The fire Billy Napier hashtag is still trending as the Gators continue to take bumps in the season. Florida Gators’ 20-34 defeat against the Georgia Bulldogs escalated the already existing anti-Billy Napier emotion among fans. They are 4-4 so far this season and while the slim bowl eligibility hope persists for the team, the remaining schedule is likely to put them on a tougher test. The rough season put Napier on the hot seat again and again, but even amidst so much backlash, he is sitting at the helm of the Gators to date. The legitimate concern is if there is any right alternative.

With two starting quarterbacks injured, the naysayers could see it as the end of Napier’s time in the Florida camp. While some other arguments advocate for the veteran coach, saying not everything is the HC’s fault, the majority get cynical about his doubtful expertise as a coach. And Paul Finebaum, the prized analyst, seemingly sides with the ‘fire Napier’ group.

”The only way I would agree with you to fire him is if you have somebody that is rock solid because you can get away with it. I mean, he has done enough this year to show that he is capable. The problem is that he ended up, we all focused on those ending games, you know the stretch he is in right now… I’m not advocating that he gets fired. I’m just saying based on what I have heard, he may be out of time,” Finebaum opined.

In that case, who is the alternative? Well, when Finebaum was questioned about it on the ‘Matt Barrie Show’, he stated:

“I am talking to people in the parking lot at EverBank stadium, so I will say that on the front end, they want Lane Kiffin. You can agree or disagree America, but that’s who they are fixated on and that has not changed in ten weeks.”

Interesting Fact: Florida Gators have lost 18 of 33 games under Napier as the HC. A majority of these losses were with Anthony Richardson leading the offense. Richardson went on to be a top-5 pick in the NFL.

Kiffin previously left Tennessee after one season and joined the USC but was fired three years later. Then, Nick Saban offered him a role as the OC at Alabama and that’s how Kiffin established one of the most impressive offenses in the country. Kiffin also worked at Florida Atlantic before switching to the Ole Miss head coach in 2020. In fact, Ole Miss is one of several SEC teams in the race to make the College Football Playoff this season, and if they do so, Finebaum can’t see him accepting an offer at Gainesville.

All that being said, let us look at a few hypothetical scenarios that really support the idea of Kiffin going to Florida Gators. After all, the team is aggressively pursuing him.

How Lane Kiffin can be the new Florida coach…

Now, if they have to hand him an ultimatum, Kiffin will make the most logical choice. Billy Napier seems to be done with the Florida Gators. The program that once dominated over the Bulldogs under Will Muschamp saw a major upset after 10 years, pinpointing a huge downturn. Due to a slew of wrong decisions, and lackluster offensive, and defensive bind, The Gators also failed to sustain against Miami, Texas A&M, and Tennessee in the past weeks.

Kiffin has taken up the Ole Miss Rebels and made it into one of College Football’s most elite teams with a 37-15 record since 2020. The way they are sailing through the season so far, they do have an adequate chance of making a run in the extended College Football Playoffs and winning the national championship.

If this is the case, the ticket to Florida is just a matter of time. If you think it’s too elusive to be true, look at Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh who did something similar the last season.

Also, Florida is a recruitment magnet. Kiffin’s arrival might bring more flair to it, triggering a better, stronger roster for the upcoming years.

What’s your take on the idea of Lane Kiffin being Billy Napier’s replacement at Florida Gators? Let us know in the comments.