Florida’s head coach, Billy Napier, hasn’t seen big wins on the football field yet in his third year. But things are looking smoother after spring practice than they have in a while.
Napier mentioned to Josh Pate of 247Sports that they’re not dealing with big problems like before. They’ve fixed up their $85 million training center, sorted out their program for players earning money through endorsements (NIL), and made changes to their coaching staff after a tough start.
But outside of the team, there are still big questions. The Gators ended last season with five losses in a row, which hurt Napier’s reputation. Now, they’re facing a tough schedule this year.
Despite that, Napier thinks the players for 2024 are the best they’ve had. He says they’ve made big improvements to how players experience being on the team.
It’s hard to say how this will affect their performance on the field when they play Miami on August 31, but Napier shared some thoughts with Pate about where the team stands.
Quarterback Graham Mertz is a big deal. People weren’t sure about him joining Florida last year after some struggles at Wisconsin. But he ended up fitting in well with Napier’s style, having a great season in 2023. Now, he’s back for his final season and expected to do even better.
Napier has been criticized for being both head coach and offensive play-caller, but he’s sticking with it for 2024. He believes he can handle both roles now that other parts of the team are sorted.
While having Napier and Mertz on board is good for the offense, there are still challenges. They’ve lost key players like top receiver Ricky Pearsall and have to rebuild parts of their team.
The schedule isn’t easy either. They’re up against some tough teams, including in-state rivals and strong conference opponents.
Despite all this, Napier feels more stable than before. He thinks having a solid roster lets them focus on what really matters, making them better prepared for the upcoming season.