If I ask your thoughts on today’s college football coaches successfully juggling between their CEO-like and play-calling duties, what would your response be? Many would scoff at this with derision. Many would even cite examples. Remember Gus Malzahn’s case? Back in Auburn, he gave up his play-calling duties only to take them back and then get fired that very season. With his next stint at UCF, this became a recurring theme. Gus learned the lesson the hard way: “In this day and time, I don’t know how head coaches can be play callers,” said the then 57-year-old back in 2023 as Knights’ head coach. Clearly, there is a shift in understanding. But with Billy Napier, is it just his inability to adapt or is he just hell-bent on beating a dead horse?

Back in 2008, Dabo Swinney appointed Napier as the offensive coordinator and QB coach at Clemson. The then 29-year-old coach was a questionable hire, but wrapping up the season with a 9-5 overall record and a first-ever ACC hardware for the Tigers did some damage control. Come next season, the magic faded away. The offense slowed down by 30 yards, scoring by 7 points, and Clemson saw its another first-ever. A losing season in a decade as they gave up a Bowl Game to South Florida. Billy was fired. His playmaking was flagged as “predictable.” Now, couple that with his conservative style, it was time to pack for Bama.

Nick Saban hired the young coach as offensive analyst for the Crimson, but many believe that that the legendary head coach passing Napier up for the OC role multiple times just might have become the thorn in their relationship. Then there was the practice session where the UF head coach admittedly botched after calling a play he termed ‘Romeo’ and got what he defined as, “One of the worst a– chewings I’ve probably gotten in my career.” Soon, Alabama fired him, and now that the head coach will return to his fourth season at the UF, it is as if the ghost of the past has returned to haunt him again.

But Billy still trusts his play-making abilities as he veto’ed himself as the de-facto OC for the upcoming season when he said this on Wednesday: “It’s what got me here. It’s how I became the head coach. It’s what’s helped us make progress and win in the past. I’m confident it will help us do that in the future.” Wait a second, you heard that too? Shots fired already. With the head coach oozing with confidence in his own skillset, Ali Peek Wilbur of ‘A Peek Inside Florida Gators Football’ is having a hard time to believe.

Addressing it through her lens, Ali said, “And I also don’t know that I even agree that play calling is what has gotten him to where he is.

“I think relationships are part of that. I think roster building is part of that. I think identifying talent is a large part of what has made him so successful.”

In Louisiana, despite not having the brightest of prospects, Napier found what we can call Diamonds in the Rough as he helped them thrive in a tough SEC schedule. Percy Butler and Max Mitchell are two names who joined the Lafayette program after finding no other offers. And what did Napier do? Turned the tables around for the two as the two Ragin’ Cajuns got drafted as the fourth-round picks in 2022. While his hand has not been the best with the Gators, he did have one card he can always rely on.

Thanks to the resurgence of Florida quarterback, DJ Lagway, from his hamstring injury in the midseason, the team saw a four-win streak and a spectacular bowl win to cap off the season. With his growing recognition throughout the nation owing to this stellar performance, fans are hyping the sophomore up for what would make him stand out even more.

DJ Lagway’s prospects to be one of the top QBs in the sport

Florida football’s leading light DJ Lagway is currently Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated deep passer and the highest-rated true freshman quarterback. And it’s not a surprise at all. Although one of the top prospects entering Florida, Lagway still warmed the seats as Graham Mertz’s backup. However, Mertz’s concussion sidelining pushed Lagway to the starting lineup against Samford in Week 2. With Mertz ACL tear, things took a serious turn for the Texan and he has impressed us all since then. 

Turns out, Lagway has the fifth-best odds at +1100 to win the Heisman trophy next season according to sources. His competitors so far are: Arch Manning (+600), Garrett Nussmeier (+800), John Mateer (+900), and Drew Allar (+1000).

I mean look at his high-flying numbers that feature 1,915 yards, 115 of 192 pass attempts 59.9% with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in an above-than-average season for the Gators. Although Napier and his team couldn’t sustain the momentum, Lagway’s acute potential turned heads as he propelled Florida to their first winning season since 2020.

Lagway’s 2024 impressed fans and pundits of the sport and solidified his position at the top. Seems like Gators have a lot of spotlight on them with the 6-ft-3 Texan trying to make the odds sit right with him and Billy possibly proving his offensive mindset to the world. Something interesting to look forward to for sure!