Insiders Condemn Florida Gators’ ‘Stupid’ Choices Against Tennessee, Endangering Billy Napier’s $52M Job

No matter how many times we talk about this, it never gets old. Billy Napier’s era at the Gators has to be one of the worst coaching performances in recent years. This dude was handed a team with a solid roster and financial backing and turned that into the new laughingstock of CFB. Against the Vols, it was Billy Napier’s final shot at redemption, but he somehow managed to mess that up as well. From weird starting QB selections to predictable play callings, Napier’s presence as the HC has been nothing but borderline dumb.

And that is exactly what the hosts on 1010XL: Gators call out yet again. “Now on the level of stupidity, they would have called a flea flicker reverse,” one of the hosts points out. Somehow, through sheer luck or QB DJ Lagway’s intervention, call it whatever you want, the Gators managed to hit the 17-17 score against the Vols. This pushed the game into overtime and Napier had one shot at making it count.

Instead of tricking the Vols’ defense into thinking that the Gators’ offense would go for a run game, Napier’s ugly and predictable play calling came into play and he repeated the same mistake, which had cost the Gators 10 points during the second quarter. At this point, it’s a no-brainer that play-calling ain’t Napier’s forte.

Standing on a 3-3 run after the loss to the No.8 ranked opponent, the future of the Gators is all smoke and mirrors. “Billy Napier’s Florida career is going to come to an end,” was what one CFB insider had pointed out back on the Smothered & Covered podcast.

Well, if that isn’t an obvious prediction. This man has single-handedly managed to bring down a great program to its knees. At this point, it looks like the University Of Florida should just cut its losses, hand Napier the $26 million cheque and call it a day. Going over the remainder of the schedule, this team has no shot at winning against the Bulldogs or the Longhorns. That ain’t even the worst part. The Vols game not only stained the Gators’ reputation even more, but it also managed to take away their starting QB.

Graham Mertz’s Season-Ending Injury Shakes Up Gators’ Roster

Talk about a curveball! Just when the Gators thought they were cruising, bam—Graham Mertz is out for the season with an ACL injury. The offense that Billy Napier so carefully crafted around Mertz? Well, it’s about to take a wild detour. Enter DJ Lagway, the shiny new QB who’s got the skills, but can he steer this ship back on course?

The hype is real for Lagway, and sure, he’s a talent. But let’s not pretend losing Mertz isn’t a massive gut punch. Napier now has to magically sync Lagway with the rest of the crew. And let’s be honest—decision-making under pressure hasn’t exactly been Napier’s strong suit lately. Steering clear of potholes? Not really his thing.

This season was supposed to be about cruising smoothly, maybe even snagging a Bowl game, but now? It’s starting to feel like Napier’s fumbling with the keys while the Gators’ season teeters on the edge of a cliff. Can Lagway save the day, or are we watching this ship sink in slow motion?