The entire Billy Napier drama is now getting out of control. See, the Gators are now at the bottom of the barrel. With the loss to the Longhorns marking their 5th of the season, Billy Napier and Co. ain’t having fun, and Paul Finebaum, out of all the people, had the perfect suggestion. Just fire Napier and try to hire Lane Kiffin. This idea makes sense. Kiffin has managed to turn around the entire Ole Miss era and now, with the massive win over the Bulldogs, the Rebels have solidified themselves as one of the best this season. However, then came the official announcement from Scott Stricklin that the University was going to stick with Napier going into 2025.

And well, now we spot a CFB insider backing up Stricklin’s decision. “The money that you thought that was gonna go to Billy Napier’s buyout is now going into your collective. You are going to build around DJ Lagway and you are going to actually give yourself a chance,” the insider mentioned. See, if Napier is fired before his contract is over, the University of Florida has to pay out around $27 million. This is arguably the second-largest buyout in the entire history of CFB. Now, what the CFB insider says has some sense in it. Rather than wasting that money, why not keep Napier and give the 2025 season a shot?

See, if we are being honest here, the Gators would’ve won against the Dawgs. Why? DJ Lagway. The moment this guy was put on the turf, the entire offensive strength of the Gators improved significantly. These guys managed to grab a 48-20 win over the Kentucky Wildcats because of Lagway. Even if we talk about the Bulldogs, Kirby Smart and Co. were TRAILING behind Florida in the 2nd quarter.

If Lagway wasn’t sidelined because of his hamstring injury, Napier had a massive shot at actually winning that showdown. Building a fresh team around Lagway in 2025 will give Napier the redemption he wants.

Graham Mertz is out of the count now, and Gators backup QB Aiden Warner will also get some more time to improve. However, there is one way keeping Napier could work. Even if Stricklin aims for the 2025 era, there is zero guarantee that Napier can make it work. All of this is a major gamble. Still, Florida’s overall recruitment could be a key turning point for the next season.

Climbing out of mediocrity

With the official announcement out of the way, the tension among current players and recruits has eased out a bit. While it is true that Florida still sits on the No.50 spot in the entire nation in terms of recruiting, that doesn’t mean Napier hasn’t done a decent job.

Using the last portal, Napier managed to bring in 17 new players into the team. Among these 17, 11 players started in at least every game this season. This is some progress. What the staff has to focus on now is getting a proper backup QB. See, Lagway is secured. Despite the previous news of him hitting the transfer portal, the guy has confirmed that he will be sticking with the Gators.

Now, is Aiden Warner a good backup pick? No. Warner has shown very limited promise in the games he has been put in, so keeping him in the 3rd backup spot is still the best idea. What Napier can aim for is 4-star Tramell Jones. While Jones is committed to the Seminoles, their 1 win season can make him switch to the Gators if Napier makes use of the proper tactics.

The defensive line is what Napier needs to fix next. While the Gators still have 6 linemen with eligibility left, Napier still should pursue Malik Autry, Bariate Kara, and Stephon Shivers. This would give him more options to play around with on the D-line. If Billy Napier manages to nail the recruitment cycle for the 2025 season, it will give the team a solid chance at climbing out of the mediocrity they have found themselves in.