When he joined the Gators in 2021, Billy Napier had a plan to improve the program. The task was to catch up with Georgia and Alabama. With two uneventful home losses and a seven-game losing streak against FBS opponents, Napier’s coaching expertise is highly questionable. Fair to say, nothing has worked as per the plan as Billy Napier stares at an uncertain future amid headlines about his firing. We’ll get to the cost of Napier’s firing, but such a decision could affect the Gators far more than a hit on their accounts.

On September 20, 2024, Rivals.com, in an Instagram post, talked about the possibilities of Gators players hitting the portal if Napier is let go. As per Adam Friedman, rankings director and a national transfer portal analyst, five players could leave Florida’s roster. They include offensive lineman Jake Slaughter, wide receiver Eugene Wilson III, defensive lineman Kelby Collins, inside linebacker Shemar James, and quarterback DJ Lagway.

Each of the five players is crucial to the Gators’ chances of any future success. Their current worth may have faced some hit due to the team’s poor start to the season. However, the management knows that they will easily find suitors in other programs. Some may even land up to their conference opponents.

For instance, Kelby Collins was among the best freshmen defenders in 2023, finishing the season with 16 tackles, 15 quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Shemar James also had a similar impressive number- 29 tackles, three quarterback hurries and two sacks.

On the other hand, there is Jake Slaughter, who has impressed even in a disappointing Florida team. As per PFF, Slaughter has been the best pass-blocking center in the country. Eugene Wilson will also easily find suitors in the portal. In 2023, he caught 62 passes for 538 yards, including 6 TDs. Finally, despite his disappointing performances so far, there has been no reduction in coaches’ admiration for DJ Lagway. Firing Billy Napier will not be easy for the Gators as the costs involved are genuinely huge.

The cost of firing Napier and an uncertain future

Depending on timing, Florida’s final cost to get rid of Napier will likely be around $27 million. However, the buyout tab would be approximately $27.7 million if they took action by the end of the month. Half of that amount is due in 30 days, which is approximately $13.8 million. Not to surprise, if Billy Napier’s contract is dismissed, Florida will have the distinction of being the recipient of the second-largest buyout payment throughout college football history.

A past statement from Florida athletic director, Jeremy Foley, philosophically connects with Napier’s downward trajectory in employment. He paraphrased Henry Kissinger when he said, “If something needs to be done eventually, it must be done immediately,” following Ron Zook’s dismissal in 2004. However, in the case of Florida, the situation is a little twisted. As the “eventually” part is safe since nobody anticipates Napier to be the Gators’ HC in 2025. 

That uncertainty will travel across the team. It’s no wonder that there are headlines about key players looking at transfers. As per On3 Recruits analyst Steve Wiltfong, “It’s not good right now for them [players] because there’s just a lot of doubt of the direction of this program now moving forward.” The action can’t be delayed, and the management needs to look at factors other than money in terms of immediate damage to the program. 

If you want to know more about college football and the NIL landscape, do catch this ES Think Tank episode with Doug Sanders.