have to travel to Mississippi State, Tennessee, Texas, and Florida State.
Those matchups culminate in the No. 1 toughest strength of schedule in the country, and even though Florida has SEC-level talent of its own, it’s difficult to see them surpass the five or six wins they’ve posted the last two years without some luck.
3) Who Will Call Plays on Offense?
Offensive line coach Rob Sale has been the Gators’ offensive coordinator for the past two seasons, at least on paper. Napier has called the plays during his tenure, but a shakeup could be coming in 2024. TEs coach Russ Callaway was promoted to co-OC alongside Sale and has experience calling plays from his time at Samford (2018-19).
Yet, the Gators could have two OCs that don’t call plays, as Napier was noncommittal about relinquishing the job this offseason. “I think we’ve got time to figure those things out. But I mean, I don’t see any major overhauls outside of just how we organize that group and how we operate in-house.”
The offense could benefit from more input, as the unit ranked seventh in passing (259.3 YPG) and eighth in rushing (149.8 YPG) among SEC teams last year. Returning QB Graham Mertz is a solid collegiate passer, but his applauded 72.9% completion rate isn’t all that impressive when you realize he had the lowest average depth of target in the conference.
True freshman five-star signal-caller DJ Lagway is the Gators’ future at the position and should see playing time this season, whether that’s with special packages or as a complete replacement if Mertz struggles down the stretch.
SEC Media Days Schedule: Billy Napier, Florida Head Coach
- Date: Wednesday, July 17
- Time: 9:05 a.m. CT
- How to watch: SEC Network+
We’ve already touched on Florida’s 2024 schedule, but a difficult set of games isn’t the only reason the Gators check in at No. 10 on the SEC Power Rankings. Mertz’s playstyle caps the offense’s ceiling, depth at RB is a concern, the defense struggled to wrap up in 2023, and top pass rusher Princely Umanmielen is now at Ole Miss.
Nevertheless, the pieces are there for Napier to lead his program to wins. But if the Gators limp to their fourth straight season with six or fewer wins, he may not be in “The Swamp” in 2025.
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