Florida football could make a coaching change this fall.
Florida football athletic director Scott Stricklin is also involved in the plan. Stricklin will run the search for Napier’s replacement if he is fired, per sources.
‘Stricklin, who is facing criticism of his own after decisions to hire Dan Mullen and then Napier, has been informed the decision whether to fire Napier is his to make. In that scenario, Stricklin will also be tasked with searching for a new coach, sources familiar with the discussions at Florida told CBS Sports this week.’
The program has certainly faltered in Napier’s tenure. They are 12-16 since he took the job, and it appears that the euphoric culture that once flooded the Swamp has been lost. In Florida’s Week 3 loss to Texas A&M, the home fans booed when the Gators bolted to the locker room down 20-0. They booed even louder when Napier was shown on the scoreboard.
Florida travels to play Mississippi State in Week 4, where Napier desperately needs to get the program a win. But perhaps the damage is already done.
Scott Stricklin’s questionable future with Florida
It’s a strange situation for Florida. While Stricklin is tasked with finding the next head coach of the program if he does move on from Napier this fall, his neck also appears to be on the line. Stricklin was responsible for firing Dan Mullin a year after reaching the SEC Championship, who had a 29-9 record in his first three seasons. Mullin also apparently encouraged them to hire Lane Kiffin as their next coach, but instead, they went with Napier.
There could be additional updates the more this escalates, and it seems like more parties are getting involved each week.
“Administrators at the university level and within the athletics department have remained mum as rumors circle Napier after two blowout losses. The reality is Napier can be fired at any moment, sources tell CBS Sports. Questions abound, too, about the future of athletics director Scott Stricklin, who serves an interim university president with a board of trustees comprised of powerful political players in the state.”
Napier and the Gators travel to Mississippi State for a 12 PM ET Saturday matchup on September 21 at Davis Wade Stadium in Starkville. Senior Florida quarterback Graham Mertz and freshman DJ Lagway will likely split time under center once again, hoping to avoid their three interceptions from Week 3.
